Charging with TV alternator... Mod with pics...

Hi,

It will be fine.

I prefer to not idle my Ford v-10.

Consumption is about 1.5 gph if I remember correctly.

sch911 wrote:
So you're planning on leaving the truck run for hours and hours during the day? Doesn't sound so economical to me...

Again... why not??? Maybe 2 hours...Have you calculated the gas use of an idleing truck vs a genberator running at 3500 rpm;s? IMO the truck wins every time...


Please explain...

tvman44 wrote:
Expensive battery charger.

What is expensive about it? Im sure ill use less fuel then a gen. Parts cost less then 100 bucks...

How much is a honda? How much to change my magnatec 6332 to a 3 stage charger? at least $1500 for both no?

Please explain...

I just want to be sure I did the right thing...

RoyB wrote:


Depending on your DC current demand by how large your battery bank is you could easily demand an additional 50-100 DC AMPS from your truck alternator system during the charge cycle and this may be over what the truck alternator can produce. That could result in "game over" for the truck alternator..
Also idling your truck motor for three to four hours is probably not all that great on your truck motor.

I charge my 50% charge state trailer batteries with the on-board converter/charger being run by my 2kW Honda Generator setup using a RV30A-15A long adapter.
Battery science says if your want to fully charge your batteries using 14.4VDC it will take right at 12 hours if you are able to produce 17-20AMPs of DC Current per battery in your bank...

Lets us know how you make out... Not saying it will not work out for you just something I would not put my truck alternator on the line. This alternator system is only designed to charge a single 12VDC START battery.

just saying
Roy Ken

OK but if there is a demand better then 50 amps the breaker will trip. Then reset and continue charging. Thats why I put a 50 amp breaker in..

Why idling my truck for 3 hours is not good? Can you explain?

So how much gas do you use with your gen? My truck will probably use less gas then a genand is quieter then the Honda I am sure... And I am getting same amps or more and same voltage...

Hence why I did this mod...

Please explain?

Golden_HVAC wrote:

It looks like you used the right things to get this project done. It should quickly fill your battery. However know that while the engine is at idle, there is not a lot of oil flow (volume) to the upper end of the valve train. So while you might not think it will do any damage to idle the engine for a hour, it can. Ford says not to idle their diesel trucks, even while hitching up the truck to the trailer.

The gas trucks can handle more idling, but still it is not 'good' for them.

That said, you can plug in your truck to the trailer for say 10 minutes, and some of the truck's battery power will go into the trailer. Then a short run of the truck will provide max amperage from the alternator. 10 minutes at 130 amps will provide 2 amp hours per minute, or upwards of 20 amp hours in 10 minutes.

Your RV will consume 35 amp hours per day to just run the propane detector and CO detector, and refrigerator. Add lights to this, and it will be around 50 AH daily.


Fred.

I have two duracell 75 ah batterys... No way am I using 35 ah a day IMO... Like I said I have 50 amp breakers that will limit charge from the alt... Again I have 105 amp alt.

My lights are all led with a draw of .7 amps per light.

Cars and trucks idle all the time in traffic so I dont know what damage is possible I can do to my motor...

This is a gasser...

So you're planning on leaving the truck run for hours and hours during the day? Doesn't sound so economical to me...

Expensive battery charger.

Good luck... I wouldn't do it as this breaks rule #1 - "Never mess with the truck systems. This is the only way to get home..."

Depending on your DC current demand by how large your battery bank is you could easily demand an additional 50-100 DC AMPS from your truck alternator system during the charge cycle and this may be over what the truck alternator can produce. That could result in "game over" for the truck alternator.. My 255AH battery bank will demand around 53AMPS DC current when first hit with 14.4VDC. This starts tapering back and in 30 minutes or so it will be down to around 8AMPS DC CURRENT.

Also idling your truck motor for three to four hours is probably not all that great on your truck motor.

I charge my 50% charge state trailer batteries with the on-board converter/charger being run by my 2kW Honda Generator setup using a RV30A-15A long adapter. This will get my batteries back up to their 90% charge state in around three hours of generator run time. Then I am good for the next day/night run off of the batteries.

Battery science says if your want to fully charge your batteries using 14.4VDC it will take right at 12 hours if you are able to produce 17-20AMPs of DC Current per battery in your bank...

Lets us know how you make out... Not saying it will not work out for you just something I would not put my truck alternator on the line. This alternator system is only designed to charge a single 12VDC START battery.

just saying
Roy Ken

You can probably estimate the amperage going through the #6 wire by measuring the miliamps voltage drop across the 6' length of the #6 wire.

Put one lead on the battery terminal for the truck, and the other on the battery lead for the trailer. If you get a 0.001 volt drop and the ohms are 0.03, you can use math to estimate the amperage flow through that wire.

Chances are that amperage and milivolt drop across the wire will be about the same.

Most clamp on amp meters are only rated at AC amperage, because it influxes 60 times a second, and the meters can pick this up. DC clamp on meters are much more rare, and the Amprobe one that I bought cost $375 a few years back. Now I hear that Sears sells a clamp on DC meter that only costs about $85.

It looks like you used the right things to get this project done. It should quickly fill your battery. However know that while the engine is at idle, there is not a lot of oil flow (volume) to the upper end of the valve train. So while you might not think it will do any damage to idle the engine for a hour, it can. Ford says not to idle their diesel trucks, even while hitching up the truck to the trailer.

The gas trucks can handle more idling, but still it is not 'good' for them.

That said, you can plug in your truck to the trailer for say 10 minutes, and some of the truck's battery power will go into the trailer. Then a short run of the truck will provide max amperage from the alternator. 10 minutes at 130 amps will provide 2 amp hours per minute, or upwards of 20 amp hours in 10 minutes.

Your RV will consume 35 amp hours per day to just run the propane detector and CO detector, and refrigerator. Add lights to this, and it will be around 50 AH daily.

You might also consider a solar panel. SunElec.com

You can get a 100 watt solar panel that will also produce about 30 amp hours per day in full sun. Two advantages is that the solar panels shade the roof, and help it not get so warm inside.

Have fun camping!

Fred.