My little Travato battery project
The chassis battery is pretty huge on this van. It's under an access panel below the driver's feet. It's a pain to remove this panel and get to it. The battery looks like one you'd have on a diesel pusher. Ridiculous for a standard V6 gas engine. There are no maintenance ports, so I can only assume it's an AGM type, but I can't really tell. Anyone know what it is?
The dash usb and 12v ports are not active without the key in the run position. That kinda sucks because those would be good for iPad, iPhone and the 12v adapter I have for my Macbook Air.
So I bought some parts today to take advantage of this battery. I bought several quick disconnect pigtails with ring ends, a 12v digital voltage meter that attaches to a quick disconnect end, and a 500w inverter with 2 outlets and 2, 2.1 amp usb plugs, and a 12v cigarette plug that attaches to a quick disconnect.
So the plan is to attach 3 pigtails to the battery. One for the battery tender jr I use when I store the van at my shop. One is for a 12v cigarette type plug - I'll use this for my laptop charger. The third is for the inverter. I don't really need an inverter for anything other than the USB ports, but maybe there will be some need in the future (it's switched, so can remain off if not used). When the battery tender isn't plugged in, I'll plug in the voltage meter to watch the battery when doing this nonsense.
Everything else - 12v tv and radio, led lights, refer, water pump, furnace blower, etc, is on the house battery.
I'm installing pigtails on the house battery to attach to a battery tender as well, along with one for my portable solar panel for trips I think that would be useful.
Any thoughts, or suggestions?
The dash usb and 12v ports are not active without the key in the run position. That kinda sucks because those would be good for iPad, iPhone and the 12v adapter I have for my Macbook Air.
So I bought some parts today to take advantage of this battery. I bought several quick disconnect pigtails with ring ends, a 12v digital voltage meter that attaches to a quick disconnect end, and a 500w inverter with 2 outlets and 2, 2.1 amp usb plugs, and a 12v cigarette plug that attaches to a quick disconnect.
So the plan is to attach 3 pigtails to the battery. One for the battery tender jr I use when I store the van at my shop. One is for a 12v cigarette type plug - I'll use this for my laptop charger. The third is for the inverter. I don't really need an inverter for anything other than the USB ports, but maybe there will be some need in the future (it's switched, so can remain off if not used). When the battery tender isn't plugged in, I'll plug in the voltage meter to watch the battery when doing this nonsense.
Everything else - 12v tv and radio, led lights, refer, water pump, furnace blower, etc, is on the house battery.
I'm installing pigtails on the house battery to attach to a battery tender as well, along with one for my portable solar panel for trips I think that would be useful.
Any thoughts, or suggestions?
