MEXICOWANDERER wrote:
You should be in a position to Tell All
Your projected battery bank size. How many and what size?
The way you use your camper. Length of trips. Do you use a heater with a blower?
Do you expect to recharge using a generator? What size and model?
Do you connect to a power post often while camping?
Are you an off-grid "boondocker"?
Answering all of these questions in detail will make all the difference in the world to experienced (and talented) forum folks who will help you arrive at a system that works best for you at the cheapest price.
And 6-way RV sockets and plugs that attempt to pass 20-amps or more will self-destruct. School of hard knocks.
Some trucks have a gorilla of a charging system. Tell us about your truck. Familarize yourself with wire-size numbers. Go to a parts store or hardware and learn the signifigance of say 8-gauge.
Prepare to make a list of URL addresses to shop for parts that forum members recommend. A lot of info will be coming your way. Organizing lessens info overload frustration. And periodic appearances in a long thread means you are present and interested. Detail YOUR level of experience, knowledge and availability of tools.
My current set up is a 2010 Northstar Laredo SC camper and 2007 Dodge Ram Diesel 3500 SRW.
I recently purchased a 31 grp 12V Trojan AGM battery. I'm thinking at some point to a second identical battery and solar charge, for more boondocking and to not have to use my Honda eu2000i with me.
But a solar charger is down the road. For now, I use my battery for heater, lights, water pump mainly and I move often. I plug into a AC socket once every 6-7 days, but mostly I rely on the truck's alternator to recharge my truck battery. I want this process to be more efficient because I'm tired of carrying my Honda generator with me.
When I plug my camper into my truck's 7 pin outlet, it will charge the truck battery. But if I leave the fridge on battery for example all night, it will also discharge my truck's batteries. Or if I store the truck with camper plugged in for any length of time. That's where I think a lack of a solinoid is the problem.
Hope this gives you an idea of my current and future uses. I know a second battery and solar charger will be the ticket in time, but for now I want to improve on the AC charger and the truck alternator charging system of my battery. Also, I don't want the truck's own batteries to drain if I accidentally leave something on overnight.
Thanks for any info.
Raz
