Forum Discussion
RoyB
Feb 22, 2014Explorer II
You will need to check in FLA and see if you are allowed to run your generator and if so do they have generator run time restrictions in place.
If they have generator run time restrictions in place you may only be allowed to run your generator for a couple of hours in the morning and maybe three hours in the afternoon. You most likely will not be allowed to run your generator after 8PM at night..
With this in mind you must have a smart mode converter or a smart mode portable battery charger. The game plan is to plug the trailer into your 120VAC outlet on your generator and run your 45AMP smart mode converter for the three hours it will take to get your two batteries back up to their 90% charge state. Then you get almost full performance from your batteries and can hopefully run the things you want to run for the day/night run off your batteries. Then the next morning you can re-charge them again in a three hour time frame.
I do this all the time with my 2KW HOnda generator setup and am running three batteries in my 12VDC battery bank giving me around 255AHs capacity...
If you are not allowed your generator where you are going then your only other option is SOLAR PANELS to charge your batteries.
Keep in mind if you have the short window to charge your battery the smart mode charging is the only way to get it done in a short three hour charge time. The rule of thumb to re-charge deep cycle batteries in a three hour time frame is to hit them with 14.4VDC boost charge and each battery will want to draw around 20AMPS of DC current for 30 minutes or so. having two batteries in your bank this will need to be 40AMPS of battery charge capacity. This is battery science and not many ways to get around it if you need them charged in a quick short three hour time frame.
Without smart mode charge capability it will take you around 12 hours to get your batteries back up to their 90% charge state.
Roy ken
If they have generator run time restrictions in place you may only be allowed to run your generator for a couple of hours in the morning and maybe three hours in the afternoon. You most likely will not be allowed to run your generator after 8PM at night..
With this in mind you must have a smart mode converter or a smart mode portable battery charger. The game plan is to plug the trailer into your 120VAC outlet on your generator and run your 45AMP smart mode converter for the three hours it will take to get your two batteries back up to their 90% charge state. Then you get almost full performance from your batteries and can hopefully run the things you want to run for the day/night run off your batteries. Then the next morning you can re-charge them again in a three hour time frame.
I do this all the time with my 2KW HOnda generator setup and am running three batteries in my 12VDC battery bank giving me around 255AHs capacity...
If you are not allowed your generator where you are going then your only other option is SOLAR PANELS to charge your batteries.
Keep in mind if you have the short window to charge your battery the smart mode charging is the only way to get it done in a short three hour charge time. The rule of thumb to re-charge deep cycle batteries in a three hour time frame is to hit them with 14.4VDC boost charge and each battery will want to draw around 20AMPS of DC current for 30 minutes or so. having two batteries in your bank this will need to be 40AMPS of battery charge capacity. This is battery science and not many ways to get around it if you need them charged in a quick short three hour time frame.
Without smart mode charge capability it will take you around 12 hours to get your batteries back up to their 90% charge state.
Roy ken
About Technical Issues
Having RV issues? Connect with others who have been in your shoes.24,194 PostsLatest Activity: Jan 29, 2025