Hey guys, a noob here. We are doing a 3+ week trip this summer including a week in yellowstone dry camping. I have a 30' TT with 7 people total including kids and in-laws. I am borrowing the trailer actually so I don't want to invest too much money and I have been thinking through how I am going to keep the battery charged for a whole week. I don't want to buy a generator and it seems like the cheaper solar options might not push enough amps. Plus I'm not sure of sun availability/shade in the campsite.The cheapest option I may have found was to install a battery isolator in my TV and run a wire to the rear of SUV and put the TT battery in there and connect it to charge off the chassis battery/alternator while we drive around the park each day or every other day. I figure we'll be in the car for at least 1.5 hrs a day since yellowstone is so big (and crowded in July). It may not charge it all the way, but at least it will get us through the night. Obviously the TT would stay in the campsite during the day, so it wouldn't be hooked to the TV for charging while we drove.Here is one product I found on amazon. https://www.amazon.com/WirthCo-20092-Battery-Doctor-Isolator/dp/B0058SGDFKThoughts? Thanks.

Mariner14 wrote:Hey guys, a noob here. We are doing a 3+ week trip this summer including a week in yellowstone dry camping. I have a 30' TT with 7 people total including kids and in-laws. I am borrowing the trailer actually so I don't want to invest too much money and I have been thinking through how I am going to keep the battery charged for a whole week.You won't get enough charge from your tow vehicle to replace what you pull out of the battery each day. Instead, take a second battery and a stand alone charger, alternate the batteries each day, take the depleted battery & charger to anywhere in the park there's 120 vac shore power to recharge. There are several gas stations located within YP so worst case ask if you can leave the battery on the charger for the day while you're out exploring. AND teach those 7 people how to conserve power. ;)

With 7 people, I would try and get into Fishing Bridge. It has full hook ups.

SoundGuy, really? They would let me just leave my battery and charger at a gas station or ranger station for the day? And I hope it wouldn't walk off I guess. Have you done this before?I was trying to avoid the Fishing Bridge parking lot. Also it was going to be $360 vs. $120 at Grant Village for the week w/ Senior Pass discount (can't say father-in-law never did anything for me). But we might should just do that so I'm not all stressed about the battery dying. I don't expect to be very successful at teaching my 7, 9 and 11 year old how to conserve power and water.

Dry camping with 7 people? You may want to do a trial run for a day or two.

2oldman,we'll be in a campsite close to water, flush toilets and showers, but I take your point.

Charging battery inside the TV | Good Sam Community

2oldman
Explorer II
Dec 15, 2017
Dry camping with 7 people? You may want to do a trial run for a day or two.
Mariner14
Explorer
Dec 15, 2017
SoundGuy, really? They would let me just leave my battery and charger at a gas station or ranger station for the day? And I hope it wouldn't walk off I guess. Have you done this before?

I was trying to avoid the Fishing Bridge parking lot. Also it was going to be $360 vs. $120 at Grant Village for the week w/ Senior Pass discount (can't say father-in-law never did anything for me). But we might should just do that so I'm not all stressed about the battery dying. I don't expect to be very successful at teaching my 7, 9 and 11 year old how to conserve power and water.
rv2go
Explorer II
Dec 15, 2017
With 7 people, I would try and get into Fishing Bridge. It has full hook ups.
SoundGuy
Explorer
Dec 15, 2017
Mariner14 wrote:
Hey guys, a noob here. We are doing a 3+ week trip this summer including a week in yellowstone dry camping. I have a 30' TT with 7 people total including kids and in-laws. I am borrowing the trailer actually so I don't want to invest too much money and I have been thinking through how I am going to keep the battery charged for a whole week.

You won't get enough charge from your tow vehicle to replace what you pull out of the battery each day. Instead, take a second battery and a stand alone charger, alternate the batteries each day, take the depleted battery & charger to anywhere in the park there's 120 vac shore power to recharge. There are several gas stations located within YP so worst case ask if you can leave the battery on the charger for the day while you're out exploring. AND teach those 7 people how to conserve power. ;)

Forum Discussion

Charging battery inside the TV

About Technical Issues

Related Content

Battery charging

battery charging

Battery charge versus remaining usable charge

Battery/ charging question

Batteries not charging