I've been wondering?I have a long trip planned soon & wonder after changing to a better battery in my Lance 900 camper if the factory wire that charges the battery as I drive is really all I need while out on the road?I only know about this wire be sues when I had my truck wired for the camper lights through the bed . They told me about this wire that it's purpose is to charge the battery as I drive .Ok so if I'm putting hundreds of miles a day or every other day should that keep my battery fully charged to run my furnace & such through the night?I realize for storage at home I will need to add some Dort of maintenance charger.But I'm thinking with long drives & the engine running a charge to it as we drive I should be good?Am I wrong?Thanks for you input.

Yes, it should charge to some level.It will depend on how it is wired. It should be wired with a good sized wire so as to reduce voltage drop. It should be in the neighborhood of #8 and maybe # 6 for both positive and negative. It should have a relay based isolation relay rather then a diode based. You need to make sure that the camper does not have a switch that needs to be in a certain position.

I have found that when driving most of the day my batteries will charge back up from about 50% to 90%. don't know the wire sizes or exact amps.

Personally electrical has always been my weakness, I just wanna make sure my battery will be strong enough to keep the furnace warn through the night while out in cold temps.

Blanco1 wrote:Personally electrical has always been my weakness, I just wanna make sure my battery will be strong enough to keep the furnace warn through the night while out in cold temps.You should be OK. But take along a multimeter & check the battery voltage when you arrive at your destination, then check it again in the morning before you set out once more. You'll see how much power you've consumed through out the night & have a much better idea of what your true needs are, if any beyond that. The furnace will drawn a lot of power over a 12 hour period if used extensively. Take several blankets.

Oh yes we have some great blankets.& I have no idea how yo use a multimeter as I said electricity is a major weakness of mine.Yet I do have LED battery voltage reader that I have rigged with a cig lights & alligator clips.I'll leave that hooked up & keep an eye on it.I've been thinking of rigging an 12 volt power outlet inside the camper & this might be the excuse I've been needing to hook it up before this trip?Thanks for the idea! :D

Charging the camper battery while driving? | Good Sam Community

58 Replies

Blanco1
Explorer
Nov 14, 2014
smkettner wrote:
I would have 100 watts maybe 200 watts of solar on the roof before pulling new wire to the alternator.
Solar works as long as the sun shines whether driving, camping, or stored at home.

Who said I was adding a new wire?

It's already got it.

& yes a solar panel is on my list, but it will have to wait till after my trip .
Money is tight.

& what one is it?

100 or 200 watts?
enblethen
Nomad
Nov 14, 2014
Yes, you could wire in a power receptacle to the rig in a convenient position. Meters like this are available at Walmart.
Meter
time2roll
Nomad
Nov 14, 2014
I would have 100 watts maybe 200 watts of solar on the roof before pulling new wire to the alternator.
Solar works as long as the sun shines whether driving, camping, or stored at home.
Blanco1
Explorer
Nov 14, 2014
Oh yes we have some great blankets.

& I have no idea how yo use a multimeter as I said electricity is a major weakness of mine.

Yet I do have LED battery voltage reader that I have rigged with a cig lights & alligator clips.

I'll leave that hooked up & keep an eye on it.

I've been thinking of rigging an 12 volt power outlet inside the camper & this might be the excuse I've been needing to hook it up before this trip?

Thanks for the idea! :D
Dakota98
Explorer
Nov 14, 2014
Blanco1 wrote:
Personally electrical has always been my weakness, I just wanna make sure my battery will be strong enough to keep the furnace warn through the night while out in cold temps.

You should be OK. But take along a multimeter & check the battery voltage when you arrive at your destination, then check it again in the morning before you set out once more. You'll see how much power you've consumed through out the night & have a much better idea of what your true needs are, if any beyond that. The furnace will drawn a lot of power over a 12 hour period if used extensively. Take several blankets.
Blanco1
Explorer
Nov 14, 2014
Personally electrical has always been my weakness, I just wanna make sure my battery will be strong enough to keep the furnace warn through the night while out in cold temps.
korbe
Explorer
Nov 14, 2014
I have found that when driving most of the day my batteries will charge back up from about 50% to 90%. don't know the wire sizes or exact amps.
enblethen
Nomad
Nov 14, 2014
Yes, it should charge to some level.
It will depend on how it is wired. It should be wired with a good sized wire so as to reduce voltage drop. It should be in the neighborhood of #8 and maybe # 6 for both positive and negative. It should have a relay based isolation relay rather then a diode based.
You need to make sure that the camper does not have a switch that needs to be in a certain position.

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Charging the camper battery while driving?

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