Forum Discussion
RoyB
Apr 07, 2017Explorer II
I was thinking about using one of those smart relay like the BLUE SEA Automatic Charging Relays SI-Series which will monitor your DC OUTPUT coming out of your Alternator circuit and when it is high (Charge Mode) it will switch in the external Battery to charge it as well.
This only will be charging external battery when the truck motor is running...
When It is not connected however it only be one battery to run thing with. This is designed to only use your truck charging setup for the external battery and when you are using the external battery this will not run down your truck start battery since it is not connected to it...
One of my golden battery rules is to never do anything to the truck start battery system when I am camping off-grid. This is the only way to get home on haha...
Like was said above the standard truck batteries will not do well if they are drained down below the 12.0VDC range a few times. This is one of the main things about using the DEEP CYCLE batteries. These will survive many charge cycles.
My truck start battery doesn't last more than two years in my setup as I use it to run my Two-Way Radios without the truck motor running alot so I drain them down below 12.0VDC alot and before I know it the battery won't hold a charge very long. Have to replace it then...
Roy Ken
This only will be charging external battery when the truck motor is running...
When It is not connected however it only be one battery to run thing with. This is designed to only use your truck charging setup for the external battery and when you are using the external battery this will not run down your truck start battery since it is not connected to it...
One of my golden battery rules is to never do anything to the truck start battery system when I am camping off-grid. This is the only way to get home on haha...
Like was said above the standard truck batteries will not do well if they are drained down below the 12.0VDC range a few times. This is one of the main things about using the DEEP CYCLE batteries. These will survive many charge cycles.
My truck start battery doesn't last more than two years in my setup as I use it to run my Two-Way Radios without the truck motor running alot so I drain them down below 12.0VDC alot and before I know it the battery won't hold a charge very long. Have to replace it then...
Roy Ken
About Travel Trailer Group
44,025 PostsLatest Activity: Feb 18, 2025