Honda 1000 ?

billtex wrote:
If you are on the move...you will be charging while driving.

Trying to charge at idle...especialy without upgrading your charge wire and charging system...is futile.

I know - I get it, driving and charging - my entire query here is so we an Drop the TC and drive into areas we can't go with it on - in the boonies, so, we are not driving with it on therefore not charging.

And BTW: I have 8gg wire from alternator in truck to charging bank in camper ... not standard thin wires.

SO, we were trying to decide if running our truck for a while each day can maintain it enough for three or four days.

Okay, we did it, it is enough - we just hooked up and re-charged at a FHU site ... now, we will go for another few days running the truck for a half-hour in AM and see what happens.

That's the real way to know - just do it. It's more complex an answer that I thought - but if it charges enough to overnight out int he boonies, we'll do it that way. We'll know in a month or so how it works (or it won't work, or it will kill our battery - one way or the other, we'll know ... if it doesn't work out then we'll buy the generator.

I really hate giving up that storage space, and hoped we'd not have another headache too - that is, carrying extra fuel can.

If you are on the move...you will be charging while driving.

Trying to charge at idle...especialy without upgrading your charge wire and charging system...is futile.

I will run my Yamaha 1000 or my Honda 2000i before I idle my truck to charge the camper batteries. That is what a generator is for.

Over time, all that truck idling is going to more than pay for that Honda.

monkey44 wrote:
All of this info is extremely enlightening - we have decided to 'go for it' using truck for charging a half-hour or so each morning. See how that works, of it's more hassle or doesn't work as we like, we'll go buy a 1000i, and charge through the TC charger -

This info has given us enough to monitor and make an informed decision as we begonr the trip in a week or so. Thanks again Guys - all info appreciated.

As usual, RV.net passes the winning flag, hands down. Will let you all know how this works our after the first few weeks ... happy camping M44 & Genie

FWIW; if your power useage is minimal (no A/C,TV, micro, ect) and I think that is what you are saying...we have spent an entire month on the road w/out hookups and are fine.

Our charging system is top notch and we don't use A/C, micro, etc...

You should be fine on an extended trip.

What do you have for a C/C and batteries?

Bill

I carry a 1000 watt Honda for battery charging only. Have done so for the past 15 years. Works very well.

I also like having the Honda along with me as a "spare tire" so to speak. If I were to accidently draw down my starting battery in any way (eg leaving the headlights on), my Honda is there to save the day.

Along with my faithful little Honda I have a Black & Decker 45A smart charger and a gallon of gasoline.

I won't leave home without them.

I do not use the RV for charging batteries except when I'm going somewhere in it anyway. Making the RV idle just to charge batteries can cause engine damage relating to excessive idling, something best avoided.

All of this info is extremely enlightening - we have decided to 'go for it' using truck for charging a half-hour or so each morning. See how that works, of it's more hassle or doesn't work as we like, we'll go buy a 1000i, and charge through the TC charger -

This info has given us enough to monitor and make an informed decision as we begonr the trip in a week or so. Thanks again Guys - all info appreciated.

As usual, RV.net passes the winning flag, hands down. Will let you all know how this works our after the first few weeks ... happy camping M44 & Genie

It sounds like we camp in the boonies the same way. We even have a battery operated LED lantern that we use on extended trips instead of the camper lights. We can do a week with 2 Group 27's in the summer (no furnace) easily and as much as 3 days with the furnace running at night. If you are willing to run the pickup 1/2 to 1 hour a day and plan on finding hookups every 4 to 5 days I see no reason for the generator. I have an 1800 Homelite that we take but only if it is an extended trip and we are towing a trailer so I can haul it in/on the trailer along with the fuel. We rarely camp with hookups and most of our trips are 3 to 5 days without the generator, without running the pickup every day.

How is that for non-technical---hope it helps.

Just another related note, if I run my generator and onboard charger via the AC, my batteries generally charge back up according to the "dumb" led in an hour or so. I can't think that running the truck is any worse for the batteries than the charger. I think the house charger is designed to bring the charge up to a certain percentage relatively quickly. The rest of the charge comes slower to bring it up to 100%.

As someone else noted, as long as you charge reasonably often and don't go to a very low percentage, I think you will be fine using the truck to charge.

If it works for you, that's all that matters.
The truck's charging system has a built-in delay. . .after starting it, it takes 45 seconds (approximately) before the alternator kicks on.
Is it a Ford?