Jump starting the truck and charging T/C
I am going to make a custom length set of jumper cables to pack with us that we could jump the truck from the RV bank (did this once having to remove the batteries from the camper) which got me wonder...
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No need to make a special pair of cables. Go to Sears and buy a jumper cable 16' or 20' long that are 2 or 4 ga. In each of my and my kids vehicles, we carry a pair of these jumper cables. Folks are amazed when I can pull up behind them, reach the front of their car and they are able to hit the starter immediately. I've even done this with diesel trucks though reaching from the back of those crew cab longs bed doesn't work.
The charge rate won't be to high. I ran 2ga wire from the battery through a ignition controlled relay battery through a connector to the camper and have seen as high as 20A/hr charge rate which is the max rating recommended for my battery (1/5 of capacity). Been running this setup on two different trucks for seven years. First cheapo Sam's Club battery lasted 6 years so it can't be hurting it to much.
If you are this worried about charging and rates, you are probably boondocking. Hopefully you have a good battery monitor such as the Trimetric so you know the true charge state of your battery. I was all worried about the amount of battery drain until I installed one only to find out I was on using about 15 of 50 A/hr during the cold winter nights. Now boondocking is even more fun because I don't have to worry so much about battery status.
The charge rate won't be to high. I ran 2ga wire from the battery through a ignition controlled relay battery through a connector to the camper and have seen as high as 20A/hr charge rate which is the max rating recommended for my battery (1/5 of capacity). Been running this setup on two different trucks for seven years. First cheapo Sam's Club battery lasted 6 years so it can't be hurting it to much.
If you are this worried about charging and rates, you are probably boondocking. Hopefully you have a good battery monitor such as the Trimetric so you know the true charge state of your battery. I was all worried about the amount of battery drain until I installed one only to find out I was on using about 15 of 50 A/hr during the cold winter nights. Now boondocking is even more fun because I don't have to worry so much about battery status.
