Truck Trailer pulg Charge Wire?

[Big-wheel]

I am wondering what the volts should be to the trailer plug aux charge wire?

The truck is a 2000 F-250 powerstroke and we haul a truck camper on it and trying to figure out if the truck is sending a enough power back to charge the batteries while the truck is running. Or is there another setup that I sould look at running to keep the batteries charged while the truck is running?

Thanks

[drc5900]

My charge wire via the trailer connector gave way too much voltage drop.

Installed #2 gauge wire (as others above suggested), now voltage drop from truck batteries to camper batteries is practically zero, now the 2 camper batteries get properly charged when I drive.
I ran double wire between truck and camper batts, for both positive and negative, in order to eliminate any bad ground.
On the positive #2 gauge wire I installed breakers at both the truck batteries and the camper batteries.
Installed a solenoid so the camper batteries won't drain the truck batteries when the engine is not running.

Been running like this for 3 years, works great.

In future will install solar PV for when I stay somewhere longer time with no hookup.

[Big-wheel]

Awesome thanks that what I was wanting to know.

[Carb_Cleaner]

ticki2 wrote:
This link from the TCU may help
Matthew_B, Alternator Charge Cable Installation to TC

Linky no worky.
Try THIS.
Nice thread.

[ticki2]

This link from the TCU may help
Matthew_B, Alternator Charge Cable Installation to TC

[Old_Days]

Some day I will install solar, but for now the dual battery setup under the hood seems to work. This my be a option for you to add one more deep cycle battery.

[gpascazio]

I had this same issue, on my 2008 Ford F350 DRW. Our TC is an EC1160. When we first got the TC I noticed that the batteries were not getting fully charged. Did some tests and determined that the voltage at the back of the truck was at 13.4V. This was enough to keep the batteries charged but not enough to fully charge the batteries. Since, we like to boondock this was limiting our stay to a couple of days. at that point we would have to find a site with electrical to fully charge the batteries. My solution was to change out all interior lights to LEDs, stop running the electric jacks when we are boondocking and finally installing 300W of solar power. The solar did the trick now by noon the batteries are on float charge. Now what limits our boondocking is the size of the grey water tank.

[dadwolf2]

MikeJinCO wrote:
I don't review my posts very well prior to posting, sorry about the misspelling.

Happeens to the best of us. I was going to correct you sense I never make misteaks, but decidded not to in case it ever happens to me! :B

[cewillis]

You should have very nearly the same as you alternator output voltage, which would be a little over 14v steady state. If not, but if you do have some voltage, you probably need bigger wire. I use 2 gauge.

[Teamfour]

If you are having issues with the TV not maintaining the TT batts, make sure you have the fuse and relay for the trailer charging circuit installed in the fuse box under the hood.

[MikeJinCO]

I don't review my posts very well prior to posting, sorry about the misspelling.

[MikeJinCO]

I think you should have at least 13.2x and probably 13.8v and the battery equalizing charge my solar controller puts out for a short period every day is 14.4v but I don't know if the alternator and converter/chargers do that. The voltage gage on the truck really only gives an indication that the alternator is working, accuracy is not a feature.

To change subject slightly, how does one go about running this heavy gauge wire? On my Ford there is a 30 amp isolator fuse, but getting into that wire might be rather difficult, then you have to run separate wire to the camper rather than the 6 or 7 wire cable normally used and then the wire inside the camber will probably be a lighter gauge also if you use the normal camper plug. Can you run straight to the batteries?

[ScottG]

The charge wire can keep the battery charged but will take a long time to charge a depleted battery. Once the battery is charged the voltage at it should be almost exactly the same as that of the truck battery when the truck is running. Fords automatically disconnect from the RV battery when the ign. is off.

[Super_Dave]

Big-wheel, there is enough charge to give you a partial charge while traveling. Folks that want a stronger charge run HD wire to eliminate loss in resistance.