Charging boat battery with truck while driving

Joined
Mar 1, 2005
Messages
923
It would be easier and a lot cheaper to buy a pound of dry ice for the trip.

Have used dry ice for years to store and transport fish home after a trip.
I was going to suggest something equally as simple. This is a 26ft boat. I don't know what is being kept in the fridge, but why not just throw a couple of milk jugs filled with ice into a big cooler that sits in the boat during transit? When you put the boat in the water, transfer everything to the fridge and move the cooler to your truck bed while on the water. This avoids the CO/CO2 issues and re-wiring your tow vehicle.

We have a water-access only property that is 4hrs away and go up multiple times per month throughout the year. I just throw a big cooler in the boat with ice jugs and everything stays fridge-cold until we get to the cabin.

My neighbor drives from Minnesota to the FL Keys every winter. On the way back, he packs two Yeti coolers full of fish and food and drives home over a few days. All of the filets are still frozen.
 

Wave34

Petty Officer 1st Class
Joined
Oct 17, 2017
Messages
321
@Scott Danforth; yes 10awg is less expensive, and if I start with a completely charged batteries the current draw will be a lot smaller.
Those DC connectors are nice. It's the first time I see them at this low price.

@dingbat; dry ice won't work in my case since the 2 fridges are full of food and there is no more spare. Also, here dry ice is quite expensive, I don't know why.

@Captain Caveman; yes, transferring my meat and frozen stuff in a cooler with dry ice and put it in the truck would be a solution. But again, dry ice is like $80 for a 18'' X 6'' piece. My friend said he paid that some years ago, and he was not impressed with the time it lasted, he said it was colder though.
 

dingbat

Supreme Mariner
Joined
Nov 20, 2001
Messages
15,417
@Scott Danforth; yes 10awg is less expensive, and if I start with a completely charged batteries the current draw will be a lot smaller.
Those DC connectors are nice. It's the first time I see them at this low price.

@dingbat; dry ice won't work in my case since the 2 fridges are full of food and there is no more spare. Also, here dry ice is quite expensive, I don't know why.

@Captain Caveman; yes, transferring my meat and frozen stuff in a cooler with dry ice and put it in the truck would be a solution. But again, dry ice is like $80 for a 18'' X 6'' piece.


Dry ice is -109F. Doesn’t refrigerate per say. It will freeze everything in the cooler to a solid block. The “ice” will be gone but you’ll have no problem storing meat for 3-4 days in a good quality cooler from reside cold.

10” x 10” x 2” = #10

I buy #5 of dry ice at the local tackle shop for about $7. Can get it for $1 pound with a #10 minimum from local ice house.

Local Costco carries it as well.
 
Joined
Mar 1, 2005
Messages
923
A good cooler doesn't even need dry ice. Like I said, a few frozen 1/2 gallon milk jugs or orange juice bottles will keep everything cold. You don't need to spend $80 each time.

I think that this problem is being over-thought.
 
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