Trailering and charging

[Silvertip]

Re: Trailering and charging

Mr. Wango thanks for that info, you have done what I am looking into. I missed your post while I was posting mine. This isn't something that I have to do because my batteries wont hold a charge it's just something to make sure my batteries are topped off when I get to the spot of the day or weekend. Plus it would be one of those it's there if you need it and cheap if you don't.

Ben:cool-new:

If your batteries don't hold a charge, then they are bad and need replacing. charge them and have them load tested at any auito store to make sure.

 

[smokeonthewater]

Re: Trailering and charging

you simply need the circuit breaker used on an RV and no meltdowns or any other issue will occur.

 

[bruceb58]

Re: Trailering and charging

I have done this as well with a horse trailer using a 30Amp self resetting circuit breaker. The problem is that if the battery is really discharged, this breaker will constantly be setting resetting until the load drops below 30A. I solved this problem somewhat by buying an inexpensive ACR and put it in the trailer that prevents the battery in the trailer from being charged if its voltage was too low. The good thing is that the long wire from the alternator of the vehicle introduces enough voltage drop that the charge current is reduced.

The ideal solution is to have a DC/DC converter or something like this:
http://www.rvupgradestore.com/TOAD-CHARGE-p/toad-charge-40.htm

 

[UncleWillie]

Re: Trailering and charging

Tapping the 7 pin is more than just wiring it up. If you do that, the first time you connect a drained battery you will either melt/burn off the trailer connector or wiring, or pop the fuse in the truck. A discharged battery connected to a fully charged battery can pull a hundred amps or more for a very short time. (jumper cables are large gauge and short for a reason!) ...

Here is one example where a smaller gauge wire may be preferred.

I made up a jumper/charging cable with clips on each end and a 10 amp circuit breaker in the middle.
It is 50 feet long and made from 16 ga zip cord.
It is intended to charge (not start) a weak battery just enough to get a start out of it.
After you hook it up, you need to wait a few minutes for the battery to charge enough to make an attempt.

With 0.4 ohms for the 100 foot round trip; A dead short at the far end only results in about 25 amps for the half second it takes for the breaker to open.
There is no way to pull hundreds of amps even if you cross connected the polarity.

Being 50 feet long allows keeping the Vehicles/Boats safely separated.

 

[Splat]

Re: Trailering and charging

Personally I would come off the battery to a acr under the hood. From there a 8 gauge wire ran along the frame to the bumper and terminate it into a set of power poles.

From there a 8 gauge wire that you can run over the bow and tie into the electrical system. A bow mounted trolling motor plug would be perfect for this.

Don't forget a manually resetable breaker before the acr.

 

[Splat]

Re: Trailering and charging

SB50 SB Series 50 Amp Anderson Powerpole Set

 

[UncleWillie]

Re: Trailering and charging

Personally I would come off the battery to an ACR under the hood. From there a 8 gauge wire run along the frame to the bumper and terminate it into a set of power poles.
From there a 8 gauge wire that you can run over the bow and tie into the electrical system. A bow mounted trolling motor plug would be perfect for this.

Don't forget a manually resettable breaker before the ACR.

And don't forget a Fuse/Breaker at the trailer end of the wire.
There is a power source at both ends of this jumper.
A short circuit in the middle will be supplied with power from either end.

 

[emilsr]

Re: Trailering and charging

Don't laugh....I bet I'm not the only one who has done this:

Put the boat battery in the truck before you leave for the lake. Jump start off your truck battery if necessary. 2 hours on the road with minimal accessories running and it'll have a full charge by the time you get to the ramp. Then just swap the boat battery back to the boat.

 

[Splat]

Re: Trailering and charging

And don't forget a Fuse/Breaker at the trailer end of the wire.
There is a power source at both ends of this jumper.
A short circuit in the middle will be supplied with power from either end.

Correct! Thanks I forgot to add that part.

 

[smokeonthewater]

Re: Trailering and charging

ya know, ANOTHER option just occurred to me...... Install an on board battery charger and use an inverter and extension cord while towing.... BOTH items would then serve multiple purposes and still get the job done quite well... In fact, the on board charger is very likely to be better suited to charging a deep cycle battery than an alternator that is also powering the tow vehicle and charging the starting battery at the same time.... just a thought

 

[bruceb58]

Re: Trailering and charging

ya know, ANOTHER option just occurred to me...... Install an on board battery charger and use an inverter and extension cord while towing

That is actually an excellent idea.

 

[UncleWillie]

Re: Trailering and charging

Better yet, Power the Inverter from the battery in the boat and the Battery could charge itself! :facepalm:

Don't laugh!
An office worker once plugged a Computer, Monitor and Printer into a Power Strip and then plugged the Power Strip into itself and couldn't figure out why nothing worked.

After all, everything WAS plugged in!

(Sorry! I couldn't control myself!)

 

[frantically relaxing]

Re: Trailering and charging

Instead of trying to cut down a redwood tree with a swiss army knife ( )--

how about one of these? $50 on up is all they cost. If your batteries need help, this will start the boat, then the boat can charge the batteries. And when you find a stranded boat with a dead battery on the lake, you can be the hero that gets them home.

 

[roscoe]

Re: Trailering and charging

All you mention is "batteries".

Are these trolling motor batteries?
Starting batteries?
House batteries?
All of the above??

How many batteries?