2 Specific Questions

[Jim SoG]

Doing a trailer on low budget so:

Need info on a dual battery set up with solar and vehicle charging.

Need info on a pop up or RTT tent, really dont want to spend a ton so was wondering about a pop open tent mounted on the trailer if anyone has done that.......


Ideas?

Thanks
Jim

 

[TacomaDave]

I got my RTT from CVT and I'm really happy with it. I like it a lot better than a ground tent. Having said that...if I had a chance to do it over I probably would get this one It looks to be about the same quality and size at a much better price. I've got a lot of Smittybilt products and they have all been good quality. I can't help with the dual battery setup. I've never done that...yet.

 

[ron]

Doing a trailer on low budget so:

Need info on a dual battery set up with solar and vehicle charging.

Need info on a pop up or RTT tent, really dont want to spend a ton so was wondering about a pop open tent mounted on the trailer if anyone has done that.......


Ideas?

Thanks
Jim

CVT has been good to me, had one on truck before I got the Habitat, worked well. Bought another one a few monts ago for the suby crosstrek. Dual batt i have a national luna isolater that charges start batt then 2nd house batt. I also have a solar set up using a renogy 100w pannel, morningstar charge controller and agm batt that sits behind my rear seat. plenty of info online

 

[Captain Chaos]

I would think about running 2 6v golf cart batteries. You can charge them at 12v in series from a charge controller. I would’ve done this had I researched more.

 

[ron]

that is used a bit in off grid solar, amps and storage is nice, he stated simple so I suggested 2nd batt. my 2nd batt set up by national luna can be used to start vech as well if needed which was nice when starter batt took a crap last week. plenty of options. research online and pick what wks for you.

 

[phxdsrtrat]

For a truly robust vehicle/solar charging setup you need a DC to DC charger. These types of chargers tend to be a little costly but a good one will perform as both your charging needs from your TV and from a Solar panel. A nice example is the Redarc BCDC-1225D.

-Curtiss

 

[bmwguru]

For a truly robust vehicle/solar charging setup you need a DC to DC charger. These types of chargers tend to be a little costly but a good one will perform as both your charging needs from your TV and from a Solar panel. A nice example is the Redarc BCDC-1225D.

-Curtiss

I've been eyeing the C-Tek 20amp off grid dc to dc charging package. It comes with a cool meter that shows amp usage and time to empty.

 

[Honeymooners]

CVT also has used RTTs some times. Also why would you need solar? I can easily go 5 days on my dual battery set up even with my 95qt fridge freezer on. I also have power coming from my vehicle so it recharges the batteries on the trailer while I drive.

 

[Jim SoG]

CVT also has used RTTs some times. Also why would you need solar? I can easily go 5 days on my dual battery set up even with my 95qt fridge freezer on. I also have power coming from my vehicle so it recharges the batteries on the trailer while I drive.

Can you tell me about your system info? Batteries, controllers and getting power to the trailer while driving.....

I was thinking the solar was needed for keeping the 2 trailer batteries charged, I will be getting a fridge as well....

Jim

 

[ArkansasDon]

When I built my trailer I thought serious on what type of charging system I wanted. I know I wanted a on-board charge so I have a NOCO 10amp on-board charger, solar was another one, so I went this Renogy. My solar system is 2 100watt portable suit case panels. 15ft of 10awg cable, branch connectors, 30amp Renogy Charge Controller, 125ah AGM VMax battery.
I run a single 125ah AGM VMax battery on solar or 110 to 12v. converter box. On solar I have mine set up for running 2 100watt portable suit case panels in parallel or I can run one 100 watt suit case panel depending on how much 12v. gear I want to use. The 110 to 12v. converter box I can run a small generator if the days are over-cast\cloudy or camping under heavy foliage trees to charge my battery. I've never had any issue charging my battery on either system They provide a fully charged battery with a reserve for night time use .

I currently started another trailer project squaredrop trailer & will be using the exact same set-up as my current trailer has.
One thing I found is that every one has different set-up, they all work, it's all about what works for you

 

[Honeymooners]

I ran a 7 plug to the trailer. Put a 30amp fuse and used 12 gauge wire ran a line from my Jeep battery to the plug. On the trailer side just ran it to the positive side of the batteries. No controller needed as your alternator regulates the charge. Then you can get a fuse bus for about $10 to run power to were ever you need it on your trailer. I just used 2 Walmart 12v deep cycle batteries @ $80 ea. Wire them parallel to your fuse bus so you maintain the 12volt. My trailer has metal tubing for frame and walls that I attached the ground to so you only need to run a power line to what ever you need to power the just ground that item the closest metal tubing.

 

[Todd & Meg]

I just went through figuring my battery needs for my teardrop. I’ve talked to a lot of people and think I got the best setup for me.

First figure out your power needs. Don’t go any farther with out knowing your daily amp hour usage. Also don’t forget seasonal useage will be different. For me I figured at 15 AH per day. When we add a fridge it will probably go up another 30-40 AD per day.

I went with a VMax 125 AH battery with the Ctek DC-dc charger listed above. If you stay at one place for days on end you may need solar but if you move every day or two I do not see the need for solar. And if I do need solar the Ctek is also a solar charge controller.

If you want to charge from the tow Vehicle and are going to use AGM batteries you NEED a DC-DC charger. You’ll never fully charge an AGM without. Which is just as bad for the battery as running to low.

i looked at golf cart batteries but AGM’s are a much better way to go.

Why do you need 2 batteries? We went out last weekend for two nights and only used less than 10% of our battery. And that was without trying to conserve power.

Todd

 

[Jim SoG]

When I built my trailer I thought serious on what type of charging system I wanted. I know I wanted a on-board charge so I have a NOCO 10amp on-board charger, solar was another one, so I went this Renogy. My solar system is 2 100watt portable suit case panels. 15ft of 10awg cable, branch connectors, 30amp Renogy Charge Controller, 125ah AGM VMax battery.
I run a single 125ah AGM VMax battery on solar or 110 to 12v. converter box. On solar I have mine set up for running 2 100watt portable suit case panels in parallel or I can run one 100 watt suit case panel depending on how much 12v. gear I want to use. The 110 to 12v. converter box I can run a small generator if the days are over-cast\cloudy or camping under heavy foliage trees to charge my battery. I've never had any issue charging my battery on either system They provide a fully charged battery with a reserve for night time use .

I currently started another trailer project squaredrop trailer & will be using the exact same set-up as my current trailer has.
One thing I found is that every one has different set-up, they all work, it's all about what works for you
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Don what is the last box?

Nice set up by the way....

Jim

 

[Jim SoG]

Why do you need 2 batteries? We went out last weekend for two nights and only used less than 10% of our battery. And that was without trying to conserve power.

Todd

Just figured 2 would be better than 1, back up if you will......

Jim

 

[ArkansasDon]

Don what is the last box?

Nice set up by the way....

Jim

it's a ac\ to dc converter box. It houses a 55amp Powermax Converter. You plug it into a generator clip the battery clamps to the battery. The converter charges the battery w\built-in 3 stage charging system and fixed single output modes. Fixed output mode voltage can be set between 13.0 Vdc to 16.5 Vdc, it has reverse polarity, overload and thermal protection.

I use it when the days are serious over-cast or extreme cloudy, or camping under heavy foliage trees when the solar can not serve me.