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05-21-2014, 04:09 PM
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#1
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New Camper
Join Date: May 2014
Location: Alberta
Posts: 9
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Camping with no power
I'm planning a camping trip with no power sources besides my truck and the battery on the trailer. If I leave my truck hooked up will it charge the battery on the trailer? Will the trailer battery run the water pump and furnace fan for a weekend?
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05-21-2014, 05:05 PM
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#2
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Full Time Camper
Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: Saskatchewan
Posts: 844
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Sorry about that!! We RV, don't do the "no power" thing anymore.
Anyway, to answer your question, unless you plan on leaving your truck running all weekend, plan to run off your trailer battery and then once a day you can start your truck and hook up to the trailer plug and recharge it a bit. Don't leave your truck hooked up with the keys on and not running or you could end up with a truck that won't start. For that matter don't leave your truck plugged into the trailer at all just in case it tries to pull juice (shouldn't happen) but better safe than sorry.
Your trailer should have a deep cycle battery and if it is in good shape it may last the whole weekend if you don't need to run the furnace fan a lot. Any access to a small generator? They come in handy in the event you run your battery down. Ignoring my first statement above, I carry a 3000 watt generator in the 5er just in case I end up with no power.
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Scott
2013 CrossRoads Cruiser Patriot CF345RF
2011 Ford F350 Lariat FX4 CC 6.7L Turbo Diesel (Heavily Modified)
Saskatoon, SK
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05-21-2014, 05:09 PM
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#3
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Weekend Camper
Join Date: May 2013
Location: Nova Scotia
Posts: 95
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The Alberta climate is probably not much different than down here in NS. Based on our experience last weekend, I would answer "probably not". We don't leave the truck hooked to the camper except to charge it while travelling. Killed the truck battery on last truck leaving it connected overnite running furnace and lights. A single 12V RV battery won't last very long in cool weather. I would suggest a small generator (1000W or better) to keep battery charged. Of course if you are in a campground you might want to look at a Honda because they are quiet. If you dry camp in the middle of nowhere, get a cheaply from Walmart or Crappy Tire.
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2014 Ram Hemi Outdoorsman 3:92RE
2013 ST Reserve 30RE
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05-21-2014, 05:40 PM
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#4
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Full Time Camper
Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: Saskatchewan
Posts: 844
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We have this inventor/generator unit. Quiet and cheaper than a Honda considering we don't use it hardly ever but bigger than you need.
http://partstore.agriculture.newholl...-p1968031.html
Gives you an idea. It still won't power out AC unit but runs everything else.
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Scott
2013 CrossRoads Cruiser Patriot CF345RF
2011 Ford F350 Lariat FX4 CC 6.7L Turbo Diesel (Heavily Modified)
Saskatoon, SK
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05-21-2014, 06:03 PM
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#5
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Site Team
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: WI.
Posts: 9,160
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I totally agree with p4lrjfd
If you only have one 12V battery, and have to run the furnace very much, you won't make the weekend.
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05-21-2014, 06:28 PM
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#6
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Site Team
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: PA
Posts: 5,721
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If you have a place for 110v, take a battery charger and take battery out to where you can plug in the charger. That's what my neighbor does, and he makes it last all week down the shore.
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Mark & Susan
Lehighton, Pennsylvania
EAGLE HT FIFTH WHEEL | 30.5CKTS - '13 Ford F150 SCREW - PullRite Superslide - Roadmaster Active Suspension
Member - "Northeast Adventures RV Rally Group" & "Mason-Dixon Bunch"
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05-21-2014, 06:58 PM
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#7
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New Camper
Join Date: May 2014
Location: Alberta
Posts: 9
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Thank you all for the input. We don't have access to a generator/inverter. We want to try it out.
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05-21-2014, 07:10 PM
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#8
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Weekend Camper
Join Date: Nov 2013
Location: South Carolina
Posts: 69
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Good luck with the adventure and let us know how you faired.
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DaddyO & GG
Kids and Cat
2010 Tundra 4x4 CrewMax 5.7 (gas hog)
2013 Sunset Trail 29SS Reserve
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05-21-2014, 07:28 PM
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#9
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Seasonal Camper
Join Date: Feb 2014
Location: New Mexico/ Calif
Posts: 312
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install solar panels. And another battery
1 130 watt panel will give you about 5-7amp charge rate
With sun shine. Clouds a lot less
Its Quiet power
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2013 Jefferson
2006 Chev 3500 DRW
2009 Corvette
Tony & Joanne
Full Time
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05-22-2014, 05:38 AM
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#10
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Full Time Camper
Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: Belle River , Ontario
Posts: 1,753
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I can make it about 4 days before the propane sniffer begins to 'beep' meaning the batt is getting to low to keep fridge working (on gas). I switch to other battery and bring 1st batt and a charger to 110v plug at washroom ,or somewhere,to charge.
If you don't want to charge it ,just bring an extra battery and hook both together with jumpers and you will be ok for a weekend.
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It was a rainy few days at Algonquin Prov park...tarps kept us dry.
Wayne --Belle River (Windsor), Ontario
2013 Sunset Trail Reserve 25RB..(just sold it)
2015 White Chev Silverado 2500HD 4x4 (6.0 l gasser)
2003 Mountain Star 890SBRX Truck Camper
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05-22-2014, 08:51 AM
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#11
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Full Time Camper
Join Date: May 2011
Location: So. Cal.
Posts: 577
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If fairy new, your truck should have an "isolator" or such which shouldn't allow the truck battery to be used for the trailer. It will charge the trailer battery, however, when the engine is running.
Not a bad idea to disconnect if concerned but it really shouldn't be necessary.
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Bob and Better Half
2007 F-250 PSD, SW, CC, LB, 2WD
2006 TF32SS Cross Terrain Toy Hauler (sold)
Reese 16k slider
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06-10-2014, 06:58 AM
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#12
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New Camper
Join Date: May 2014
Location: Alberta
Posts: 9
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Yeah we ended up finding a site with power. I wasn't taking the chance.
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Aric H.
2012 F-350 Diesel SRW
2010 Zinger ZT-260-BL
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06-17-2014, 09:05 PM
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#13
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Weekend Camper
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: CT
Posts: 81
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Aric14
I'm planning a camping trip with no power sources besides my truck and the battery on the trailer. If I leave my truck hooked up will it charge the battery on the trailer? Will the trailer battery run the water pump and furnace fan for a weekend?
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pick up a samll solar charger, hope for sun other wise it will not charge and infact can kill your trucks battery too!
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Hug your family
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06-17-2014, 09:28 PM
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#14
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Seasonal Camper
Join Date: Feb 2014
Location: New Mexico/ Calif
Posts: 312
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As long as the blocking diode in line the panel cannot draw power from the battery when the sun goes away
__________________
2013 Jefferson
2006 Chev 3500 DRW
2009 Corvette
Tony & Joanne
Full Time
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06-17-2014, 11:02 PM
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#15
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Full Time Camper
Join Date: May 2011
Location: So. Cal.
Posts: 577
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We'll, we just got back from a 5 day camping trip here in So Cal to a bluegrass festival.
Besides using our 5,500 Onan generator, I hook up a 1,500 watt inverter to charge phones and make coffee early before most are up.
My wife unknowingly, turned on the generator while the small inverter was still running and we blew the two 35 amp fuses in the larger, trailer inverter.
We never realized this was an issue until my wife tried to start the generator. It turned over but wouldn't start.
I checked the spark plug and it was dry. Thinking it must be a fuel problem even with over a half a tank in my Toy Trailer, I checked the fuel pump, filter, pulled the bowl and checked the floats and needle valve. All looked great. Check for plug spark and found none. Not good. Something I'd have to pull apart once home.
A lesson to be learned the hard way, I then checked the battery voltage with my VOM. Ouch, both batteries were registering at approx 9.5 volts yet had enough amperage to turn over the gen starter. Those old dc motors!
I assumed the gen had a magneto or capacitor discharge ignition and it didn't need 12 volts from another source to create spark. Wrong!
I put in a spare battery, turned over the gen and it started right up. There was a relay in the battery compartment that clicked once it had a 12v source and everything worked as normal.
Writing this as I hope it helps another who spends 2-3 hours digging into the gen when checking with a VOM first, could save others, time, effort, and headaches too.
__________________
Bob and Better Half
2007 F-250 PSD, SW, CC, LB, 2WD
2006 TF32SS Cross Terrain Toy Hauler (sold)
Reese 16k slider
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