I am slowly wrapping up the electrical in my trailer. I currently have a single 100AH LifPo4 lithium battery but will most likely add another. I need to get charging figured out. I was thinking about using a dual input Redarc DCDC controller to do this. I was thinking that while driving down the road I could use power from the trailer light wiring and then solar for the second input. Would something like the bcdc1250d be appropriate for this? Would it be appropriate to use the existing trailer lights wiring to feed it to charge or are those wires too small for something like that?
Battery charging in trailers
- Thread starter 3one5
- Start date
I am.
I would think with it being a smart charger that it would adjust to the proper amperage needed to charge the battery. I probably need to do some reading on the specs and operations of the charger. I think the factory A/C charger I have will do 20a.
The Black Series trailer folks use an Anderson connector to allow for larger gauge wires so that they can charge their trailer batteries efficiently from the vehicle. They do this separately from the 7-round wiring harness.
There is actually a decent breakdown of the options in this article:
How to Charge a Dump Trailer Battery | etrailer.com
There is actually a decent breakdown of the options in this article:
How to Charge a Dump Trailer Battery | etrailer.com
Awesome, thank you!
FordGuy1
Adventurer
With my factory wiring, I got 12-15 amps. It was on a Superduty, and I think the factory charge wire was 10 or 12 ga.
eatSleepWoof
Do it for the 'gram
That's exactly what I'm doing in my own trailer.
Anderson connector sticks out the front of the trailer and the wiring runs to battery through a circuit breaker (allows me to disconnect this connector from the battery, if need be).
Here it is connected to a battery charger at home.
In much the same way I can use this plug to connect it to a DC/DC charger in the vehicle, a portable solar setup, whatever else it may be. One connection point, lots of options and flexibility down the line.
Teardropper
Well-known member
Why not just solar? We often camp at one spot for days, and relying on the tow vehicle to maintain the battery wouldn't work.
I've got a switch to activate charging from the tow vehicle, and it's been turned on once to test, and that's it.
Tony
I've got a switch to activate charging from the tow vehicle, and it's been turned on once to test, and that's it.
Tony
Buddha.
Finally in expo white.
If your tow vehicle has a seven way it should have a charge wire. I’m not sure if you actually want to charge off the lights or that charge wire. Charge wire is the only way to do it with the factory wiring. On my Chevy truck the charge wire is a 10awg and is fused at 20 or 30 amps. I think that’s pretty standard for a HD truck. Lighter duty tow vehicles might have lighter duty charge wires. Not sure.
Last edited:
Buddha.
Finally in expo white.
You’re getting 50 amps through a six gauge wire? That seems like a lot for a 6awg.
FordGuy1
Adventurer
Not if you use a good fine strand copper.