jeep-N-montero
Expedition Leader
Gotcha, so a setup that produces 5amps or more should get me in the ballpark for running a cooler?
costco coleman solar setup
- Thread starter jjstahl3
- Start date
SWbySWesty
Fauxverland Extraodinaire
Well, it depends. Are you looking to just run a cooler/fridge for the weekend off of a separate power source? If yes, you may want to look at a dual battery system (less expensive that a nice solar system).
jeep-N-montero
Expedition Leader
I'm looking for a setup that I can use on my Jeep or the trailer while I run a cooler and not have to start the Jeep. I also run a few accessories on the Jeep.
SWbySWesty
Fauxverland Extraodinaire
You'd be surprised how long a deep cycle battery will last on a full charge in a trailer. Just wire it through the hitch to accept a charge while pulling the trailer. If you need more power to get through a weekend you can weight the costs of another battery vs. solar. How much solar depends on if you want to never draw down the battery bank or just "stem the bleeding" and make it last a few days longer.
Anyone disagree?
Anyone disagree?
jeep-N-montero
Expedition Leader
Hmmm, I have a 7 way on the Jeep, but I wonder what gauge wiring I need to charge a trailer battery, off to google I go....
jeep-N-montero
Expedition Leader
Looks like I just run an additional wire and a charge controller to the trailer.
dwh
Tail-End Charlie
Nope. That's about right.
Though technically, the battery will draw down anyway - at night.
So generally, it's a tossup between having enough solar to run the loads AND have enough extra to recharge last night's drainage (DRAAAAANNNAAAAGGGE! I DRINK YOUR MILKSHAKE! I DRINK IT UP! (did I just say that out loud?)) with 4 hours of sun...
Or just some to help stem the bleeding. (Good analogy.)
dwh
Tail-End Charlie
To charge the trailer battery off the 7-pin? No need for a charge controller, the truck has a voltage regulator already.
jeep-N-montero
Expedition Leader
dwh
Tail-End Charlie
Sorry, I must have missed something; I thought you were trying to charge the trailer battery off the 7-pin - but I guess you are wanting to go the other way and charge the truck battery off the solar?
So lemme get this straight...
You want to put a solar panel on the trailer?
You want to charge a battery on the trailer AND the engine battery from the solar?
You want to power the trailer stuff AND some stuff in the truck?
Assuming all that is true...
Well, the simplest way would be:
solar panel (PV) -> charge controller -> trailer battery -> 7-pin -> truck battery
But that just ties the truck and trailer batteries into a single battery bank anytime the trailer is plugged in.
It would work, but I'm not a fan of it because there is no isolation and if you run it down too far, your truck won't start.
Personally, I'd stick a second battery in the truck, and run the accessories off that and put an isolator between the starting battery and the aux battery.
Then the truck aux battery and the trailer battery become a single aux battery bank, and if you run it dead it won't affect the starting battery, but whenever the engine is running you are charging all three.
SWbySWesty
Fauxverland Extraodinaire
I picked up the 85W UL-Solar kit and will write a full once installed