Plugging in while garaged...

[HongerVenture]

My T100 was relegated to work/play only last summer. It is no longer my daily driver so it generally sits in the garage for about a week at a time. I use it a couple weekends a month and if I won't be using it on a given weekend I take it out for a trip just to keep it in use.

As such, if I were to leave the Engel plugged in full time I'd end up with a dead battery each time I go to take the truck out. I'm looking for a way to leave the trucked plugged in to an outlet to allow the Engel to say plugged in and operable.

What's the best way to "plug in" my truck when parked in the garage. Is there a way to do this? Should I just buy a battery charger and leave it plugged in?

I thought Mr. Brady had a solution like this but I can't seem to locate it via search.

Thanks!
Joel

 

[flyingwil]

I just plug it in to the 110. Just run the cord through the door. The Engel will switch over to the 110, and the battery will be just fine.

 

[HongerVenture]

Okay, so that solution was staring me right in the face! Sheesh!
Simple, affordable, and completely obvious.

Thanks Wil! Sometimes I need help with obvious stuff like that.

While I just found my solution, I am curious if people have plug-in the vehicle ideas out there.

 

[Pskhaat]

I am curious if people have plug-in the vehicle ideas out there.

To- or De-spite living in the Phoenix area, my 80 is definetely a plug-in vehicle. I have both 120v battery (starter & aux.) blankets and heater pads, starter battery floater, block heaters, and oil pan heater. I used to even have an in-cab electric pre-heater. These were installed for extended ski trips and our frequent midwest I80 crossings.

I figured I should consume as much global warming energy when not driving as I do when running.

I know it ain't the same as winter in the Arctic or Alaska, but I had one morning in Fraser, CO where it was so cold I couldn't depress the clutch pedal and get it out of gear as the DOT3 was too viscous, not to mention countless WI mornings with malformed tires, worthless shock absorbers, and belts and rubber dangerously asqueal.

I saw another product a while ago that was a dual pulley/clutch system for the A/C compressor tandem a 120vAC motor. Couldn't figure out how it exactly worked, but would turn the A/C compressor without the truck on to keep it cool before you got in.

A good fridge however I do not have. Why don't you wire your truck literally with 120v cabling?

 

[HongerVenture]

Why don't you wire your truck literally with 120v cabling?

Not a bad idea...
1) My wife has mentioned it'd be nice to have electric blankets in the back for pre-warming the bed. However, those'd most likely be run off of an inverter while out camping.
2) I've long considered installing the Toyota block heater just to have it handy in case it was ever needed.

Hmmm...

 

[Lynn]

Not a bad idea...
1) My wife has mentioned it'd be nice to have electric blankets in the back for pre-warming the bed. However, those'd most likely be run off of an inverter while out camping.
2) I've long considered installing the Toyota block heater just to have it handy in case it was ever needed.

Hmmm...

I've seen 12V electric blankets advertised, but don't know anything about the quality.

UPDATE:

Here's a link for a 12V electric 'bunk warmer', but I have no experience with it. I personally like having the heat under the sheets, as opposed to an electric blanket. I used a 120V bunk warmer during the year that I lived in a 5th wheel camper in Colorado Springs, and loved it. However, we got a catalog in the mail a while back that had a 12V heated 'throw blanket,' and my wife really liked that idea. Just thought I'd throw out a couple of options.