SimplyAnAdventure
Well-known member
As always i value your input and perspective. But this time I think I’d have to disagree.Yeah, sounds like they are planning to change the larger 120v charger, that comes with the larger battery bank, to something bigger than the Progressive Dynamics 45amp they were using. Will be 60 or 75 amps depending on which brand charger they go with. I think owners will have to source a larger DC/DC solution on their own as the demand for larger DC/DC charging is limited. Would be interesting to pull out a wiring chart and see how many 12v amps the cable that they use can handle (in the cable size and run lengths they use) and the rated amps of teh connector. Seems to me they used a trolling motor connector and all those are rated for 100amps, so the wiring may be your limiting factor. Was just wondering if the pickup wiring they install and the camper DC cable would support you installing a second Victron 30amp DC/DC charger in the cabinet run off the same wiring as the first. Not likely, but worth checking. Then, at the time of install, decide if you do one larger cable run or have them do two runs of cable (maybe one from each battery if you have dual battery setup) to two plugs. Then you can install the second DC charge and a second run of cable out the camper to a second plug, right along the first, pretty easy. You'd just have two DC plugs rather than one.
Perhaps it’s my style of travel but I can see zero benifit of a larger shore power charger. In my mind at least most Supertramp camper owners are not the type that park at campsites with power hookups, at least we certainly aren’t. The 45A charger would allow me to fully charge the batteries to 100% easily during the night in the time that I would have to be there anyway. I suppose I could see the use in a larger charger for people running the Air conditioner all night and needing to charge the battery all the way up from a low starting point.
Sort of the same as owning my Tesla people are always asking me how fast it charges at home, while I have 60A circuit feeding 48 @240V (the fastest a Tesla can charge) I always respond. With “overnight” basically what’s the difference if it takes 2 Hours or 8 hours that car is parked there anyway. BUT when on the road at a level 3 charger you need the fastest charge possible cause you aren’t parked for a long time.
Anyway I digress, my preference would be faster solar charging but as that is unrealistic without a much larger area to mount solar panels DC/DC is the next best thing. Having to find a 120V outlet to plug my Offgrid/ Offroad vehicle is definitely a last resort though I suppose carrying a generator would be an option for that…
I will say we move often, meaning we go from one spot to the next most days so DC charging is always available and basically free since we’re driving anyway.
I did option my truck with dual batteries and dual alternators for this reason, I have 410A if charging power from my two alternators. So I might ask them to connect an extra wire to the second battery if the gauge isn’t thick enough to run more amps through but I guess we will see.
I suppose either way more power is always better. But I definitely am not going to start camping at RV parks lol.