Wiring Camper to Truck

2'overhead

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Sep 23, 2011
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Is it necessary to install a voltage sense relay or isolator rather than hard wiring the truck's alternator to the camper's battery? I don't mind spending the money to do it right and don't want a fire.
Thanks
 
If you hard wire your truck directly to the camper without a relay or separator between the 2 you run the very real risk of discharging your truck battery while running the electrical system in your camper. If you're camping next to a Pep Boys it's won't be a problem but if your out in the middle of no where its could be troublesome.
 
Is it necessary to install a voltage sense relay or isolator rather than hard wiring the truck's alternator to the camper's battery? I don't mind spending the money to do it right and don't want a fire.
Thanks


To clarify what was mentioned above, when the truck is shut off both your camper and the truck battery would still be connected to the same post on the alternator and would see each other, thus you'd pull down the truck battery along with the campers.

What is the reason for staying away from the "diode isolators"?
Frank


There is a voltage drop with them which can decrease your voltage arriving at the battery to something ineffective for charging.
 
I "Googled " battery isolator -diode vs solenoid. The only negative to the diode was a .4/.6 volt drop. IMO doesn't sound like a big deal. I went from the sure power solenoid to the diode type.I feel the advantages out weigh any minor drop in voltage. My isolator with my solar panel will charge both batteries as needed.You can't do this with the solenoid type.Another advantage is that the diode doesn't over heat which when installed in our campers in an area like the battery box or some other area that confines the heat could be a problem.Hence the recall of all those sure power separators.Just my opinion.And I am sticking with the diode thank you very must.

Frank
 
That ~.5 volt drop is enough that you never can get the battery(ies) to a full charge with a std. regulator. If you have an adjustable regulator then the voltage limit can be set enough higher to offset this. By the time you've paid for all of this you could have purchased a marine dual sensing auto charge relay (with some $$ left over) and avoided a bunch of complexity and hassle. Dual sensing will charge both batteries regardless of charge source, though they always favor the battery that the charge source is first connected to before connecting the second battery to the charge source.

And diodes do make heat, that 1/2 volt goes somewhere and is the reason why diode isolators come built into aluminum heat sinks.
 
I "Googled " battery isolator -diode vs solenoid. The only negative to the diode was a .4/.6 volt drop. IMO doesn't sound like a big deal.


Considering your alt usually puts out 14.4-14.8v range and most batteries want 14.4-14.7V to fully charge it does become a big deal if you're banking on your truck charging up your batteries. That .4/.6 volt loss is in addition to wiring losses that will add up as well unless you're running a healthy sized wire and even then the drop will increase if more amps try and flow.

Whatever works for ya though.
 
And chronic undercharging contributes to shorter battery life span.

AGM batteries requires slightly higher charging voltages than your typical flooded cell starting battery. If you are fully charging your hard wired AGM camper battery fully you are overcharging your flooded cell starting battery.

Putting a diode between the lower voltage flooded cell/alternator (the charging source )and your camper's AGM battery plus wire losses, makes the charging voltqage at the camper battery terminals extra low. Won't get a full charge, and likely not get full lifetime unless you regularly augment it with advanced AGM charge patterns.
 
Don't understand most of this but thanks for the info. My camper system seems to work for me. Plenty of power for our usage,lights, some heater fan time and coffee grinder. It's not something I am going to get to deep into.I just go and enjoy. Marty at ATC seems to think what we have is what we need.

Again thanks for the info.
Frank
 
Don't understand most of this but thanks for the info.


Translation is: don't expect to get as much life out of your battery.


Chronic under charging a battery depletes capacity (ie it can't hold as many amp hours as before) and also reduces life (ie you'll get fewer discharge/recharge cycles under the same conditions).


However you mentioned solar system so if you have a good controller there then you may condition your batteries alright with that. But speaking of that unless you have your solar tapped into the truck side of the diode I don't see how you think that it's charging your truck battery too (a diode only lets current flow one way).
 
Since this topic has come up again, I have a question. I am looking to rewire my system with a VSR and 4 AWG wire.
Looking at these two relays, which are about $65.

http://bluesea.com/category/78/79/productline/overview/387

http://www.bepmarine.com/home-mainmenu-8/product-269/125-amp-voltage-sensitive-relay-vsr-

Any suggestions on these?

DR
 
Some of the other guys are much more familiar with VSRs that I am but looking at the specs they both seem fine to me.
 
So I am reading all these and wondering, as I place my order for a shiny new FWC - what *should* I be doing?

I am ordering the two battery set-up. I have a 2008 Chevy 1500. What should I do to set this deal up? What happens with the "factory" install with regards to the connect to truck wiring?

I know that I will add on the 4mode plug-in module for better battery maintenance when I am at home on 110 (or plugged in to shore power, right?).

I doubt at this point in time (due to work and school schedules) that we would ever camp for longer than maybe a week without being able to plug in to some sort of external AC power. If I plug in my batteries to the external power for a day or so every couple weeks - would I really need to worry about this truck charging voltage problem?

I would like to have an isolator of some kind so that I don't accidentally (or due to a short) risk killing my truck starting battery...
 
I would like to have an isolator of some kind so that I don't accidentally (or due to a short) risk killing my truck starting battery...


A VSR (see my links above), and it must be fused with the proper size wire , is the absolute, hands down - best way to go. Also, the positive connection at the camper battery must also be fused!!
It will properly charge the camper battery and keep the truck battery safe.

***Stay away from "diode isolators". When you only have 12 volts to play with, they have an in inherent .5 volt loss that unacceptable for adequate charging.

Wire size ratings can be found here:
http://circuitwizard.bluesea.com/

Pods-please comment.
 
Rancher, They look fine to me too. However, the Blue Seas unit selected is a dual sense while the BEP unit selected is a single sense. That may or may not make a difference to you. BEP does offer a dual sense in the same form factor.

Say that you have solar and you want the solar to top off the truck battery too. As I understand it you need a dual sense version to do this. This so that which ever battery is being charged, the VSR/ACR allows that battery to reach it's full charge state before connecting the other battery to the charging source. Going down the road the alternator will charge the starting battery full first and then the relay/switch will close and allow the alternator to charge the camper battery. Next, you've been in camp for a couple of days when the sun comes out and the solar starts to charge the camper battery. A single sensing switch/relay won't detect this, but a dual sensing switch/relay will see it and will wait until the camper battery is fully charged before closing and connecting the starting battery to the solar system.
Once the charging source is removed (engine turned off, night time, etc.) either sense type will open and keep the batteries separate until another charging source appears.

'Raider, there are other viable options, but after much reading and consideration I have come to the opinion that an ACR/VSR is the best simple method currently available. Only a constant duty solenoid is simpler, but those come without any logic which forces the alternator to charge both batteries at the same time.
 
Pods-please comment.


I'd use a VSR as metioned or solenoid/relay if you're goal is the link up the batteries. A VSR is just an automatic version of a solenoid/relay. If you just go with a basic solenoid/relay then you'd use an ignition hot wire to connect it up, a VSR (which costs a little more) has the perk that in needs a minimum voltage to connect the two batteries so if you turn the truck to "on" but haven't actually started it yet a VSR won't link them up where as a solenoid/relay would.

On my current rig I have a DC-DC stage charger which provides isolation (current only flows 1 way through it) and it takes its que from an ignition hot wire, so technically it could fall prey to what I mentioned above if not paying attention (I had a manual override switch on it to consciously solve that issue).

On the camper I'm building, I'll have stage charging thought the solar controller so I'll probably just go with a VSR this round.


valkraider, yes plugging in your rig every so often will keep the batteries topped up and happy while at home. Using a diode type isolator on the road just slows your charge rate and capacity while the truck is running so you're just cutting yourself short. Think of voltage like water pressure in a hose and current is the flow in the hose. The more pressure there is (within reason) the faster it flows. If you use a diode and loose most of the "pressure" making things want to "flow" then it's going to fill your battery slower and possibly not fill it all the way up.
 
Rancher, They look fine to me too. However, the Blue Seas unit selected is a dual sense while the BEP unit selected is a single sense. That may or may not make a difference to you. BEP does offer a dual sense in the same form factor.

Say that you have solar and you want the solar to top off the truck battery too. As I understand it you need a dual sense version to do this. This so that which ever battery is being charged, the VSR/ACR allows that battery to reach it's full charge state before connecting the other battery to the charging source. Going down the road the alternator will charge the starting battery full first and then the relay/switch will close and allow the alternator to charge the camper battery. Next, you've been in camp for a couple of days when the sun comes out and the solar starts to charge the camper battery. A single sensing switch/relay won't detect this, but a dual sensing switch/relay will see it and will wait until the camper battery is fully charged before closing and connecting the starting battery to the solar system.
Once the charging source is removed (engine turned off, night time, etc.) either sense type will open and keep the batteries separate until another charging source appears.

'Raider, there are other viable options, but after much reading and consideration I have come to the opinion that an ACR/VSR is the best simple method currently available. Only a constant duty solenoid is simpler, but those come without any logic which forces the alternator to charge both batteries at the same time.


NTSQD, what you have described here is what my unit does.

Frank
 
NTSQD, what you have described here is what my unit does.

Frank


You don't have a diode isolator based on the part number above. You've got what we've been saying, not what you've been saying. ;)
 

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