Re: battery change questions

On Wed, 31 Jul 2024 11:34:58 -0500,
  sticks <wolverine01@charter.net> wrote:

 On 7/31/2024 10:10 AM, George.Anthony wrote:

Direct connect or via a DC/DC charger, what you get is more
like a “trickle” charger would provide. It’s more for
maintaining than charging. Heavier wire would help. If you do
a lot of off grid camping solar might be the way to go or a
small portable generator. The generator may be your least
expensive option, especially if you are paying labor for any
other option. Just like Ron Popeil says, “just set it and
forget it”.

 
 For $300-400 you can get those smaller (~2,000-4,000 watts)
 portable generators that are easy to handle, can be used for
 other things too, and would charge up the batteries whenever
 you needed it.  The money you would spend having someone
 setting all the stuff up with the heavier wire and plug-ins
 could easily go over what one of those cost, and if your
 batteries go down while you're camping you have to hook back up
 to the truck again.  Just hook a small charger up to it and
 you're good. They're quiet and lost a long, long time on a tank
 of fuel.

Thanks, both.  What you say makes sense.  Based on some of the
accounts I read, it seems the Acadia with suitable heavy gauge
wires should be able to bring the trailer battery back to full
charge during a day of towing, but I agree the install sounds like
a major hassle.

I like the idea of a small generator, but the ones I found (e.g.,
those recommended by Wirecutter) are closer to $1k in cost.  They
had a pretty poor opinion of the cheaper units.  In any case, even
the smaller units seem like a lot more weight and space than I
realy want (or can afford) and I'm not keen on having to carry
fuel (or the noise in operation).

Leaning more toward solar panels mounted on the trailer roof, it
sounds like something I could do myself and would be less prone to
theft than portable units.  Not being optimally aimed woould be
offset to some extent by being able to generate power during the
day while towing.

I'll be mulling this all over, but more input is always welcome!

--
Ted Heise      <theise@panix.com>       West Lafayette, IN, USA