Possible to run without 12v?

[Wackyrooster]

My wife and I just picked up a trillium 1300 and are excited to fix it up and make it our own. We have no plans to take it off grid, so it will only be used when plugged in to 110v power.

The wiring in this trailer is a little bit of a rats nest and I am not comfortable with any of it so I plan to take my time and rewire from scratch. Given that I have absolutely no need to ever run it when not plugged in, would it be unheard of to just wire it with 110v?

Thank you kindly!

[thrifty bill]

Here in the USA, many National and State Parks do not have electric hookups. Many province parks I have stayed at didn't either.

"Absolutely no need to ever" is really a strong statement. If it is based on years of extensive camping experience, then sure, the choice is yours.

I do a lot of dry camping when I am making miles (heading to or from a destination). Here in the US, truck stops, Walmarts, and many others are common quick overnight stops. And many of my destinations are dry camping (typically at national parks).


FWIW, my Trillium 1300 came with no battery power, and required shore power (120V AC) to run anything. It was one of my first changes.

I stayed in several US National Parks this year, NONE had electric hookups. More and more people are going solar, which includes a good battery and 12V wiring.

Dry camping with no 12V means continually running a generator, which is forbidden at all parks I have stayed at.

[Glenn Baglo]

I concur.

If I had to be connected to AC while camping, I'd just stay home.

[Donna D.]

Well you could... BUT, you're going to need some 12v wiring for the exterior lights. You're sharing the road with the rest of us, we want you to be safe.


IF/when you're off-grid, just use it as a hard-sided tent. People camp all the time in tents .

[FRED SMAILES]

We only have 110 and propane in our boler and have been in it a 1 year in the last 7.
BUT, be prepared to pay more for a camp site in private rv parks.
'round here anyway not many provincial pks have 110.
Fred

[k corbin]

Originally Posted by Wackyrooster

My wife and I just picked up a trillium 1300 and are excited to fix it up and make it our own. We have no plans to take it off grid, so it will only be used when plugged in to 110v power.

The wiring in this trailer is a little bit of a rats nest and I am not comfortable with any of it so I plan to take my time and rewire from scratch. Given that I have absolutely no need to ever run it when not plugged in, would it be unheard of to just wire it with 110v?

Thank you kindly!

you can of course do that if you want to. Between rechargeable battery banks, rechargeable light fixtures and such you can do without having a large 12v battery and circuits if you wish to do so.


For lighting you can use some battery powered LED lights or better yet some that have a built in rechargeable battery. Those can be charged up while you are driving your vehicle. I just got a slim 500 lumen, rehargeable light from NEBO. I love that brand they have great quality. I do have a 12v system but it is my backup light and I can move it around to various areas when I want a brighter light in a particular spot. https://www.nebotools.com/p/SLIM/542


Nebo just came out with a 700 lumen version of this rechargeable slim light that can be used as a battery backup for cell phones and such. I will be adding it to my Christmas wish list if friends or family want to for some strange reason give me a gift

https://www.nebotools.com/p/SLIM%2B/647


I also have NIMH batteries and a charger for them. I use those in various small LED lights such as the tap lights that can be put over your stove, table, flashlights or in portable lanterns.



Plus I have two camping lanterns that have a solar panel on them to recharge those lights. Of course they can also be plugged into 110v for recharging.

[Wackyrooster]

Thank you everyone for really helpful responses!

I was planning to leave the 12v just as the trailer light hookup independent from the wiring in the camper.

I do have to seriously consider whether I need a battery or not. Is there a way to have a battery option but leave it out completely if we are going somewhere with 110v service?
Cheers,
Marco

[Glenn Baglo]

You can also buy candles cheap at Costco.

[k corbin]

Originally Posted by Wackyrooster

Thank you everyone for really helpful responses!

I was planning to leave the 12v just as the trailer light hookup independent from the wiring in the camper.

I do have to seriously consider whether I need a battery or not. Is there a way to have a battery option but leave it out completely if we are going somewhere with 110v service?
Cheers,
Marco

Yes there are lots of options for that. Use the keywords below. But it is handy to take along for power outages and of course handy to have at home for that as well.


Portable Power Station

[John in Santa Cruz]

no 12VDC == no water pump. no heater fan. no maxxfan/fantastic fan for ventilation. I've never seen 120VAC camper interior lighting, either, so you'll be adapting household lighting fixtures, or using battery lanterns.

our last major road trip left coast -> utah and back, out of 3 weeks total, visiting 3 campgrounds, we dry camped w/o electricity 3 nights going there, 2 nights going home, also one campground we couldn't get a hookup site, so 5 nights there was dry. so really, out of that 3 weeks, only 10 days we had hookups.

re: removable battery, ugh. typical RV battery weighs 60-80 lbs, and is securely ensconsed in a battery box, thats hard wired to the power center/voltage converter that acts as a fuse panel, and battery charger when plugged into shore power.

[Bobbie Mayer]

My Campster had both kinds of electric fixtures, I added an electric heater (wall mount) and when I was off the grid used an LED lantern and charging banks for things like the phone. I had a propane heater (portable) if I'd ever needed to heat but never did. (And would not have run it overnight if I had.) Water was manual anyway and I didn't use it. Fridge was an icebox. It just wasn't a problem. I'd miss it now because the propane furnace requires a fan and the Escape doesn't have poptop ventilation like the Campster so I use the overhead fan, too.

[tractors1]

I'm surprised nobody has mentioned that without a 12V battery, there will be no emergency braking when the trailer and tow go down separate paths after parting ways............

[Civilguy]

Originally Posted by Wackyrooster

My wife and I just picked up a trillium 1300 and are excited to fix it up and make it our own. We have no plans to take it off grid, so it will only be used when plugged in to 110v power.

The wiring in this trailer is a little bit of a rats nest and I am not comfortable with any of it so I plan to take my time and rewire from scratch. Given that I have absolutely no need to ever run it when not plugged in, would it be unheard of to just wire it with 110v?

Thank you kindly!

If you are willing to rewire the trailer for 120VAC, consider learning a bit more to properly wire it for 12VDC too. Many devices for boats and RVs are manufactured and built to operate on 12VDC. The same is not always true of 120VAC devices. As just one example, while there are special 120VAC receptacles manufactured to install in RVs, I don't know that the same can be said of light fixtures.

I think that by electing to only install 120VAC, you would be breaking new ground to establish safe installations where there is already an accessible trail paved with many devices manufactured to utilize 12VDC. Consequently, you may find yourself faced with many custom or specialized installations. I am not clear what the advantage or benefit of this extra work might be.

[Jon Vermilye]

Some Trillium 1300 have electric trailer brakes. Your breakaway switch will not function unless you have a charged trailer battery...

Charlie & I must have had the same thoughts at the same time!

[gordon2]

Originally Posted by Jon Vermilye

Some Trillium 1300 have electric trailer brakes. Your breakaway switch will not function unless you have a charged trailer battery...

Charlie & I must have had the same thoughts at the same time!

Yes but very many trailers do not have break-away switches at all. No Scamp has one unless added after it was built. And those trailers that do have a break-away switch but do not have a house battery instead use a small battery dedicated to the break-away device. Some use a dedicated battery even with a house battery. So it has some but little bearing on whether the OP needs a 12 volt house system. My tent does not have 12 volt wiring or battery and if he wants to live that way, thats fine. Running lights powered by tug always required of course. And we can discuss the need for a break-away switch and why I added one to my Scamp, but thats a different topic from the "need" for 12 volts in the living quarters.

[thrifty bill]

Check out the wiring diagram for a Trillium in the document center. Once you have wiring for the outside lights (required for towing), and if you wire it for 120V AC, then the final 12V DC wiring is not very complicated at all.

My 1977 Trillium came with ONE 12V DC circuit total, and ONE 120V AC circuit. I changed the power center, I now have two 120V AC circuits, and three 12V DC circuits.

[Junkboy999]

Don't forget about resale value. T trailer with 110v and 12DC options should pull a better price.

[Jann Todd]

Originally Posted by Wackyrooster

My wife and I just picked up a trillium 1300 and are excited to fix it up and make it our own. We have no plans to take it off grid, so it will only be used when plugged in to 110v power.

The wiring in this trailer is a little bit of a rats nest and I am not comfortable with any of it so I plan to take my time and rewire from scratch. Given that I have absolutely no need to ever run it when not plugged in, would it be unheard of to just wire it with 110v?

Thank you kindly!

Think of resale also. If you ever wanted to resell your trailer or trade it in the value would be less since most people want lights, fridge, pump for water, etc. I would never even consider an RV or any kind without 12V. Guess you don't have a toilet in it. I am more afraid of 110V than 12V. While you are rewiring I'd put in the 12V.

[charlsara]

You absolutely can do without 12 volt if you want. Just wire everything 120 ac and take out the batteries and charger.

[Jon in AZ]

Yes, it is possible to use a trailer without 12V. It is possible to use a trailer like a tent just for sleeping. Each mechanical system- 110V, 12V, LP, plumbing- adds utility and comfort. You have to decide for yourself whether the value of each system is worth the cost and trouble to install and maintain.

For us the value of the 12V system lies in the convenience of always-ready lights, the flexibility to camp without hookups when desired or when not available, and the ability to add extras like a furnace, water pump, powered roof vent, LP detector, all of which require 12V power.

Wiring is easiest to install now, while things are apart. 12V wiring is a common source of RV fires, so it’s not something to take lightly.