ParkLiner Battery Monitor and Battery Strap

[deryk]

Well the metal strap holding my battery's had to go, and naturally 1 strap was 6" too short so I went with 2...not that there is much room for them to move around lol.

I also picked up a battery monitor to have a better idea of how much juice I have (yeah next weekend I need to plug in and charge...I guess my truck isn't pumping much juice into it while driving...or it was real low lol...but now I will be able to keep an eye on it)


deryk

[Ron F]

Deryk, It looks like your monitor is showing 11.7 vdc. If so, you're more than 50% discharged and should recharge asap. When you reach 12 vdc, you're 50% discharged. Around 12.6 vdc is fully charged.
Ron

[deryk]

Yeah next weekend when I head over there will plug it in... or maybe fire up the generator lol. I need to take a measurement of the space I have between my 2 overhead hatches and find a small solar panel and charge controller just for that purpose to keep the batteries topped off.

deryk

[cpaharley2008]

Deryk,
I can not tell from the pictures, are the leads to the converter going to one battery or split between both?

[deryk]

Both, and the yellow/brown wire is for the battery meter, with a connection positive on 1 battery and negative on the other (I need thinner gauge wire lol most of my stuff is 16 gauge lol)

deryk

[cpaharley2008]

Good, The prototype I saw last year had the leads to one battery and then piggy backed to the 2nd battery. I pointed out the mistake so it seems they corrected it.

[ruscal]

Deryk,
Your truck should be able to throw some current into the batts. Check your monitor while your truck is running to ensure you are getting enough voltage to charge. Should be in the mid to high 13's. For best battery longevity don't let them sit too long while discharged. I killed a blue top by letting it sit discharged for a month. I did't know there was a draw on the system which drained the batt.
Russ

[deryk]

Russ Im gonna try that when I head over there on sunday. Im not sure what gauge wire was used when they installed the 7 plug connector but will plug in and give it a try.

thanks

deryk

[Thomas G.]

Originally Posted by deryk

Russ Im gonna try that when I head over there on sunday. Im not sure what gauge wire was used when they installed the 7 plug connector but will plug in and give it a try.

thanks

deryk

You can do a quick charge by using jumper cables off your TV battery to the trailer batteries.

[deryk]

Well I have my ParkLiner in my parent's driveway so I will plug it in when I go over there to work on it on sunday. Will take pictures of the next mod I will be finishing up lol...and starting on another. I need to install the hour meter on my Yamaha and might let that run and do the charging... want to get 20 hours on it for the first oil change.

And then start looking for a solar panel that will fit on my roof between the 2 hatches to keep my batteries topped off (charge controller too) It won't work as well while camping in the tree's but hopefully between what's getting to my batteries from my alternator plus solar would be nice if I can run the fridge on dc while driving and not have drained batteries when I get to my camping spot.

deryk

[ruscal]

Originally Posted by deryk

Russ Im gonna try that when I head over there on sunday. Im not sure what gauge wire was used when they installed the 7 plug connector but will plug in and give it a try.

thanks

deryk

Deryk,
I used 10 ga. for the charge wire on mine. It seems to handle the current OK.
Have fun with the new trailer!
Russ

[accrete]

i'm hoping to find a panel with enough juice to keep the batteries up while parked and then also while dry camping. We don't have much of anything inside to draw them down except the lighting, water pump(s), roof fan, and whatever phantom draw there might be. I was thinking of the space in front of the roof hatch for placement. I was also thinking a solar roof vent over the shower might be nice also.

[deryk]

the solar roof vent isn't a bad idea at all...at the very least it will keep air from getting stagnant. Yeah I'm gonna have to measure the open space up top to see what would fit. A 65 watt panel I think would be enough...I guess if I go winter dry camping and plan on sitting inside all day I would need more juice because of the fan on the heater. I think for weekend warm weather use we wont need solar...I can't see the fantastic fan being a high draw....but anything puttin juice back in the battery is good


deryk

[Mike Magee]

The lightweight charge wire from the tug's battery doesn't recharge a trailer batt nearly as fast as shore power, from what I've read.

My trailer has a CO detector hardwired in, and with that thing running my battery will go dead in about 2-3 weeks. So I have been leaving my trailer plugged in all the time.

[deryk]

Well my 2 CO detectors are battery powered, but who know's if there is a drain. I need to charge the batteries this weekend and then keep an eye on them to see if they go down... then its solar power time to the rescue lol.

deryk

[accrete]

I will be replacing any hardwired detectors to stand alone battery powered units like we have in our Van Conversion. Two years of use without issue, and we replace the two AA batteries in spring just for good measure. (they have a low battery warning that has yet to go off in a 12 month cycle). Hopefully there are easy solutions to lowering or eliminating any phantom draw(s). We have zero in the Van Conversion at this point, with all the comforts of home (in our style of dry camping).

[deryk]

Originally Posted by ruscal

Deryk,
Your truck should be able to throw some current into the batts. Check your monitor while your truck is running to ensure you are getting enough voltage to charge. Should be in the mid to high 13's. For best battery longevity don't let them sit too long while discharged. I killed a blue top by letting it sit discharged for a month. I did't know there was a draw on the system which drained the batt.
Russ

Russ, I did hook my truck up to my ParkLiner yesterday and with the engine idling it was showing 12.8volts... I guess that means I don't have a real heavy gauge wire coming from my battery in my Rav4?

deryk

[cpaharley2008]

If you install solar then that will help, otherwise you may need to run a larger wire back to the plug from your engine with a relay. Also check your alternator specifications, it may not have enough reserve to put any more into your trailer.

[deryk]

Jim, I think its the wire. I checked on the Rav4 forum and with the tow package I have 150amp alternator vs the standard 100amp for non tow package Rav4's. I guess solar is gonna have to get installed because I do have dellusion's of running the fridge on 12volt while traveling if I have food in it.

deryk

[Thomas G.]

Originally Posted by cpaharley2008

If you install solar then that will help, otherwise you may need to run a larger wire back to the plug from your engine with a relay. Also check your alternator specifications, it may not have enough reserve to put any more into your trailer.

I've never seen an alternator too small to charge a trailer battery. Auto alternators are sized based on their output at engine idle speed. That way, when the soccer mom or taxi driver sits for an hour with the lights and AC on with the engine idling, the battery is still taking a charge, or at worst not discharging. When the engine speed gets off idle, the alternator output surges.

Some newer vehicles have a smart charger function that reduces the alternator output (and drag) when it senses adequate voltage at the TV battery. In tow/ haul mode this function is overridden to ensure a charge to the trailer battery.

The most likely issue with the RAV4 is a too small charge wire. A way to check this would be to use jumper cables from the TV to the trailer battery and measure the current with an ammeter.