Help!! Hooking up trailer battery charging wire on 99 Blazer

[halfdome, Danny]

Why not get a small solar panel that is not permantly attached to the tear so you can move it into the sun and keep your battery topped off that way? Just another though - less wiring hassle too.

Mark

Mark, That is an excellent idea except we live in Washington state and you can't depend on the sun. I have toyed with the idea since we will camp in California sometimes. Also it would seem it would take a fairly large unit to do the job. I guess one could run the wires under the vinal on the insert molding. Danny

[GeorgeTelford]

Hi Mark

From the post's made I think cost is an issue, to get a solar panel that will put out any useful power out costs $$$'s

[madjack]

Danny, if I were to go solar, I would pick up a 12 ga extension cord and adapt it to hook the solar panel to the battery, that way you could put the extension card/solar panel out away from that cool shade you parked your tear under...I would think that solar would be most practical if you are planning to camp in the same remote spot for several days...if you were travel camping at non-electric campgrounds, then the charge wire would probably be your best bet...or even a combination of the two....
madjack
p.s. Harbor Freight has a 3'x3' solar panel that puts out 3.5amps(45watts) and comes with the charge controller, a couple of 12v lights and some other accessories for 200bucks.....a Kyrocea 85watt model costs around 500 bucks the controller is extra...

[halfdome, Danny]

Danny, if I were to go solar, I would pick up a 12 ga extension cord and adapt it to hook the solar panel to the battery, that way you could put the extension card/solar panel out away from that cool shade you parked your tear under...I would think that solar would be most practical if you are planning to camp in the same remote spot for several days...if you were travel camping at non-electric campgrounds, then the charge wire would probably be your best bet...or even a combination of the two....
madjack
p.s. Harbor Freight has a 3'x3' solar panel that puts out 3.5amps(45watts) and comes with the charge controller, a couple of 12v lights and some other accessories for 200bucks.....a Kyrocea 85watt model costs around 500 bucks the controller is extra...

Madjack, That is a great idea for a solar panel but I think I would use a 12volt plug that I have an extra of instead of using a 110 volt plug. Some day someone might think of plugging it into a household outlet without thinking . Danny

[madjack]

Danny, that is what I was talking about with the adaption procedure...I think I would make 12v adapters to plug into the cord ends so that I could use the cord for 110v purposes if needed...I like items that can multitask especially in the close confines of a TD
madjack

[halfdome, Danny]

Madjack, I have a 12 gauge 25' Black & Decker extention cord I bought from Costco. The features I like is the bright yellow and the LED lighted female end. I'll always know if I'm really plugged in. I should get one more. Danny

[madjack]

Madjack, I have a 12 gauge 25' Black & Decker extention cord I bought from Costco. The features I like is the bright yellow and the LED lighted female end. I'll always know if I'm really plugged in.[b] I should get one more. Danny[/b]

...yep, I have a 100" 12 ga cord that I cut 25' off of and used for a 4 outlet gang box with a GFIC plug onit, 4 50' 14 ga and 4 100' 16 ga cords....and a basket full of 10/15 zip cords...like clamps and 5gal buckets, ya can't have too many
madjack

[GeorgeTelford]

Hi

Of course the further away the solar panel is, the thicker the wire needs to be otherwise the dreaded voltage drop kicks in.

the 45 Ah panel would only put about 8.5 Ah into the battery (thats on an average Australian day)

[madjack]

George, how didja figure that..my numbers show that IF you had hard sun for 8 hours(maybe optimistic) onna 45watt panel you would get 360watts, which divided by 12v gives 30 AH...which is a considerable amount of power and a significant difference from your figures...if I refigure it at 3.5a @ 8hours, I get 27 AH, so......................
madjack

p.s. I do realize that everything would have to be perfect to get those numbers.......

[GeorgeTelford]

Hi Jack

I use an Australian sun chart (pretty much the best sunlight levels)

To get 45 Watts out of a panel takes lab conditions, its also measured at something like 19 Volts, when downrated to 12volt nominal (its actually usually about 14-15 Volts) its less than the optimal 45 Watts, then allow for less than Ideal conditions (ie who angles the panel to get full power?) also there is power loss through the diode ( to stop backfeed at night) and then through the regulator.

BTW for solar they calculate 6 hours per summer day and 3 hrs per winter day, they know there is light outside those hours but they base it on real world actual results

[madjack]

...so George, in other words, both sets of numbers, yours and mine are just theoretical and what we need is someone to buy a panel, set it up and measure it's output to see what it will deliver in real world conditions......
madjack

[GeorgeTelford]

Hi Jack

No, My numbers are the real world figures, from an Engineer who did just that tested the panels (Collyn Rivers), they are the real world figures based on actual results cross tabled with Australian sun Hours

For the 45 Watt Panel, I took the mid point between summer and winter days, here is a brief explaination By Collyn

http://www.caravanandmotorhomebooks.com ... ch_sun.htm

[madjack]

OK George, that is what I was wondering..................................................

[GeorgeTelford]

Hi Jack

Thats just the usual problem, when I first looked at solar panels I was adding up the Ah like you did, boy do you come down with a bump when you realise the real figures.

[dahoon]

Danny,

The alternator that you have in your 99 Blazer is a Delco Remy model CS130. That alternator requires a 12v signal to charge the battery. I'm suprised no one has mentioned this yet altho George almost did. You need to install a battery isolator between the alternator and the vehicle battery. Then run a wire from that to your RV battery. Go to an electrical rebuilder or a quality auto parts store not one of these 24/7 stores and ask for a Sure Power Battery Isolator.

An Isolator will sense which battery is weak and send current to that battery for recharging.

George is right about an alternator not being a charging device and the one you have in the Blazer is one of the worse. But, This will help for the least amount of money.

Mike