Dual Battery Setup with Inverter (1 Viewer)

[jasheehan]

I just picked up a camping trailer and want to install another battery with an inverter. I've looked around quite a bit on multiple forums, but wanted to get your opinion. I am no electrician, so please bear with me.

The trailer has a deep cycle battery already. I'd like to install another battery with inverter and an isolator switch. Here is how it is setup now. My goal is to mount the other battery alongside the existing and attach the inverter to the nose box. Thoughts?

 

[Mogwai]

I assume you want the two batteries in the trailer (existing + new one) to operate together to power the inverter, and the isolator to connect the two batteries to altnerator while running, and disconnect when not? Should be pretty straight forward. Plan to use any solar?

 

[jasheehan]

thanks for the reply.

Yes on the configuration.

Yes, I do plan to install either a solar panel or wind in the future. i also wired up a 7 pin on my 80 series with a 12v from the battery so the trailer batteries should get a trickle charge while going down the road.

 

[Mogwai]

I think one of the new CTek units would be your best bet. That inverter is going to draw some serious amps, just make sure all of your cables are the right gauge. This gent @TonyP may be able to direct you to the right CTek.

 

[ntsqd]

Are you going to replace the existing battery with a pair of new, or just add a second one? I ask because I've done it both ways and I strongly suggest that if the budget can stand it to replace the one with a matched pair. Can just add one and it'll work for a while. Eventually you'll need to bite the bullet and buy two.

Have a good long look at 20 hr-amps and reserve capacity ratings. You'll find that a pair of 2GC 6V's wired in series will give you more capacity than a pair of 12V's wired in parallel. But they're a pretty big hit to the wallet too.....

Trickle charge thru the 7 pin is hopeful. Figure the voltage drop on a 10 ga. wire that long and then look at the min charging voltage required for your batteries. Would not surprise me if the alt voltage at the batteries is too low to do any good. That, I suspect, is what is driving the C-Tek recommendation above. Those employ a DC-DC converter to get the charging voltage up high enough.

 

[jasheehan]

I have a Ctek charger already to maintain the battery while parked in the garage.

 

[ntsqd]

That may not be the same unit.

 

[jasheehan]

Are you recommending Ctek or Cotek inverters? It looks like Ctek are only battery chargers/maintainers.

COTEK - Professional Power Solutions Design and Manufacturing

 

[ntsqd]

https://smartercharger.com/battery-chargers/#CTEK D250SA