Simplest way to run minimal 12v in a trailer (1 Viewer)

[Heckraiser]

Just to reiterate, my wife does not generate body heat. She's like a lizard, so a heat source will be needed regardless of how much bedding and insulation we have.

So due to input form you guys, at this point I'm thinking permanent house battery in the truck, with wires running out to the trailer from under the hood. Then maybe next year add another battery in the trailer so we can suck down two batteries overnight.


Haha, I'm just going to clue you guys into how much of a trainwreck my wife and I are.

Last year, we bought and sold one of these within a few weeks without even using it once (I put the kaibosh on it due to weight and ground clearance and we could only keep one trailer). Well fast forward one year, and she's looking at one of these again. "how light could you get it if you took out the sink, tank and the cabinetry?"

2016 Aliner Scout Lite

 

[LC4LIFE]

Just to reiterate, my wife does not generate body heat. She's like a lizard, so a heat source will be needed regardless of how much bedding and insulation we have.

So due to input form you guys, at this point I'm thinking permanent house battery in the truck, with wires running out to the trailer from under the hood. Then maybe next year add another battery in the trailer so we can suck down two batteries overnight.


Haha, I'm just going to clue you guys into how much of a trainwreck my wife and I are.

Last year, we bought and sold one of these within a few weeks without even using it once (I put the kaibosh on it due to weight and ground clearance and we could only keep one trailer). Well fast forward one year, and she's looking at one of these again. "how light could you get it if you took out the sink, tank and the cabinetry?"

2016 Aliner Scout Lite

I'd look at Scamp's or Casitas before I went back to something like that. They are light, small and very warm. My son has a Casita and it is sweet.

 

[abuck99]

Better solution: Small Webasto, Espar or Propex with a small battery for the fan and be done with it. Any of the three and you'll be crying to open the door on the coldest of nights in your teardrop...

I've done the 'convert DC to heat via heated mattress pad' and anyway you look at it, for more than turning it on for a couple hours to pre-heat the bedding, you're looking at big lead-acid type batteries (yes, plural), LiFePO4 (expensive) or a generator to power it.

Had no clue about Propex: great suggestion.

Teardrop Trailer Heaters • Furnaces for teardrop trailers

 

[96FZJ80]

@Heckraiser I'm probably worse than you at this electrical stuff. I've spent days trying to figure out if a 12v lithium battery could run a viair 400p compressor without being in a running vehicle (i.e. to make a "football" like @Nader ) and I'm no closer to knowing the answer than when I started.

I started another thread in this forum asking for any experience with the Dewalt Power Station as I'm concerned about its ability as a compressor. However, it might be just the ticket for running an electric blanket and other stuff (if I just knew how to calculate if it would do it all night). This thing does not have a 12v output for whatever crazy reason but it does have a 1000W inverter. So I know how much I can plug into it and expect it to run but I don't know for how long. The box says a 13W fluorescent bulb will run for more than 20 hours - and you can drill 560 holes - so there's that (if the need arises).

You can plug it into your cigarette lighter while out running around during the day and charge it back up (better than swapping batteries I think). But not sure if 4-5 hours maybe in the car would charge it all the way up. Just a thought..

https://www.amazon.com/DEWALT-DXAEPS2-Professional-Power-Station/dp/B06XDH6XL3

 

[spressomon]

^ At 36.9lbs total weight I can guarantee you the battery portion isn't going to provide enough current to power much more than very small appliances...

The math for calculating how big of a battery (capacity & output) relative to the appliance draw is very simple but you do need to know what the voltage & electrical "draw" is for the given appliance(s).

Here's one of a few thousands sites that might help you understand how to determine battery size based upon appliance current draw as well as the interplay of inverters: How To Calculate Amp Usage in a RV - Trailer Traveler

 

[joabmc]

You may just want to look into a smaller solar setup to recharge the trailer batteries along with the 7pin suggestions above as insurance as you are driving around during the day. Also might want to consider going with 2-6V golf cart batteries wired in series. This would give you a really good 12V system and depending on the batteries, over 200AH to play with. Something like this SLIGC110 - Duracell Ultra Battery for Deep Cycle 6V RV at Batteries Plus Bulbs