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#31 PaulT

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Posted 23 October 2017 - 03:51 AM

If the Tacoma AC inverter in the bed is being used to provide shore power to the camper, I hope the engine is running for the duration.

Paul

Edited by PaulT, 23 October 2017 - 03:53 AM.

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#32 MattC

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Posted 23 October 2017 - 11:24 AM

I'd like to understand that too.  I'm thinking the key is knowing what this inverter plug in the truck bed is powered by.  As it sounds now I am am envisioning an battery pack being charged by solar on the roof, then those batteries running the inverter to create 120v, which is then plugged into a battery charger that is charging the same batteries that are running the inverter.

 

That can't be right, so....

Many Tacomas (mine included) have a smaller inverter with an outlet in right rear of the bed as an option.

I am trying to remember, but I think they are only 400w when the truck is running (and 100 when not running)

 

So I am thinking that he is saying the camper will charge itself to a higher voltage using the inverter as shore power, than opposed to just using the truck alt. and the 12v system? 


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#33 klahanie

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Posted 23 October 2017 - 03:15 PM

^ or possibly to "smart" charge.

 

Normally I rely completely on the alternators but on occasion I've used the camper inverter together with an iota charger to smart charge expensive agm house batteries while driving. Like any charging system this method has specific requirements to work well - including, in my version, circuit separation.


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#34 VanGoOutdoors

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Posted 23 October 2017 - 03:42 PM

It really doesnt matter at this point.  I run 300 watts of solar and the two batteries 

dont actually even have the truck connected


Edited by broverlanding_tacoma, 23 October 2017 - 03:45 PM.

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#35 alano

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Posted 23 October 2017 - 11:45 PM

I look at battery power as sort of a tripod. One leg is how hot is it? If it's hot, the fridge runs a lot and the fridge is far and away the biggest user of power on most trips for us. The next leg is how sunny is it where the camper is? We have 200W of solar on the roof and the energy into the batteries varies quite a bit depending on shade, clouds and even level. The last leg is how much driving are we doing that day? Some days the camper sits and we hike from the campground other days we drive quite a bit.

 

The point (finally) is that if at least one of those legs is strong, the batteries will be OK -- maybe not indefinitely, but for  that day they will be fine and I don't worry. If it's hot, we are parked in the shade and we aren't moving, then I worry about battery power and make plans to do something about it (like change the weather).

 

On our recent trip, we had three nights reserved at Zion NP and the weather was warm so I figured we might need to move the camper one day to a sunny spot if our site was shady. Turns out there is a secret fourth leg -- the CG had electrical hookups that I forgot about when making reservations months ago so no worries at all.

 

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#36 MattC

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Posted 24 October 2017 - 10:51 AM

It really doesnt matter at this point.  I run 300 watts of solar and the two batteries 

dont actually even have the truck connected

Well then I guess we will quit trying to understand what you were talking about, because you don't do it now.


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#37 VanGoOutdoors

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Posted 24 October 2017 - 05:18 PM

Well then I guess we will quit trying to understand what you were talking about, because you don't do it now.

its just a matter of normal usage 150AH isnt enough to really do much without a good recharge method.  thats all. 

 

but yes.  You can plug your camper into the truck bed inverter and charge your camper while driving. 


Edited by broverlanding_tacoma, 24 October 2017 - 05:19 PM.

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#38 Vic Harder

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Posted 24 October 2017 - 11:10 PM

its just a matter of normal usage 150AH isnt enough to really do much without a good recharge method. thats all.

but yes. You can plug your camper into the truck bed inverter and charge your camper while driving.

Ah, that makes more sense now. Thanks for clarifying. So, while driving, you are generating enough power to run the inverter, which then runs the onboard IOTA with IQ4. The advantage of this is you are able to use the charging logic of the IQ4, and if the vehicle alternator isn't putting out enough VOLTAGE to charge the batteries, then you can do it this way.

Cool.

I took the truck/camper out for a drive today and noticed that the solar on the roof actually charges BOTH the camper and truck batteries when the sun is out (even though it was cloudy), and sometime the current runs the other way, from alternator into the camper batteries, all depending on the engine RPM.

Edited by Vic Harder, 24 October 2017 - 11:12 PM.

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#39 CougarCouple

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Posted 25 October 2017 - 01:35 AM

Hi b_t
How many batteries in the camper, sorry reread and not sure if it's one or two.
Russ
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#40 VanGoOutdoors

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Posted 25 October 2017 - 11:03 AM

Ah, that makes more sense now. Thanks for clarifying. So, while driving, you are generating enough power to run the inverter, which then runs the onboard IOTA with IQ4. The advantage of this is you are able to use the charging logic of the IQ4, and if the vehicle alternator isn't putting out enough VOLTAGE to charge the batteries, then you can do it this way.

Cool.

I took the truck/camper out for a drive today and noticed that the solar on the roof actually charges BOTH the camper and truck batteries when the sun is out (even though it was cloudy), and sometime the current runs the other way, from alternator into the camper batteries, all depending on the engine RPM.

Its not really a matter of the vehicle not putting out enough, but the diminutive wire size used to connect the camper to the vehicle. Useless IMO.  I disconnected my camper from the vehicle after running some tests.  

 

Hi b_t
How many batteries in the camper, sorry reread and not sure if it's one or two.
Russ

two batteries


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