battery set up

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petec63
Posts: 2
Joined: Sun Sep 28, 2014 3:50 pm

battery set up

Post by petec63 » Sun Sep 28, 2014 4:10 pm

gidday guys,newbie to the trailer camper scene ,always tented before.just picked up a good condition 95 model cub drifter eclipse and thinking about setting up 12 volt system to run fridge (3 way) while travelling and set up an on board battery system in camper with solar panels for lighting while camped .trailer has a flat 7 pin plug atm and I 've identified feed wire to fridge and 12 volt lights (I think anyway! )just wondering best way to go about it,cheers.

phil_oz_au
Posts: 13
Joined: Wed Aug 13, 2014 6:05 pm
Location: Bondi Junction

Re: battery set up

Post by phil_oz_au » Sun Sep 28, 2014 5:19 pm

Hi petec
I'd start by looking at http://www.campertrailers.org/diy_cub_power.htm
and then everything on http://www.campertrailers.org/tech_tips.htm
Sometimes it is suggested that you only need to run the positive wire and rely in the chassie connection via the 50mm ball for the return earth. DON'T. Run a second earth. In fact you should run an earth through the 7 pin electrics plug and another through the Anderson plug. You can't have too much earth - butt it's a pain (you know where) if there isn't enough!
See you at the next campertrailer 'event'
Cheers
Phil
Relax ...
... it's the Journey, not the destination. :lol:

dlncooke
Posts: 12
Joined: Wed Apr 16, 2014 3:06 pm
Location: Springfield, Qld

Re: battery set up

Post by dlncooke » Sun Sep 28, 2014 5:37 pm

Hi Pete. we have a 12 volt system in our camper trailer.
We run a 200 watt panel into a 20 amp regulator into a 105 Ah AGM battery.
I'm just about to install an "Anderson" plug for ours to charge while driving as well.
We run a Weaco CFX 45 in our trailer and 4 or 5 FBL Led lights as well as the water pump also we run a 12/240 volt Kogan LCD TV.
With good sun our battery sit's around 90-97% all the time.
Can't seem to post any pictures or else I'd give you a look @ ours.


Cheers
Dave
Dmax LS-U, Nomad Hard Floor camper trailer, with a few upgrades.

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robcaz
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Location: Stockton NSW
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Re: battery set up

Post by robcaz » Sun Oct 26, 2014 4:30 pm

Hi Pete,

You will need to use an Anderson Plug to be able to run a decent sized cable from the vehicles battery to run the 3way fridge in the Cub on 12volt while driving. Most 3way absorption fridges draw anywhere from 10 to 15 amps. Redarc have a handy cable size calculator, undersize wiring is like running the fridge on a flat battery http://www.redarc.com.au/handy-hints/ca ... calculator

It is best to run a positive & negative cable from the battery directly to the Anderson.

While camped you will have the fridge on gas so will not require a large battery or solar panel. Richard's Solar Spreadsheet is a great place to start to see what you require http://www.campertrailers.org/solar_spreadsheet.htm

Depending on how serious a 12volt system you want to setup, this is how I went about it http://www.campertrailers.org/bcdc1225_install.htm
happy camping
Rob & Carol
Australian CamperTrailers Group co-owner


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We're just two lost souls swimming in a fish bowl, year after year

Burto51
Posts: 15
Joined: Thu May 15, 2014 4:42 pm

Re: battery set up

Post by Burto51 » Mon Oct 27, 2014 11:54 am

Good morning peter,
I have a Chescold BC1180 3 way fridge/freezer, it has a 120 watt heating element so with a 12 volt supply the maximum current it will draw is 10 Amps, if the vehicle charging voltage rises to 13.8 to 14.4 which is the common regulator setting the fridge will draw even less. As Power = Voltage * Current therefore 120 =12 * 10 or 120 = 13.8 * ?.

I have the following setup,
Vehicle has a dual battery configuration, using a so called 120 amp isolator, in fact it is a 100 amp continuous isolator as the Patrol has a 90 amp alternator, the 120 amp rating is a surge rating; it is presumably labelled this way for salespeople as a selling incentive.

From the aux battery, we use a fused Positive battery terminal, then a inline fuse to a Anderson plug in the vehicle to which the fridge is plugged into. We prefer to have the fridge in the vehicle only removing it when camped.

Our trailer has no electrical requirements except for the LED lights, 1 internal flexible strip (from Aussieswag), 1 LED reading light, and up to 3 Korr Led lighting strips in the annexe.

The trailer has a lead/acid battery fitted to the draw bar with a lead with an Anderson plug on the end; we use 2 chargers mounted in a front alloy box.
First charger is a 240volt 5 stage charger connected to a 15 amp socket, the 12 volt outlet from this is connected to an Anderson plug on the drawbar. If we want to use the mains charger we simply plug the battery lead into the mains charger socket, plug into 240 volt mains and voila. We use this at home to top up the trailer battery or if we are in a park and have to use a powered site.

Second charger is a 20 amp DC to DC, it is connected to the vehicles aux battery via an Anderson plug and a 30 amp circuit breaker. The output of this charger also terminates in a Anderson plug. Again to use this charger we simply connect the lead from the battery to the socket and the trailer battery is charged from the vehicle, this is the usual set up whenever the trailer is connected.

This setup allows us to use either AC or DC to charge.

The important question does it work, Yes, 2013, 3 months away (NSW, SA, NT, Qld) never connected to AC, longest time camped 7 days, trailer battery only charged when travelling. 2014, away 6 weeks no AC required;(NSW, Qld, Lawn Hill); Batlow and Glenn Innes national meets did not use a powered site.

Hope this helps, I have extensive experience in the motor industry so was able to do all the work myself, however any competent DIYer would be able to do the same, but for the fitting of the 240 volt 15 amp socket.

Regards
Greg

armbrup
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Joined: Wed Feb 19, 2014 3:39 pm

Re: battery set up

Post by armbrup » Sat Nov 01, 2014 4:58 pm

IMHO a 50 amp Anderson plug is not the way to go .
I have met 2 people recently who had their Anderson plug fall out and subsequently had flat trailer batteries and a warm fridge.
One I met in Mornington Wildlife Sanctuary on the GRR and earned a bottle of wine for giving him a spare plug.
The problem is that there is no positive lock on an Anderson plug so it can easily pull out and drop to the ground and self destruct when used as a trailer plug.
Supercheap do a 2 pin 50 amp trailer plug which has a positive lock like a 7 pin trailer plug and this is my recommendation now, although I use Anderson plugs in areas where the plug cannot pull out due to external forces such as for my 50 amp compressor and inverter.
Regards Philip A

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robcaz
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Re: battery set up

Post by robcaz » Sun Nov 02, 2014 6:50 pm

Unfortunately there are some cheap & nasty 50amp Anderson copies on the market, especially Ebay where they are sold as 'Anderson style connectors'. The terminals rust & the plastic will degrade with exposure to the sun. Stick with the genuine Anderson's & you will not have any trouble with them. You do not have to pay $10 each for them either. If you do a Google you will find some great buys. I have been buying genuine 50amp Andersons for $3 each delivered.

They also need to be assembled the correct way. Remember the flat side of the terminal goes to the flat side of the housing, pushing the terminal in until it clicks.

Image

When connected the bumps ride over each other, self cleaning & providing a positive connection.

Image

I use a bungie cord & ball to secure the trailer & anderson so incase they happen to be pulled out they stay up off the road

Image Image
happy camping
Rob & Carol
Australian CamperTrailers Group co-owner


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We're just two lost souls swimming in a fish bowl, year after year

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GEOFF.PAULINE
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Joined: Tue Feb 11, 2014 8:45 am
Location: Richmond , N.S.W.

Re: battery set up

Post by GEOFF.PAULINE » Mon Nov 03, 2014 10:29 am

Hey Rob.

First of all thanks for your reply about the Solar panel , and if it is not against forum rules , could I ask where you got the Andersons from.

Cheers

Geoff & Pauline
MDC Expedition Crusader
Nissan Navara D 40
" Live each day as though it's your last , Because one day you will be right."

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robcaz
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Re: battery set up

Post by robcaz » Tue Nov 04, 2014 11:15 am

Hi Geoff,

We are away at the moment. I have the ebay shop bookmarked on my computer at home & will post the address when we return. Seems like everyone sells non-genuine Andersons on Ebay.
happy camping
Rob & Carol
Australian CamperTrailers Group co-owner


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We're just two lost souls swimming in a fish bowl, year after year

sailorscott
Posts: 3
Joined: Mon Jul 21, 2014 7:03 pm
Location: nth brisbane

Re: battery set up

Post by sailorscott » Tue Nov 04, 2014 1:34 pm

Gday Geoff,if your in a hurry and cant wait for Rob,i got mine from http://www.ebay.com.au/usr/connector-te ... l2559,good product and good,quick service and cheap.

Scott

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