truck charging trailer

[KenS]

Can I charge my E19 using the power outlet in the bed of my Tacoma. Would that be easy compared to taking along a Honda generator and a can of gas.

 

[BravoDeltaRomeo]

Probably, but it will drain your truck battery. I wouldn't do it.

Look into a portable solar panel for the battery if your trailer isn't already set up for solar.

Gas powered generators have no place in a campground, so leave that at home too unless you are remote camping..

 

[Iowa Dave]

I wish I had 5 bucks for every properly used campground generator where quiet hours are respected in the USA. I’d give back $100 for every one that isn’t respectful and I’d be towing a new rig with a new truck every year. Generators are no different than impact drivers being used for stabilizers, or audible hip hop music during the day. It’s the way it is. Don’t like it, don’t go. If it’s not prohibited, I may not enjoy it but I respect the right to do it.
Viva Honda 2200 Generator. “Eh?”

 

[CharlesinGA]

I cannot leave my generator at home, its permanently mounted under the trailer (not an Escape, see the signature). I use it to top the battery and heat water at the same time, during permitted hours, usually run it no more than an hour.

Charles

 

[BravoDeltaRomeo]

I wish I had 5 bucks for every properly used campground generator where quiet hours are respected in the USA. I’d give back $100 for every one that isn’t respectful and I’d be towing a new rig with a new truck every year. Generators are no different than impact drivers being used for stabilizers, or audible hip hop music during the day. It’s the way it is. Don’t like it, don’t go. If it’s not prohibited, I may not enjoy it but I respect the right to do it.
Viva Honda 2200 Generator. “Eh?”

Nope, I won't stay home because people can't read or follow the rules of generator use, if the parks has them.

If they are allowed, no worries by me, run your generator and try to limit the hours or times it's used.

Don't get me started on the dinks in boats ripping down the campground river or lake in the "no wake zone".

 

[Centex]

Gas powered generators have no place in a campground, so leave that at home too unless you are remote camping..

If they are allowed, no worries by me, run your generator and try to limit the hours or times it's used.

Two very different 'tunes' there, it seems

My experience has been like Iowa Dave's, the vast majority of genny use I've encountered over the years is respectful of rules and other campers. There's occasions when a considerately employed generator can be a real 'trip saver', IMO.

 

[Centex]

Can I charge my E19 using the power outlet in the bed of my Tacoma.

If referring to connecting a 12-volt accessory port on the truck directly to your trailer's FLA batteries, IMO that's not a good idea for several reasons (bottom line, likely won't yield a meaningful boost to your trailer battery / batteries; risks depleting your truck's starting battery).

I absolutely would not try this if you have lithium batteries (with inherently low internal rsistance0 in your trailer.

IMO your best / safest bet for charging batteries from your TV is via the 7-pin umbilical connector (and appropriate DC-DC charger if you have lithium batteries) with the engine running (and yes, that may be a very slow charge at idle).

 

[John in Santa Cruz]

FWIW, I gave up on 7 pin tow vehicle charging of big lithium via a dc-dc. way too many volts got dropped in the vehicle and trailer wiring at the kind of amperage my lithiums like (50A at 13.6-14.4V, thats like 700 watts, 7 blades just can't deliver that sort of juice). Thankfully my oversized 360W monocrystalline solar panel with an MPPT charge controller is happy to keep them going under most any conditions.

 

[Gingerdog]

Can I charge my E19 using the power outlet in the bed of my Tacoma. Would that be easy compared to taking along a Honda generator and a can of gas.

Yes.400 Watts with the engine running.

 

[John in Santa Cruz]

Yes.400 Watts with the engine running.

the WFCO8955 can easily draw 700W or more AC, and there's no way to modulate that other than limiting DC usage. Its designed to be fed from a 30A 120VAC outlet, 400W AC is only about 3.3A at 120VAC.

Batteries that need a deep charge will draw as much as they can, my Lithiums are happy to pull 50A at 13-14VDC, thats 700+ watts.

 

[KenS]

Yes I camp at Fish Creek Pond in NY With no hook ups. If I leave the truck running for an hour. The truck will put out 400 watts out of the bed 120v plug. Seem much easier than Generator and gas can. We have two solar panels and two batteries

 

[jnfrombigt]

Yes I camp at Fish Creek Pond in NY With no hook ups. If I leave the truck running for an hour. The truck will put out 400 watts out of the bed 120v plug. Seem much easier than Generator and gas can. We have two solar panels and two batteries

Maybe I don't understand OHMs Law but running your truck for an hour for 3.3 amps?

 

[BravoDeltaRomeo]

Two very different 'tunes' there, it seems

My experience has been like Iowa Dave's, the vast majority of genny use I've encountered over the years is respectful of rules and other campers. There's occasions when a considerately employed generator can be a real 'trip saver', IMO.

With todays technology, I don't believe a generator is needed to camp. If you want electricity when camping, book a shore power spot. If you want power when in a "basic" site" and you are in a campground with others, go solar or have some portable Lithium booster packs or solar panels to charge/power your devices. If you are off grid/remote/solo out in the woods on crown land, knock yourself out and run that thing 24/7 for all I care.

If you camp in a park that allows them, people are free to run them according to the rules and regulations of the park and using some common sense when running them and at what times. I have a pretty good sense of which parks will be busy and the dates, as most of us do. If I book a spot with known generators and no generator rules, I can't complain.

I don't believe anyone NEEDS a generator when camping unless you require one for medical reasons and the campsite does not offer electrical spots. Even then, I believe there are other options for power these days.

As I said, luckily most Ontario Parks seem to either not allow them specifically or they fall under the "excessive noise at any time which affects the enjoyment of other campers" wording of their "noise rule", so they don't run them.

A lot of my "opinions" on generators is just that, "my opinion". Right or Wrong, it's how I feel. Myself, I carry lithium booster pack for the truck (NoCo), Booster pack for devices etc (EcoFlow), Solar on trailer, portable packs for kids devices etc. Obviously cost and what you already own, plays a factor into what people may bring and use.

 

[jnfrombigt]

With todays technology, I don't believe a generator is needed to camp. If you want electricity when camping, book a shore power spot. If you want power when in a "basic" site" and you are in a campground with others, go solar or have some portable Lithium booster packs or solar panels to charge/power your devices. If you are off grid/remote/solo out in the woods on crown land, knock yourself out and run that thing 24/7 for all I care.

If you camp in a park that allows them, people are free to run them according to the rules and regulations of the park and using some common sense when running them and at what times. I have a pretty good sense of which parks will be busy and the dates, as most of us do. If I book a spot with known generators and no generator rules, I can't complain.

I don't believe anyone NEEDS a generator when camping unless you require one for medical reasons and the campsite does not offer electrical spots. Even then, I believe there are other options for power these days.

As I said, luckily most Ontario Parks seem to either not allow them specifically or they fall under the "excessive noise at any time which affects the enjoyment of other campers" wording of their "noise rule", so they don't run them.

You're at Goosenecks State Park in southern Utah it's early July the outside air temp 103f. " I don't believe anyone needs a generator". You'll wish you had a generator and AC. Not everything will fit into one neat little package.

 

[GinoandLinda]

I've come to the conclusion that if you want a quiet campsite, your going to have to camp where there is no one else around. Even then, you going to have to probably deal with dirt bikes and side-by-sides buzzing around. Don't get me started on that! Camping isn't what it used to be.

I had hoped to be able to go generator-less by having 380w of solar up top and a 130w portable feeding 400ah of battery, but have come to the conclusion that while that will work 90% of the time, there are times when it simply won't work for a week's worth of off-grid camping in dense forest. I don't want to limit my camping options simply to satisfy my solar power system. That's why I'm going to purchase a generator. I'm pretty much set on the Honda EU2200 but I saw on of these in action and need to research it. Very, very quiet.

https://www.generac.com/residential...iq-portable-inverter-generator-50st-csa-7127/

 

[Perry Butler]

the WFCO8955 can easily draw 700W or more AC, and there's no way to modulate that other than limiting DC usage. Its designed to be fed from a 30A 120VAC outlet, 400W AC is only about 3.3A at 120VAC.

Batteries that need a deep charge will draw as much as they can, my Lithiums are happy to pull 50A at 13-14VDC, thats 700+ watts.

Maybe I don't understand OHMs Law but running your truck for an hour for 3.3 amps?

We can charge from our F150’’s 400 watt inverter at 27 amps,an hour using our Victron IP22 charger, not 3.3 amps. The 400 watts is at 120 volts, not 13.2 volts. At 28-29 amps it will throw the truck’s breaker. The IP 22 can set its charger 1 amp at a time. It’’s a great charger for this application. We’ve had to do this a couple of times over the past couple of years.

We run a 120 volt 12 awg extension cord from the trucks inverter to the IP22 that is directly hooked to the batteries positive post and the camper side of Victrons BMV-712 shunt.

Charging from the F150’s 400 watt inverter will be rare now that we have 600 watts on the roof and 412 ah’s of batteries.

Just because you can charge at 50 amps does not mean you have to charge at 50 amps. They actually charge at 25 amps as efficiently as at 50 amps. It just takes twice as long. However, we just charge to get us by until the sun starts shining again or we move from the shady spot to a spot with more sun.

When idling, the F150 is as quiet as a Honda generator to charge batteries. If you’re going to charge from your vehicles inverter make sure you have a charger that can individually set the charger’s amps, like Victron’s IP22 charger.

Food for thought,

Perry

 

[Perry Butler]

With todays technology, I don't believe a generator is needed to camp. If you want electricity when camping, book a shore power spot. If you want power when in a "basic" site" and you are in a campground with others, go solar or have some portable Lithium booster packs or solar panels to charge/power your devices. If you are off grid/remote/solo out in the woods on crown land, knock yourself out and run that thing 24/7 for all I care.

If you camp in a park that allows them, people are free to run them according to the rules and regulations of the park and using some common sense when running them and at what times. I have a pretty good sense of which parks will be busy and the dates, as most of us do. If I book a spot with known generators and no generator rules, I can't complain.

I don't believe anyone NEEDS a generator when camping unless you require one for medical reasons and the campsite does not offer electrical spots. Even then, I believe there are other options for power these days.

As I said, luckily most Ontario Parks seem to either not allow them specifically or they fall under the "excessive noise at any time which affects the enjoyment of other campers" wording of their "noise rule", so they don't run them.

A lot of my "opinions" on generators is just that, "my opinion". Right or Wrong, it's how I feel. Myself, I carry lithium booster pack for the truck (NoCo), Booster pack for devices etc (EcoFlow), Solar on trailer, portable packs for kids devices etc. Obviously cost and what you already own, plays a factor into what people may bring and use.

I agree with your opinion.

We use the our trucks 400 watt inverter to run Victron’s IP22 charger only in emergencies.

We have three, 200 watt, 24v panels on the roof, a 100 watt portable panel, 412 ah battery bank, 18650 flashlights, two power blocks, etc. We don’t need or want a DC-DC unit. We also live in Minnesota, rarely go camping in hot weather, and don’t run AC when we do. We have no problems with sweating though.

However, I do understand the need for a generator when camping in obscenely hot weather without services.

Enjoy,

Perry

 

[Viajante]

Yes.400 Watts with the engine running.

Plug a battery charger into the Tacoma and clip the leads to the battery.

 

[Iowa Dave]

I've come to the conclusion that if you want a quiet campsite, your going to have to camp where there is no one else around. Even then, you going to have to probably deal with dirt bikes and side-by-sides buzzing around. Don't get me started on that! Camping isn't what it used to be.

I had hoped to be able to go generator-less by having 380w of solar up top and a 130w portable feeding 400ah of battery, but have come to the conclusion that while that will work 90% of the time, there are times when it simply won't work for a week's worth of off-grid camping in dense forest. I don't want to limit my camping options simply to satisfy my solar power system. That's why I'm going to purchase a generator. I'm pretty much set on the Honda EU2200 but I saw on of these in action and need to research it. Very, very quiet.

https://www.generac.com/residential...iq-portable-inverter-generator-50st-csa-7127/

We camped at Grand Coulee Dam a few years back. Across the road road from us were two campers. One had a large trailer and the other a very large boat. They boated by day and used the camper at night. To keep the camper cool, it was hot there, they had a pair of little Generacs, hooked in tandem and fed by a 6 gallon fuel tank. It was a good setup and ran all day long. I actually had to stop and listen to hear if they were running. The camper had a pair of air conditioners which I could again hear if I listened that cycled off and on. Didn’t bother us at all.

If I wanted to camp in very near solitude I could pull our rig up into the corner of our farm field a quarter mile from the low volume gravel road that runs below the field where I can access our land from a gated dead end gravel road. It would be perfect except for the lowing of cattle, the far off clank of a creep feeder and of course those damn birds that never seem to quit singing.
Have a great day.
Iowa Dave

 

[jnfrombigt]

We can charge from our F150’’s 400 watt inverter at 27 amps,an hour using our Victron IP22 charger, not 3.3 amps. The 400 watts is at 120 volts, not 13.2 volts. At 28-29 amps it will throw the truck’s breaker. The IP 22 can set its charger 1 amp at a time. It’’s a great charger for this application. We’ve had to do this a couple of times over the past couple of years.

We run a 120 volt 12 awg extension cord from the trucks inverter to the IP22 that is directly hooked to the batteries positive post and the camper side of Victrons BMV-712 shunt.

Charging from the F150’s 400 watt inverter will be rare now that we have 600 watts on the roof and 412 ah’s of batteries.

Just because you can charge at 50 amps does not mean you have to charge at 50 amps. They actually charge at 25 amps as efficiently as at 50 amps. It just takes twice as long. However, we just charge to get us by until the sun starts shining again or we move from the shady spot to a spot with more sun.

When idling, the F150 is as quiet as a Honda generator to charge batteries. If you’re going to charge from your vehicles inverter make sure you have a charger that can individually set the charger’s amps, like Victron’s IP22 charger.

Food for thought,

Perry

Perry your right. I checked and with 400 amps AC you're getting over 36 amps DC. I'm going to leave my generator home.