Parts Needed to Charge Truck Bed Camper Battery with Truck Battery

Question:

Hello I read the post -Parts Needed to Allow Tow Vehicle Battery to Charge Trailer Battery While Driving. I am looking to build an electric system for a truck cap camper. This will consist of 1 12v battery for operating a 12v fridge/freezer, lights, fan and outlets in the camper. I was hoping you could explain what I would need from 1 end to the other. I will also have a generator that I can use for charging the camper battery. The generator will be on board and I currently use that to charge my trolling motor batteries for my boat. I see from this post I need and isolator solenoid in the line. Where do I start the line? Where in the line does the solenoid go? How do I add the option of charging the battery from the generator or from shore power? Do I need a separate charger for this extra battery?

asked by: Guy L

Expert Reply:

To maintenance charge the battery of your camper when you are driving will require running a power wire from the positive post of your battery on your truck to the battery in the trailer. 10 gauge wire like part # 10-1-1 would be ideal for this. Now to prevent the battery from draining your vehicle battery you would need to install the solenoid part # PK5231201 between the batteries on the 10 gauge wire. The center post would need to run to the keyed power source.

Your generator can charge the battery too but it would not need a solenoid. It would just need the power wire of it ran to the battery.

expert reply by: Jameson C