How dumb an idea is this?

[Pullstart 63,498]

Well, part of the problem was my story, and assumption   It’s a 15a fuse!  I forgot to fix that, I kept thinking it was big.  

[Tractorhead 9,065]

I dunno how your Trailerbatteries beeing charged, 

but here a few things to keep in mind.

 

i built 3 paths.

once via the Truck with a Charging booster - on Trailers restricted to 30A,

once via Solar - as much as possible on the roof and customers Moneybag.

once via Shore connection with a sideload to the Starter Battery in the Truck.(3-4A)

 

if a customer like more than 40A charging there is just the Way via an separate Charging Wires.

i dunno how much your connector was released for, here we have as standart the Busch jaeger connector,

they offers a maximum 20A continouse Load each Pin.

 

however, most caravans have the ability to charge their Onboardbattery via the Truck or Vehicle

with a simple Relay. That solution is commonly used on older 7-10year old Trailers.

 

Several of that customers like to upgrade to LiFePo Batteries, because the can be qicker charged

and be drained deeper than any VRLA or similar batteries without destroying them.

Most LiFePo Batteries can be discarged down to 10% of their Maximum Capacity.

 

on the flip side there are some restrictions they be mostly ignored by a lots of Camping companies

sometimes also be not mentioned from the manufacturer.

 

This charging wire on the Busch jaeger is here specified by 2,5qmm and up to 20A on a 13Pin Connector by the connector Manufacturer. So if you using 2 Pins together, you be safe able up to 40A of charging current, but that needs hands on Truck and Trailer.

 But that is the Limit. the wire diameter is here 2,5qmm up to 10 meters defined.

 

 

the good thing is LiFePo batteries catches nearly all charging current they can have.

the bad thing is LiFePo batteries catches nearly all charging current they can have.

What is meant is

that in case of an older Switching relay instead of charging converter or Booster

the Relay passes the whole charging current on a to thin Wire, sometimes up to 35-40A on a Wire that is specified for only 20A what causes the gets too hot in the harness and burnt internally the insulations also on other Wires.

 

A safety wire path with protected edges where wires passing is common requirement in my opinion.

 

With an charging converter you sent only a restricted charging current and an lifted Voltage to 14,4V to the Trailerbatteries.

Additionally, you have the safety on charging on to deep Temperatures, what causes the most Fire hazzards on Lithium Batteries.

Yes, i know 90% of LiFePo Battery manufacturer tells you, we have an BMS inside for Safety....😎

(BMS means Battery Management System) 

 

But what if that fails?

for that case i install charging converters as a second fire protection with correct batterysetup and thermal sensor

what i highly recommended.

 

 

Lithium firehazzard is funny and spectacular Act for visitors outside, because it cannot beeing stopped.

Lithium produces its own Oxygen while burning, so a real stop was definitely impossible.

The only way is, to let it burn down as controlled as possible - no more no less.

ask your local Firefighters, they will confirm me.

a ignited ( thermal runout) battery can after beeing stopped reignite after several hours again.

 

 

most tell me it‘s just 12Volts in my Camper... what should happen i have Fuses....

- yap, but with 100A or 200A in Background you can Weld easily also thick gauge Aluminum or Steel.

if Fuses comes somewhere in the wires they be senseless, if high Current wires running thru the Battery poles without

any protecting fuses. Fuses they be installed after that be sensless in my opinion.

 

I wrote this just as an info,

because i see lot‘s of horrible Wirings in several Trailers an RV.

Edited June 19, 2023 by Tractorhead

[ohiofarmer 3,314]

Just a couple of ideas born from life experience. 

    Brother I law was trying to wire up a trailer and kept blowing fuses because he knew not which wires were hot and which were ground. He was down to two and no auto parts stores were open. I wanted him gone out of state just as bad as he wanted to leave. I remembered that there was a little two amp battery charger of the old school manual variety so we fed power backwards from the light sockets with little pins and discovered very quickly how to wire on a new trailer plug that matched up with the truck supply socket..

 It works equally as well to power from the  connection to the lights or the lights to the connector. Anyway, he later complimented my idea to my wife, but if course never to me

    Another thing I keep around is a ATC online fuse holder so I can put a load on a two to five amp fuse.If you have ever seen the magic smoke come out of a wiring harness made up of fifty year old motorcycle wires, that little snap the tiny fuse makes is a welcome change from melting wires from within a bundle of fifty wires. It's not always the wire that is shorted.I once found a motorcycle rectifier that was a dead short . I found it by disconnecting each load from the circuit and back feeding the wires, expecting to find it within the wiring. Then when I touched the wires back on the rectifier I heard the snap of the little fuse

[Pullstart 63,498]

I rode for a couple hours in the dark on Tuesday night with my 4 ways flashing for tail,lights.  Tonight?  BAM they work!  

 

Just in time to stop for the night and get some shut eye.  Should be home before noon tomorrow!

 

 

[rjg854 11,703]

Safe travels, Kevin.  Hopefully the rest of the trip is uneventful.

[formariz 11,991]

54 minutes ago, Pullstart said:

Tonight?  BAM they work!

That is how it goes sometimes. Things work themselves out. Safe traveling Kevin.

[Tractorhead 9,065]

I think I have to plan a few more days bro, so that we can fix your trailer together.