120 D4D and Camper - 12v Power Setup

[Killswitch Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Killswitch]

Hi guys,

So after hours of reading, I am now confused as anything. I was hoping someone has some real life experience with a 120 running a Camper, extra batteries, lights, fridge, solar etc.

I am renoing our Camper at the moment (1985 Jayco Dove). It has no battery or much power on board, but I plan to add a bit. Prado has a brand new cranking battery, thats it. I have the fridge in the car for when I go on Boys only Trips and take the Swag. Plus we unhitch the Camper and take off for the day while camping.

Things we use/plan to use while off the grid and parked up
Prado 12v Accessories
- 65L Fridge
- Camping LED Spot Lights on the rear
- Camping LED strip in Awning
- Radio sometimes while camping

Camper
Elecrolux 3 way Fridge (Has 12v and Gas)
Water Pump
12v TV/DVD player sometimes (little one)
Camp LED Lights
Interior LED Lights
Phone charging and other USB charging stuff

I think the power under the bonnet is in the Prado is straight forward, a controller and second battery with a lead to the rear and Anderson Plug. But I am trying to work out the Camper, and the Solar part.

From my reading, I have a few solutions for the camper I think.

1. 3rd Battery in Camper to run all power in there, charged while on the road. Possibly add Solar to the Camper (but would require a second controller right?) Therefore can run Camper Fridge while away from camp. Expensive

2. No Battery in Camper. Plug in Camper when at camp to run the camper from the Prado AUX. Remove the Fridge from the camper all together and just use the Fridge in the Prado. Possibly move Fridge in Annex while staying for a few days. Future proof to allow Solar into the Prado while parked up. Less, Cheaper. Worry would be voltage drop to Camper, but would this be a problem?

Am I thinking right? My preference would be to go the second option to keep cost down, but only neg would be if some stay at camp and we talk the Prado, no power in the Camper.

Then once I have decided on which way to go, I have to work out which controller...

Appreciate any advice.

[mjrandom Out of control poster! Find all posts View Profile Close mjrandom]

Option 1.5. Thumper or equivalent removable auxiliary battery. In the Prado to run the fridge and can be pulled out with the fridge to run that in the annexe. Allows for solar charging away from the Prado.

Don't run an absorption refrigerator (3 way) on 12V. It will kill any battery in relatively few hours. So run that on gas or 240V mains.

[Killswitch Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Killswitch]

Option 1.5. Thumper or equivalent removable auxiliary battery. In the Prado to run the fridge and can be pulled out with the fridge to run that in the annexe. Allows for solar charging away from the Prado.

Don't run an absorption refrigerator (3 way) on 12V. It will kill any battery in relatively few hours. So run that on gas or 240V mains.

Sounds like another option.

I think the best bet is to pull the camper fridge out. Its now over 30 years old. Plus we want to run a "HOTTAP" hot water system so will need gas for that. The Camper is getting new cabinets anyway.

[Mick015 Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Mick015]

Hi

First thing to do is get rid of that old fridge. Gas is great if your in one spot for a few days but on average they us about 10 times the power of your 65L 12volt fridge, when run on 12 volt, this will flatten a battery very quickly!!


You have a few options.
1. Run the three batteries, 1. Car main 2. Car aux, and 3. The camper battery as one set of batteries, or two separate systems.
There are two ways to do this you can run parallel charging unit in the car, ie redarc solenoid or similar.... Will happily charge the two car batteries as long as they're ideally identical, or have very similar charging characteristics, you can also use a dc to dc charger to do this.
But adding a third battery into this kind of system greatly increases your charge time making the system difficult to use.

2.
You can buy an independent system, which are expensive but work like magic, I used to use the rotronics systems, these will treat each battery completely independently of each other so you can use any kind of batteries and they can also accept charge from the solar.

I think I'd be inclined to use parallel dual batteries in the car and use the solar on the camper, with some preventative charging while the camper sits on the front lawn. This would be the cheapest way, and will easily run the fridge in the camper as well as your led lighting, leaving the second battery in the car for running the fridge and a camp light if needed, and the main battery for starting the car.

Clear as mud?
Mate everyone you speak to is going to have their own idea and suggestion, I've fitted a heap of such systems and try to make the system suit your particular application, there's so many variables like how long you plan to drive each day to recharge, and how long you plan to sit in one spot....


Good luck

Mick015

[r4ndll Avid PP Poster! Find all posts View Profile Close r4ndll]

We have 2x100aH dual batteries in the Prado and separate 100aH battery in the Camper.

We keep the fridge in the Prado and use battery in the Camper for LED lights and charging iDevices. If we stay anywhere for a few days the fridge comes out the car and get plugged into the camper. Camper is only charged via solar or mains (when at home. )

Why? Cause that's the way the camper came Car is set up to charge the camper but the camper isn't set up to receive it. Its happy enough and if we are having trouble with sun we can always swap about.

[404pug Avid PP Poster! Find all posts View Profile Close 404pug]

Similar to r4ndll. Dual batteries in the front of the car, AGM deep cycle in the camper. It didn't charge too well so I am about to add a dc.dc charger that I have lying around to see if that helps the charge thge camper battery. Circuit breaker between car and camper in case camper system plays up.