Easy ways to charge a battery in the truck bed?

[fields_mj]

I'm trying to find a way to charge up a deep cycle battery while it's sitting in my truck bed and I'm driving down the road without having to figure out a way to connect and route a bunch of 2/0 copper cable under my truck. Any suggestions?

The battery will be used to run a 12K winch that's mounted on my trailer. The winch will either be operating a loading arch, or dragging logs directly onto the trailer. I'd like to chare/recharge the battery while I'm driving too and from the woods. I'd even be willing to leave the truck running (2000 F350 Diesel) while I'm working so that the battery is continually being charged. I'm just not sure of a good way to connect the deep cycle battery to my electrical system in such a way that I could go driving down the road without removing it. I'm able to buy some 25' 2 gauge jumper cables off ebay for under $30. That would make it easy to hook things up while the truck is stationary and the hood is up, but not so much while I'm pulling the trailer down the highway. Any suggestions? Also, does anyone know if there are any precautions I should take to protect the trucks electrical system when doing this? I wouldn't think this would be hard on my alternator, but I've had worse surprises over the years....

Thanks in advance for any advise/suggestions
Mark

 

[4seasons]

You need a battery isolator or relay. My 1990 k2500 came from the factory with dual battery setup, but is was not working when I bought it. I bought a $30 relay from Amazon rated at 80 amps. It is wired in to an ignition on circuit so the battery is only connected when the engine is running. Then my off road lights and maybe someday winch are hooked up to the auxiliary battery. This way I can shut the truck off, turn on all my lights to see while working in the dark, and if I drain the battery it doesn't matter because the other battery starts the truck.
Now both of my batteries are the same, not deep cycle. This may mean you need a more expensive isolator, where I used a cheaper relay rated for continuous use. Start relays will not work for this. Also I am not sure of the gauge of wire you need to run the length of the truck, but there are charts for amps, voltage, watts, and length of wire. Whatever the chart says go one gauge larger to be on the safe side. I would think that one size larger than your alternator wire would do but make sure to use a fuse or breaker at both ends in case of a short. You don't need a ground wire the length of the truck, just attach it to the frame.

 

[anlrolfe]

Do a web search on "Diode Battery Isolator"

 

[lknchoppers]

Check this out
https://rvibrake.com/products/towed...gLtCRwBYd_jeExDlvT3jmP069vlXuQZEaAsPtEALw_wcB

 

[Woodchuck71]

Not sure,but does it have a tow package?
There MIGHT be a hot wire in your plug to charge deep cycle batteries on RV's.

 

[homemade]

A generator and a 110v battery charger

 

[hedge hog]

Come off your trail four pin
And hook to your park lights
I run a 30 gallon sprayer all day like that


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[kevin j]

There should be an Aux Bat charging pin in the 7 pin trailer connector, if you have that. Might be switched or hot, though. My 03 Yukon XL is always hot, I may relay it to be switched by ignition, as I now unplug the camper overnight so as not to drain the vehicle battery.

 

[Bobby Kirbos]

Any reason to not use a solar setup?

 

[CentaurG2]

I would just purchase a little honda suitcase generator eu1000 or eu2000. Both offer a DC charging cord that you can use to keep your battery charged. Handy little things to have around.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sL_O97cLpG4

 

[homemade]

One thing should be asked is what is your charging rate your looking for? Are we talking les then 3 amps in a trickle charge? Or are you running this winch so often it will 10+ amps.

You could get a small inverter that plugs into the cigarette lighter and run a battery tender type trickle charger to do it quick cheap and easy.

 

[CentaurG2]

The little Hondas are 8.0A for the eu1000 and 8.3A for the eu2200 (new model). My small plug in battery charger is 2 or 10 amps and my little battery tender is 1.25A with float.

 

[muddstopper]

I mounted a Anderson connector next to my trailer 7pin plug. I have a similar set up on my front bumper. I use mine to provide power for a electric dump trailer, but could put a winch on the receiver hitch, front or rear, if I needed to and just use the truck battery.. My trailer has its own battery and This setup will charge the battery fully driving down the road. The cable is just jumper cables routed thru the frame and connected straight to the battery. i also have a 20ft set of jumper cables with the Anderson connectors on one end. I have used this setup to jump off people with dead batteries in their cars. Dont even have to raise the hood.

 

[Jakers]

View attachment 677259 I mounted a Anderson connector next to my trailer 7pin plug. I have a similar set up on my front bumper. I use mine to provide power for a electric dump trailer, but could put a winch on the receiver hitch, front or rear, if I needed to and just use the truck battery.. My trailer has its own battery and This setup will charge the battery fully driving down the road. The cable is just jumper cables routed thru the frame and connected straight to the battery. i also have a 20ft set of jumper cables with the Anderson connectors on one end. I have used this setup to jump off people with dead batteries in their cars. Dont even have to raise the hood.

I also do this to all of my vehicles. Excellent for jump starting vehicles and charging my dump trailer battery while driving

 

[muddstopper]

I also do this to all of my vehicles. Excellent for jump starting vehicles and charging my dump trailer battery while driving

I like it. You can charge a batter with a 10 or 8 ga wire from your 7pin trailer plug, but if running a winch or hyd pump, having a battery mounted on the trailer and your truck battery connected with big cables really helps to add those extra amps when you have a hard pull on the winch or a heavy load to dump. Just dont run both the truck battery and trailer battery down at the same time or you will be the one looking for a boost.

 

[Little Al]

Any reason to not use a solar setup?

Our fuel /tool truck has a solar panel on the cab roof with brackets to enable to swivel to follow the sun also a spllt charge relay + a Honda suitcase generator with batt charging facility

 

[Big_Eddy]

Most 7 pin connectors have a hot lead for charging a battery on the trailer.
On my F150s - the hot is isolated with a relay - so only pulls power when the truck is running. (Can't drain the truck battery)
I have a 6' long 2 conductor cord wired with a 7 pin on one end and a lighter socket on the other that I use when camping to run a 12v electric cooler.
Any time the truck is on, the cooler runs.
You could easily do the same using alligator clips to a battery in the bed. (Be sure not to allow them to short - or you will blow the fuse)
Nice thing with this solution - it uses existing wiring, it is relay isolated and it's already fused.

On my 2000 truck - I had to install a relay in the fuse box to enable the power (came in a bag in the dash) . My newer one came with the relay already installed.
Google should identify which pins to connect.

If you go the 2/0 route - you need to fuse it right at the battery. Otherwise any worn spot in the insulation from rubbing over time could kill your battery flat, or burn your truck up.