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GlueGuy View Drop Down
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Posts: 2707 		Direct Link To This Post Topic: New owner
    Posted: 28 Mar 2019 at 6:41pm
So it behooves you to know if and how much current your particular tow vehicle can provide to the trailer. Ours works fine, others have reported varying degrees of success. 
bp
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Tars Tarkas View Drop Down
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Posts: 1454 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 28 Mar 2019 at 6:34pm
Some tow vehicles deliver more amps to the Bargman than others.  Some will deliver enough to charge the Pod battery, even if you have the fridge on 12v.  Many won't.  You could end up at your destination with hot food and a dead trailer battery.  This is one reason a lot of people travel with the fridge on propane.

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lostagain View Drop Down
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Posts: 2595 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 28 Mar 2019 at 5:28pm
Paul, the Bargeman connector has a wire set up to charge the battey(ies).  All you have to do is plug it into the socket on your TV (assuming it is not damaged or filed with crud).  The charge rateisn't as fast as the bulk charger in your WFCO converter, but it'll keep you going.  
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noatakme View Drop Down
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Posts: 18 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 28 Mar 2019 at 5:06pm
I have another new owner battery question. Does the tow vehicle charge the batteries while Driving? It seems as though it would be possible. When I hooked up the electric brake control there was a purple wire that is an extra power source I think. What would I use that for and where would I hook it up? The positive terminal of the battery I imagine.I have so many questions. I appreciate this group helping me out.
Paul
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offgrid View Drop Down
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Posts: 5290 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 28 Mar 2019 at 3:09pm
Sure, you should be concerned depending on the tongue weight rating if your tow vehicle. Most of that 140 lbs will end up on the trailer tongue weight. I recommend that you weight your trailer and tongue as you plan to travel so you know what you have before you add more battery weight.
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noatakme View Drop Down
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Posts: 18 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 28 Mar 2019 at 12:44pm
Is there any concern about having 142 pounds of battery up front? I am looking at interstate bateries at 71 pounds each.

https://www.interstatebatteries.com/products/2400utl?productLine=golf-car&subcategoryKey=&ignorecategoryid=true
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Posts: 18 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 28 Mar 2019 at 11:51am
Originally posted by Jholler

6v batteries wired in series will double the voltage, but the amp-hour rating stays the same. The advantage is that golf cart batteries are true deep cycle batteries and usually offer higher amp-hour ratings than hybrid marine batteries, which also will function as a starting battery (which you have no need for). I have two Duracell 6v from Sam's club wired in series which gives me 12v at a little over 200 amp-hours. You REALLY need a battery monitor to keep track of how much power you have, the lights on the wall panel are way too vague and I don't trust them. I got this one, it's cheap and highly rated. https://www.amazon.com/bayite-6-5-100V-Display-Multimeter-Voltmeter/dp/B013PKYILS

While you're on Amazon, the recommendation for the 12v Bible for Boats was a good one. Very easy to read and informative.


Thanks again. I put it on my amazon list of things to buy.
Paul
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Posts: 18 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 28 Mar 2019 at 11:34am
Originally posted by offgrid

You can get good quality deep cycle batteries in either 6 or 12 volt configurations. 

But, its always best to wire batteries in series not parallel. Why? Because if you wire them in series the same current is alwas flowing through both so they are guaranteed to alwyaybe charged and discharged identically. In parallel, one battery (the one with lower internal resistance) will always be cycling more than the other. No two batteries are exactly the same due to manufacturing varaiation, so this will happen.

 If you do need to wire batteries in parallel (say you already have one new 12V battery from the dealer that you want to use) then you can help balance things as much as possible by taking the pos output from one battery and the neg from the other battery. But if you have a choice, go with two 6V batteries in series. 


I hear a lot about using golf cart batteries. An old timer at the nursing home told me he used 2 6 volt batteries. The old timers usually know best I think. He also told me to cook ground hog in a pressure cooker. I'll have to try both.
Paul
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offgrid View Drop Down
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Posts: 5290 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 28 Mar 2019 at 11:19am
You can get good quality deep cycle batteries in either 6 or 12 volt configurations. 

But, its always best to wire batteries in series not parallel. Why? Because if you wire them in series the same current is alwas flowing through both so they are guaranteed to alwyaybe charged and discharged identically. In parallel, one battery (the one with lower internal resistance) will always be cycling more than the other. No two batteries are exactly the same due to manufacturing varaiation, so this will happen.

 If you do need to wire batteries in parallel (say you already have one new 12V battery from the dealer that you want to use) then you can help balance things as much as possible by taking the pos output from one battery and the neg from the other battery. But if you have a choice, go with two 6V batteries in series. 
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Jholler View Drop Down
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Posts: 99 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 28 Mar 2019 at 9:07am
Also, if you wire two 12v batteries, do it in parallel, NOT series. THAT will double your capacity but leave the voltage the same.
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