tafische
Memphis
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Just picked up my first TT (woo hoo). Anyway - thinking about doing some short dry camping trips. I am curious if it is faster to charge the battery by running a generator hooked to the TT or to run the engine in the vehicle and let the alternator charge - or is it about the same?
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pondputz
Hwy 7 Colorado
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faster, with a generator and a battery charger 25 amps or better
Putz
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smkettner
Southern California
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Generator will be faster in most cases. If you post the converter make and model and how many batteries you can get better feedback on what to expect.
2001 F150 SuperCrew
2006 Keystone Springdale 249FWBHLS
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tvman44
Southwest Louisiana
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Generator, TV is too small a charge rate.
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Sandia Man
Rio Rancho, NM
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Depending on your make and model, your onboard converter will normally charge batteries more efficiently than your truck's alternator primarily due to the small guage wiring used to connect your TV to your TT. Congrats on you TT purchase. Have fun camping!!
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david_42
Oregon
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The charging requirements for the battery(ies) in your TT are much different than for the TV. The TV battery is rarely discharged more than a tiny fraction of its capacity, whereas the TT battery might routinely get discharged 50% or more. Also, the amount of current that the TV can provide to the TT is more in line with maintaining the charge, rather than charging.
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skipnchar
Topeka Kansas USA
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I DOUBT if you can find a LESS efficient way to charge a battery than using a 300 HP battery charger 
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OR 2004 F-150 HD (85,000 towing miles)
Rockwood 8314SS 34' travel trailer
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pianotuna
Regina, SK, Canada
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Hi tafische,
It would be wise to investigate what type of converter you have and then read the manual. Charging from the Tow Vehicle can be made to work well--but wiring modifications need to be made. The rate of charge is very low with a "stock" trailer connector--on the order of about 7 amps.
tafische wrote:Just picked up my first TT (woo hoo). Anyway - thinking about doing some short dry camping trips. I am curious if it is faster to charge the battery by running a generator hooked to the TT or to run the engine in the vehicle and let the alternator charge - or is it about the same?
Regards, Don
Kustom Koach Class C 28'5" 256 watts solar, 875 amp hours in two battery banks 12 volt batteries 2500 watt inverter.
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Empty Nest, Soon
Southeast Ohio
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If you have a relatively newer TT, the on-board converter will do a fine job of charging. Much faster than charging from the TV, and a small generator will burn a lot less gas than a V-8.
Forget using a separate battery charger unless you have an obsolete converter. I get an effective charge rate of about 35 amps from the cheap 45-amp WFCO converter that Fleetwood put in our almost 7-year-old TT.
Wayne
Wayne & Michelle
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tafische
Memphis
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Thanks for the info - good stuff. I realize using the engine is not the most efficient way to charge, but for the few times I might have to go dry - it seems like a good way rather than haul a generator with me (KISS method). I have a 2009 Jayco with an IOTA 45 watt converter. I only have a relatively small Interstate 12volt (100 reserve), so my thought was if I ran low I could run the engine for an hour or so here and there and bump up the charge a little. Just trying to figure of if that is going to do anything for me or if I am wasting my time.
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