![]() ![]() I would also advise having a large battery at the trailer - at least a group 27 or 29. For that purpose I would be running a separate pair of #2 to #0 AWG copper cables to Anderson connectors at the back of the truck with the plugged end going to the winch battery. You will note the instructions for the winch tell you to not only run the truck engine but bump up the RPM while using the winch. Now, all that said, if you are using a 12K electric winch expect the winch current to be extremely high - as much as 200 - 250+ amps at full load! You are going to need all the voltage your truck can provide from the alternator while running the winch to keep the winch battery from sagging too much. BTW - I have a #6 AWG copper wire on my truck for the trailer battery(s). If you use the current 7-pin RV plug with a #12 hot charge wire from there to the winch battery the voltage drop will not be as great - but for recharging while driving do not expect the winch battery to ever reach a full charge - you will want to top it off with a wall charger when you get home (like your camper does with the converter/charger plugged into shore power). I am thinking you possibly already have #10 AWG copper in the cable from your truck alternator to the rear. When the charge current drops to 5 amps in #10 AWG copper the voltage loss will be. As the battery charge rises the current will drop reducing the loss in the charge wire. With #12 AWG copper your voltage drop will be. The voltage drop for 25' of #10 AWG copper wire at 13 volts and 20 amps will be. Unless both the truck battery and winch battery are stone cold dead at the same time, the current on the trailer charge wire most likely isn't going to exceed 20 amps due to the combined parallel resistance of the two battery banks (truck and trailer). My absolute minimum preference considering the distance the wire must be run from the alternator would be nothing less than 10 AWG copper - preferably even heavier. Yes, 12 AWG copper is "enough" to keep a charge on the winch battery on the trailer - but not heavy enough to fully recharge it in a reasonable amount of time. ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |