Teardrops n Tiny Travel Trailers

Ok you have just disconnected it is late you are ready for bed and you need light ti get arund what you got on board to help you with this.

darn I left out Glow Paint ... we sell it at Home Depot

I had to check "12 volt battery" 'cause you didn't have an option for 6 volt batteries.

I use 2 six volt batteries which give me 12 volts.

Rob

Are these smaller batteries like motorcycle batts?

Why did you choose 2 - 6 vs 1 - 12 did you stack them.

are they deep cycle too?

Ron D.

Hello Ron,

They are T- 105 6 volt golf cart batteries.
The two are connected in series to give 12 volts.

I chose them because they are true deep cycle batteries, able to withstand charging cycles for 8-10 years.
They require much less care, such as frequent topping off of the water.

Overall, compared to other batteries, they are the best buy for the money.
I use the trailer for days at a time on just the batteries.
If useage is very low, you can get by on much less.

Rob

I plan on using 1 big honkin battery... okay not that big. A group 31 with a couple hundred amp hours (hope I got that number right).

Then with a solar panel to put back in what I take out at night, I should have lights indefinitely.

Now heat, that's another story. Got propane?

Mike...

P.s. I don't plan on using as many amps as Bruce did...
http://home.comcast.net/%7Ebdosborn/tea ... _Calcs.pdf

I use 1 group 27 Deep Cycle battery. I charge it as I go down the road with a 7 prong plug. I don't spend a lot of awake time in the trailer, where I have to run lights for a long time but I do run a fan all night.



I ran the fan for 4 nights once without recharging. I have a 110volt system, but never use it.

Happy Trails

Len

All in one jump starter, compressor, inverter with 110 volt outlets, shop light, 12 volt outlets, easy to carry, recharges from car battery or house current. It seems to run off a deep cycle 12 volt gel cell.

So far we have used it to watch videos on my little portable flatscreen DVD player, run (and recharge) the way nifty O2Cool fan, and just yesterday morning aired up a flat tire for our overnight guest who was parked just far enough away from the big compressor in the garage that the hose wouldn't reach.

This is the ideal setup for minimalist camping. It's portable, useful for more than just camping, reasonably cheap to service or replace, and requires no wiring or modification to the trailer. Doesn't have to be Black & Decker, you can find similar ones at any auto parts joint in any size and capacity you could imagine.

I use a 12 volt deep cycle battery only, no 110 connections at all. It will run the interior lights, exterior lights, fantastic fan and the DVD player for a week, Minden and back with no charge....but then I don't just leave them on...I have no other 12 volt accessories, and I don't charge the battery when pulling, just put a charge on it and go, it travels in the back of the truck...Doug

doug hodder wrote:I use a 12 volt deep cycle battery only, no 110 connections at all. It will run the interior lights, exterior lights, fantastic fan and the DVD player for a week, Minden and back with no charge....but then I don't just leave them on...I have no other 12 volt accessories, and I don't charge the battery when pulling, just put a charge on it and go, it travels in the back of the truck...Doug

Doug, it's just that "electric" personality of yours!

Joanne

I use an Optima battery to run everything. When I'm not hooked up, that just means no Air Conditioner and mircowave.

I had a pm about this, figured I may as well share my answer with the group as well:

We got the Black & Decker Electromate 400, from the auto department in Walmart. Cost was around $100. It was not the biggest nor the smallest, but it's a nice compact package that does what we need. There's lots of different ones out there and a wide variety of prices and features.

Here are the specs from the box:

Jump starter output: 12 volt DC, 450 amps instant, 5 seconds, 300 amps dc

Inverter input: 12.5 volt DC, 36.5 amp
Inverter output: 12 volt AC, 60hz, 400 watt (not quite enough for a small microwave oven)

Class 2 power unit input: 120 volt AC, 60 hz
output: 12 volt DC, 1000 mA

Battery: 12 volt 19 amp hr, sealed, lead-acid

Safety protection: overload, overheating, short circuit

This would not be a substitute for shore power if you had a lot of electrical items (I would not try to run a fridge overnight or even think of using a microwave), but you could watch a bit of TV or use the laptop with it. Some of the bigger ones might be up to this, we elected to go with a smaller lighter weight unit. Some are so big they need wheels!

So far ours has performed admirably, and it's already proven useful for non-camping emergencies (we aired up our friend's flat tire with it)

Ron,

I have one little deep cycle gel battery, it will run my 12volt lights and the vent exhaust fan all night. If I add more 12 volt load, I'll add more little gel batteries.

Well?

beside the trailer the Jumpstart batteries and solar panel to start off with.



I know the trailer is alot farther along that it is in this picture but the power source is the same just expanded.

Pat

I run the 12v system that came with my yoder toter. I have a solar panel that recharges it ..No issues or drains yet but just lights and an exhaust fan
is all i use it for.