[Shop-talk] Hooking up a trickle charger to a truck with two batteries and a thermoswitch

[Benjamin Zwissler]

All the pickup truck based diesels I've seen come with two batteries in
full-time parallel, but people like to modify them so you never know.  I
have seen heavier duty trucks that have a separate accessory battery so
that running stuff too long doesn't leave you stranded.

You could hook a trickle charger up to any positive or negative and it'll
keep them both charged if they're in parallel, but I would get one that's a
least a couple amps.  They're big batteries and there's two.   I'm not sure
those wall-wart one's would do it.  I have several Schumacher one's that
are 1.5 or 2 amps and one that's up to 6 amps for use with a low battery
that will drop to a trickle when its charged.  Think I got them from
Wal-Mart 5+ years ago for $20 or so, more for the 6A one.

Ben

On Sun, Mar 3, 2019 at 5:19 PM eric--- via Shop-talk <
shop-talk at autox.team.net> wrote:

> OK, a few clarifications....
>
> first, the truck is a 12vdc system (Ford f350 diesel)  I want to keep both
> batteries charged as it will not get too much use.  I would prefer one
> charger but would get two if needed.  (BTW, does anyone have any
> suggestions?  I burn through these pretty quickly it seems.  The best one I
> have they don't make anymore.)
>
> As for the thermostat, I never know when I need to use the truck, so the
> 'few hours before' doesn't work.  I did buy one of the "on below 35, off at
> 45" units mentioned here.  How much electric can that use?  (BTW, I'm also
> 100% solar right now.)
>
> Thanks again!
>
>
> Sent from my Commodore 64 on a 2400 Baud Modem.
> Tech Viper
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-- 
Ben Zwissler
bjzwissler at gmail.com
Columbus, IN
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