how do i charge batteries in the woods?

[kumma]

Im heading to the UP in 2 weeks and Ill be camping a few days how can I charge my trolling motor battery while there. Can I hook up a battery tender charger to a 12 volt inverter in the truck. What do you guys do or use?

[kbkrause]

I found this... http://www.cabelas.com/cabelas/en/templates/product/standard-item.jhtml?id=0022980016321a&navAction=push&navCount=3&indexId=cat600057&podId=0022980&catalogCode=IF&parentId=cat600057&parentType=index&rid=&_DARGS=%2Fcabelas%2Fen%2Fcommon%2Fcatalog%2Fitem-link.jhtml.1_A&_DAV=search&hasJS=trueNot sure how many charges you can get out of it, or if it's just good for starting batteries...
I know they also make solar trickle chargers, but I'm not sure how effective that would be.

[fmarke]

i have an 85w solar panel on my mini motor home that i plug into my boat battery when the house battery is fully charged. if you do much camping, boondocking, you might give that route some thought, cause a trickle solar panel won't cut it. if you put an inverter on your car battery for the leghth of time needed for a full recharge, i think you are going to find yourself walking out of the woods. :rolleyes:

[DangerDan]

Being an ex-booney dude the charging system you need is not that difficult to make. Build a frame, mount a 3 to 5hp motor to the frame and mount a 94amp used junk yard alternator. It may help to get the bracket for the alternator as well. In about two or three hours this frame can be built and by jippity you got a 12v charger built for the boonies... just add gas. (tip) it works better it you keep the shafts inline but belts still work.
If you plan to run to town for food/supplies etc. another way is to run a wire (romex works for this) From your battery to you truck bed or trunk add a pair of clips and just hook up the battery before you make that drive. (Make sure your vehicle is running before hooking up the discharged battery) and dont let the clips touch eachother when your not using this setup. Works great for charging batteries on the way to a fishing trip also.

[FIJI]

my Honda 1K generator ??? We use it when boondocking in our travel trailer but we wont be using it this summer.

Its only the size of a bowling ball bag, runs so quiet you wont believe it. You're welcome to it.....just give me a call.

FIJI

[ih772]

If you are thinking of running wires from your truck battery to a deep cycle battery in the bed of the truck make sure you use fuses. These fuses need to be installed as close as possible to the terminals of the "truck" battery unless you want to set your truck on fire if the wires short together. :tdo12:

[kumma]

I thought about solar but i be fishin all day and theres no sun at night. :p. Might work if i had 2 batteries.

Charging from the alternator while driving was my main thought. Good idea on the homemade generator, I have the alternator but no gas motor. Hows this set up look. http://www.raystackle.com/1ochargers.html Its what I had in mind. I will be doing quite a few beer runs so its ideal. :lol:

Fiji I might take you up on the generator I dont know if mine runs its been a while since I've used it.

[DangerDan]

good price I'd guess. A roll of romex is $12 and will do the same thing but this does seem safer and more user friendly.

[ozzgood2001]

sent ya a Pm Kumma! :)

[FIJI]

I'll bring it with me to Big Buck

[kroppe]

kumma,

I would say your original idea would work, that is to use an inverter in the truck, with the 120V battery charger plugged into the inverter, then the charger doing its thing on the battery.

[Jason Adam]

kumma,

I would say your original idea would work, that is to use an inverter in the truck, with the 120V battery charger plugged into the inverter, then the charger doing its thing on the battery.

This would be an extremely inefficient way to get from A to B. your gonna convert stored 12V to 110V then drop that back to 12V. Charging from you vehicle alternator would be far more efficient.