Affordable Approachable Lithium

[Wabbiteer]

The big over-the-road trucks cheat; they make the customers pay for their comfort

https://www.thermoking.com/content/d...a_Brochure.pdf

https://www.thermoking.com/content/d...n_Brochure.pdf


Notice there are no run times listed in those slick PDF's...

[GOUSC]

Originally Posted by pteck

Fortunately, it's rather easy to install cigarette lighter outlets. I installed an extra one in my trailer so as to have one right where I mounted my GZ battery.

Lots of kits available on Amazon. Here's one for example - https://www.amazon.com/Cigarette-Lig...F5F0ZCQDWY11FH

You'll want to tie the cig lighter to the 12V bus at the distribution point within the trailer. If it's a longer run, I recommend upgrading the wiring to something like 14 gauge so as not to have too much voltage drop.

Between Covid and personal issues I finally got around to installing cigarette lighter as a charging method in my Globetrotter. My main use for charging will be when travelling from campsite to campsite using the TV umbilical cord and 250W solar on the roof. This way I don't need to take up room for it in my TV.

I ran the 14 gauge wire from the 12V distribution panel under the refrigerator to the right wall of the shower at the foot of the street side twin bed. There was an access plate below the shower wall with some dead space behind it. Be sure to run the 14 gauge wire all the way to the plug as the wire that comes with the plug is only 18 gauge wire (don't ask how I know). This wire will power the 5 Amp option on the cigarette lighter but not the 10 Amp. I never used the 10 Amp in my truck as the charger got too hot. I put a 10 Amp fuse at the distribution panel as the cigarette lighter came with a 10 amp in-line fuse.

[SandKSmith]

I don’t know if others have found this, but I’ve found in late afternoons when the solar isn’t putting out much power, the Yeti car charger will pull power from the house batteries and, if left unchecked, will deplete them a bit. Obviously, this isn’t desirable, and I have to remember to unplug the car charger so they don’t drain too much. My car charger cuts off at about 12.5V which is a bit low for our needs.

To keep the Yeti from draining from the house battery, I used our BMV712’s internal relay to automatically control the Yeti car charger. When the solar is charging the house batteries the relay closes and charges the Yeti. Once the voltage starts to drop on the house batteries, it opens the relay and stops charging the Yeti. The BMV712 relay is rated at 1 or 2 amps; certainly not enough to power the 5 or 10A Yeti car charger. So I used the BMV712 relay as a switch to power a low current draw 25A solid state relay to control power to the Yeti car charger outlet. The relay and fuse, and fuse holder were less than $25.

the BMV712 relay is programmable. I’ve found that turning on the BMV712 relay when the house battery is at or above 13.2 volts works well. I shut it off at 13.1 volts. A few days of dry camping over the 4th of July weekend showed that the relay control worked as planned. On a late afternoon in a tree shaded spot on a partly cloudy day, I watched the relay open and close with the solar output. One morning our house batteries were at 70% and the Yeti was at 80%. By late afternoon, the house batteries were at 100% and the Yeti was at 83% after running two laptops all day and charging various devices. The solar output was 780 WH for the day.
I’ve found the Yeti is a great addition and it adds to the comfort and convenience of our Airstream. This easy, inexpensive upgrade makes it even better.
Steve