Sometimes, we'll spend an extended period of time in one place. We can easily spend four or five days at one camp in the San Rafael Swell, or in Cedar Mesa, exploring canyons and hiking around. This can present a challenge when both the truck and the trailer have various electrical components that use battery power. The Horizon came with a solar charging system built into the electrical system in the nose box. I have a big battery in there, which will power the Engle fridge/freezer for a number of days. However, one doesn't want to let that battery run too low. I can plug in my Power Film 60W solar panel and keep the battery topped off, even if it's cloudy.
We also have an ARB fridge/freezer in the FJ. It allows us to carry more fresh food on long trips, and has been a great addition to our setup. However, between the fridge and the normal parasitic draw from the truck's components, the battery needs to be regularly charged up. For a few years, we'd just fire up the engine and let it idle for a while. We have a National Luna dual battery system, and I could watch the lights on the monitor to see how fast the battery was getting charged.
However, doing this didn't seem very responsible. I decided to add a solar charging component. This isn't a novel idea, so I benefitted from the experience of others. I got a SunSaver Duo from Morningstar to use as a charger. This solid state charger is typically used for marine applications, and made to charge two batteries. I used a plug normally used to pass a connection through an RV roof. It's small and low profile, with a waterproof connection. I used a drill to open up the inside of an "O" in the "Toyota" on the grill of the truck, and mounted the plug there. It's out of the way, and
pretty invisible. I mounted the charger on top of the fuse box in the engine compartment. I used double sided Velcro to hold it in place. 10 gauge wire, covered in loom, was run between the charger and the batteries, then to the plug. I had to make a cable to connect the plug to the solar panel, as the panel uses a unique connector. I made the cable long enough to give me a lot of flexibility in placement of the panel.
I decided to get another PowerFilm 60w panel. It's not cheap, but it's powerful, folds into a small package, and is very durable. Depending on the position of the sun, I can place the panel on the roof rack, or next to the truck and maximize solar gain. On a nice sunny day in May, I can bring the main battery, a Group 31, from 50% charge to 100% in a few hours. I have no excuse to have a dead battery, now.
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