New battery wire for 5ver plug, where to hook up?

[Sixpac2]

Hi. I have a 04 3500 Dodge cummins. I want to run a larger charging wire to my 5ver hook up plug. The stock is very small. My truck has 2 batterys. ? where do I hook up this new wire. 1) to the second battery 2) to the 1st battery 3) to the alternator ?. Do I need to have an isolator and if so what type? Do i need an inline fuse? I do not want to back draw the truck batterys. Thanks for your time. If anyone has any other ideas i would appreciate them. Thanks, marv

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[Sixpac2]

does anyone have any ideas out there? These stock trucks have #14 gauge wire. Thanks still looking for some advice.

 

[jacqnbill]

Hi. I have a 04 3500 Dodge cummins. I want to run a larger charging wire to my 5ver hook up plug. The stock is very small. My truck has 2 batterys. ? where do I hook up this new wire. 1) to the second battery 2) to the 1st battery 3) to the alternator ?. Do I need to have an isolator and if so what type? Do i need an inline fuse? I do not want to back draw the truck batterys. Thanks for your time. If anyone has any other ideas i would appreciate them. Thanks, marv

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I connected a number 4 wire to the fuse link for the alternator on my 98 truck and used a starter relay for isolation. I connected the starter relay energise circuit to a lighted toggle switch and ran the charge wire (#4) thru a separate plug (welder plug)to the fiver. I had six batteries in the fiver. Be careful or you can melt the alternator. If the fiver batterys were down real low I would switch the charger on and off. I melted one alternator by not timing the charge periods.



Hope this helps,



Bill

 

[K5IP]

Marv,

It sounds like Bill did it right.

I might add that you might consider using a seperate fusable link (maybe 100A) instead of the alternator fuse simply to keep any trailer wiring problems from taking out the expensive alternator fuse.

Connections can be made to either battery.

You will like the larger wire, (less voltage drop), provides a much quicker and better trailer battery charge.

Rog

 

[jelag]

Bill has a great idea. . my only input is some start relays (solenoids) are not designed for constant duty... . the pull in current will cause them to self destruct..... but your local auto parts store should be able to offer you a 100% duty cycle relay for a few bucks..... there would be nothing worse than to need it... miles from someplace and have it melt down... .



If you touch it. . 10 minutes into the cycle, and can't hold your fingers on the side... . its not designed for 100% duty cycle and will fail... .



Jim

 

[Sixpac2]

Thanks for the ideas. I will check it out. I saw an isolator at www.surepower.com that is sold at the local stores. will call them on monday to get more info. Thanks for the replies

 

[dieselshu]

Isolator or Solenoid ...

Six, I ran a 8 gauge wire from my PDC panel in the eng compt, thru a 30 amp self reseting fuse into a solenoid and to the plug. I tapped the ignition on circuit to energize the solenoid so it will only provide power while the key is in the on position. I checked out isolators but found most are expensive and have solid state materials that you cannot fix with out sending to the factory or authorized repair shop. I talked to alot of rver's on what they where using and most if not all said the solenoid, they found that the isolators did not last long before repair, even rv stores recommended the solenoid over the isolators. The solenoids are simple and readily available at RV stores. If concerned about failure carry an extra, they are quick and simple to replace.



Goodluck

Dave

 

[Sixpac2]

Solenoid ?

Dave, I'm not sure what you mean by a solenoid? Can you be specific and what to ask for in a auto or rv store. marv

 

[dieselshu]

Battery switch

Six, Ask for a battery switch, I call it a solenoid because it look like a starter solenoid. Here is a photo of the switch and circuit breaker aka fuse. The RV parts stores should have continous duty ones.





Dave