battery suggestions for pop-up

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zonanavystar

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Jan 28, 2007
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I got a 95 Palomino mustang, with roof mounted ac, 3 way fridge, water heater, water pump, 12v lights, etc.  I usually just always camp where there is 120 ac power to run everything, but now that i got my tow vehicle fixed up with a 12 v source to charge/power the trailer systems at 13-14 v with the engine running.  So now I need a battery.  Any suggestions?  I have used the optima ones in boats with trolling motors, and have been impressed.  Also, now that I have a battery that I can ensure is charging on the road to the campsite, is there a way to run the fridge on 12v dc from the battery/truck charging system, while the trailer is being towed down the highway?  I would like my fridge to have my beer cold when I get there.  thanks
 
You said you have it currently wired so the pup is powered from the truck charging circuits.  If this is the case just install the battery into that circuit and it's good to go for powering the refer.  Install it with sufficient wire size to handle the current draw from the battery to your distribution panel.
 
thats just for driving down the road.  I got the proper gauge wire, and its actually fused with error on the small side for safety.  I still need a battery for when I'm out there with no ac power.  I also want to try "remote" camping with this rig a few times.  Also, from outside the camper, the truck power system works, and I should've said this more clearly, i cant seem to get it to work when the roof is down in towing condition.  I can get the reefer to work just fine when its open, but it doesn't work with the unit closed.  Is there a way to bypass this and get the reefer to work when the roof is closed heading down the highway?  thanks
 
Is your fridge vented externally (has a grill on the outside of the trailer)? If not, it may be venting the waste heat inside and you would not want that when the pop-up was closed (fire danger). I would expect there is an interlock of some sort to prevent it if that is the case.

For a battery you want a good quality deep cycle, not one of the usual "marine/RV" batteries that isn't much different than a regular battery with a different label. An Optima deep cycle is good but extremely expensive - you can usually get a Lifeline or Trojan AGM for quite a bit less money and they are equal in quality.  And the Optima deep cycle comes only in Group 31 size as far as I know (the smaller ones are starting batteries) and it is unlikely your pup has space for a battery that large. Lifelines and Trojans come in size 24 and 27 as well as 31 and can be fit in typical battery boxes/spaces. You could also get a flooded cell Trojan 12V deep cycle for a lot less money than an AGM and they will last just as long if you keep the water level topped up.

Some of the better batteries designed for electric trolling motor use are decent quality deep cycles., but it is hard totell by looking at them or their advertising. I'd stay away from the Walmart & Kmart versions and any bargain priced ones. A cheap battery is seldom a bargain.
 
Continuing what roamer said,  A good plan is to take all the loads on the 12 volt system, add 'em up and estimate how many hours,  For example, figure the fridge at 24 hours a day (it uses 12 volt for control) lights around 8 hours a day.. That kind of thing.. Figure out how many amps, times how many hours and when you get that number... Double it.

For example.  If you figure you use a total of 100 amp-hours a day (Average of around 4.a bit amps per hour) then figure to run one full day you need 200 amp hours.

So.... That would be a pair of U-220's to be safe (Golf Cart batteries)

Now, When boon docking I figure 8-10 hours on battery.. So by that same standard I'd need only about 80 AH, that's a group 24 deep cycle or a group 27 marine.  The fire up the genrator in the day time.

Once you have the number of amp hours you need to cover between generator runs..... Visit Trojan batteries or interstate batteries or _____ batteries and find a battery that provides the needed power.. Remember battery should be able to provide 2x your need to be right.  (Which is why I doubled the amp hours estimate above)
 
Looked the Palomino up on their web site.  The specs for the two (2007 units I assume) listed show a cargo capacity of 500-600 lbs.  It also looks to me that that is before adding any roof AC's or a battery.  You state that you have a AC unit on the roof and one battery.  You might want to chk your capacity limits before deciding if you want to add 70 lbs for a second battery.  Might like to take an extra clean shirt. 
 
Do you have electric brakes on that trailer?  If so, you should have a 12 volt battery that powers a break-away switch to apply the brakes if the trailer ever separates from the tow vehicle.

Sometimes the break-away switch is powered from a dry cell like you'd find in a portable lantern.  If yours is like this, it's a prime candidate to be re-wired to your new house battery.
 
I'm a firm believer in "You can't have too much battery" unless, of course you overload your trailer.

As the above poster said, check your weight, you may already be overweight and if you are, forget adding weight to your trailer

If you have the cargo carrying capacity then here would be may suggestsions

1: A pair of golf cart batteries (Six volt each) wired in series to make one large 12 volt battery, roughly 232 amp hours)
or a bit more than a kilowatt usable power

2: A group 31, roughly half the power storage of the above

3: Group 29  About  and then 4: Group 27

In all cases go for the deepest cycle battery you can get

Golf cart battereries are designed to be somewhat neglected, they can take more electrical abuse than other types and due to the number produced every year are somewhat less expensive per watt than other types.

NOTE: you may wish to replace the converter.. If your trailer was designed w/o battery it likely has a cheap non-regulated converter. You may want to pick up a Progressive Dynamics Intella-Power 92xx series or a 91xx with charge wizard or an ITOA with charge wizard.  the xx is the output current, a pair of Golf Carts take a 60,  The Group 31 or 29 a 30 will do, 30 or 20 for the group 27
 
My Clipper has an auto battery shutoff button when the sink is flipped for travel, probably why
your doesn't work when closed up. My frig will run on propane when I travel, or on battery if necessary.
Anne
 
I understand a group 27 deep cycle is the most common for a PUP.  If you want to run the refrigerator on 12-v, please be advised that that setting is 'just to maintain' - you might want to pre-cool your refrigerator on the propane setting, then switch it over to 12-v when on the road.  And, as another mentioned, if you have a 'kill switch' on your galley, you might not have 12-v when the galley is flipped over.

Best wishes
 
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