12 Volt Battery

[larrylisa7176]

We're looking at buying a 12volt battery but would first like to know if it will run the water pump for the shower and the sink?

Thank you,
Lisa

 

[Tom]

Lisa

Are you buying an additional battery or replacing the existing one? If you buy a deep cycle, group 27 size, it will do fine.

 

[larrylisa7176]

We just bought a used tent trailer yesterday and it has no battery at all. The people before us said they always stayed where they had full hook ups. We don't always plan to do this. My husband wants to know if we buy a 12 volt battery will it run the shower and sink? Or will it only run on 110volt hook up? Hope that makes sense.

Lisa

 

[John From Detroit]

Typically the water pump is 12vdc on those things. If, that is, the tent trailer even has one
(if it has a shower, it most likely has one)

Use a deep cycle marine type or use 2 6VDC golf cart batteries in serries or... Well, I can find some truly impressive batteries if I want, however they would be heaver than your trailer

Considering your use I would suggest a marine battery and a solar panal to re-charge it,  Not sure how big a panel.. Oh yes, the hot water heater may well like 12vdc to run it's control systems as well, however the total draw for water pump and heater should be well within what a solar panal can provide

 

[Tom]

Batteries sold as "marine deep cycle" are typically dual purpose i.e. they do double duty as an engine starting battery and a deep cycle battery. You don't need this type of battery. Just look for a purely deep cycle battery and it will run the water pump on your trailer, providing water in the kitchen and the shower. Obviously it will need periodic recharging and the charger will need to be plugged into 110 volts, either at the campground or when you get home.

If you have the space for two batteries, John's suggestion of two golf cart batteries would be a better choice. In addition to providing more than twice the capacity (the batteries will last for twice as long before requiring recharging), golf cart batteries are made to take the rigors of a lot of discharging and recharging. As John noted, golf cart batteries provide only 6 volts and the two batteries will need to be connected in series to provide 12 volts. Simply wire the negative terminal of one battery to the positive terminal of the second battery.

 

[N Smock]

Since the trailer has a shower it sounds like a reasonable size pop-up. Larger pop-ups usually have(need)  brakes, the battery is also used to power the brakes when the break-away switch is activated. Might be that the previous owner was not aware of that feature.


Nelson

 

[Karl]

Solar may be an alternative, but you'll be limited to running the pump, a few lights, a small t.v., and not much more. A small generator like a Honda EU1000 or EU2000 would be a good choice, and you can add solar if you want to reduce, but not eliminate, running the genset. Initial investment on solar could well exceed that of a small genset, and requires nice, sunny days. If you have a propane water heater, it probably has a standing pilot and doesn't require any electricity. Also agree with golf cart batteries; much better suited to RV'ing requirements than either auto or marine batteries. Oh yeah; the genset will charge the batteries at the same time it's providing 110V - depending on model. You may also need or want a 3-stage charger or charge controller to prevent overcharging the batteries.   

 

[Gary RV_Wizard]

First of all, congratulations on your new camper and welcome to RVForum.net.  You came to the right place for both help and friendship.

I'm assuming this tent trailer is already equipped with a place for a battery? Most do, but it is an option on some.    If it has one, the next question is whether there is a 12 volt water pump and tank included in the water system.  Again, it is an option on some models.  If your tent trailer has a fresh water storage tank that you can fill, then it probably has a a pump as well. If it does not have a fresh water tank, it will only operate when connected to "city water" via a hose.

What year, make and model is the tent trailer?

 

[larrylisa7176]

We bought a 97 coleman niagara tent trailer. The people we bought it from were the original owners and was not originally purchased with the optional 12v battery system as they had no need for it and is equipped with elec brakes. The original owners always stayed at places with hook ups. We have a few places we like to camp that have no hook ups but still want to utilize the heater, hot water, sink, shower and lights.

The trailer has a 20gal holding tank underneath of it. I bought a deep cycle battery and plastic battery box this week. There is no provided battery tray in front of the propane tank and am going to make one this weekend. Near the area where the battery would go there is a 2 pin connector with a 10 ga white and black wire and then a separate blue wire by itself. I am assuming it already has a electric pump and has a switch next to the fold down galley for the 12v.

I am thinking the white wire would be for the pos terminal and black wire is the neg terminal. Anyone have any idea what the single blue wire would be for??? ?

Any help would be appreciated

 

[Karl]

If it has a pump, it will most likely be located near, if not on, the water tank.

Contrary to electronic wiring conventions, homes, trailers, coaches, etc. use the black wire for positive and the white for negative. The blue might be for the pump, but could be for almost anything. Check if it goes to the pump first. There should be a fuse somewhere in the pump circuit.? If not; put one in - could prevent a nasty fire as a charged 12 volt battery can make short work of 10ga. wire. Basically, any load connected to a battery should be protected by either a fuse or circuit breaker.? Also, get a 3-stage charger to prevent overcharging.

 

[Gary RV_Wizard]

Is this 20 gallon tank for fresh water or waste water? Where does the sink water drain to?  If you have a fresh water supply tank, filled from an external source, then there probably is a pump to get water out of the tank.

Does this trailer have any12V lighting or are the lights all standard 110V residential style?

I'm thinking that with no optional 12V power system, there will be no pump either.

 

[larrylisa7176]

Is this 20 gallon tank for fresh water or waste water? Where does the sink water drain to?? If you have a fresh water supply tank, filled from an external source, then there probably is a pump to get water out of the tank.

Does this trailer have any12V lighting or are the lights all standard 110V residential style?

I'm thinking that with no optional 12V power system, there will be no pump either.

It is a 20 gal fresh water tank that you fill from the side of the trailer. The sink water and shower water drains directly from the side of the trailer and is threaded to attach a separate hose for each one(shower and sink)

Yes the lighting is 12v. I crawled under the trailer but could not find the pump. My guess is that its inside the trailer some where as the lines come from the tank then through the floor board. 

It looks like the single blue wire traced back to the drivers side electric brake wiring, possible break away wire maybe??

Now i need to find out which color wire(black or white) is for pos or neg. I am afraid to experiment in case something fries if the battery is hooked up backwords.

 

[John From Detroit]

The problem with Black and White wires is there are two standards

In Electronics and most automotive applications BLACK is normally ground and RED is "Hot" (or rahter hottest, battery lead)

However in house wireing White is ground,,, and black is "hot".

So there are only two ways to tell..

FIrst the "Hail Mary" test.  (If it works say 10 Hail Marys and PRAISE GOD)  or buy lottery tickets or something)

Turn off EVERYTHING, and I mean EVERYTHING, pull fuses if you have'em.

Measure resistance to the frame of the coach (Trailer coach) and if only one wire shows a continous circuit you have GROUND

Now turn something (a light) on and you should see continunity, but with some resistance (about 1 ohm) to ground on the other wire.

The other method is the one you used with the blue wire,, Trace it back and see where it connects.

Oh, there is another method.. IF you have a fuse panel, pull it out,,, See which wire goes to ALL the fuses,,, If it's white (or black) you have found your HOT wire,,, This may well be the easiest way to do it  HINT, it will be the largest wire on the block, all the others should be smaller

 

[blueblood]

The problem with Black and White wires is there are two standards

In Electronics and most automotive applications BLACK is normally ground and RED is "Hot" (or rahter hottest, battery lead)

However in house wireing White is ground,,, and black is "hot".

aller

House wiring white is neutral and green is ground

 

[larrylisa7176]

I managed to find a wiring diagram and the white wire is ground with the black wire being 12v input. Thanks for all the help ;D

 

[John From Detroit]

House wiring white is neutral and green is ground

True, thanks for the correction,  Neutral is normally grounded at least in older instalations