Journey with Confidence RV GPS App RV Trip Planner RV LIFE Campground Reviews RV Maintenance Take a Speed Test Free 7 Day Trial ×


Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
Old 07-25-2016, 10:11 AM   #1
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Nov 2013
Posts: 246
Trailer connector/4AGW

I have 4AGW stranded wire running from TV battery to back of TV and want to connect directly to trailer battery but cannot find a connector that will accept that large size of wire. The only thing I have found is a 50 amp electric range connector but that is to large and not waterproof. What type of connector have others used that will accept large wire size, to disconnect when unhitched, when running a direct heavy wire from TV battery to trailer battery? Thanks in advance!
__________________
2012 Rockwood a124
mzak is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-25-2016, 10:53 AM   #2
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Mar 2015
Location: Frederica DE
Posts: 1,223
I am confused to why you would want to do that. The TV battery would take a beating, for very little gain. Depending on alternator(s) that too could be abused. But if you must, look into marine boat trailer winches I doubt it's waterproof but water resistant.
__________________

2016 Ford F250 XLT 4X4 6.2L
2015 Rockwood Signature Ultralite 8329SS
Hensley Arrow
uhduh camping is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-25-2016, 11:15 AM   #3
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: Houston, TX
Posts: 1,770
While 4G. might be excessive it will certainly minimise voltage losses. Mzak, you don't state what amperage you are intending to run, but for this response, let's assume it is for normal camper uses. Unless you have really stepped up the TV electrical system you aren't going to be able to draw the rated current for long, if at all. The big wire electrical systems I've seen on automobile thump boxes always came with multiple batteries, extra alternators, and of course, deaf owners.

In which case all you need it a connector that is sufficient for the expected draw and a fuse to match. If that is the case, you could easily transition the 4G wire to a higher gauge number for the camper's normal connector or any other connector you prefered. Then transition back to the 4G wire on the other side if you wanted to. The voltage loss over the short distance should be negligible.

You wouldn't be planning a camper thump box would you? If my assumption does not match your plan, please disregard.
__________________
Tom

2012 Rockwood A122S
2008 Toyota Tundra Double Cab 4X4

Former owner of a 2002 Coleman Niagara GTE
Pooneil is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-26-2016, 12:32 AM   #4
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Nov 2013
Posts: 246
The primary reason is to prevent voltage loss. 4 AGW was the only larger size wire the RV dealers stocked for longer wire runs. I have zero voltage loss at the end of TV now. With TV running I have 14.1-14.4 volts at TV battery and the same at end of wire run. Recently I ran the fridge on DC while traveling for 8 hrs. When I got home the battery was down to 12.5 after resting a while. It was 12.8 when I started out. Not a huge loss but obviously I was draining trailer battery before I even got to campground. When I dry camp I also want to be able to recharge the trailer battery sooner rather than later. There seems to be a lot of opinions about the merits of larger wiring directly to trailer battery vs. the smaller factory wiring in TV and trailer. Some say the factory wiring works for them and others say you need large wire (4-6 AGW) to maintain trailer battery and recharge when on the road after dry camping. I won't go into a long discourse on the theory behind large vs smaller wiring but suffice it to say I've read many posts on many different RV forums from popups to large trailers and what I get out of all this is that in theory the larger wire size runs are optimal but in practice you have to go by your own experiences.

Kind of a long winded answer but just wanted to explain where I'm coming from. No big current draws, just want max voltage. May be overkill but wire is already run, didn't cost much or take much time but would like to finish the job but need some type of connector to do that. I will try the marine supply stores but the usual problem is any connector that will accept 4AGW wire is a high amperage type, not waterproof, big and bulky and usually residential in nature. Some have done what I am trying to do but never say what type of connector they used. Thanks for responses so far and anyone who has done this could you let me know how you made the connection?
__________________
2012 Rockwood a124
mzak is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-26-2016, 05:02 PM   #5
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Mar 2014
Posts: 3,081
I was horrified when I saw the fridge on my A122 drew 13.2 amps on DC, according to web site specs. I was expecting about 6 amps on DC. I knew I wasn't going to get that kind of current (13+ amps) through the TV/A-frame wiring without some loss - it would take #14 wire just to limit loss to 0.6 volts. And if I have the trailer running lights on, that's probably another 8+ amps to go through the ground wire while running at night.

My next steps will be to take some more measurements with the TV hooked up, check actual wire sizes, and to change all the clearance lights to LEDs.


Fred W
2014 Rockwood A122 A-frame
2008 Hyundai Entourage minivan
pgandw is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-26-2016, 07:40 PM   #6
Senior Member
 
jtstromsburg's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: Stromsburg, Nebraska
Posts: 1,682
Anderson SB175 Quick Connect Plug 175 Amp 4 AWG Red https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00DK88XU8..._ekaMxbZQWZKSB

This might be what you need.

Kind of a long winded answer but just wanted to explain where I'm coming from. No big current draws, just want max voltage. May be overkill but wire is already run, didn't cost much or take much time but would like to finish the job but need some type of connector to do that. I will try the marine supply stores but the usual problem is any connector that will accept 4AGW wire is a high amperage type, not waterproof, big and bulky and usually residential in nature. Some have done what I am trying to do but never say what type of connector they used. Thanks for responses so far and anyone who has done this could you let me know how you made the connection?[/QUOTE]
__________________
Joel and Teresa
2016 Sabre 34TBOK
2006 GMC 3500 CC LB DRW 4X4
jtstromsburg is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-26-2016, 07:48 PM   #7
Site Team
 
Flybob's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2014
Posts: 15,243
Quote:
Originally Posted by mzak View Post
I have zero voltage loss at the end of TV now. With TV running I have 14.1-14.4 volts at TV battery and the same at end of wire run.
What was the current draw. If you were not drawing current you would get zero voltage loss no matter what gauge you had.
__________________

2015 Freedom Express 248RBS
TV 2015 Silverado HD2500 Duramax
TST Tire Monitors
Honda 2000I + Companion
2 100W solar panels
Flybob is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-28-2016, 12:46 PM   #8
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Nov 2013
Posts: 246
Quote:
Originally Posted by Flybob View Post
What was the current draw. If you were not drawing current you would get zero voltage loss no matter what gauge you had.
Good point.I'm not sure exact current draw when checked, just that the loss was at the trailer wiring, not end of TV.

Thanks for bringing up the current draw issue. I should have mentioned it in my post.

From what I have seen so far it looks like the connector posted by Jtstromsburg looks promising. Thanks!
__________________
2012 Rockwood a124
mzak is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-28-2016, 02:27 PM   #9
Learning a lot as I go...
 
Join Date: Aug 2015
Posts: 216
I hope you plan on putting in fuse/circuit breaker protection on that wire! A 4G wire can flow a LOT of juice and with two batteries feeding it and a rather long run... well I would not want to be around if you ever had a short.

Note that in practice some auto charge circuits intentionally use smaller wire just to current limit the battery charge current. It is also a common misconception that the power source in an automotive system is the battery when the real power source is the alternator. Battery pushes 12 something volts while the alternator pushes 13 something: he who pushes hardest wins. This is what makes current across battery feed wire reverse to charge battery.

If you want to insure a good charge to RV from TV you probably want to hook up to alternator rather than TV battery.

But this could all backfire too since you are running batteries in parallel and the batteries are likely not matched. So one will take more juice than the other and possibly not the one that needs the juice either. Might be why there were/are? battery isolator switches out there for applications like this.
stevejahr is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-29-2016, 11:22 AM   #10
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Nov 2013
Posts: 246
Quote:
Originally Posted by stevejahr View Post
I hope you plan on putting in fuse/circuit breaker protection on that wire! A 4G wire can flow a LOT of juice and with two batteries feeding it and a rather long run... well I would not want to be around if you ever had a short.

Note that in practice some auto charge circuits intentionally use smaller wire just to current limit the battery charge current. It is also a common misconception that the power source in an automotive system is the battery when the real power source is the alternator. Battery pushes 12 something volts while the alternator pushes 13 something: he who pushes hardest wins. This is what makes current across battery feed wire reverse to charge battery.

If you want to insure a good charge to RV from TV you probably want to hook up to alternator rather than TV battery.

But this could all backfire too since you are running batteries in parallel and the batteries are likely not matched. So one will take more juice than the other and possibly not the one that needs the juice either. Might be why there were/are? battery isolator switches out there for applications like this.



100amp fuse,...single battery, ...150amp alternator.
__________________
2012 Rockwood a124
mzak is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-29-2016, 11:43 AM   #11
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Apr 2016
Location: Cedar Creek Lake, TX
Posts: 3,477
For a heavy duty connector look at those designed for removable truck winches.
__________________
Cedar Creek Lake, Texas
2019 Keystone Loredo 290SRL
2019 Ram 2500 4x4 Cummins crew cab
Andersen hitch
CedarCreekWoody is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Tags
trailer

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off


» Featured Campgrounds

Reviews provided by

Disclaimer:

This website is not affiliated with or endorsed by Forest River, Inc. or any of its affiliates. This is an independent, unofficial site.



All times are GMT -5. The time now is 02:50 AM.