Charging boat batteries from the pull vehicle? Is this done already or can it be?

[BassChump]

I work in the RV industry. Travel trailers and 5th wheels many times are wired to the tow vehicle via the lights hookup to charge the batteries in the RV while driving???? Why couldn't this be done on a boat???

Even small trucks usually have at least a 60 amp alternator. Some full size trucks have 120 amp and up alternators.

I don't see any reason why this wouldn't work for charging the trolling batteries. A battery doesn't care where it's charged from so with a little wiring, I'm guessing it would work fine and it's probably a cheap and easy way to go???

   What do you guys think???

                    Just curious.

[XcoM274]

Hmm. If you knew what you were doing you could do it. You'd have to attach new leads to the alternator and obviously the car would have to be running. The only issue I can see is that a 100 amp charger might damage these deep cycle and gel batteries we tend to use on boats cause it charges too fast. Not saying damage as in explosions or immediate failure, just might heat it up or something like that. I'd check on the specific recommendations for your battery.

[BassChump]

The same type of batteries are used on RVs so I would think it wouldn't be a problem with the batteries at all. All alternators have regulators of some sort so it can't overcharge them.

It seems to make sense. It would be the same as yanking out the trolling battery and hooking up some jumpers to the truck to charge it at the lake. It sounds very viable to me but I'm sure there are lots of people in this forum that know better than I do.

The thought of running hi power wires thru the truck, making another connection near the hitch and running more hi power wires thru the boat doesn't sound all that big a thing if it's done right.

[Scott C]

Sounds like a good idea to me....some thoughts though, at least how i would do it if i were doing it....

i'd put the connection between the trailer and the boat near the bow, that way those high power lines never have to go in the water.  then run the wire in the boat back to the batteries from the front.

Then, for the actual connectors, I would find something that can "break away" easily and maybe have a spring connecting the line back to the trailer.  Then I'd want to have a good strong mounting point on boat connection.  That way it would be ok in case you forget to unhook before puttin 'er in the water.    I know I would forget at least once.....  

[Team_Dougherty]

Here you go.

http://www.stayncharge.com/

[jim payne]

I work in the RV industry. Travel trailers and 5th wheels many times are wired to the tow vehicle via the lights hookup to charge the batteries in the RV while driving???? Why couldn't this be done on a boat???

Even small trucks usually have at least a 60 amp alternator. Some full size trucks have 120 amp and up alternators.

I don't see any reason why this wouldn't work for charging the trolling batteries. A battery doesn't care where it's charged from so with a little wiring, I'm guessing it would work fine and it's probably a cheap and easy way to go???

What do you guys think???

                  Just curious.

You can do it just like you do with your RVs and if you are charging a 12 volt system you can hook the truck straight into the bow plug and it will charge through the wires in the boat. And don't worry about working the truck system because the trolling motor is not draiwng anything while you go down the road so it is not going to over pull the alternator.