Electrical Question

I have a 2015 DCSB, Off Road Edition with the factory towing package.

I am in the process of building an Overlanding Trailer which will include its own electrical system. Currently, the electrics consist of a 100 aH battery and a 2000W Inverter. The system can be charged by either a 100W Solar Panel or Shore Power.

I would also like to use the truck's alternator power to supplement charging while I am on the road towing. I figured that the proper way to do this was to rig up some kind of a dual battery system and treat the trailer battery as the "second" battery.

But a local Tacoma buddy told me that the factory towing package includes a built-in dual battery system and all I would have to do is tap off of the 12V accessory lead on the 7-pin towing cable connector. If this is true, then all my problems would be pretty much solved.

I had never heard of this. Is it true that the towing package has this dual battery circuitry built in?

Thanks.

 

The Tacoma with tow package can charge the trailer while towing.

No Tacoma came with a dual battery package.

 

I lean on the KISS principle

Any reason the solar panel can't be located to charge while you are towing? Say like on a horizontal surface facing the sky.....

This wouldn't require any extra loading on the Taco electrical system.

Also will the connectors in the trailer plug handle the additional current?

 

You don't need a second battery for the alternator to charge to the trailer battery. The charging capacity for your trailer will be determined by 1)alternator current capacity and 2)current capacity of the circuit going to your 7 pin trailer plug.

I've read that most stock vehicles have fairly limited capacity going to the trailer plug...like 20 amps. So if you're serious about charging the trailer with your alternator, the best upgrade would to the trailer wiring circuit. Check out AM Solar DC-DC charge kit:

https://amsolar.com/rv-solar-panel-kit/alternator-charging

But knute makes a good point. It might make more sense to focus on charging wirh your solar system.

 

Think about the wire size in the connector. It’s going to be slow recharging.

As mentioned, I’d try to keep it separate.

 

Not really. I have an RTT on the top of the trailer. Now I do have some spare real estate on top of the cab rack but then I have to figure out how to run the cables from the truck to the trailer.

That is one of my many questions.

 

I have 380w of panels on my roof and the accessory connection off the truck both wired into the battery (the panels via a charge controller). Just put voltage on the lines and the batteries will absorb what they need.

 

This looks promising....

https://amsolar.com/rv-battery-accessories/98-altagmtow

 

Got pics or a Build Thread?

 

I should put a build thread together. I’ve got lots of info smattered across TW.

 

BTW, in case you have not see it in some other threads, here it is: