Has anyone used the Chevy truck(outlet) to charge your batteries?

[coachs]

I know that the outlet in the Chevy trucks won't really run saws or equipment because of the limitations but will they charge you 4 banks systems in your boat? I know it would have to be idling but in a pinch could it be done or are they to much draw to charge them? Thanks

[CatFan]

Not even close to enough power.

[coachs]

Thanks, That is what I figured.

[Bob G.]

Not even close to run anything but a charger for another phone or ipad in your truck.

[itperk76]

Mine would not charge my ipilot remote using the plug. It only worked if I took the adapter off and used the usb ports.

[Bassnailer]

What about the 12v Aux in the trailer plug? You can put a fuse on this circuit (in the fuse box) and have up to 50 amps at 14.4v dc fed from your alternator. This would charge a battery, you would just need to provide a wire on your trailer wiring to take advantage of this circuit, then throw yourself a quick disconnect plug at the rear of the trailer with a couple of alligator clips to attach to your battery. It would only charge one at a time, unless you also installed a heavy duty DPDT switch on your batteries to switch back and forth between series and parallel (this is what I did, and it makes things a lot easier). Wired like this, you could charge your batteries on the drive home from the lake. The circuit is actually intended to charge deep cycle RV batteries on campers, so you wouldn't hurt anything by doing it this way.

[Skunked again]

50 amps? Only if you rewire with heavy enough wire.

[jomo924]

i have used mine in my dodge to charge power tool batteries but i think thats its limit

[Bassnailer]

50 amps? Only if you rewire with heavy enough wire.

This is correct, although it takes a 40-50 amp maxi fuse in the fuse box to complete the circuit, I think it is only like 8 or 10 gauge wire that runs back to the plug. Batteries wouldn't necessarily draw the full 50 amps available through the fuse though while charging, but good catch, someone should not plan on drawing 50 continuous amps on this circuit.

[berudd]

What about the 12v Aux in the trailer plug? You can put a fuse on this circuit (in the fuse box) and have up to 50 amps at 14.4v dc fed from your alternator. This would charge a battery, you would just need to provide a wire on your trailer wiring to take advantage of this circuit, then throw yourself a quick disconnect plug at the rear of the trailer with a couple of alligator clips to attach to your battery. It would only charge one at a time, unless you also installed a heavy duty DPDT switch on your batteries to switch back and forth between series and parallel (this is what I did, and it makes things a lot easier). Wired like this, you could charge your batteries on the drive home from the lake. The circuit is actually intended to charge deep cycle RV batteries on campers, so you wouldn't hurt anything by doing it this way.

Throw 50amp (if that’s what it really makes which I doubt) straight at your batteries with no type of control and I’ll buy the beer so we can all sit around and take bets on how long till the fire starts.

[fishon396]

Surprised me but my F150 outlet charged my boat battery enough to get it started. It would not work for other things that I tried.

[Joe4d]

Not sure about the fuse thing,, Never had to add any fuses to my 2004 F150, 2010, F150, 2006 Dodge 2500, or current 2014 Silverado,, Maybe because all mine had factory tow package and 7 ( ? ) pin plug,, the 2 ish inch diameter round one, with the door that holds the plug in,, Got a "Charge" wire,, and yep charges group 27 Deep cycle just fine driving down the road, also the brake emergency battery. Talking Living Quarters horse trailer and electric brakes.. SHould be easy to attach a cranking battery charge line.
WHich brings up another question.. On new bass boats,, what kinda plug and what size ball do they use ? FIguring 18-19 foot rigs. Triton or Xpress

[toofy]

The stealth charger has a kit for this. Charge while towing.

[Joe4d]

shouldnt need a kit,, just some wire and a couple clips,, I mean I charge my horse trailer all the time while towing,, nothing special the plug has a special wire labeled "Charge"

[Bassnailer]

Throw 50amp (if that’s what it really makes which I doubt) straight at your batteries with no type of control and I’ll buy the beer so we can all sit around and take bets on how long till the fire starts.

You don't "throw" amps at a battery to charge it, you have an available amount of current available and the battery draws an amount based on what the battery needs to bring itself up to the voltage your circuit is at. Every time you start the engine in your pick up truck, the full 150 or so amps produced by the alternator are directly connected to your truck battery, the battery only draws the current it needs to raise its voltage to the 14.4 volts the alternator is putting on the circuit. Every electric circuit works this way....but I'll be happy for you to buy me some beer!

Also, the fuse is for the the early to mid 2000's truck (mine is a 2006 and the fuse is not installed from the factory, it has a non-conductive fuse shaped piece of plastic you replace with either a 40 or 50 amp Maxi Fuse to make the aux circuit in the trailer plug live), I didn't know what year truck the fella who started this thread had.

[toofy]

shouldnt need a kit,, just some wire and a couple clips,, I mean I charge my horse trailer all the time while towing,, nothing special the plug has a special wire labeled "Charge"

Sounds like a kit to me. If I’m gonna have to go out and buy wire and clips and try to figure out what kind of wire and clips, I might as well buy it from someone who has already figured these things out.

[donpilot]

I have some electrical experience. I wired a plug through an on/off switch to the boat to charge my troller. I put a small amp meter in the circuit and the most i have ever seen is~3 amps. 16 ft tin and 3 hours fishing. No where near 50 amps.

[coolwhip]

Just install a power inverter.

[Sam378]

My wife runs her breast pumps when we travel, them things pull some juice

[CatFan]

Just install a power inverter.

Too many negatives. You either have to run heavy gauge wiring from the truck battery to the back to feed the inverter, or you have to run AC wiring the length of the vehicle. Good way to kill somebody. And unless you are driving for hours, you aren’t really accomplishing much.