Soon I am taking delivery of a 2019 F350 with 377 amps output (twin alternators, twin batteries). I plan to connect a starter battery (with a PAC 500-amp isolator) to two 100 amp/hour Battleborn house batteries in my slide-in TC using 17 feet of 1/0 cable, and no B2B charger (since Battleborn says it may not be needed)…then check for overheating anywhere along this connection.
This might flow ~100 amps (fused 200) and charge two completely discharged LiPos in 3 hours. I assume the 7-wire harness that connects the truck to the camper (#10 wire) might also flow ~25 amps so charging flat batteries might be well under 3 hours. If anything gets too hot, I’ll install the B2B which will choke amperage to 60 amps and take longer.
Questions:
I’m not bothering with solar or a generator since Ford is providing me with a free, convenient, fairly quiet, diesel 3,800 net-usable-watt generator with a 36 gallon fuel supply. Utilizing the high-idle option Ford provides (SEIC), just flip a switch (or dial a potentiometer) to raise the idle. Should be easy to wire the SEIC to an upfitter switch (with a potentiometer set to idle at the alternator sweet spot). Just not overly long with the diesel at high idle.
I expect there’s enough power for air conditioning and an induction range simultaneously, and still have juice left over to charge house batteries (assuming a big inverter and associated wiring)…Ok…don’t have those…Just saying.
This might flow ~100 amps (fused 200) and charge two completely discharged LiPos in 3 hours. I assume the 7-wire harness that connects the truck to the camper (#10 wire) might also flow ~25 amps so charging flat batteries might be well under 3 hours. If anything gets too hot, I’ll install the B2B which will choke amperage to 60 amps and take longer.
Questions:
- Should I connect: only one starter battery to the isolator or one alternator to the isolator (as shown in PAC’s instructions)?…or both batteries, or both alternators? Continuous service of that load seems like a lot.
- Do I need to fuse the negative cable? I can’t see why. Both cables will run to an Anderson connector in the bed.
- Ideally an Upfitter switch will control the isolator but PAC does not specify a wire size or amp requirement. How small can this wire be and size fuse?
I’m not bothering with solar or a generator since Ford is providing me with a free, convenient, fairly quiet, diesel 3,800 net-usable-watt generator with a 36 gallon fuel supply. Utilizing the high-idle option Ford provides (SEIC), just flip a switch (or dial a potentiometer) to raise the idle. Should be easy to wire the SEIC to an upfitter switch (with a potentiometer set to idle at the alternator sweet spot). Just not overly long with the diesel at high idle.
I expect there’s enough power for air conditioning and an induction range simultaneously, and still have juice left over to charge house batteries (assuming a big inverter and associated wiring)…Ok…don’t have those…Just saying.