Best Of

PNWtabber said:

Next question:  the old box was attached to the tub with sheet metal screws that extended through the front platform.  The new box does not have any indications on it that it should be attached with screws -- although the strap for the lid does have anchors for screwing in.  Do you see any problem with me screwing through the bottom of the new box to attach it to the tub and platform?  Unfortunately, the holes will not likely line up with the old ones.

I'm not a fan of using sheet metal screws. I bolted mine with stainless steel bolts and I used really big fender washers on the inside of the box as reinforcement for the plastic and a nylon washer against the aluminum and nylock nuts underneath. Maybe overkill but... If you crawl under the trailer you might be able to drill up from underneath the bottom to reuse at least a couple of the existing holes. 

Yes, I,looked at that option also Brad, but you need 300-400 amps for a 3K inverter to work with a unit like the Victron Multi 3K.  I decided on just upgrading to a 2K, so I can run the small microwave I bought.  The AMS inverter will not run it.  The Renolgy 2K is less than half the price also.
 Cheers 

Well that makes more sense.  But the location of the switch is a little to be desired for.  One more LED light to cover when trying to sleep in cold weather. Should have placed it just inside the door by the Alde control panel. 

pthomas745 said:

Can we look at this one more time?  An owner on the FB page has an extra 80 amp hour battery. Wants to be able to use it somehow, instead of the time and expense and install or swaps of lithiums/dual 6V, etc. My brain isn't working quickly enough to sort this out today!

If you the DIY battery 7 pin connector, going directly from the "spare" battery into the trailer's 7 pin plug and the battery switch was on: it would simply charge the trailer's battery from the spare, and that extra power would be used to run the fridge, for example?

If the trailer battery disconnect switch was off, and the spare was plugged directly into the trailer's 7 pin...all the power from the spare battery would be used to power the trailer?    The installed solar would then be able to charge the trailer's battery without the trailer battery being "in use"?

@pthomas745 -
if you connect the second battery via the 7 pin with the battery switch on, they both supply current to the junction box and I think you are basically running the batteries in parallel and they will equalize out their charges, but, yes, you can power the TaB.  But the second scenario, the battery switch only applies to the primary battery.   The extra battery will supply current to the TaB via the junction box + and - terminals.  The installed solar will continue to charge the primary battery.

@tonygebely I agree with MuttonChops, you do not need, and should not use a fused distribution box.  The one MuttonChops shows is similar to,what the new TaBs are equipped with.  You could also use a straight Marine type 50/60 amp dual buss bar (no fuses), and save some $.