This is probably a newbie question but I’m currently using my trailer’s dressing room as my tack room. The trailer has fully functioning interior lights but the trailer needs to be hooked up to my truck for them to work. I currently only have a small breakaway battery installed under the gooseneck, but is there a way to install a regular auto or marine battery and keep it charged with solar panels so that I can use my interior lights without having to hook up?
I had a solar panel installed on the roof of my weekender trailer. It helped to keep the battery charged, but once you use it, it’s not a quick way to recharge the battery. You would need to install a battery along with the solar panels.
Yes, this is quite possible. You’d likely want to have someone competent do the work.
In all probability you’d have it wired so that the 12v RV battery (a “deep cycle” version of the standard lead-acid auto battery) would charge first from your truck as you drive and then from a solar panel when you are parked. Most of what you can easily mount on a trailer will be a “trickle charger” designed to keep the battery up while the trailer is parked, not provide sufficient voltage to maintain it while parked. If you have enough roof space and money you can put more panels up there but watch the “cost-benefit” number before you do.
Talk to a local shop and get an estimate of what this will cost.
G.
Thank you for the advice and pointing me in the right direction!
Just wanted to add that my equine dentist, Dr. Bess Darrow (in the Ocala area) has her treatment trailer totally solar powered - all her tools and lights. She can work on a horse in the middle of a huge field, no problem. You might ask her who did her work: tuneups@gate.net or https://www.facebook.com/TuneUpsEquine/
There is an online FB page called horse trailer conversions and they are all over the solar.
