Reddit mentions: The best car battery chargers & accessories

I want to create a light curtain by twisting, wire wrapping, or somehow connecting various light strings to use on our canopy. They're be battery powered, so stocking up on a solar powered battery chargers is going to be important. Not only will it be great to help up notice our campsite in those dark woods, but it'll also create a really nice chill vibe if anyone wants to work on changing out their gloving batteries, make some grub, or just sit and talk after their mind's been blown all day. I also want to create with EL wire a sign that says "WELCOME HOME".
Same goes for if we bring a totem! Rechargeable batteries with a solar power charger will be great for our EL wire that would be decorating our possible-totem.
Using a couple of chargers (such as this http://www.amazon.com/C-Crane-SBC-11-in-1-Battery-Charger/dp/B001BKS3Z2/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1426689084&sr=8-2&keywords=solar+battery+charger) will help us cut down on how many batteries we use. Also hoping it works with my current hoop's batteries as well!

In my group we have some huge "earth nerds" (marine biology majors, some people interested in setting up co-op work farms, some general lovers of nature and the earth), so not being wasteful is one of our top priorities.

And of course, as a hooper, I will be lighting up the night with my hoops! My soon-to-come-in "smart" hoops run on rechargeable batteries!

Here is a link to my hooping channel: http://www.youtube.com/amethystlor

(but here's a link to my fave flow lately lol: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xSErFBQLaBY)

Thanks so much for this opportunity! Astral Hoops has always been creating BEAUTIFUL light equipment.

-moxie

> but at that rate I'm better off charging my batteries with my diesel's alternator

Yep. I frequently ask people on this sub why they think solar is so important when they're driving around in something that generates electricity already. Solar is expensive. It doesn't work in Seattle except for three weeks in August. Unless you're in the desert southwest, you need to have sufficient battery capacity for multiple days without sun which means you need an even bigger solar panel array to recharge that battery pack on the 2 sunny days during a two week period of overcast and showers.

Unless the van is parked somewhere for days and days without moving, just charge the house battery from the alternator. Even if it's parked on a sunny day, there's a huge incentive to park it in the shade to prevent the interior temps from killing anyone inside.

Using the alternator is easy. The absolute brute force, quick-n-dirty, cheap way is to run a #2 or #4 gauge wire from the positive terminal of your your van's battery to the positive terminal of your house battery through a simple switch and a high capacity (100A) fuse.

Under $10 crude switch from any auto parts store: https://www.amazon.com/Post-Battery-Master-Disconnect-Switch/dp/B001N729FS/ You use this to 'disconnect' the wire between the batteries when you park. This prevents that 60W fan you're running 24/7 from running down your starter battery. Get a better switch as your budget allows.

Better is an 'isolation relay' - there are two basic kinds. The inexpensive kind https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B005JCX8OY/ requires that you also find a 12v power source that goes active when your ignition is turned on. This powers the relay to connect your house battery to the alternator/starting battery. It's not a big deal, but possibly a small hassle. Any Napa, Reibes, Pep-Boys, Autozone, etc auto parts place will have one.

Or, an automatic type that senses when the voltage on your starter battery rises due to the alternator and then automatically connects your house battery so it gets charged, too. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00400IYTK/ You take the 12v cable from your van battery to one terminal. The 12V from your house battery to the 2nd terminal. And, the last terminal goes to ground.

BTW, I wasn't trying to 'burn you' but rather put some realism into your needs. At least you didn't mention electric heater or electric air conditioning like some folks do. For heating or cooking, gas/propane is the practical way to go. (There are some great, BUT EXPENSIVE, diesel heaters that can tap into your van's fuel system).

For air conditioning, there isn't any van-sized alternative other than a gas powered generator or an electrical outlet near the van.

Good choice on the fridge. And, you're right - it's not a 'now' sort of requirement.

Those battery powered LED things last forever. If you haven't bought any yet, try to get ones with diffusers - intentionally stay away from the brightest ones you can find. The issue is that in the small confines of a van, they just sear burn marks in your retinas. 'dimmer is better' I have these - multi brightness, magnetic stick on to my van's metal interior: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01H731UNS/

I got the non-rechargeable ones but use Amazon Basics Eneloop- equivalent rechargeable AAA batteries: https://www.amazon.com/AmazonBasics-AAA-Rechargeable-Batteries-12-Pack/dp/B007B9NXAC/ and a USB recharger for them sort of like this: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00PZ6V99U/

I have one of these. You do not want this 2 ft from your eyes in a van: https://www.amazon.com/BUYGO-11-LED-Outdoor-Lantern-Camping/

Here are some of my personal supplies and tool recommendations.

An anti-corrosive spray, doesn’t hurt paint but I’d be careful about yours anyway.
www.amazon.com/dp/B000P1C8UO/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_tai_5v0NDb496VPF6

A good tire pressure gauge. www.amazon.com/dp/B01J8DLGU2/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_tai_dy0NDb58BP0WX

A basic multimeter. www.amazon.com/dp/B01ISAMUA6/ref=cm_sw_r_em_tai_c_VZPFDbGK9FQ5V

A great battery tender, a lifetime purchase. www.amazon.com/dp/B000CITKCE/ref=cm_sw_r_em_tai_c_ACFQCb40H0E0K

A very good spray on bike cleaner. www.amazon.com/dp/B0036GK83Y/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_tai_XB0NDbJZZC76W

A good explanation about testing your battery and charging system, goes well with the multimeter and tender.

https://www.louis.eu/rund-ums-motorrad/schraubertipps/elektronik

These screwdrivers or ones like it are a must. www.amazon.com/dp/B00A7WAHTU/ref=cm_sw_r_em_api_i_c_kBB7AbGCN238A

A winter storage checklist, very detailed, and can probably pare it down a little but...

http://www.clarity.net/~adam/winter-storage.html

The best (IMO) winter gas treatment. www.amazon.com/dp/B001CAW2DK/ref=cm_sw_r_em_tai_c_ryNKDb9RRE8KF

One of many easy to use lift, works for both front or rear, may have a model for a smaller bike, this is for my Yamaha Raider www.amazon.com/dp/B016Z01QYW/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_tai_UH0NDbVMTEC9K

A great totally enclosed cover, find the size for your bike. I attach the battery tender, the cord comes out where the zipper meets.
www.amazon.com/dp/B001I7XYZW/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_tai_sJ0NDbTJAPEEB

For maintenance questions, a great sub is r/Fixxit.

That’s all I can think of at the moment, welcome to the Club and Happy Trails!

Height should be your biggest concern.

I'm 5'11", with kinda short legs, too. I couldn't ride this bike if it were any higher. You can get lowering links, and a different seat, and you should be OK - right about where I'm at, but it may never be "like a glove" comfortable.

It will totally get the city job done. Little box on the back, and you're good to go. When they hit potholes, and nearly lose it, you'll float over like nothing. Mine is a daily commuter and a weekend warrior. There is nothing this bike won't do "pretty ok".

Riding is riding. Unless you're trying to keep up with people doing 80+, you'll be just fine. The bike is as much fun as any other bike on the street at <60mph. I've ridden with groups of guys on harleys, groups of older guys on Can-Am and Goldwing trikes, adventure bike groups, groups of kids on dirtbikes, families on atvs, and in giant packs of streetbikes on weekend evenings.

Travelling far distance ... don't do it unless you're comfortable on a bike already. Riding for hours on end can play tricks with your concentration and whatnot. If you must, and you're not that experienced, plan on a 15-20 minute break for every hour riding. Just do it.

Here's some shit that I learned the hard way:

Change the oil/filters before you go, and check the plug. Check your air filter after 1000 miles of highway/trail. Plan your trip to avoid interstate. You will be much more relaxed on smaller highways, and you won't have as many trucks and their drafts to contend with. Calculate your gas mileage at every fillup. Little problems can show up as dropping mileage before they become big problems. Put some flat stop in your tubes. Give the tires a push check before starting every time. Bring rain riding gear, and hope you don't need it. Get a throttle lock. Either a good one or a cheap one. The KLR will vibrate your hands numb, you will need to get your hand off the bars for a bit. Wear a camelback water bag. A good GPS/phone mount that offers visibility without having to look away from the road is really nice when going through unfamiliar towns. Make sure you have a usb charger if you don't have a 12v socket. for your gps/phone on the bike. Carry extra cheap eye protection. One of those ATV seat pads can help if you get a sore ass easily. Don't beeline it to your destination - make a point to include a side-trip up a mountain or something as often as you can.

I think you'll end up liking the bike, and you'll end up going on that "adventure" ride sooner than you think :)

Lanesplitting is as easy as you want it to be, with no panniers. It starts to get hairy above 60, because after that the KLR just doesn't have the instant go that you need to zip through smaller spaces. So at those speeds, you're more like a cruiser bike. But at city speeds, once you've been in the saddle a few months, it feels really small in traffic.

Hey I'm not the OP, for more info please go to the original post to congratulate them. :)



Personally I DO live in a van, it's a 1992 Chevy G20 Gladiator. I have a memory foam mattress on top of a wooden platform, totes and cardboard boxes for storage (food, clothing, etc.) underneath. having the mattress off the floor gives space for storage, and also insulates the mattress from the heat or cold of the ground.

For privacy I have tinted windows, non-adhesive window film, collapsible foil sunshade for the front window, and black bug screen mesh like this for the side windows.

For water I use sturdy Arizona tea jugs. I have a basic Coleman camping toilet for nighttime and emergency uses - some people simply use pee bottles or five gallon buckets.

If it's cold at night I have a [12V electric blanket](https://www.walmart.com/ip/TREKSAFE-12-Volt-Heated-Travel-Blanket-White/54609929] and/or a 12V "car seat" warmer that I put under the mattress. I also have a propane Little Buddy heater which I have not yet used.

My main luxury item is an Alpicool C15 refrigerator powered by two 35AH "house batteries" (in parallel) which are charged using a Battery Doctor isolator. The Battery Doctor is run by my alternator when I drive-it only starts charging the house batteries after my van battery is full. The fridge uses 5.8AH per day. I used a cooler for a year, but the drawbacks are constantly buying or procuring ice (like from soda fountains), and food spoilage from it getting waterlogged, plus having to drain it frequently.

For hot meals, I use a 12 volt "lunchbox cooker" (works similar to a crock pot) which is powered in my cigarette lighter while I drive (or I can run it with the house batteries through a 12v splitter - the Alpicool is plugged into the other side. I also have a propane camping stove which I have never used.

I have a USB mini fan to run at night, or I can run my small regular fan through the 300W power inventor where I can also charge my laptop and/or phone (I usually charge the phone in the cigarette lighter).

I don't make any money if you buy from any of these links, but I only used them for illustrative purposes - I encourage you to shop around on Craigslist, eBay, Amazon, Walmart, check yard sales, etc. find the best priced similar item that works best for you. You don't have to get everything all at once - I didn't. But if you can get a basic minivan or van (seats removed), a mattress (or sleeping bag even) on a frame, and some jugs of water, it's a start.

Yeah that's the idea, just a little hard flat thing that you can turn into a cooking/eating surface using what you'll have. The campsites may or may not have amenities provided. I almost always camp at places that have potable water, a picnic table with benches, a critter-proof food locker, and a fire ring in each site. They take a little bit of the isolation and manliness out of the experience, but I'm usually camping with a couple girls in the group and girls seem to appreciate having toilets and showers even when they're off in the woods somewhere. For a first trip you'll find things like not having to pack clean water really handy, so if that's an option I'd go for it.

Another thing you might find really handy is [this little charger] (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00DJ5KEF4/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1) that plugs right in to a battery tender plug. If you don't already have a battery tender plug for keeping your battery charged when you aren't riding for a bit, I recommend picking up one of those too. This thing will let you charge your phone or camera. A phone doesn't suck up a ton of juice, but since you may not have a jump handy I'd just idle the bike while charging to make sure you don't end up with a flat battery.

Take loads of pictures, man! Let us know how you liked the experience. Best of luck.

Other people mentioned the Battery Tender adapter, which is great.

This guy did a great review on some Bonneville upgrades, and the charger set up he did is excellent.

https://ericwais.wordpress.com/2015/06/20/day-21/

I am pretty sure this would mount on a ST just the same. I use this on a 60 mile round trip commute and its great. Good visibility and it keeps everything charged.

Basically get these:

Arkon Case

Tender Adapter

Battery Tender Harness

And a small piece of velco with glue on it to hold the adapter/cord to your bike when not in use.

Do you really commute 200 miles a day? Or is that just a fun trip you have planned?

Here's the basic mods I went with for our Vandura. We wanted to keep it simple and get it done in a couple months. Since I work full-time, time was the major constraining factor. We only use ours for a weekend fun vehicle so your needs may be different. We like ours, but it's definitely not Instagram worthy. I'm assuming yours has the conversion setup inside (wood paneling etc.) so it should be similar

- Replace the factory valence and center lighting with LEDs. The stock lights are garbage and one of the valence lights shorted out with the previous owner and was a safety issue. We used multi-colored dimmable lights for the center ( https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07ML5ZJQR/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o08_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 ) and simple LEDs for the valence ( https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00HSF64JG/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o09_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 ). After install the valence lights are SUPER bright; in retrospect, I'd use just one strip for all three valence lights

- Remove the rear captains chairs and install vinyl flooring in the middle. We have an electrically driven sofa/bed in the back that we wanted to keep in case we need extra legal seating, so we only installed flooring in the middle portion of the van between the cab and rear sofa seating. We found some vinyl "planks" at Walmart for dirt cheap (~$20 for the whole area) but the adhesive they came with didn't work great, especially with drastic temp changes. I'd suggest going with single sheet vinyl or laminate or, at the very least, using liquid nails as a substitute adhesive.

- Built a counter space/storage cabinet. I just used basic sideboard plans found on the internet. This stores our aux battery, fuse block, inverter and gives some additional storage space

- Install a battery isolator, aux battery, fuse block, inverter etc. We went with the Battery Doctor isolator ( https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0058SGDFK/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o05_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 ) because of the added ability to use the aux battery to supplement the starter battery in emergencies

- Install forced air ventilation. I didn't want to cut through the roof for a MaxxAir fan because we liked the lighting. Since the conversion van has 3 sets of sliding windows, we created a make-shift side vent fans out of 12V computer fans ( https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B072NCYQRY/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o03_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 ). Three fans fit in each sliding window. Each fan is rated at 52CFM so (in theory) we get ~200-300CFM with two windows (eventually I'll get accurate measures with an anemometer just for curiosity's sake). Since we don't cook in the van and the van has multiple windows that open, this just helps the forced airflow to prevent condensation while sleeping.

- Upgraded the CRT TV to a flat screen ( https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B06X3VH4VK/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o01_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1 ). Side note: the TV remote IR frequency changes the color of the multi-color LEDs. Maybe you can get around this with a different LED setup. We just turn the TV on before the lights to get around it

- Wired the TV, vent fans, and center lights to the aux battery. We originally had the valence lights hooked to it too, but since they're so damn bright we never used them and I reconnected them to the starter battery.

- Eventually, I'll build a storage compartment in the back that also opens to a table out the back hatch.

- So far, we're happy with just a cooler between the cab chairs. If we eventually go to a 12V fridge, we'll probably need another battery which doesn't make economic sense for what we use the van for

Sorry about the delay. I don't bring much non-obvious stuff, but here are some thoughts that I think are helpful.

1. Have zip-ties and have them handy. You can fix so much stuff in a pinch with a zip tie, from busted fairings to securing a paper towel/rag around a fork if your seal leaks to any number of other things. Of course all of this is useless if the zip ties are buried deep in your bags. I keep a few in the Camelbak I ride with for easy access.
   
   
2. If you're mechanically inclined at all, bring a handful of your most used tools. Most bikes have 3 or 4 typical sizes for allen keys, sockets, and screw drivers. You don't need much (you aren't going to rebuild anything on the side of the road) but quickly tightening a loose fastener on the go beats waiting until you get to town or having to ask a shop to tighten a bolt for you. Like the zip-ties, these should be your quickest/easiest access things.
   
   
3. Obviously you'll be carrying a phone, but if you're also running a helmet comm system I cannot recommend a USB battery tender enough (even just for a phone it's great). You can charge right off your bike battery if you need some juice in a pinch. It's like $10 and installs in under 10 minutes.
   
   
4. Pack light on clothes and supplies, especially if you aren't camping. You don't need much and you aren't impressing anyone under your helmet and jacket anyway. A lot of AirBNBs and some campgrounds have laundry so you can totally do it on the road if you're gone long enough. The less you have to pack up and strap down each morning, the better.
   
   
5. Stay hydrated. I usually drink a bottle of water or, better yet, fill my Camelbak to drink as I head down the road at each gas stop. You don't usually realize you're dehydrated until you're already there and it's easy to make mistakes at that point.
   
   
6. The most important tip is to be open to changing plans on the fly. Weather, bike issues and recommendations from strangers on the road can really alter your plans but that's what makes it the most fun. I try to set a goal each night for where I want to end up the next day, but having a hand-and-fast rule like "I HAVE to be at this point 2.5 days from now" can really frustrate you if conditions aren't perfect. These trips are nothing if not incredible lessons in adaptability and improvisation.
   
   If you've got more questions about a specific pack list or anything else, feel free to ask.

I feel you friend. I also went camping but did take one of those car jump all in one batteries along with a 12 volt power adapter for my machine. it had worked the previous camping trip for about three to four days just fine. But this time, it died at 1 a.m. the first night and I was awake the rest of the night. I simply cannot sleep without my cpap at this point. The rest of the trip was a misery, next night slept in the passenger seat of my Prius with the CPAP plugged and car on (on but not running). trying to sleep in a seat sucks, but the car turned itself off every hour so it was hardly any better than that first night. I believe the next night I slept in the bed of a truck with a CPAP plugged in in the truck (again, on but not running) through the little back window and it worked much better. Until it rained.

So the NEXT camping trip I got my shit together.

Get a deep marine battery. These are designed to power small things on a boat and are used to the small dribble of electricity over a long period of time. Get a battery box to place it in for safety, and a battery tender to charge it before the trip. You'll want a ring terminal harness to attach to the battery posts, and a female 12 volt adapter to plug your machine into.

The box contains everything safely with just the plugs you want sticking out the slots in the lid, but if there's small children in the camp you may want to ratchet strap it closed to be on the safe side.

I got battery and box at my local walmart. The rest from Amazon.


Female cigarette adapter:
Battery Tender Black 081-0069-8 Female Cigarette Adaptor for Quick Disconnect https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0041CDPQO/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_173UCbVCXJH0M

Ring terminal harness:

Battery Tender 081-0069-6 Ring Terminal Harness with Black Fused 2-Pin Quick Disconnect Plug https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000NCOKZQ/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_7-3UCbPET1K8N

Battery tender to charge your battery:

Battery Tender 12 Volt Junior Automatic Battery Charger https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000CITK8S/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_Ak4UCbQYJBZCA

And of course you'll need to get the 12 volt power adapter. Look up the model maker of your CPAP machine and Google away to see where you can find one. I looked for my manual and then I found the one that was recommended in the manual along with recommendations. Mine recommends I do not use the water chamber when using the 12 volt power adapter due to power consumption and no way am I risking the battery running out of power before the trip is over. I got the adapter from a generic CPAP supplies website.

Good luck! I'm going camping this summer I hope my setup still works!

I usually camp out of state with family and have a few nights in a house before heading home. I always bring a new face mask new filter and even a new hose if I have one as after camping the machine reeks of woodsmoke and it drives me absolutely batty.


Edited to fix oh so many typos.

PS: I will edit the links more pretty when I'm on a desktop sorry about the non pretty formatting

Good to know, hopefully I would be able to rig a panel up to charge a battery like this (since that's what I have :) ). Ideally though, I would be able to run the scope off of the panel as directly as possible. I didn't go into depth in this (which maybe I should have...), but my hope here is to use the panel at solar outreach events that I do (schools, camps, general things) to show how directly useful solar can be, as well as how (relatively) easy and cheap it is to set up a very small array, or just buy a charging pack off the shelf. Where I am (Southwest CONUS) we get a lot of sunlight, and something like this is just about affordable enough that, for example, someone who goes to a campground for a week could bring it along to power a coffeemaker or charge their phone/laptop, without having to worry about running their car battery down or whatever.

Leaching onto parent question:
Say i had a 12V car battery like this

and a blower fan like this or more simply an oscilating fan like this

How do I figure out how long the battery would let the fan run on a single charge? As in not hooked up to solar or the car battery.

Any help with how to calculate this would be very appreciated, a fan seems very crucial

https://www.amazon.com/STANLEY-PPRH5-Professional-Power-Station/dp/B0051SO7JQ

This has been a lifesaver
My BIL left it here a few months ago. Harvey started coming so I charged it up.
It's great because it has an inverter so we can plug in appliances. It's not going to last forever but it's helped us get by without power.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B01D42TYFC/ref=psdcmw_318336011_t3_B005IU28AW

I also had this sitting in my car.
We're using it to charge our phones.
We've barely made a dent in it's capacity.

I've also got some backup powerpacks for my phones.
Also two backup batteries for the internet modern that we use intermittently to check the weather.
It's weird that the power is out but internet still works.

With as advanced as battery technology has gotten, I'd recommend investing in a lot.
Our neighbor down the street has power and is letting us charge what we need to.
I think it's getting near the point where it money wise to buy batteries instead of a generator.
A good generator needs a steady supply of gas and my personal experience shows that gas is one of the first resources to run out.
It also needs to run outside but under cover which isn't really an option with this damn monsoon that's moved in.

I didn't really plan on using backup power. We just couldn't get our hands on a generator.
I'm glad we had this powerpack.
I'm going to buy a few more with higher capacities. Enough to run a fridge off of.

I've already got a dedicated charger for it, looks like the inverter is probably the best plan. So picking up one of these guys - http://www.amazon.com/Battery-Tender-081-0069-8-Cigarette-Disconnect/dp/B0041CDPQO/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1462991533&sr=8-2&keywords=usb+to+cigarette+lighter+adapter - to go with the inverter and the standard usb adapter is probably going to be my best bet.

I appreciate the help!

You are right about needing in the neighborhood of 50 AH (ResMed battery guide @ https://www.resmed.com/us/dam/documents/articles/198103_battery-guide_glo_eng.pdf if you haven't seen it yet).

The 12 volt scooter batteries are usually 35 AH so that's close but not quite. Two linked together would do it, or look at the 12v 55AH SLA batteries (example https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B00K8V2LZI). I like the AGM/SLA batteries better than the regular deep cycle because they are sealed (non-spillable) lead acid instead of flooded.

Then just make sure you order the ResMed DC adapter and you should be good to go. It might be nice to have a cigarette adapter with eyelet terminal instead of the alligator clips version that comes with the ResMed DC adapter, here's one for example https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B00G8WLW2Y.

I've been looking into those automatic battery chargers/engine starters for this purpose but what I'd really like is a manual voltage adjust or programmable one so I can be sure that it's indeed charging at the correct voltages for bulk, absorption, and float stages of whatever battery gets hooked up. After learning a bit about all this I'm not sure I trust the garden variety auto battery charger. Also if I'm not mistaken the amperage rating on them needs to be higher to charge in any reasonable amount of time? The 1A battery tender type charging devices seem like they might take a long time? Perhaps someone has some experience with this and can chime in on a good solution for us.

Many battery maintainers use the Battery Tender style of harness, like this item. It's nowhere near 4 or 6 gauge, more like 14 gauge max (higher number = smaller wire).

If you want to use 4 gauge jumper cables that's totally OK, bigger is better. But your battery maintainer probably doesn't put out more than 1 - 2 A, maximum which is safely and easily handled by that Battery Tender harness.

A typical (small) car battery will have at least 60 Ah of capacity at 12V nominal, meaning the battery has about 720 Watt-hours of capacity. An existing phone charger which is significantly larger than the magic plastic box has 15 Ah of capacity at 3.7 volts, or about 56 watt-hours of capacity (7.8% of the car battery).

Now let’s talk about boost converters, they will need to boost the internal voltage to about 13 volts to charge the car battery. Something like this 5-amp converter would work. Not only does this take up space but it is expensive, higher currents cost even more and will require fans or large heatsinks to prevent them from burning up. This converter states about a 90% efficiency for a 60W output; This will give us an 7.0% charge of the car battery and will take about 50 minutes to do it.

Not to mention most cars require the ignition to be on or in accessory mode to power the cigarette outlets, the ignition may draw upwards of 20 watts while the accessory mode will likely draw 5-10 watts, significantly reducing your battery charge.

Realistically for the size they show it will probably have about half the capacity of the existing charger I linked. Giving us about 30 watt-hours ( 4.2% of car battery) between this and losses in wires and parasitic draw you could expect about 2-3% charge, insignificant if your battery is actually low or dead.

TL;DR : Best case you could get about 7% charge on your car battery after an hour. If you like the idea get something like this instead, or better yet get one of these and a separate phone charger.

Bonus: This picture.

edit: changed picture link for a single picture instead of the massive combination one on the kickstarter.

> I need to take a look and see if I have the space for it under the hood (probably) but would be best if I could use a battery box in the bed of the truck.

Either way works, but it's a lot more fairly expensive wire to get back to the bed.

This is what I'm using (or something really similar): http://www.amazon.com/Smart-Dual-Battery-140A-Isolator/dp/B00400IYTK/ref=sr_1_8?ie=UTF8&qid=1416450132&sr=8-8&keywords=battery+isolator

Yeah, cheap chinese stuff. But it's been fine for a couple of years so I don't feel like it owes me anything. Expect that much more in properly sized cable and cable ends.

I had this and all the accessories on a previous plow truck: http://www.hellroaring.com/bic75150.php

It's really nice, but more than I wanted to spend for the foul weather/off road toy the new setup is on.

Get a cheap hanging shoe organizer and hang it from your easy up, you can store your snacks and stuff in it!

If you have the funds get a utility battery that can jump a car, I use one to keep 10+ phones topped up for the majority of the weekend. This is a newer model of the one I have.

Firefly lights a great way to illuminate the camp at night and one use of the batteries should last all weekend as long as you turn them off during the day.

Easy ups are usually 40-50 bucks at Dick’s sporting goods. Although my one regret is getting one with a larger footprint than the covered area (legs are angled outward). The ones that have the same covered area as the foot print (legs go straight up and down) are much better, especially when combining a few easy ups together!

All I got for now

OK, should these things happen again, here are some things you should keep in the trunk.

A tire inflator that plugs into your cigarette lighter. It won't help much with larger leaks, but for smaller ones it'll let you reinflate the tire long enough to get to an auto shop.

If you want to plug a leak, you'll need a tire repair kit. This isn't as simple to use as the inflator (you'd want to practice or at least see it done first), but it's not rocket science either. A word of caution though: the needles used in those kits have been known to break, so don't do what that guy did at 2:48 where he was lucky not to give himself a vasectomy.

If the nail or whatever is still in the tire, then you'll need something like vice grips to pull it out. If it's not in the tire, then you'll need the inflator to push air in and some (preferably soapy) water to see pour on the tire and see bubbles where the air is coming out.

And since this kit is $6 and has plugs to fix four flats and a shop will charge you $5 to fix one, it doesn't take that long to start saving a few bucks.

A set of jumper cables. Honestly, I don't know why dealerships don't put this in every car that drives off the lot. Here's how to use them correctly. With these, you won't need to call AAA for (most) dead batteries, just find some kind soul willing to let you jump off of their car. For jumper cables there's a few things you want to look for:

• Made of 100% copper. Cheaper ones are made of aluminum or aluminum with a copper shell. Those don't work as well, and they break easier.
  
• Longer is better. After all, they're no good if they won't reach!

I've investigated this problem a little bit too for my backcountry photographing. I think the easiest solution is just to buy several batteries, they are very small and light and last quite awhile (the AW100 manual says 250 shots). I have a camera with a very similar battery (Canon SX260hs) and on a recent overnight trek I took 120 pictures over two days and made hardly a dent in the one battery I had (I think it still showed as 100%).

If you can find a good camera that uses AA batteries numerous solar chargers exists for those, such as this. You could have such a thing on the outside of your pack all day charging and have a couple sets of batteries. I don't know how good of a camera you could get that uses AAs though.

Trying to rig some sort of charger from a panel to a Li-ion battery would be tricky and I wouldn't want to mess with that myself, and I'm an electrical engineer. Li-ions have a tendency to explode.

Do they make usb chargers specifically for that camera battery? A possible unique option would be the biolite campstove which burns plant matter for both cooking food and usb charging. I've never used it though and I don't know how much charging you'd get.

As I said, I think the path of least resistance is just to get like 4 batteries and call it good.

I know it won't help you immediately, but if you're willing to "throw $20 at somebody" for a jump, just buy one of these:
http://www.amazon.com/Jump-N-Carry-JNC300XL-Ultraportable-Starter-Light/dp/B000XQ9MGE

$65 and it's insanely useful. I just had to use mine last week for the first time and it was super fast and easy, and it still had its charge from last winter.

At first I only used this Cardo Scala G4 which installs into almost any helmet. Now I mainly use it just for music. The playback controls are super easy.

Very recently I added a Battery Tender cigarette adapter along with this Ram Handle Bar Base and my existing Ram X-Grip Mountwith a 1" socket arm. I just took it on a good 2 day ride and loved it completely.

I'm thinking about building my own solar power generator using 'B' grade solar cells from eBay (<$1/watt) and a ~$100 12V deep cycle battery (an understanding of electronics and soldering is required to DIY), but as a solo attendee, I'm a little concerned about transporting 'too much stuff' from my car to Dreamville in a small collapsible cart as well as my 'footprint' as a single attendee (in a 5'x7' tent with privacy shelter/shower).

If you interested in the technical details, I'm looking at 2 or 3 ~60-65W panels and a ~10mAH battery. Total weight should be about 40-50lbs with panels, mounting frame and battery. Total cost for DIY: ~$300-400 plus 12-36hrs of assembly time.

The solar array 'frame' is another concern - I considered building a PVC frame covered by a solar reflective tarp around my tent to block that ugly morning sun/heat, but if I plan to integrate a solar array into the frame, my PVC must be strong enough (and pointed in the correct direction to collect sunlight) to support my array.

I already have a schaumacher xp2260, but I want to make sure that I have enough juice for 4 nights.

I've been thinking about this problem for a month so I'm anxious to hear some input from 'festival veterans'.

I'd recommend a full size Traxxas Slash, Bandit, or Mini Revo/slash.

https://www.amazon.com/Traxxas-70054-1-Wheel-Drive-Course/dp/B00BSG0D4I/ref=sr_1_10?s=toys-and-games&ie=UTF8&qid=1501690614&sr=1-10&keywords=traxxas+slash 1/16 slash

https://www.amazon.com/Traxxas-58024-Course-Discontinued-manufacturer/dp/B00CYG39ME/ref=sr_1_16?s=toys-and-games&ie=UTF8&qid=1501690732&sr=1-16&keywords=traxxas+slash Full sized slash

You will need to get a battery charger, but there's some pretty cheap ones that will do a better job than the stock Traxxas one and do it much faster.

https://www.amazon.com/Recoil-NiMH-20W-Peak-Charger/dp/B01GQJG3OU/ref=sr_1_5?s=toys-and-games&ie=UTF8&qid=1501690879&sr=1-5&keywords=Radient+charger Cheap NiMH charger

https://www.amazon.com/Traxxas-2970-EZ-Peak-Charger-Identification/dp/B00OAFYLJC/ref=sr_1_2?s=toys-and-games&ie=UTF8&qid=1501690937&sr=1-2&keywords=traxxas+charger NiMH and Lipo charger, will work either way with NiMH or Lipo batteries and is very easy and straight forward to use, plug the battery in and hold the glowing blue button that lights up for few seconds and it charges the battery.

Hey so my setup is a bit cheaper than the one below, but same concept:

I have an inverter with alligator clips on it that has at least 300 watts (you can gather things you think you would use and add up the watts to see your needs):
https://www.amazon.com/POTEK-Inverter-Adapter-Charging-Smartphone/dp/B01FEUD9OO/ref=sr_1_9?s=automotive&ie=UTF8&qid=1504464365&sr=1-9&refinements=p_72%3A1248861011


Then I have a marine deep cycle battery (I actually have two because I use them for other stuff also):
I can't find the exact one, but it is just Deep Cycle marine battery 12 volts and about 100 amp hours rated, they are about $75-100 at Costco or Walmart.

If you search for 24DC or the larger 27DC Marine battery you will find them.


Then of course you need a charger, I love this one, but there are others:
https://www.amazon.com/BLACK-DECKER-BC15BD-Battery-Charger/dp/B00KNMKRU8/ref=pd_bxgy_263_3?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=B00KNMKRU8&pd_rd_r=KVPBC0ZVG9ZQGWAPD6HS&pd_rd_w=4Xk7X&pd_rd_wg=SRKI5&psc=1&refRID=KVPBC0ZVG9ZQGWAPD6HS


You just clamp on the inverter and you are all set, instant power supply :)


Edit: you could also get one of these and use your car charger with it, it might extend the life of the big deep cycle battery since you don't have to run the inverter

The least expensive useful solar power generator is probably this [$228.99 128 wH Monerator Gusto 10 Eco Kit with a 10W solar panel ] (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00HUMZV6Y/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B00HUMZV6Y&linkCode=as2&tag=battleforthew-20).

You can plug it in and recharge it before you take it out into the field.

The batteries are li-ion, so it's not a huge lead acid brick.

I have a couple of lead acid power packs ([this one] (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004EIAADG/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B004EIAADG&linkCode=as2&tag=battleforthew-20) and [this one] (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00005RHQQ/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B00005RHQQ&linkCode=as2&tag=battleforthew-20)), but they are so heavy I don't take them anywhere.

It would be a challenge to build anything less expensive than this.

Hope this is helpful and best of the holidays!

This sort of laptop is quite cumbersome and will require external batteries. I recommend purchasing several heavy duty batteries such as this one. You will also need to purchase something like this. Best of luck with your mobile gaming experience.

You're most welcome! I bought the following:

4x100W Panels

Panel Mounting

Solar Panel Connectors

Tool Crimper

Assembly Tool

Panel Connectors

Power Information

CTEK Charger

CTEK SmartPass

200ah AMG Battery

Fuse Block

300W Pure Sine Wave Inverter

LED Strip

Dometic 35 Fridge


I bought all these items with research into my solar needs and following the advice from here in the vandwelling subreddit and also information I gathered from Amazon. I am probably doing a bit of overkill on my solar setup but I thankfully have the money to do it and don't want to mess with adding anything later.

I will have to do research myself on how to combine the four panels into the battery but that will be a few weeks away so I haven't done much in that area. I do plan to buy 10GA wire from Lowes and use the crimping tool and connectors to form my own wiring harness so it will be clean looking. \

EDIT: Adding info.

out of all the camping fests ive went to over the years, forest is the most on-top of their porter poties. i schedule my bowl-movements with the clean-up crew (last year, 8am and then 5pm. judge me) at camp and in the forest, there are some nicer porter potties near sherwood court that had AC and lights, but in the venue only/VIP. as for electricity, get a portable external like [this] (https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B000JFJLP6/ref=psdc_318336011_t1_B000JFHNQA) and for lights, just make sure it runs on AA batteries, such as [this] (https://smile.amazon.com/Outdoor-Battery-Operated-dimmable-Waterproof/dp/B01AWG1SLG/ref=sr_1_4?s=home-garden&ie=UTF8&qid=1494260079&sr=1-4&keywords=battery+powered+lights). remember, it is only 4 days so you'll be able to take as many hot showers/eat as much good food you want after the fact <3

It's kinda like trying to weigh a letter for postage with a scale set up on a trampoline full of kids. It's bouncing up and down, so it looks like the letter weight is going up and down because it doesn't have a stable reference point because it's getting noise from the power line.

Laptop, you'd have to find a DC adapter for that model of laptop. Dell used to make some, not sure about other brands. They are kinda pricey considering you already have the inverter.

For phones, there are a couple different charge technologies, but they are all USB (sort of). Normal 5v USB is limited to 0.5 amps, so it charges slow. There is a higher power 5v USB, which is I believe 1.1 amps, and then there are USB charging adapters that put out somewhere around 2 amps. 2 amps is about the limit for the cable, so to charge faster than that they have what are called 'quick charge' adapters, which operate at voltage higher than 5v, either 9 or 12v depending on the device being charged.

Most of them are wall adapters, so I'm assuming that's what you mean by 'mains charging [was] faster'. But, they do make [DC quick chargers] (https://www.amazon.com/dp/B019OSX8UC?psc=1&smid=A142BGUZC6UH73) that will charge just as fast as the wall. It will also be more efficient than firing up a 1kw inverter to step it up to mains voltage to run a 30ish watt switching power supply that converts it back down to 5/9/12v. I'm not recommending that specific model; it seems to have good reveiws but I've never used that specific one.

Just make sure your phone supports quick charge, and know that there is quick charge, qc2.0 and qc3.0. They should be backwards compatible (it would charge at the highest voltage that both support), but I'm not 100% certain on that. You'd also need some way to connect that to the battery, something like this.

>Hmm, it seems as though if I'm going to need a toggle switch for the solenoid I might as well save myself the money and the hassle and just get one of those large manual isolator switches. Unless you disagree.

they both do the same thing, but i would go with a solenoid personally. however, there's another option that i noticed we haven't talked about, and that is an automatic isolator. something like this : https://www.amazon.com/WirthCo-20092-Battery-Doctor-Isolator/dp/B0058SGDFK/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1486427671&sr=8-1&keywords=automatic+battery+isolator

(take note of the wiring diagram picture on that amazon listing, it may help you).
an automatic isolator like that will automatically charge your deep cycles once the starting battery is charged up, and prevent the deep cycles from discharging your deep cycles. unlike with a solenoid or manual isolator switch, there is no chance of you forgetting to disconnect the deep cycles batteries and accidentally draining your starting battery. i would highly recommend going with something like this - it is simpler to wire up AND will be more user-friendly once installed.

>If I do in fact skip the solenoid I would imagine I would place the isolator switch on the positive wire from the deep cycle battery to the car starting battery.

Correct

>If I keep everything wired as you laid out in the diagram above, would I be able to charge my deep cycle batteries without draining my car battery AND without actually starting my car? Ehh now that I write that out it doesn't make any sense. fuck

yea the car has to be running, the alternator is what actually does the charging and its not going to put out and power unless the engine is running.

All you need is this

12V 140 Amp Dual Battery Smart Isolator by KeyLine - VSR - Voltage Sensitive Relay Specially Designed for ATV, UTV, Boats, RV's, Campers 5th Wheels Off Road Vehicles Rhino Polaris Artic Cat ETC https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00WTAFR84/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_eLiTCb1ZJ236P

Also a battery and at least 10gauge wire.

In no specific order:

Put the isolator in the engine bay and connect the positive to the positive on the battery. Ground the ground wire or use the negative terminal

Run wire from the isolator to the battery positive terminal. Ground the 2nd batteries negative terminal.

Run a wire from the positive 2nd battery terminal to the positive inverter terminal. Ground the negative on the inverter.


Profit.

It’s really easy overall. Very little skill required.

Wow! Thank you you've answered all my questions about power needs.

Now all I need to figure out is details of actual wiring and construction.

Is it really as simple as this diagram would imply? Can I hook a fan like this one up to it directly or would I need an intermediary?

Would I be able to split it off into a car power thingy to charge phones and the like?

Thank you again.

*Forgot the fan. Also do you know if 90CFM is enough airflow for an air cooler? From the tutorials I've seen it should be, but more I'm thinking would be better, no?

Battery tenders are really great at keeping already good batteries good, but they don't work well for actually charging a battery. I have a trailer, dirt bikes and a car I don't drive often on battery tenders but I have a dedicated battery charger in with my tools. I'm using this Black and Decker unit that I really like and it also has a trickle charger.

BLACK+DECKER BC15BD 15 Amp Bench Battery Charger with 40 Amp Engine Start and Alternator Check https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00KNMKRU8/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_VrheAbSWKK9S2

https://www.amazon.com/Schumacher-XP2260-Instant-Portable-Source/dp/B004EIAADG

I'd recommend this if you have the budget for it. It's also useful to jump start your car in case... My employees use this at the camping festivals they go to, to charge their batteries. Either that or just buy extra sets of batteries to last you a week along.

Aside from that, possibly some portable chargers, or a portable charger with an efficient solar panel to recharge that as well if you have any mods with internal batteries.

If you decide to snake the extension cord, you can clean that up by keeping it close to the house and using lawn staples like these to pin it close to the ground. Make sure to use 6-12" ones. The 4 inchers probably won't stay in the ground too well.

Amazon has a lot of listings for LED solar and battery-powered string lights. The solar ones have mixed reviews because they won't stay on for many hours unless the panel gets hit with light for most of the day. I'm looking at possible purchasing these that are battery operated. But if you want maximum brightness, you'll have to use an outlet.

Another option are portable power supplies. You'll see those cost a lot more than an extra long extension cord and can be stolen easily.

Yes, SAE is what battery tender's use to trickle charge, buy one of these and it will let you tap power to charge your phone or GPS.

http://www.amazon.com/Battery-Tender-081-0158-Disconnect-Charger/dp/B00DJ5KEF4/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1412858538&sr=8-1&keywords=SAE+to+usb

I personally use this instead so I can plug it up at the triple tree.
http://www.amazon.com/Weatherproof-Charger-Socket-Battery-Tender/dp/B00HQ5KY8U/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1412858538&sr=8-4&keywords=SAE+to+usb

Here is another that goes from SAE to cigaret
http://www.amazon.com/Battery-Tender-081-0069-8-Cigarette-Disconnect/dp/B0041CDPQO/ref=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&qid=1412858538&sr=8-6&keywords=SAE+to+usb


They are very useful when going on long trips when you don't know the roads. I love having the ram mount.
http://ducati1199.com/ducati-1199/18926-ram-mount-iphone-2.html

3 questions, please bear with me!

1. Anyone have experience with the low frequency AIMS 1250w inverter / charger? I've seen alot about AIM's other units, but not this. Thoughts? Also, after looking through the manual, still having a tough time figuring out the right fuse size.
   
   ​
   
   
2. Also considering using the Wirthco battery doctor instead of the Keyline 140amp battery isolator because of the jump start ability. What do you think?
   
   ​
   
   
3. I've seen alot of people attach to the CCP points on the ford transit. Any reason more people aren't just going straight to the battery terminal?
   
   ​
   
   Thanks for the help
   
   ​

Alternators give out anywhere from 60-130 Amps, depending on what model came with your van. A single 100W solar panel, laid out flat, is going to produce in the neighborhood of 80W for about 5 hours on a good sunny day, or roughly 400W per day. Even the smallest available alternator will produce twice that much energy in an hour of driving per day.

If you are going to charge your "house" battery off of your alternator, be sure you get a battery isolator circuit that will prevent your house electronics from draining your starter battery. Something like this: http://www.amazon.com/Smart-Dual-Battery-140A-Isolator/dp/B00400IYTK

when you buy a battery tender it will come with a lead for connecting to the battery, as well as a lead that has battery clamps/clips on it for temporary charging.

this "lead" has two wires on one end and a fitting like the USB adapter in /u/afeagle1021's post (except it is the MIRROR IMAGE of that fitting). The two wires will go on your battery terminals (aka posts) via loops installed on their ends that go around the battery terminal screws, where you bike's electrical system makes it's contact with the battery.

there is an indicator for polarity on at least one of the wires, make sure it is attached to the corresponding battery terminal. then you plug your bike into the tender overnight and plug the usb adapter in when you need to power your phone when you are riding.

you might need to get creative about how you run your usb cable if you want it secured and out of the way.

Link to lead sold without tender

Link to Battery Tender Jr.

Oh wow thanks for the detailed explanation!! I have one of those basic ones like this: https://www.amazon.com/Battery-Tender-081-0069-6-Terminal-Disconnect/dp/B000NCOKZQ/ref=pd_bxgy_263_img_2?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=B000NCOKZQ&pd_rd_r=FEPFCNGTVQGZ1AS6BW9E&pd_rd_w=eRr1U&pd_rd_wg=vLNJB&psc=1&refRID=FEPFCNGTVQGZ1AS6BW9E

Have you ever tried them?

I imagine you could connect to the ignition circuit. GPS and cell phone chargers don't draw that much power, I'm pretty sure you would be okay. I'm not 100% certain though, maybe toss a thread up in XLForums, or ask /u/gunslinger_006, he is the resident Sportster expert IMO. Wherever you add the wire, ensure to fuse it properly.

Edit for what I do on my sporty: I have a battery tender lead tucked behind my fuse panel cover, and I got a 12 volt socket adapter for my tender plug. I keep it in my saddle bag, and charge up when I need to :-)

I've been very happy with the Battery Tender brand. I have a friend who uses this on his boat (it's designed not to overchage).

http://www.amazon.com/Battery-Tender-021-1163-Solar-Maintainer/dp/B004Q83TGO/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1416250584&sr=8-1&keywords=battery+tender+solar

We use a traditional (plug in) tender on my wife's car. A fairly common setup is to permanently connect the terminals to the battery and then run the leads somewhere more convenient, like out the grill or fender. It makes connecting/disconnecting a lot more convenient.

http://www.amazon.com/Battery-Tender-081-0069-6-Terminal-Disconnect/dp/B000NCOKZQ/ref=pd_bxgy_auto_text_z

Items used:

Battery SAE Connector $6
SEA connection that has 4 plugs. If I need to hook up a battery charger or air compressor it's nice.

USB Power $10 I used one for the phone itself and one for the hub, however you only need one. I just didnt not want the amplifier taking power away from charging the phone. Redundancy is nice too. Extra USB ports for whatever.

USB Hub $7 For all the gadgets.

USB Phone Power Cable $5 This is the real weak point in the setup. I've gone through a lot of these. monoprice.com is good for really cheap cords.

[Phone Audio output(between phone and amplifier)] (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00F9KUF7O/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o03_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1)
$7 Quality cord here. Purchased for the right angle plug.

[Amplifier]( http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B005HJWWW8/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o07_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 $28
Amplifier output connection: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00007FGU7/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o07_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1) $30 After not being able to hear very well with no amplifier, this greatly improved the experience.

Helmet coil cord $5 With this cord you never know the cord is there until you get off the bike and it will break away.

Helmet speakers: $10 I found a great deal on ebay for some "hoodie" speakers and I epoxied them in the helmet. You could always use this setup with earbuds too, but I was never fond of getting them pulled out while riding.

Phone mount $35 I would trust it will an $800 phone.

Total Cost w/ Phone Mount: $ 115

The battery size and solar size is fine.

Save a ton of cash and power using my fridge design linked here:

https://www.reddit.com/r/vandwellers/comments/4efrgd/creating_an_effective_and_ultraefficient/

I've measured it to use about 12-15 AH per day or 0.5-0.63A per hour. Simply change the digital thermostat setting to below freezing to turn it back into a freezer.

Easily replaced by solar though it depends where you are. Even in winter you should at least get around 1A per hour from a 200w panel during daylight hours.

A 10A or 20A version of this EPSOLAR MPPT controller is a good solid choice.

https://www.amazon.com/EPEVER-Charge-Controller-Tracer-Display/dp/B01G41315O/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1481751447&sr=8-3&keywords=1210A&th=1

Use one of these to link your domestic battery to the engine:

https://www.amazon.com/Battery-Smart-Isolator-KeyLine-Chargers/dp/B00WTAFR84/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1481751516&sr=8-1&keywords=vsr

Thank you! This is really helpful for me. I think I'll go with your approach of using a 12v socket USB adapter (most likely in the glove box); I don't want to risk a shoddy cable giving me problems when it's really hot/cold.

I'm relatively inexperienced when it comes to electronics/car customization, so pardon any trivial questions.

• Is a fuse tap required if there is a vacant fuse slot in the fuse box?
  
• How can I identify the correct fuse slot/amperage that I need for the dashcam (or any accessory for that matter)?
  
• Is it worth purchasing a pry tool set for running the wires?
  
• Assuming I use an "always on" fuse slot (so I'm able to use parking mode on the dashcam), is there concern that it could drain the battery?
  
• If so, are there in-line protective devices that would prevent this, or is this an altogether incredibly unlikely event? (something like this?)
  
  Shopping List:
  
  
• Fuse tap
  
  
• 12v Socket Plug
  
  
• Anker 2port USB car charger
  
  
• 15ft micro USB to USB cable

just to add to this solution - i did the same, but wired in a battery tender connector. like this: http://www.batterystuff.com/battery-cables-connectors-plugs/BTLR081-0069-6.html

Then, bought a cigarette light outlet that uses that same connector, like this: http://www.amazon.com/Battery-Tender-081-0069-8-Cigarette-Disconnect/dp/B0041CDPQO

That way, when you park your bike, you can easily connect a battery tender. Then, when you head out, plug in the cigarette lighter to enable your phone charger.

Everyone seems to be recommending rather small batteries, and its a decent size case, so it can fit quite a lot of watt/hrs.

For the price you cant beat SLA, so I would recommend a small car/motorcycle battery. I run an Odyssey PC680 in my "race car", and I think that battery would fit perfectly, with enough room for wiring in charging ports. The battery is 7 1/16" in length, 3" wide, and
6 9/16" tall.

Thanks for the help!! Probably going to to use this one: https://www.amazon.com/WirthCo-20092-Battery-Doctor-Isolator/dp/B0058SGDFK/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1482931643&sr=8-3&keywords=battery+isolator

Seems good? I doubt my alternator is rated at like 200 amps, it SHOULD be 100...... O_O. Ford Van. Econoline.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B000JFJLP6/ref=s9_simh_gw_d0_g263_i1?pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_s=mobile-1&pf_rd_r=1B2X3DQKS1CBDT41CV37&pf_rd_t=36701&pf_rd_p=1824974342&pf_rd_i=mobile

This is a good one. Definitely worth the price. I've rarely had issues with these. They're currently on sale on Amazon as well.

Yes, this is the isolator I bought. So, I think I'm doing it right, but not sure.

edit: Also checked the amps and my van has a 105-145 amp alternator. Not sure which one, but positive it's one of the two, and that works with 150amps so I guess I'm all good.

https://www.amazon.com/Battery-Tender-081-0158-Disconnect-Charger/dp/B00DJ5KEF4?ie=UTF8&*Version*=1&*entries*=0
is a great way to charge electronics. For camping entertainment or just otherwise. Also look for camp sites with good hiking or hotsprings nearby. Nothing is better than soaking after a full days ride.

K) I also need a phone mount and how the F do you get a charger or "cigarette lighter" to keep the phone charged for the Waze.

Battery Tender 12 Volt Junior Automatic Battery Charger https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000CITK8S/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_aJygDb3YPNVR9

Battery Tender 081-0158 Quick Disconnect Plug with USB Charger https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00DJ5KEF4/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_PHygDbY6Z9FSG

That gives you a charger and a battery tender.


I have this mounted to the dash extender on my Dyna:
SCOSCHE MAGDMB MagicMount https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00I608BJ8/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_lKygDb5V5QAWE
It's been rock solid for years (the tank is higher than the phone so wind doesn't catch it) and it's not mounted to the handlebars where it can distract me or vibrate loose. My post history has pictures but I've never seen a Sportster with a tank mounted dash so you'd have to stick it on the paint.

And this in the windshield of my truck too:
SCOSCHE MAGHDGPS MagicMount https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00Q69U8YM/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_aLygDb46TW35Y


For etiquette, I keep just about everything to a quick wave or beep-beep at most. If I happen to see some others, I usually just fall in line with them as far as our paths are the same. I ride in the back of the group and keep about the same amount of space the rest of the group has. If they ride side to side, I get as close as I feel comfortable (and that isn't side by side lol). If they're staggered, I stay staggered too. Stop lights are different. Pull right up next to them and give them a quick head nod or maybe a compliment lol

When driving, I charge off the 12v lighter plug on the dash board with a small inverter. Like this one. Having two plugs plus USB is really useful. I always unplug it when parked though so as not to drain the car battery. Using this, I make sure my laptop batter is at full charge when I park for the night. https://www.amazon.com/BESTEK-300W-Power-Inverter-Adapter/dp/B004MDXS0U/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1503271065&sr=8-1&keywords=12v+inverter+to+120v

At night, or when parked for a couple of days, I use something like this: https://www.amazon.com/Jump-N-Carry-JNC660-1700-Peak-Starter/dp/B000JFJLP6/ref=sr_1_7?ie=UTF8&qid=1503270823&sr=8-7&keywords=car+jump+battery+pack

There are many makes and models of this kind of thing. The one I purchased was on sale at Harbor Freight. I recharge it with an extra long extension cord, depending on my stops/sleeping locations (not too hard to find places to plug in most of the time). It charges phones, tablet, and laptop. Plus, I have something just in case I am alone and the minivan does need a jump, or I meet someone who needs one.

I also use a solar powered light that will also charge my phone if needed. It sits on the dash board to charge up and then I can use it at night. I found a deal on it on Amazon Warehouse. https://www.amazon.com/WakaWaka-Light-Solar-Powered-Flashlight-Yellow/dp/B00W6NTLXG/ref=sr_1_1?s=automotive&ie=UTF8&qid=1503270978&sr=1-1&keywords=waka+waka

I also carry two small battery packs (great for air travel too) that charge using the USB plug on the inverter. I make sure they are fully powered all the time.

I'm sure other folks have other ideas about how to do this without solar. I'm curious about what those might be too.

Depends on how big you dont mind it being. The anker ones are good 600 and 400 amps and fit in a glove box. I personally have a jump n carry in my truck JNC660. It's large but I've used it dozens of times on my truck and 18 wheeler my generator cars tractors etc. Nothing has failed on it and I highly recommend it if the size isn't a bother.

What kinda charger you want?

I do AAs and AAAs in this http://www.amazon.com/C-Crane-SBC-11-in-1-Battery-Charger/dp/B001BKS3Z2/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1394830367&sr=8-4&keywords=solar+aa+charger

works great, usually 3 hrs of direct sun will do er, even in winter. rain snow and ice don't affect it

• I love clean things and I want to pickup the CX-5 branded all weather floor mats and cargo tray. Is there a better option?
  
  I have the Weather Tech mats and they're awesome.
  
  
  
• When cleaning the inside I planned to only use a microfiber cloth and/or a slightly damp with warm water microfiber. Is there a better way?
  
  I keep a microfiber towel in the glove box for quick wipe downs, but every few weeks or so, I'll use Meguiar's to clean the interior.
  
  
  
• Are there any accessories I might not know about that are must haves?
  
  I have a jump starter just in case anything went wrong! Beyond that, hmm... I'm not entirely sure. I have done some light modding to my CX-5, but nothing that are like, "OH MAN, GET THIS!"

We use the same hmmwv, no armor. There are 2 latches under the passenger seat. One up front, one on the side. Unlatch them and you will be able to lift the seat from the front. caption There is a small gap you will be able to run the wire out once you clipped the leads on the terminals. You could get something like this. This but the wire might not be long enough and the clamps might not be large enough but you get the idea. RadioShack will have all the parts & pieces too. Item of interest; there are 2 batteries under that seat (since it's a 24v system) running in parallel (not series right?) So make sure when you clamp your leads you do them both on the same battery and not the + of one and - of the other bc your charger is meant for 12v. You guys don't have LMTV?

If you ran the battery totally dry, it's hosed. You need a new one.

Now, I don't know the year of your bike, but a 2012 Ninja 650R can use the YUASA YTX12-BS

I used this selection tool

A quick check found it for ~$68 on Amazon

Revzilla recommends a slightly different model for the same 2012 650R for about $112, although I've found Amazon often has them cheaper. Don't trust Amazon to tell you if it'll fit correctly, however. They got it wrong for my Triumph but Revzilla and Yausa both agreed on a part number.

I'd put in your specific Year/Model into one of those two websites and order a dry-charged battery. You'll need to get a trickle charger that'll do 0.75A or 1A at most, and it'll probably take an overnight cycle for the initial charge before you can install it.

Great idea!

This one is by the same company, longer and even cheaper@
http://www.amazon.com/Battery-Tender-Female-Power-081-0069-8/dp/B0041CDPQO/ref=pd_luc_sbs_03_01_t_lh

I just ordered this and I ordered a 12' extension too (I have been using an extension cord)

Thanks!

Yeah, I thought anyone interested in the thread would be! But as soon as I posted the original version with amazon links, it was auto-deleted. Weird.

Oh well, here are my products:

Solar panel: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B017OMTAV6/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pC_nS_ttl?_encoding=UTF8&colid=3NTUA0DGQ65YX&coliid=I2R53I6ASRE7TH&psc=1

Charge controller: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00JMLPP12/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pC_nS_ttl?_encoding=UTF8&colid=3NTUA0DGQ65YX&coliid=IMF9F8IHLJ6EN&psc=1

House battery: http://www.oreillyauto.com/site/c/detail/SSBQ/3478PLT/03321.oap?year=1967&make=Ford&model=Mustang&vi=1332302&ck=Search_03321_1332302_-1&pt=03321&ppt=C0005

Battery isolator: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0058SGDFK/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pd_S_ttl?_encoding=UTF8&colid=3NTUA0DGQ65YX&coliid=I2UYT4LFVI14AN

Van fan: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B002OWAIB8/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pd_S_ttl?_encoding=UTF8&colid=3NTUA0DGQ65YX&coliid=I1Q9S1UN7Z94H7&psc=1

LED lights: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B007JF2A6G/ref=od_aui_detailpages02?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Fuse block: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000K2MBPA/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pC_nS_ttl?_encoding=UTF8&colid=3NTUA0DGQ65YX&coliid=IK1ERB55YT6QX&psc=1

Busbar: https://www.amazon.com/Blue-Sea-MiniBus-Grounding-Terminal/dp/B0058GA4IO/ref=sr_1_11?ie=UTF8&qid=1467345205&sr=8-11&keywords=6+terminal+bus

Main line fuses (inline): https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00WZHE3A4/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pC_nS_ttl?_encoding=UTF8&colid=3NTUA0DGQ65YX&coliid=ICS8GYAQNUJV1&psc=1

What kind of range do you want? 12V battery + adapter + Car FM adapter. Plug in your phone and you can transmit whatever audio you play. Perfectly legal under FCC Part 15 rules.

Edit: fix link

Jump Start boxes are great. They make cheaper and smaller ones, but this "dumb" one (no on/off switch) is perfect when helping out someone with a problem or when you leave the map lights on overnight as long as you cover the terminals and exercise care (as there is no on/off switch)- https://www.amazon.com/Jump-N-Carry-JNC660-1700-Peak-Starter/dp/B000JFJLP6/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1492454578&sr=8-2&keywords=jump%2Bstart%2Bbox&th=1

AAA roadside assistance in the US often carries the exact same box (I assume regular tow trucks do the same). Which I later bought myself and works great and can jump many times before a recharge is needed. But if you get one of the smaller $40 ones to keep in the trunk (take it in the house to give it a re-charge every 4-6 months or after you use it) and your battery is totally dead (vs just low) and you have a V6 or larger engine, I have found that you can make due by: (a) connecting red to red and black to black (vs black to the metal in your car as the instructions generally state), and (b) leaving the thing sitting connected for a few minutes before turning the key so as to trickle in some juice.

With a big old jump box - just connect (I tend to do red to red and black to black instead of the metal in my car) and turn the key for a good clean start even in really cold weather with a dead battery. Between not driving that much, mistakes and helping others, I use my box at least 3x a year.

Brand, no..Your just looking for something like this. (BTW looks like they are significantly cheaper online. ~$70 is what I saw at a Sears auto center and PepBoys
http://www.amazon.com/Premium-Jumper-Booster-Cables-Tangle/dp/B00NT6ELRA/

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00LMLVH4E?psc=1

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00E9ANSGU?psc=1

http://www.amazon.com/FJC-45245-Parrot-Professional-Booster/dp/B004BGXNGW/

Longer length gives you more options, thicker cable and better clamps means your not standing in the rain or cold as long.

What bike? A throttle lock will help a lot. I use this from Vista Cruise. Works well with a little bit of fiddling.

Definitely get a helmet speaker system that can bluetooth to your phone. I use the Sena SMH-10. Worth every penny. You can stream Pandora straight to your helmet and one touch on the control activates the voice dialing function on your phone.

Also a 12v lighter plug for your phone charger will keep the tunes and maps and emergency comms working. I use a cheap lighter socket ($6) that plugs into my battery tender port. I run it into my tank bag where I keep my phone.

I drive cab and our owner changed the rule for that, I'm sure you already have way to much stuff, but these are the bomb.

My bike already had a battery tender cable hooked up, so I got this: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0041CDPQO/ref=oh_details_o04_s00_i00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

And this: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0047T79TA/ref=oh_details_o04_s01_i00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

The USB is super small (barely even sticks out of the cig lighter). I jam this whole thing in my pocket because I use it to power my chatterbox on long rides.

$30 all together, but then you have a battery tender connector, a cig lighter connector, and a USB connector. You can pretty much do anything with that combo.

If your heart isn't set on the 2 gallon tank, try a 3 gallon. It would look good and fill in that gap between the seat and tank. I do 120+ miles on my 48 weekly.

Since everyone is mentioning phones, I use one of these when my phone dies. It will let you charge your phone off of the battery tender connector.

My current battery is an odyssey that I got off amazon. I ride year around, but in Seattle the cold days are only around 40F, so not super cold. It has worked great for me, can be found here; http://amzn.com/B0002ILK6I

Portable battery charger / air compressor. I was actually just thinking about this yesterday when I was inflating these giant plastic bowling pins for the end of a slip and slide. I've used this thing so many times its probably the coolest gift ever. I use it for camping to charge the phones, run the coffee pot, run a fan in the tent. I've used it to jumpstart my car countless times. Now that I have a one year old I use it to inflate all his toys and stroller.

This is the one.

Other than that its nice when someone gets me disc golf or fishing stuff as those are my two main hobbies.

Get these Battery Tender 081-0069-6 Ring Terminal Harness with Black Fused 2-Pin Quick Disconnect Plug https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000NCOKZQ/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_kZ.tzb78XRSC3

Battery Tender 021-0123 Battery Tender Junior 12V, 0.75A Battery Charger will charge and maintain your battery so that it is ready to go when you are! It's lightweight, fully automatic and easy to use https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000CITK8S/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_y4.tzbARX0FQZ

They also sell them as a package at most battery stores. I can't tell by the description if the tender includes the adapter as well.

Every time you get home plug it in and leave it plugged in.

I've had this for over a year and it works great

If you buy a battery tender it comes with one of these that the usb thingy hooks right up to. I just have it hanging out the side of my bike and I can easily tuck it up under the fairings.

In short... yes. Unless you want to replace the battery in a year or so.

A CTEK DS250 (https://www.amazon.com/CTEK-56-677-Automatic-Battery-Charger/dp/B005LBCVL4) is designed to charge the Dual-battery set up properly. I really don't know of many others that do the same thing. There's also the "Smart pass" from CTEK that combine the solar charging into the mix as well. I think it'll also charge your start batt when the house is done also.

You need a smart switch for convenience, in my opinion. They're not that pricey. You can use them to let the power flow from the alternator to both batteries, but prevent power flow from the car battery to your appliances. This way, you'll never get stranded.

And with a smart switch that lets you connect the batteries in parallel with a button press, you can also start the car off the "house" battery pack in case the starter battery goes wonky or you accidentally drain it with a car radio or something.

It also charges your car battery with priority, which is what you want. When you start the van, you want the power you used to start it to be put back in it first, and then charge the house battery pack. You don't want the car battery drained because, again, hello being stranded.

Install it and forget it, basically. Why not do it right while you're installing it in the first place?

https://www.amazon.com/WirthCo-20092-Battery-Doctor-Isolator/dp/B0058SGDFK for example.

There are manual options, relay based options and then fully electronic smart options like this. Go with the smart option.

Good advice! What is your opinion on this? https://www.amazon.ca/Traxxas-Stampede-10-Scale-Monster-2-4GHz/dp/B002XC5SXM/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_product_top?ie=UTF8&coliid=I2YNEJFE81VSUM&colid=5S7OJOAX2GUA

/w battery charger https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B00OAFYLJC/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pC_nS_ttl?_encoding=UTF8&colid=5S7OJOAX2GUA&coliid=I3LD0HUWIXADX3

Thanks again

If you want something longer for convenience go with these http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00E9ANSGU/ref=s9_topr_hm_b13xTR_g263_i1

Since this is /r/frugal though, the shorter the cable the thinner it can be and still carry the same current. So if you want to save some bucks you could go for something like this http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00ELASYIA/ref=s9_simh_hm_b13xTR_d0_g263_i1 (the 12 foot option)

Best solution I have off the top of my head: get yourself a car battery or some other 12v DC power source and use a cigarrette lighter adapter

Then you don't need to buy any new Hero 3 accessories. Or, if you were implying that you want your current backup batteries as the power source, you can probably make use of one of these. Never tried one, but if you can find one that's the right size for the charger you currently have you should be in business.

Thanks for the reply. I was able to get a look at the batteries today to check the connections and noticed one seems to have been leaking. I removed it and so far the system works fine on the remaining battery.

So I'm thinking it developed a crack OR the leak is due to overcharging. How can I figure this out?

Maybe you can help me answer this question: If my batteries were topped off and then I drove for 10 hours, would my battery isolator be overcharging the batteries? And one of them finally quit?

This is the smart isolator I'm using-

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00400IYTK/ref=ask_ql_qh_dp_hza

This is exactly what he said when referencing a battery isolator - "You use it to isolate two batteries and you don't need the solenoid.
Plus it correctly regulates charging. There are variants of the pic so get the correct one for your voltage and current needs. They even make one that will allow your storage battery to boost your starter battery. They cheaper ones do not do this but can be jumped with a bypass switch.

What you have there is a potential fire. Also with 6v batteries, the charging rates can be different. Batteries in a series are always problematic."


But I just to make sure I understand you correctly. This device: https://www.amazon.com/WirthCo-20092-Battery-Doctor-Isolator/dp/B0058SGDFK/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1486427671&sr=8-1&keywords=automatic+battery+isolator

That will cover me in the same way that both the solenoid and the isolator switch will?

Also side note, I plan on purchasing two of these: http://www.genuinedealz.com/blue-sea-systems-5191-fuse-block-for-battery-terminal-fuse

Both, if I am correct, would go on the car battery positive terminal and the golf battery1 terminal.

A battery charger is a great thing to keep in the trunk as well. Here's one example although they have cheaper and more expensive / elaborate models: http://www.amazon.com/Decker-BC15BD-Battery-Charger-Engine/dp/B00KNMKRU8/ref=lp_15707061_1_22?s=automotive&ie=UTF8&qid=1451959575&sr=1-22

We're getting ready to install some/most of our electrical setup. The plan is to charge the house battery via shore and alternator, with the option to add solar in the future. Are these essentially the only charging components I would need? Does the Ctek replace the charge controller? I just found out about it recently.

Samlex Smart Charger (Shore Power)

Ctek D250SA (Alternator/Solar)

A ring terminal harness is this product from battery tender. You can use it with battery maintainer as well as charging accessories like heated gear or a power outlet.

I don't know what conference call is, I'm assuming it's having more than 2 people daisy chained into a conversation. My riding buddies use it but I never have. Only thing I use it for is music and the occasional phone call.

My gloves are completely waterproof as I'm sure many on the market are. I wouldn't worry about a little rain unless it is a downpour where you will be riding all day.

Not hard. Do you want the super easy and lazy way?

Get a battery tender quick disconnect and then get the usb port that plugs directly into it.

Quick disconnect: https://www.amazon.com/Battery-Tender-081-0069-6-Terminal-Disconnect/dp/B000NCOKZQ

USB port: https://www.amazon.com/Battery-Tender-081-0158-Disconnect-Smartphone/dp/B00DJ5KEF4/ref=pd_sim_263_3?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=B00DJ5KEF4&pd_rd_r=YJ39F7M010D2BW6GZEY0&pd_rd_w=ANaFZ&pd_rd_wg=QpvAv&psc=1&refRID=YJ39F7M010D2BW6GZEY0

Start the vehicle. Use something along the lines of the below device. It makes it so you can add the vehicle battery into the mix. But you never discharge it to far so it's always able to start the engine.

You also put an alarm on the system like the link below that. Also if your decent with electronics... I'm sure something like a raspberry pi or Arduino could be set up so that it would auto start the vehicle on low voltage and shut it back down when the batteries are charged so you don't even need to get up of your batteries run low.

I haven't tried to build the auto start circuit (I did a quick look and didn't find one) but I'm Pretty sure I could set something up in a few days.... shit.... I don't think you'd even need it to be as complex as needing an RPi. You could set up something with a relay. The relay would deactivate below 12 volts and a simple circuit to not re engage the relay after it hits 14 volts across the battery bank..... and honestly a lot of that is in the battery isolator. So you'd set something up so that when the system disconnects the main battery off the network it starts the vehicle and shuts it off once the batteries are charged.


12V 140 Amp Dual Battery Smart Isolator by KeyLine - VSR - Voltage Sensitive Relay Specially Designed for ATV, UTV, Boats, RV's, Campers 5th Wheels Off Road Vehicles Rhino Polaris Artic Cat ETC https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00WTAFR84/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_8I-FDbSS89NYW


12V Lead Acid Battery Capacity Meter Voltage Tester Multifunction Voltmeter Battery Capacity Indicator with Low Voltage Alarm Function https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07MXJ64TV/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_cL-FDbX0F9XWF

Yeah, everyone who wants to maintain their battery (especially for storage and through cold weather) should put it on a battery tender. $40 will save you a new battery and many headaches.

Plus, you can get a usb adapter for the quick-disconenct that comes off your battery, or a voltage meter to check your battery status.

Nothing stopping you from buying a jump starter and charging the battery. It might take a while, but it's probably not that dead. i took one of these and just clamped it to the battery: http://smile.amazon.com/Jump-N-Carry-JNC300XL-Ultraportable-Starter-Light/dp/B000XQ9MGE/

fyi i think you are fine jumping from the pig tails. i've done it before. but i don't have your bike. they only use that high current for a couple of seconds. and there's probably a fuse in there anyway.

You really don't want an inverter. That would just go from DC to AC and back to DC again for no reason. Each conversion lowers the efficiency and wastes energy. The inverter would also be more expensive than just buying a 12vDC to 20vDC adapter.

A much better solution would be to get both of these and use them together:

https://www.amazon.com/Roadpro-Battery-Cigarette-Lighter-Adapter/dp/B00065L2D8

https://www.savingology.com/ProductDetails.asp?ProductCode=Car-12V-Apple-MD212LL-A-EGR&click=2&gclid=COC9lOaGs9MCFYdMDQod0LIPTg

The first plug just gives you a cigarette lighter plug at 12vDC. The second will convert the voltage to 20vdc at 4.25A and charge your laptop.

indel B Travel Box 51 liter Fridge.

 

I don't have solar yet; I currently run it directly off the stock starter battery. I've run it overnight a few times and had no issue starting the truck the next day, but just incase I always carry a jump starter. Stock battery obviously isn't deep cycle, so not great to be draining the battery like that, but it works for now.

 

Here's the fridge strapped in to the truck for a trip. Ultimately it will live in the bed of the truck on a slider after I install an aux fuse box back there. Picture of the interior with a Powerade bottle for scale. Great if you like camping with your truck, no ice to worry about, nothing get's soggy as the ice melts and your cooler fills with water.

As far as actual spare parts.... fuses. As far as important travel stuff, well all the normal goodies plus I like to carry one of those portable battery jump packs for cars. But I spent $$$ on a decent one, not the crap at Walmart.


http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000JFJLP6?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_search_detailpage

Looks like the difference is ampere hours and physical size. Amazon says 10 amp hours for the ytx12-bs, 12 amp hours for the ytx14-bs, and 18 amp hours for the ytx20-bs. Just put in your bike and it should tell you what fits, I just got the ytx12-bs for my '08 naked, so will see how well it does in a couple days.

In terms of having something to charge a battery without taking the seat/unscrew everything, you could get him something like what you've linked but I would opt for a SAE connection cable. SAE connections are much more common for accessories (like chargers or USB connectors) than the BMW cigarette style.

This is what I have on my bike for battery tenders and separate USB plugs

https://www.amazon.com/Battery-Tender-081-0069-6-Terminal-Disconnect/dp/B000NCOKZQ/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1498076141&sr=8-1&keywords=battery+tender+cable - $6

You could easily get him this in addition to whatever else.

edit - fixed link

Your VW dealer should be able to get and install a battery tender charger/cycler and install it. You basically plug it into an extension cord and it monitors the battery level and charges it as needed and then cycles it or pulls some power off and replaces it so the battery is "fresh" so to speak. When you start a diesel you draw power off the battery to heat glow plugs to raise the temp in the cylinder and spins the motor over to create compression allowing the fuel to ignite under the cylinder pressure. If its cold this takes more power to do. (this is very over simplified) When the car sits for several days the things that draw power all the time have a cumulative effect on the battery robbing you of amperage needed for starts, quick runs to the grocer don't allow for time to recharge the battery by the alternator. Now if you went out every other day and started the car and let her idle for 15 to 20 minutes then drove till your engine temp came to the operating range then parked you would be fine for another couple days, this isn't practical for you though so you can buy a battery tender instead. I attached the Amazon link of a model we use on our tractors and a military dump truck we have at my ranch in North Carolina it works very well and I have used it for two years. Good luck.

https://www.amazon.com/Battery-Tender-SuperSmart-Constantly-Encapsulated/dp/B000CITKCE/ref=sr_1_7?s=automotive&ie=UTF8&qid=1518881929&sr=1-7&keywords=battery+tender

This is the one I have - https://www.amazon.com/Schumacher-XP2260-Instant-Portable-Starter/dp/B004EIAADG

Works pretty fast, I'd advise getting the male-to-male 12v plug so you can recharge it from your car. Can be used to pump up your tyres too and as a power source so you can use it for other things too (as long as it stays under the max AC power limits) like charging your laptop or phone.

I have something like this up front: https://www.amazon.com/Goodway-Universal-Motorcycle-Waterproof-Rotation/dp/B07BRR9RPM/ref=sr_1_13?ie=UTF8&qid=1550853589&sr=8-13&keywords=motorcycle+phone+mount

The cable runs under the tank all the way back under the rear seat. I cut off the ring terminals and attached this: https://www.ebay.com/itm/Battery-Tender-SAE-DC-Power-Automotive-DIY-Connector-Cables-2x0-75mm-30cm-300mm/142428764913?epid=1238902560&hash=item21296a7af1:g:j6sAAOSwWxNYyOzV:rk:1:pf:1&frcectupt=true

I also have the standard battery ring terminal that comes with the battery tender running from the battery all the way back under the rear seat as well. Basically this from the battery:
https://www.amazon.com/Battery-Tender-081-0069-6-Terminal-Disconnect/dp/B000NCOKZQ/ref=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&qid=1550854062&sr=8-6&keywords=sae+connector

The end result is you have 2 SAE connectors under the seat. One that runs to the battery and one that runs to the USB charger.

If you want to use the the charger you linked and if you already have a cable that is long enough, you can run the cable from the battery to the rear, then loop it around and run it to the front. Under the seat simply cut the red cable and just put any switch of your liking in-line: https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_from=R40&_trksid=p2334524.m570.l1311.R1.TR12.TRC2.A0.H0.Xtoggle+.TRS0&_nkw=toggle+switch&_sacat=0&LH_TitleDesc=0&_osacat=293&_odkw=switch&LH_TitleDesc=0

Let me know if you want more pictures of my setup. I can snap some up (currently the bike has fairings/seat off since I am getting it re-padded).

Links to some of the things I purchased and am happy with:

Weller WES51 Analog Soldering Station


Hakko FX-901/P Cordless Soldering Iron

NOCO GC018 12V Adapter Plug Socket with Eyelet Terminal

Carviya 12V 24V Heavy Duty 16 AWG 15A 20A Male Plug Cigarette Lighter Adapter

/u/SirDigbyChknCasear is right, the Escort 8500 uses 12V according to the manual.

OP, I would get something like this 12V socket, figure out where the radar detector's power cord meets the vehicle's harness (presumably somewhere behind the dash), and splice this in there. Do it properly - either using solder and heat shrink or using appropriately-sized butt connectors. Don't just twist the wires together and slap on some electrical tape. From there, you can plug in the dash cam's power adapter and run its cable separately while still maintaining a fairly clean look. Depending on how the radar detector is turned on and off, you may want to add a switch somewhere.

If the dash cam has a power adapter that isn't just a standard "cigarette lighter" plug, then you can probably wire it in without the 12V socket adapter. I can't help more without more info.

I'm doing exactly this, and I've decided on these two devices...

CTEK D250S

This can server as your alternator to Battery bank charger, as well as your MPPT controller for Solar, its basically a two in one product for the isolator and solar charge controller. /u/brutimus also uses this, and when I asked them the other day, they said they liked it and its working well.

AIMS 1000W Inverter-Charger

This inverter is a beast. It works as a AC to DC 3-stage smart charger, 1000W inverter, AC-passthrough (so that when you are hooked up to AC, you can just use it like normal without draining battery), and has lots of other nice features. There is one feature where if you are out away from an AC hookup and have a generator, once your batteries are drained, it can send a signal to the generator to turn on, keeping your power going, but only after your batteries have been depleted.

Do not cut into or splice off of your wire harness. Get a battery tender pigtail that connects directly to your battery (https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000NCOKZQ/ref=cm_sw_r_sms_apa_-1cAzb8YDMYBC). Then use a 'Battery Tender SAE to USB adapter to plug a USB cable into (https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00DJ5KEF4/ref=cm_sw_r_sms_apa_r3cAzbN5DASR2). This was you can charge you bike when parked for a while and have the freedom to run the USB cable to your bars for your ram mount or into your bags to charge extra gear.

Yes you can. To make it easier by negating the need to pull off the seat or panels to get to the battery, get yourself one of these:

http://www.amazon.com/Battery-Tender-081-0069-6-Terminal-Disconnect/dp/B000NCOKZQ/ref=sr_1_1/185-9216454-3055567?ie=UTF8&qid=1449857423&sr=8-1&keywords=battery+tender+pigtail

I recommend this if you're gonna leave it plugged in, easier than taking off the seat!

Install one of these as well as one of these and you're good to go. That is the setup I have running to my handlebars for my phone while riding. I also installed a switch so I can stop it from pulling power when parked or raining or whatever, you can see the switch glowing red under my seat.

Buy one of these so next time you can restart it yourself and not need anyone to jump your car. I love mine.

This fits the "breaker or switch" suggestion perfectly and is exactly what its for, albeit a bit more expensive than a manual switch ;P

https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B00400IYTK/

I charge my Hero4 using a skeleton case and this adaptor. Works perfectly.

There are two answers to this question, the simple and the not-so-simple.

First, I disagree that the other posters that very low watt Roland amps are useful tools, especially where vocals are concerned. Powering your 15 watt AC required amp is a far better idea for the resulting sound.

Start with something like this :

https://www.amazon.com/Schumacher-XP2260-Instant-Portable-Source/dp/B004EIAADG

If your amp hums or otherwise doesn't like the power this provides, the complicated answer becomes necessary. The power this provides should last around 6-9 hours with a typical 15 watt solid state amp. the resulting sound will have much less distortion than any of the lightweight portables that are sold as busking solutions (With the possible exceptions of the Acus One for Street, AER Compact Mobile though neither of these really qualifies as small or light).

This battery ($65) yuasa or this battery ($41) Chrome pro? Regulator = $45. Stator $100+. Reg and stator combo = $105. So do I even need the stator? Thanks!

Or just get more batteries with a charger kit like this, which I got for my Drift Ghost and really saved my bacon on the long trip I just took. I was able to film and take pictures with a camera mounted helmet and charge the extra batteries in my bag at the same time. They make them for GoPro too.

Might I also suggest a battery tender cable with fuse, SAE to female cig adapter if you don't want to attempt any soldering or rewiring, and to charge your phone and other electronics SAE to usb adapter

I got a 40ah AGM for $140 at Interstate battery not too long ago and it worked perfectly on my last tent camping trip. Got 4 nights of out it without power. No humidifier and heated tube of course. See if there is a dealer local to you. I've seen cheaper AGMs also but this is an investment if you go camping often The dealer also will charge my AGM for free every 6 mo. Get a volt meter to take charge measurements. Grab a cigarette lighter plug hardwire kit that can handle the amps you need and hardwire it to the terminals. The clamps that came with my kit are almost worthless.

POWAAA

https://www.amazon.com/Schumacher-XP2260-Instant-Portable-Starter/dp/B004EIAADG

worked great last year, 120 bucks at Lowes

and a USB charging station to go with

https://www.amazon.com/Desktop-Charging-PowerSmart-Technology-Compatible/dp/B011LSGMT2/ref=sr_1_fkmr0_1?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1486793295&sr=1-1-fkmr0&keywords=anear+usb+charger+strip

I recommend getting leads with quick connect, so you can attach a battery tender if need be.

I also have a 12V/120V to USB adapter with USB cables under my seat so I always have a way to charge my phone on overnight trips.

Something like this: https://www.amazon.com/Battery-Tender-081-0069-8-Cigarette-Disconnect/dp/B0041CDPQO

and then the leads in the add on items.

I have one of these that I could get this fella to connect to. Should be good enough plus it's easy to get the bike's battery charged up if you don't ride for a few weeks.

Wow, I hadn't considered using the bike to charge my phone. Just found that there's a usb adapter that connects directly to the Battery Tender leads.

I'd say battery. Few days ago my ninja was doing the same, ordered a battery tender and now it work perfectly. This is the tender I got, comes with connectors you can screw onto your battery so you can quick connect and charge overnight

Or you can get something like this and charge your phone. I tested to make sure I was getting 12v first with my ride

[Edit] its called a SAE plug

Hmm what else. Try Hog Haven for an awesome relaxed camp ground. Glencoe if ya want to get wild. Beers are expensive, cocktails are even worse. Figure out what type of trip you want. I’ve had trips with lots of riding and sight seeing, trips with lots of drinking and partying. The list of shit to do there is endless. Just go and be down for whatever.

Get one of these for charging your https://www.amazon.com/Battery-Tender-081-0158-Disconnect-Smartphone/dp/B00DJ5KEF4

Great setup.

How tall are you? I’m planning to do this as well.

Try a Battery isolator
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0058SGDFK/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_hHk0CbCAPHH9Z

With it, you can skip solar and still have electricity for your car.

well you dont have to get that exact one there are others like this one

I used to work at a car auction, jump starting hundreds of cars a day. We went through several different brands before settling on these, from Amazon. I had one that lasted through the better part of 2 years, with 2x daily drain/charge cycles, getting thrown off golf carts, cracked, dropped, ran over, etc.

https://www.amazon.com/Clore-Automotive-Jump-N-Carry-JNC660-Starter/dp/B000JFJLP6/ref=mp_s_a_1_4?keywords=jump+starter&qid=1574138847&s=automotive&sr=1-4

There are also a couple of different commercial electronic battery isolators. There's the big diode and heat sink type and the "smart" voltage sensing ones, like: https://www.amazon.com/WirthCo-20092-Battery-Doctor-Isolator/dp/B0058SGDFK
I use one of these to charge a gell cell in my vehicle and like it. I have it in a plastic ammo box with Anderson power poles. I just insert it inline or remove it when I don't need it.

Have you checked out the smart battery isolators? I was looking at 12V 140 Amp Dual Battery Smart Isolator by KeyLine - VSR - Voltage Sensitive Relay Specially Designed for ATV, UTV, Boats, RV's, Campers 5th Wheels Off Road Vehicles Rhino Polaris Artic Cat ETC https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00WTAFR84/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_dL5RCb7Y6P1G0

I also have an AirSense 10 Autoset. The power "brick" provided with the unit is a conventional 120-240 VAC to DC converter. With the Ego Lawn Mower and Inverter you're converting electricity from DC to AC to DC. There will be substantial power-to-heat losses due to less-than-optimum efficiency of the power conversion.

Additionally, the AC output of the Ego Inverter (see manual, page 9) is limited to 150 Watts. At 120 Volts, this means that the current maximum it allows is 1.25 Amp. The maximum current demand that the AirSense 10 requires is 1.50 Amp. This is why the inverter's overheat is being triggered and it cuts power to your APAP; too much current is being demanded by the unit for the inverter's circuitry to handle.

I recommend following Resmed's Battery Guide using stand-alone, deep-cycle batteries.

I take my AirSense 10 camping and I recently purchased the following items, totaling to $205.56

1. $68.99 12V 35AH Group U1 Deep Cycle Scooter Battery
   
2. $11.36 Group U1 Snap-Top Battery Box
   
3. $45.03 Battery Tender Plus 1.25 Amp Battery Charger
   
4. $69.99 Rockpals DC Converter Compatible with S10 CPAP Series
   
5. $10.19 Battery Tender Female Cigarette Adaptor for Quick Disconnect
   
   12V 35AH batteries ship factory-charged. If used with tube heating and humidification switched off, and maximum IPAP pressure of 16 cm H2O then a single battery will last you for two 8-hour nights. See Page 7 of Resmed's Battery Guide for details of power consumption if using any of the heat settings.
   
   I hope this helps. Feel free to ask me questions.

Oh boy you're in for a treat! You can run those off of any 12v battery, you just need to connect it like this or if you are feeling janky, you can just connect directly to the little plug. Gimme an hour or so and I can get you some pictures of what I mean.

I've seen a lot of jump packs over the years. I've disassembled many for repair and recycling. Most have never really stood out in quality to me. They're all about the same. You can spend a varying degree of money on them.

There are 3 basic sizes. A lot of brands will through 'power' numbers at you like 900 peak amps or 1500 etc etc. They are all basically made the same, and usually pretty cheaply.

It's important to know that jump packs basically assist a weak battery. The chances of it starting a stone dead car battery are limited. Many factors play a roll. Size of engine/car. Temperature (cold = car needs more power, batteries produce less power). How dead the car battery is. Jumper cables and an assisting car is the best option, but jump packs can be convenient.

Jump packs are just another battery. So they have a life too. 3-5 years on average. Older they get the less power they put out. They need maintenance too. They need to be charged after every use and need periodic charging (every couple months).

Personally, I like Quick Cable's designs. Good quality. You plug an extension cord into it to charge it. Many other brands have their own charger wall pack and these get lost (trust me).

Every company uses the same quality of internal battery in these. Cheap. There are thousands of battery manufacturers for Sealed Lead Acid batteries in China. There are thousands of brands you'll find in these jump packs (even Quick Cable). Do not expect brand A's internal battery to be a lot better than brand B. When buying a jump pack, the build quality of the casing, lights, cables is what to look at.

Once your jump pack battery dies, you can replace the internal battery. It's usually most of the cost of the jump pack.

Ones with inverters or air pumps can be handy. But these are typically cheap components. I've run into my own issues with the Quick Cable ones that had these built in.

The smallest ones like this:

http://www.amazon.com/Clore-JNC300XL-Jump-N-Carry-Ultraportable-12-Volt/dp/B000XQ9MGE/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1416949837&sr=8-1&keywords=car+jump+pack

Internally, these have a 12v 7 or 8 Amp Hour Sealed Lead Acid battery. Basically a bigger moped battery. If your Honda Civic cranks but can't start and it's 50°F outside, this would help you get it started. If your Honda had it's lights on for 2 days and is stone dead, forget about it. I'd avoid these. Priced from $30-70 typically. These have short cables that can be annoying to work with.

Most common size:

http://www.amazon.com/Clore-JNC660-Jump-N-Carry-12-Volt-Starter/dp/B000JFJLP6/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1416949837&sr=8-3&keywords=car+jump+pack&pebp=1416950179642

Internally have a 12v 17-20 Amp Hour battery. Basically a motorcycle battery. Will start most vehicles, even trucks. $50-$150 typically.

Third type, heavy duty:
http://www.quickcable.com/products.php?pageId=177

I bought this for my father-in-law because I knew it was good build quality and could start about everything. With my discount it was around $130 with a battery. The battery I used was the same size as a lawn tractor. Retail probably $200-$300.


EDIT
I live in Wisconsin, so my experience may vary depending on your climate. Typically, cold related battery failures are the leading cause. So a small $50 jump pack may work great in Florida for someone that left their lights in October. But January in Wisconsin is going to tell you a different tale.

EDIT 2
Please avoid these at all costs.

http://www.amazon.com/Weego-JS6-Standard-Batteries--Packaging/dp/B00N9XVPBS/ref=sr_1_17?ie=UTF8&qid=1416951350&sr=8-17&keywords=car+jump+pack&pebp=1416951352732

Basically you're using a laptop battery to start your car.

Wow, Traxxas went full retard on incorporating the plugs.

The guy below there has an adapter for you.

Also note the dedicated charger is only 50 dollars.

That one is kind of weird. It looks like you need to install that whole thing and then pull the power cord out of the car and plug it into a wall? That is weird.

I would use this instead. https://www.amazon.com/Battery-Tender-021-0123-Junior-Charger/dp/B000CITK8S/ref=sr_1_4?s=automotive&ie=UTF8&qid=1481806706&sr=1-4&keywords=battery+tender

It's a smart charger, from a USA company made in USA, and when you don't need it you put it away. I have three of them. One for my classic car, and one for each of my motorcycles.

Add in this https://www.amazon.com/Battery-Tender-081-0069-6-Terminal-Disconnect/dp/B000NCOKZQ/ref=pd_bxgy_263_img_2?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=S7TZQJ2BZZ3NWG4KS2KV

You connect this part to the battery terminals and leave them there. When you want to plug it in, you just connect the cords from the tender to this. Plug and play. I also use this on my motorcycles. My car I just use the standard connection clamps that come with the tender.

Cheap, USA made, and works. Read the reviews.

I have a charge controller, but the door is directly attached to the battery terminals. As for the camera, I used the advice from this group and bought a car charger with USB ports plugged into this:

https://www.amazon.com/NOCO-GC018-Adapter-Socket-Terminal/dp/B00G8WLW2Y

I had to strip the wires and crimp different terminals on them since they didn’t fit on the battery bolt.

http://www.amazon.com/Battery-Tender-081-0158-Disconnect-Charger/dp/B00DJ5KEF4

This plus a tender lead will take care of that.

I have one that I can plug into the little 2-prong bullet plug that may batter tender plugs into. only plug it in when I need it.

I have this.

But if you want to use the one you have, you could wire it up to something like this.

Really, though, I don't think anybody is going to think to charge their iphone off your bike.

So something like this connected to the battery under the seat?

Hey man. This one isn't Solar, but it does everything you could want it to do. I know it says you need an extension chord to charge it, but you can actually charge it up very quickly by hooking it to your car battery while your car is turned on. This probably has a little more battery life than the Goal Zero one as well. I've run fans and all kinds of stuff off this thing. You can run up to two fans at once off of it.

http://www.amazon.com/Schumacher-XP2260-Instant-Portable-Source/dp/B004EIAADG/ref=sr_1_7?ie=UTF8&qid=1462816217&sr=8-7&keywords=schumacher+battery+charger

I'm a big fan of the Battery Tender Jr. combo with the USB adapter. Let me get some links.

https://www.amazon.com/Battery-Tender-081-0158-Disconnect-Charger/dp/B00DJ5KEF4/ref=sr_1_fkmr1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1498164399&sr=8-1-fkmr1&keywords=battery+tender+jr+usb

You can see the Tender itself in the recommended stuff at the bottom. I just pop the USB off when I park in the garage, and connect the Tender to the same plug. Hits a lot of birds with 1 stone.

that'd do it; i don't know why you'd need two inverters though.

also you want a deep cycle battery rather than a regular car one as car batteries are designed for short bursts of high energy rather than a sustained drain. deep cycle batteries are used for running the electricity on boats and RVs. make sure to get one that's "100ah" or higher. that's essentially the amount of power available in the battery and the more you have the longer you can power your stuff. you can get two and connect them in parallel (google image this for a diagram) to increase your available energy.

you'll also want to get a battery charge reader so you can monitor how much charge the battery has. a full charged battery is 12.6v, and you should turn everything off and recharge if you dip down to 12v as that's around 50% charge and anything less than that will actually kill your battery and it won't charge again.

definitely don't do the gennie, we have enough air and noise pollution out there...


battery
http://www.amazon.com/Universal-Power-Group-45978-Battery/dp/B0044Z8DJW/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1374787029&sr=8-1&keywords=UPG+UB121000

combine these two items to create a battery charge reader
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00065L2D8/ref=oh_details_o00_s01_i02?ie=UTF8&psc=1
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000EVWDU0/ref=wms_ohs_product?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I am only aware on one user claiming there was an error and that user correlated that to his recent install of a hardwired blackvue. No real science there and highly speculative.

The way I hardwired into the 12v was simple. I bought this: NOCO GC018 12V Adapter Plug Socket with Eyelet Terminal https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00G8WLW2Y?ref=yo_pop_ma_swf

and installed on the battery terminal. It has an in line 10amp fuse and tucks away neatly under the hood. Then I ran the blackvue power cable into the car through the firewall where Tesla provides a very nice rubber plug to do so. Everything took about an hour to do (and I did it twice after doing it the first time without a fuse and it worked fine - just wanted to be extra safe)

I use one of these which has saved me on multiple occasions ... and is much easier than bothering with jumper cables where you need another vehicle to assist.

i have that set up. if nothing is plugged into the 12v adapter it doesn't draw power. 2 years so far without any battery related issues.

I use a regular 12v socket instead of the USB because i use a quickcharge charger with my phone because gps and screen on full brightness + data really drains the battery and normal chargers can't keep up.

This one seems to combine them into one device: http://www.amazon.com/Allstart-555-Battery-Starter-Inverter/dp/B008FKJH9C

edit: this one looks better and cheaper: http://www.amazon.com/Schumacher-XP2260-Instant-Portable-Source/dp/B004EIAADG

Battery Tender 081-0158 Quick Disconnect Plug with USB Charger Perfect for Charging Your iPhone, iPad, iPod, GPS, Camera or Any Smartphone or Device That be Charged via USB, One Size, Black https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00DJ5KEF4/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_UZJDDbG47EERC

what about something like this?
http://www.amazon.com/Jump-N-Carry-JNC660-1700-12-Volt-Starter/dp/B000JFJLP6/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1463253195&sr=8-4&keywords=jump+start

designed for jumping cars I use one here in the UK. You can get them with 12volt output or even USB output.

Would something like this work? Assuming a CPAP takes a standard 120V plug? Schumacher XP2260 1200 Peak Amp Instant Portable Power Source and Jump Starter https://www.amazon.com/dp/B004EIAADG/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_35y4ybJJXTDM2

Something like this?

Have you every considered getting an emergency portable jump starter? I have this one.

It has outlets, and USB ports. I used to drive a rather old car, so I would take it with me on road trips, but now I also take it for my weeklong SCA camping trips. I can charge my phone for emergencies, but also run a fan or a heater if I need to. I got it for leaving the house, but it's been handy for power outages!

I would recommend something like this over jumper cables. Last thing you want is to mess up your own battery and have 2 cars stranded. This is one of the only things I was never issued that I thought should be in the standard loadout.

http://www.amazon.com/Jump-N-Carry-JNC660-1700-12-Volt-Starter/dp/B000JFJLP6/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1453038363&sr=8-2&keywords=jump+start+box