Dump Trailer - How many dumps before battery is dead?

[1greenmachine1]

I have a Hillsboro's 14' Dump Trailer and can only get 4-6 dumps before my battery is dead. The dealer that sold me the trailer wired the plug on the truck/ to allow the dump trailer battery to charge when truck is running, but I believe the wire is to small to do any charging.

I've sometimes will dump a load every 10-15 minutes. I keep 2 batteries charged up and have to change out the batteries. this gives me 10-12 dumps before both batteries are discharged.

Is there any way that a person can continuely dump without changing out batteries?

It really stinks when the battery dies when the trailer is in the up position. I have to then jump the dump trailer battery to get the dump bed back down.

 

[SpudHauler]

Your concerned about a too small a wire from you vehicle to charge the battery. Well a battery charger has small wires and you alternator on the truck has small wires. Don't confuse these with the ones to run a starter or pump motor, which must be #6 or #4 wire which is like the sizes of most booster cable.
If you wire up both batteries in parallel in other words positive to positive and then to the pump motor and negative to negative and this one to the negative side of the pump motor, you still have just 12 volts but more amps because of the 2 batteries.
Or get a Battery Isolator like most trailer people do and have the truck charge one or both batteries all the time. Then perhaps the system will replenish quick enough to get the job done.
Deep cycle batteries are a must for that type of work.

Here is a diagram of one.
texas4x4.org - chevy 94, spicer axles, 96 gmc sierra, electronic spark control, lifted h1 | Picsicio

 

[Mickey_Fx]

Lot of possibilities and variables here to deal with. Do you know the power requirement to operate the trailer? What is the rated capacity of the battery(s) being used? Has the battery been checked/tested to insure they are operating at full capacity? Are they in fact fully charged when you begin to use them? It is very likely the wiring from the truck is too small to charge the battery quickly. What is the time period between dumps? Is there adequate time between uses to do any significant amount of charging? Have you measured the current flow to the battery while charging? I'd not be surprised to see charging current in the ~10A range and if there were say 30 min between uses then you've only replaced ~5 AH back into the battery which is not much.

As the previous poster said, you need to make sure you are using deep cycle batteries of adequate size. You also may need to change out the charging wire on the truck so you can charge the battery quicker. This is an issue numerous RV'ers have to do to keep their RV battery charged while camping.

 

[Diamondpilot]

Its just the nature of the beast. The pumps require lots of power and dump trailers are designed to be used by weekend warriors and such requiring only a few cycles a week. You are using it like a dump truck running continuous duty dumping that many times. You really need a dump truck, not a dump trailer.

Chris

 

[radioman]

Only workaround I can think of is mount more then 2 batteries right on the trailer all in parallel like other poster said.

 

[1greenmachine1]

1) I'm currently using Deep Cycle Batteries. (Interstate Marine and a Optima Blue Batteries)

2) I normally load and dump loads on our property. Moving dirt, brush, etc.. on our property. It takes me 15-30 to load/dump.

3) I was thinking along the lines of (Mickey_Fx) suggestion. Change out the charging wire on the truck so I charge the battery quicker.

4) Would Mounting 2 batteries on the trailer just double my dumping? Any advantage over swapping batteries out?

Thanks

 

[schmism]

you could also setup a temporary charging station local to the trailer with a small Honda i1000 type generator onboard.

while such a small generator cant supply all the current needed to run the pump directly, you should have 10-15 min (or more ) between dump cycles that the generator can run and recharge the battery.

on the upside you can also use the small portable generator for other uses around the property.

 

[Bikewanderer]

you could also setup a temporary charging station local to the trailer with a small Honda i1000 type generator onboard.

while such a small generator cant supply all the current needed to run the pump directly, you should have 10-15 min (or more ) between dump cycles that the generator can run and recharge the battery.

on the upside you can also use the small portable generator for other uses around the property.

I was thinking along these lines too. Using an alternator to try to charge a dead battery can really screw things up, and trying to charge a battery at idle is likely more of the problem than anything else. The OP says he uses it at his property, which means idling only. He can't pull too much current off the vehicle anyway without some way of raising the idle. If he increases the sire size he runs a risk of damaging the alternator or discharging the vehicle battery.

I would consider using a small gas engine to run an alternator at 7000 RPM or so while using the dump trailer. That would recharge the battery.

If you could double up the batteries and use a battery charger to recharge that would be fine as well, but Id be hesitant to try to use the vehicle to recharge under these circumstances.

 

[aczlan]

What size alternator is in your truck? Many are in the 80-100 amp range which could be enough to keep the battery charged IF you run heavy enough cables back.

Option 1:
If you have a heavy (100amp) alternator, you could run back a pair of heavy (4 gauge or less) cables with a properly sized fuse (or breaker) to a plug like an Anderson SB connector and use a matching connector to connect to and charge the battery on the trailer.
I would disconnect the lights for your trailer if you do this as if there is a problem with the heavy ground, the system will try to ground itself through the trailer light ground.

Options 2 and 3:
Another option would be to get a 5ish HP engine out of a pushmower or snowblower for cheap on Craigslist, mount it on the tongue and mate its engine to either:
A. A pump from something else (like this one from a dump body)
B. A high output alternator

Aaron Z

 

[1greenmachine1]

1) The Alternator size on my truck states [/I]Maximum Alternator Capacity (amps): 160[/I] I assume this would not be enough to keep the battery charged even I ran heavy enough cables back to trailer.

2) Could a D/C generator be wired to the hydraulic pump?

 

[SpudHauler]

I think this is were the Battery Isolator comes in. It protects your truck system so it doesn't get drained and is always working because it isolates that circuit from the new additional circuit to the trailer. I believe it would devote all the charge to the trailer when needed and thereby keep your trailer batteries in better condition.
Go to a mobile trailer dealer, he can give you all the info on how they keep trailer folks happen and they do this kind of thing all the time.

 

[Dmace]

My 6x10' 10k DownEaster dump trailer has a single deep cycle commercial battery and I've used it to dump at least 10 times in one day on multiple occasions without any change in battery strength. My truck was hooked up and running while I was dumping the load but the truck was off while I was loading the trailer (10-20 mins each load).

I think your truck is not charging the battery right or the battery is not holding a charge. Next time you get a chance, start the truck and let it idle then take a volt meter or multi-meter set on voltage. Put the positive lead on your TRUCK battery positive and negative to negative to read the voltage across the terminals. While the truck is idling, the reading should be around 13.5-14.0 volts. Now go to the dump trailer battery and do the same thing, you should see pretty much the same number minus a few tenths like 13.3-13.8 volts. If it's under 12.0 volts then you are NOT charging the battery. If the numbers are good then the battery is bad, replace it with a good commercial DEEP CYCLE battery. Mine is a NAPA Commercial battery and about 2 years old.

 

[Skyco]

I've posted this before but here it is again- I do NOT think a deep cycle battery is the best for a dump trailer. Why? A deep cycle is best at providing relatively small amounts of current over a long period. What is a starting battery best at? Providing large amounts of current for a short period.

Now think about a dump trailer- large amounts of current needed for a short period. Sometimes several hundred amps. Hmmmmm......

Regardless of the type of battery the OP's problem is to be expected...frequent dumping will take a LOT of battery capacity.

 

[SpudHauler]

Thanks Skyco,

I see your point immediately.

Your patience with us wannabes is appreciated.

Thanks Dmace,

But will a charge system develop 13-14 volts at idle.

I know for a fact most small engine systems, like a motorcycle, will not.

You have to idle them up at least to 1500-2000 rpm to get that reading.

 

[framer]

Same amount of dumps 5 to 7 and the trickle charger on trailer is no help.
I am trying a new trickle charger that helps to restore batteries that may set
unused alot. Hope it helps.

 

[powerstroke444e]

Go to A&W direct and get the cables for a remote jump start system and wire it to your pump and battery and then you will have the alt and the truck battery(about $140). I did this with a buddies dump trailer and it has solved his problem, but his truck has 2 batteries and trailer has one.

 

[1greenmachine1]

powerstroke444e,

Is the item below what you installed?

Lexan Plug Jump-Start Set with 500 Amp Clamps
Superior Signals $126 @ A&W

http://www.awdirect.com/product_images/large/sm1large.jpg

 

[Bikewanderer]

1) The Alternator size on my truck states [/I]Maximum Alternator Capacity (amps): 160[/I] I assume this would not be enough to keep the battery charged even I ran heavy enough cables back to trailer.

2) Could a D/C generator be wired to the hydraulic pump?

The alternator might be rated at 160 amps but at idle it will only provide maybe 20-30. You can really damage it trying to pull that much current at idle. I've done it before!! My diesel pickup had the glow plugs get stuck on once - 140 amp alternator and 120 amp load. It fried the alternator and both batteries when it went.

Deep cycle batteries or marine batteries would work fine. They will provide adequate current to run the pump.

 

[Diamondpilot]

I do not have a dump trailer but my uncle has a 14K I use all the time. We get 4-5 dumps max. I did replace the deep cycle marine battery with a dual purpose marine battery. Its made for starting and deep cycle and give the best of both worlds. These dual purpose batteries is what I put in all my customers boats and it seems to work out better in these applications.

As for charging on boats you need to be up at about 1,500 rpms like you stated to get a good charge. This is with inboard or inboard/outboard engines. I am not sure about true outboards, I only have one customer with a outboard. Suzuki, best on the market and I have only changed the oil in it. Nothing else.

As for your truck what do you have? My Titan has a single 130 amp alternator but both of my Ford Powerstrokes have dual 105 amp alternators or there about's. They may be dual 160's, can not remember. Anyway they also have high idle switches in the cab. I can simply flip the switch and the truck will hold a higher idle speed. They also have dual batteries. I am guessing if you could get a high idle mode in your truck that would help greatly.

Chris

 

[powerstroke444e]

powerstroke444e,

Is the item below what you installed?

Lexan Plug Jump-Start Set with 500 Amp Clamps
Superior Signals $126 @ A&W

http://www.awdirect.com/product_images/large/sm1large.jpg

Thats what we used and the lady on the phone set us up with 2nd line that was like 12foot to put on the trailer to reach the trailer battiers. We cut the clamps off and attached directly to battier on the truck works great.

The service reps on the phone should be able to help you get what you want just measure your cable lenghts and they will help.