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Charging The Gpx-6000 In A 1/2 Ton Truck Or A Car/van?


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19 minutes ago, mn90403 said:

Gerry, how are you going to change things when you get that Tesla truck? or other electric car/van/truck.

They rent a parking lot here at the beach so that people can sit around before they drive home on weekends and get a charge from the giant batteries on trailers.  That is supposed to be the quick charge and not the 110/220V slow method.

Off-roading and EV’s means a lot of waiting around in the daylight doing a lot of nothing (prospecting?) while the sun does its stuff!

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I've decided I am getting a Jackery 1000 with the solar panels. It will be the best method for me to charge my detector batteries. I'll be able to run my ICECO VL60 fridge/freezer 24/7 plus charge three batteries at the same time and never have to pay for power again.

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I made this 12v 35Ah (420Wh) portable power battery with left over parts, but you can do it for $100 to $250, depending on options you want, such as solar charging, vehicle charging vs. 120v charging, adding a 120v power inverter, etc.

C4A5AE0D-A021-4CFD-81F1-C8092CA91A90.thumb.jpeg.2be1287fd2c73b01cf2d6fbd7a30978b.jpeg024DCBE8-673B-40C9-82F0-8FEF5A53B907.thumb.jpeg.3ab7e8942a6885fc4e9eb6ec640185a8.jpeg

When fully charged, it runs our refrigerator for a day and could provide about 6-8 charges for GPX-6000 batteries without drawing it down too low.

The battery is based on a low cost 12v 35Ah deep cycle gel cell made for mobility scooters and trolling motors like this:

889D9715-6C6E-49B5-BE83-EC1987B1D833.thumb.jpeg.f2b1e67b601bbf18a51f227b05535e33.jpeg

ML35-12 - 12 Volt 35 AH SLA Battery- Mighty Max Battery Brand Product https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00K8V2VD0/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_glt_fabc_5R2WR55KHZYEF1202G21

The Renogy 20amp DC-DC battery charger lets us charge it from solar panels and from our truck batteries- it will automatically charge when the truck is running too:

B5F9D1D5-63D8-490C-BC20-A570E5874C83.thumb.jpeg.96689b9a19376e37046aff3af3c9f2aa.jpeg

Renogy 20A DC to DC On-Board Battery Charger Flooded, Gel, AGM, and Lithium Batteries Using Multi-stage Charging

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07Q5VYPCF/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_glt_fabc_YD8N92AHJP683K2SA7HH?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1

The case is a $9 HF plastic ammo box with a built-in handy cover storage area for cables, connectors, etc. I cut about 1/3 off the side of the tray and used it to mount the switch panel and 12v and USB charging plugs to:

C4E5A915-334B-40EF-80F5-2E8EB9585E47.thumb.jpeg.746f35a718cd35d6a6f78e145e93c16f.jpeg

https://www.harborfreight.com/tactical-ammoutility-box-64113.html


And I added a switch, voltage meter, USB power plugs and a cigarette lighter plug port like this to it:

Linkstyle 4 in 1 Charger Socket... 

Linkstyle 4 in 1 Charger Socket Panel, 12V 4.2A Dual USB Charger Socket Power Outlet & LED Voltmeter & Cigarette Lighter Socket & LED Lighted ON Off Rocker Toggle Switch for Car Marine Boat RV Truck

5C680B72-C53F-4083-927D-86D5C94DA3B1.thumb.jpeg.e72dad7e741ecb9750ba1acf5eff68ad.jpeg

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07JHH5YP4/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_glt_fabc_H1ADSMJJS3CJ91M7JEBS


Also adding a 13.8v step up transformer to run my refrigerator and drone charger as they are designed for slightly higher voltage than the 12v a automotive battery provides after the engine turns off: DC-DC Boost Module 9-12v to 13.8V... 

DC-DC Boost Module 9-14V to 13.8V 10A 138Wmax Power Supply Converter

DF408117-C933-40A5-8CC5-DE39FA571C5E.thumb.jpeg.ac7adf4829ce042bf4c7d325f95723d5.jpeg

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01AW1JKO8?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share


This project is in progress still (adding fuses and additional plugs) so I can send more info to the build, including how to make just the basic version with the parts listed above and just a few more. Just PM me if interested.

-Anthony 

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Well I was not expecting to get overwhelmed with so many great ideas and pieces of advice.  It certainly seems we have a trend that more and more folks are trying to live off the grip for short periods of time and then realize the many of the vehicles we have are not suited for such adventures (including my F-150).

There is a wealth of information and tricks/tips provided from you who have actually been out there doing it and figuring a way to make it work.  I appreciate all the feedback and ingenuity.

Some of the things mentioned will take a little time to get done, so this trip I'll be using gator clips, but most certainly will get some of these ideas tried out in the future.  I'll also share this post with the others in the class who are new and not familiar with this fine forum of friends. 

Yes we may get ferocious and snappy at each other on occasion (most of us at one time or another), but the bottom line is.  We all enjoy learning/sharing of nugget detecting adventures and what it takes to have Success.

Who knows,  I might even have Batteries Plus show with their technicians and give a 1/2 day class on best ways to get the most of simple power for all our toys and needs. 

Now that would be the ticket out there at Rye Patch in the summer.  I'll have a ice cream machine, a Slurpee/slushy multi flavor machine, an ice maker, of course expresso, and can't forget the blender to cocktails at the evening social around the campfire.  Boys and our toys...

Thanks again for all the wisdom, ideas, and thought out processes.

By no means am I saying stop posting of ideas and ways you have made it happen.  Heck no, bring on more and keep them coming.

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Well said Jerry. This Friday marks the first day of living out of my Tacoma full time traveling back and forth from Montana/Idaho to NV/AZ hunting gold and filming life living Overland style. I no longer have the drive to stay on the rat wheel and paying rent and keeping up with bills that come with a permanent roof over your head. I've always been in situations of wanting to be camped up in the mountains longer and longer periods of time, so now going full time overlanding hunting gold feels like I am coming home to what and where I was always ment to be and doing. All these ideas we all share on here make our stints out hunting gold more enjoyable for all with mobile versions of permanent creature comforts. Let the wandering begin. Reminds me of Robert Service's poem "The Prospector" - From the Tundras of the north to the Mesas of the south....

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4 hours ago, Gerry in Idaho said:

It certainly seems we have a trend that more and more folks are trying to live off the grip for short periods of time

Grip is probably an appropriate word for it considering the increasing costs of electricity but I think the short term idea is 'living off the grid!"  haha

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Gerry, On Amazon, there is a small power inverter, a Bestek 75W DC to 110 volt car inverter. It plugs into the power port and you can plug in the 6000 battery charger into the end. It is a small "fit into you hand inverter".

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The Jackery 1000 with 2 100w solar panels will run all what I have to charge. It has 3 ac ports, 3 or 4 USB ports, a 12v port and a USB quick charge port.

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