So I’m looking to add some LED lights to the inside of my hauler. Currently it is not wired to 110 or set up for a generator. Also I have no real desire to set it up for a generator due to the extra hassle at the track. I’m wondering if anyone has ever set up LED light fixtures and run them off of drill batteries. I’m thinking if I got a Milwaukee 12.0ah battery I could get a few hours at least of some nice lights and I would be able to use them while not hooked up to my truck. All the tools I bring are battery powered and airing up tires is with a nitrogen bottle so no real need to bring another big piece of equipment. Let me know your thoughts.
Race Hauler Lighting by battery?
- Thread starter coppah37
- Start date
theoldwizard1
Well-known member
Great idea. The problem is finding a male adapter for the battery pack to plug into that has 12V (actually 11.1V) pins coming out. Maybe buy a dead tool on eBay, cheap ?
sberry
Banned
Put a car battery in, hook economy inverter in, put power strip or 2 in to that, lamp cords to led. Then would get a nice cord to go along with all this so it could be plugged to shore power, plug power strip in to it when available, even add a battery charger if really needed or even power from the tow.
If you used a 15A strip could use a 14 cord, else get a 12 and you can multi tap it if you want. This is similar to a pop up camper. Could plug this **** all together in about 20 minutes. Be legal, have 20A service from shore and lights on inverter or shore, all simple 120V.
If you used a 15A strip could use a 14 cord, else get a 12 and you can multi tap it if you want. This is similar to a pop up camper. Could plug this **** all together in about 20 minutes. Be legal, have 20A service from shore and lights on inverter or shore, all simple 120V.
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mgalland
Member
They make a battery adapter for those batteries.
sberry
Banned
The beauty of this is a guy could simply unplug the strip from inverter and plug in to the cord and have 120V outlets. If a guy used a 3 way could leave the strip for light switches. A modest inverter say 400 watts would even leave a phone charge or lap top from battery. all the same line voltage. Old travel trailers with old **** was a pain in the ***, not they don't do it that way.
AldeanFan
Well-known member
I have a 12v car battery mounted at the front of my trailer to power the winch.
I ran wires to the 4 corners and added some LED off-road lights. Also added LED spotlights on the back for loading.
I have a small solar panel mounted to the tongue to keep the battery charged.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
I ran wires to the 4 corners and added some LED off-road lights. Also added LED spotlights on the back for loading.
I have a small solar panel mounted to the tongue to keep the battery charged.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Lassen Forge
Well-known member
You'll be WAY ahead if you put a couple deep cycle batteries in your trailer, run 12v wherever you need it (for winches, lights, sounds, whatever), go with the LED's, and get a couple solar cells mounted to your roof to keep a top off on your battery (and rig a charger when you have shore power)... I have a friend who did this to a formerly abandoned and gutted 60's travel trailer (he camps a lot in remote / primitive settings) and it's amazing what he did with LED's and 12V wiring... Add an inverter and you can run a microwave or TV... Add propane and you actually have most of what you need for a weekend of racing, including warm showers, a way to heat up canned beans, and heat if it gets cold...
Trying to use drill batteries for this will cost you in batteries and time of use, plus you still have to recharge them (constantly)... Add to this the hassle of gutting tools for the battery mounts, wire into THOSE to get your 18 or whatever volts and then step THAT down to match your 12V led system... and even then you only have a limited number of hours on a tool battery VS days on a pair of deep cycles...
It CAN be done, but the real question is SHOULD it be done? What are you expecting out of it? Will it do the expected job?
Trying to use drill batteries for this will cost you in batteries and time of use, plus you still have to recharge them (constantly)... Add to this the hassle of gutting tools for the battery mounts, wire into THOSE to get your 18 or whatever volts and then step THAT down to match your 12V led system... and even then you only have a limited number of hours on a tool battery VS days on a pair of deep cycles...
It CAN be done, but the real question is SHOULD it be done? What are you expecting out of it? Will it do the expected job?
510ebl
Well-known member
I would think a 12v deep cycle on the tongue would give you far more capacity, plus it would charge from the truck on the way to/from. An inexpensive solar charger would round the kit out nicely.
nadogail
Well-known member
I have a solar panel on the dash in my van that gets driven maybe once a day most weeks. That little solar battery charger has kept me from having to jump start the van when it has sat for a few weeks. My cost was less than $40.
Leaflessshadetree
Well-known member
Deep cycle battery just about any size you might want. For charging just about any automotive charger would work. If you want a mounted charger form 120v or you can get solar, from the tow vehicle.
I appreciate the feedback. I thought about the deep cycle battery route. I guess I’ll have to figure out how to charge it from the truck. It’s about a 40 minute tow to the track. Plus I suppose I could trickle charge it from next to the shop when it’s home.
dave*99
Well-known member
The battery the OP is asking about is a 12 ah That’s 12 amp hours not volts. It’s an 18 volt battery.
theoldwizard1
Well-known member
Two 6v golf cart batteries store more power and cost less than two 12V "dual purpose" RV/Marine batteries. They will probably cost less also.
tfi racing
Well-known member
An enclosed trailer that doesn't have a big *** deep cycle battery and a winch is nothing but a garden shed on wheels.As some others suggested a battery on the tongue connected to your truck for charging is the way to go, as the budget allows add an inverter and solar panel in the future. As for LED lights, the sky is the limit as far as 12V choices go, you will probably spend more time deciding on the units than installing them.
slow
Well-known member
While I am a fan of the overkill, solar battery setup in trailers. Your idea may work well. A 12 ah 18volt battery connected to some LED fixtures that will take 12-24 volts DC would be what I would look for.
Put a DPDT switch on your trailer lights so you can run them off of the truck OR a 12 volt battery in the future, but one options would connect to your M18 setup. There are battery "docks" for under $20 on eBay that would allow a plug and play setup.
How much lighting do you need and how long do you need to run? Some math would see how large of a battery you would need.
Put a DPDT switch on your trailer lights so you can run them off of the truck OR a 12 volt battery in the future, but one options would connect to your M18 setup. There are battery "docks" for under $20 on eBay that would allow a plug and play setup.
How much lighting do you need and how long do you need to run? Some math would see how large of a battery you would need.
Paul_The_Builder
Well-known member
Car/boat batteries are a lot cheaper per AH than tool batteries. There are ready made components for tying in a trailer battery to charge/run off your tow vehicle.
I mean there's no harm in using tool batteries if you have them laying around and have other uses for them.
I would recommend using a voltage converter and converting the 18V to 12V if you do use a tool battery.
I mean there's no harm in using tool batteries if you have them laying around and have other uses for them.
I would recommend using a voltage converter and converting the 18V to 12V if you do use a tool battery.
slow
Well-known member
What is the benefit of a voltage converter if the leds are already wide voltage input?
I’d like to light it up with 3-4 led shop lights. We’re at the track in the dark maybe 2-3 hours. I’m liking the deep cycle batteries because of the options to run auxiliary lighting outside the trailer in the pits.
highflier
Active member
In my 14’ moto enclosed race trailer I went the deep cycle 12v route.
I mounted a trickle charger up and have a plug in on the outside I connect to power when I’m home.
FWIW, the 12v power a vehicle provides to charge the breakaway battery won’t do much for charging a deep cycle.
Battery is connected to a simple 8 circuit 12v fuse panel to protect what I wired up.
I bought a 5 pack of LED RV dome lights, put 2 in the ceiling and 1 in the upper and 1 lower cabinets ( mines a V nose with cabinets in the V).
Have 2 Lumitec floodlights over the back door.
Also power a stereo with 4 mounted speakers and a power port for usb charger.
I can run the interior lights with the stereo on for 5 - 6 hours very easily.
I’m usually just at half charge when I plug in back at the house, guess I could go 8 - 10 hours before it would get low.
As mentioned above, I picked up a inexpensive solar panel that could be used during the day to recharge some. Haven’t used mine yet tho.
One thing to keep in mind about night lighting, you don’t need as much as you’d think.
During the day my lights are ho-hum.
But when it’s dark, they are plenty good for what I need.
Guess it depends on what you need the light for, task wise.
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I have an enclosed trailer we use as a site support and mobile welding shop we wired up 6 12 volt LED dome lights and a couple small light bars as outside work lights to marine batteries, it also runs the warning light stick on the rear. I got a cheap 20 watt panel and mounted it on the roof and wired up a little charge controller. We also have full 120/240 shore power and that charges too but normally just sitting there unplugged the panel recharges or maintains no problem.
I also got rid of the stupid little breakaway battery and went right to the main batteries, one less thing to worry about.
I also got rid of the stupid little breakaway battery and went right to the main batteries, one less thing to worry about.
Hawke
Well-known member
I have an enclosed trailer for my Formula Ford. It has a 12V deep cycle battery that runs internal lights, and a 800w inverter to give 240V power for laptops, battery charger (formula ford has no alternator), and other charging needs. The trailer battery can be a replacement for the tender battery for the formula ford, and tow car - Ford Ranger. It is charged via a 75 amp Anderson Plug via the tow car. Been doing this for about 10 years, and haven’t looked back.
andyvh1959
Well-known member
Just a comment: I am using four solar panels to run the 12v LED lights in my shop garage. I found a 22" off road light bar on ebay for $24. I plan to use at least four of them to provide the overhead lights in my shop.