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How to charge your trailer winch battery ?????


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I am wondering if it is possible to charge your trailer winch battery (12 volt) from the 4 or 7 pin plug that connects the lights to the tow vehicle ?

I would not mind, and may even recommend to drive with the lights on in the day time, which means that there is 12 volts being supplied to the trailer, but does it need to be isolated somehow from the tow car / truck ?

Been there, done that ?

Ideas please..................

Mike in Colorado

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Mike I don't recommend loading the light circuit for a battery charge. Virtually all 7 "blade" connections have an isolated fused battery charging wire in the number four position. On some tow vehicles that circuit needs to be hooked up usually to a connection on the firewall so don't always assume that the tow vehicle has power to the 4th blade. The same can be said for the trailer 7 wire harness that the power wire isn't hooked to the battery as must be a dealer hookup issue. In the unlikely event that you have a round pin 7 wire system I would convert it to blade unless all of your buddies are towing with class 8 tractors as that is the system they typically use. If using two house batteries I would recommend a properly sized diode separate them.

i liked your suggestion on alarming my car trailer but here on the east coast there is a bit of enforcement sensitivity to armed guards!

Robert

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  • 4 months later...

Like said above, the 7 blade connectors have a position to have 12 volts go to the trailer. If I was doing that, (and I have thought of doing it) I would run a separate wire from the trailer connector pin to the fuse block and put it in an ignition on only location. Be sure to put a fuse at the fuse block end of the wire in line with the wire to the trailer.

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While I haven't done it yet, I was planning to do exactly what Larry suggested. I believe, since my tow package on both my 2002 Suburban 2500 and my 2000 Excursion are set up for trailering, and that the (hot lead) #4 pin is activated only when in the "run" position, because my battery does recharge while I drive.

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All above sounds good.

And here I thought I would have to get an inverter, powered by the tail light wire, to make 120Volts A.C. and plug my battery tender into it.

I'll take a look at the #4 lead with my multi tester and see what's up

Thanks guys..............

Mike in snowy Colordo

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...and even if the wire were always live, you could just unplug the trailer, but it would simply recharge when the truck was running, and keep level with the truck's battery at other times

Marty in warm & sunny New Orleans ....... mid 70s yesterday

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Mike in my experience with new vehicles tow packages the terminal is live only in the run position. Also there is usually a low voltage cut off to ensure a trailer house battery system doesn't drain down the tow vehicle system. If your trailer has two house batteries you may want to keep them isolated from each other with a diode system.

robert

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Robert,

You are right. I have the same set up in the Jayco coach. Using an "isolator" (diode) the coach can charge the winch battery in the trailer.

The only question is how to get the power back to the trailer. Thru the 7 blade plug or as a separate pin connector.

I'm leaning toward a separate system.

Mike in snowy Colorado

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I would go with a separate plug for the power to the trailer battery. Because there is always power there you will get some corroson built at the plug which can cause problems. I had this happen some years ago, I had a 97 Ford dually with the power run thru the trailer plug. The truck sat over the winter and the first trip after setting for months I started up the road and when I put the turn signal on the trailer brakes locked up. I found a ball of that old white stuff had formed over the winter and was shorting across the wire connections

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If you're running a Ford Truck, you'll need to have the trailer charge relay installed in your power distribution panel under the hood. This will give power to the coach battery circuit in your trailer plug. This is only active when the vehicle is running, not just key on. It's all explained in the trailer towing section of your owner's manual.

If it's a GM or Dodge, sorry, but I can't help there as my experience is in Ford trucks.

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  • 2 weeks later...

Boy these forums are a wonderful thing.

As a result of starting this thread, I noted below the same subject was initiated by Mark Shaw back in 2008.

His thread noted an electronics company, Atkinson Electronics, in Salt Lake City, Utah.

Well it just so happens that I will be in SLC visiting one of the foundries that I sell for NEXT MONDAY, on my way to the SHOT SHOW in Las Vegas.

Result is, I will make it a point to visit Atkinson to discuss their trailer battery charging systems.

Will report to you all upon my return...................

Thanks Mark !!!!!!!!!!!!!

Mike in snowy Colorado

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Mike I thought Atkinson was a larger scale commercial supplier of mainly solar type systems. Yes, you can mount a solar mat on the roof and keep the trailer house batteries charged. If your Jayco is wired as I suspect then why not use it thru the 4th terminal as already there and wiring on your trailer is probably already fuse protected on that circuit. I have seen some decent solar panels that would literally burn out very expensive batteries as the voltage produced wasn't properly regulated.

just thinking?

will you be at Phoenix? I am trying to plan that event

Robert

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Robert,

According to their web site Atkinson makes what looks like a battery isolator.

The have various models for trailers, boats and campers.

The model that seems right for what I want to do is their #TBCM-40.

Since I have some time between calls in SLC and they are just south of 4800, I thought it would be a good idea to chat with them, and pass along what I find out.

Maybe in another 6 years someone will find this thread.....................

Mike in snowy Colorado

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I bought a new Car Mate trailer a few years ago and it has the 7 pin connector. I also have a large standard size battery in the trailer for a winch, lighting, etc. This battery is charged when the truck is running. No special wiring or difficult modifications were needed they tell me to get this to charge from the truck alternator.

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  • 7 months later...

 

transparent.gif
Run a solar power charging system for your battery. Works great on my car hauler.
 
 
Coleman Model # 58033 Internet # 203241551 Store SKU # 1000042318
18-Watt 12-Volt Solar Battery Charging Kit
ea6e5572-0444-4814-b7c7-0942bda8dc5a_100
Edited by countrytravler (see edit history)
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