Patriot brake
I was wondering if you need a battery charge line when using the Blue Ox Patriot brake?
Forum Discussion
Many tow with brake in a box systems like the Patriot (including some who use that exact product) and report no problems.. However that said I share your concern. As batteries age they loose capacity more often than not, And there will come a time when all these proud must be installed every time you tow brake systems get where they are going and the towed will not start.. or the system will start to malfunction due to low battery voltage.. Of course. this means they need to replace the battery (I just got done replacing the batteries on my Motor home... OUCH,, Did the car last October).
So a Towed Charge line (Towed charge is the brand name) is not a bad idea.
or if you like KISS you can go with a different braking system.. (Unless of course you change towed's often) The invisible Brake system is designed to recharge the towed's battery slowly off the tail light circuit from the motor home so to charge the battery in the towed.. Turn on your headlights for safety as you drive.
The US-Gear Unified brake Decelerator includes a battery tie line, Not as complex as the towed charge it basically is a heavy wire with circuit breakers on each end of it.
M&G Air/hydraulic system (Egads you just solved someone's problem) does not use ANY electricity, (Except in a break-away) it is air powered by motor home compressed air (Works well if MH is a DP with air brakes, IF not, they make a model with a compressor for Gassers). Some others are like that too but work diferently inside the towed.
NOTE: all 3 of the systems I just mentioned are "Invisible" to the driver of the car, you do not see them, they are installed once, hopefully done right (mine was not), and to hook 'em up is no harder than hooking up your tow lights, Just plug it in.. IN the case of the invisible brake it's even easier, Just hook up the tow lights, that's all. (oh and the break-away cable) 2 to 5 seconds to do it. No "Install every time" and nothing to remove and stow either.
So a Towed Charge line (Towed charge is the brand name) is not a bad idea.
or if you like KISS you can go with a different braking system.. (Unless of course you change towed's often) The invisible Brake system is designed to recharge the towed's battery slowly off the tail light circuit from the motor home so to charge the battery in the towed.. Turn on your headlights for safety as you drive.
The US-Gear Unified brake Decelerator includes a battery tie line, Not as complex as the towed charge it basically is a heavy wire with circuit breakers on each end of it.
M&G Air/hydraulic system (Egads you just solved someone's problem) does not use ANY electricity, (Except in a break-away) it is air powered by motor home compressed air (Works well if MH is a DP with air brakes, IF not, they make a model with a compressor for Gassers). Some others are like that too but work diferently inside the towed.
NOTE: all 3 of the systems I just mentioned are "Invisible" to the driver of the car, you do not see them, they are installed once, hopefully done right (mine was not), and to hook 'em up is no harder than hooking up your tow lights, Just plug it in.. IN the case of the invisible brake it's even easier, Just hook up the tow lights, that's all. (oh and the break-away cable) 2 to 5 seconds to do it. No "Install every time" and nothing to remove and stow either.
