CRV TOAD - Travel Time w/o pulling fuse

willald wrote:

lanerd wrote:
A simple fix is to install a simple on/off switch in place of the fuse.

Ron

..Or, install a charge line between MH and the CRV, and never have to worry about the toad's battery again, nor have to reset clocks or radio settings or have to flip any switch or pull any fuse.

Even if you don't totally 'kill' the battery during 250 miles of travel or whatever distance...Towing with a constant drain on the battery like that is not good for the battery. Won't happen right away, but eventually doing that will shorten the battery's life, and you'll get to replace it sooner than you would have otherwise. Thats why I went with a charge line, and prefer that solution.

$10 for various parts needed to run a charge line (fuse, #10 wire, connectors, etc.) is MUCH cheaper than a car battery that'll run you $80-100 when you have to replace it before its time.

It would be good to fuse the charge wire at both ends as close to the RV and toad batteries as practical.

lanerd wrote:
A simple fix is to install a simple on/off switch in place of the fuse.

Ron

..Or, install a charge line between MH and the CRV, and never have to worry about the toad's battery again, nor have to reset clocks or radio settings or have to flip any switch or pull any fuse.

Even if you don't totally 'kill' the battery during 250 miles of travel or whatever distance...Towing with a constant drain on the battery like that is not good for the battery. Won't happen right away, but eventually doing that will shorten the battery's life, and you'll get to replace it sooner than you would have otherwise. Thats why I went with a charge line, and prefer that solution.

$10 for various parts needed to run a charge line (fuse, #10 wire, connectors, etc.) is MUCH cheaper than a car battery that'll run you $80-100 when you have to replace it before its time.

lanerd wrote:
A simple fix is to install a simple on/off switch in place of the fuse.

Ron

I asked the folks at Pep Boys about such a switch and they looked at me like I was nuts. Also, doesn't this mess up your clock/radio?

I'm thinking of putting a trickle charger in the back of the MOHO and running the charging cable to the toad - probably with some sort of disconnectable patch cord between the two vehicles.

A simple fix is to install a simple on/off switch in place of the fuse.

Ron

Boy can I tell you that one from experience! :B

My Toad instructions were to start it every 250 miles for the trans.
No instructions about fuse pulling.

For 2 years I started that toad every 250 miles faithfully. Never had a dead battery.

The third year going to Florida is was pouring rain storm, I was real close to my destination so when the 250 mile start the toad time came. I thought what the heck one time, going a short distance more is not going to make her blow up so I didn't start it.

The battery was dead when I got there.

SO, for my toad the magic number is the time it takes to travel 250 miles. AND I guess there is a fuse to pull somewhere and I was unknowingly also charging the battery when I was actually starting it just for the 'trans'.!! :B

I have a 2005 CRV and haven't had a starting problem yet. I have towed 5 1/2-6 hours and no issues with the battery.