Hi everybody,I'm new to this forum and I just bought my first trailer and am going to need some help. I went camping a few weeks ago, trying out the trailer for the first time. When we returned from the trip I thought I had turn everything that runs on electricity off. I did notice that the clock on the radio was still lighted up. This week I found that the battery had gone dead, so I'm not sure if that's supposed to be what happens. Next weekend we're going camping again and I wanted to ask, will the car charge up the battery again when I'm driving? Thanks for all help.

You should check the battery for level in each cell and add distilled water if needed. the battery may not be good.If you can plug into a house circuit with adapters to convert your 30 amp to regular house outlet it should charge your battery. When you are plugged in your converter provides 12volt and charges your battery. when plugged in to power your battery should be receiving about 13.6 volts which you can check with a meter.Your tow vehicle may charge it depending how your 7 pin adapter is wired.

'Car' will MAINTAIN a trailer battery that is already charged....provided you have a 7 pin trailer plug and charge line is hot.But vehicle charge wire is small gauge, long and is dependent on vehicle charge systemTrailer has parasitic drains on the DC systemHardwired LP detector, radio memory etc.Trailer battery just sitting in storage will drain down within couple weeks.This is NOT good for battery life Need to get that battery charged back up now that it is run down.....then if possible plug trailer into AC power and keep battery charged via trailer converter/charger system. Otherwise.remove battery and put on portable charger.

If you left your battery "dead" that long more than likely it is dead. Read RV battery basics online.

Thanks a lot for the quick replies. I do have an adopter so I'll plug the house electricity into the trailer. The dealer I bought the trailer from said that over the winter all I had to do is disconnect the battery and store it and it would be OK. Is that wrong?

I'm new to this too and I just unhook the neg battery cable every time I put it back in the storage lot.

Battery run down | Good Sam Community

rbpru
Explorer II
Sep 18, 2017
The so called phantom loads in my TT will draw down my battery in a week or so. I leave it plugged in between trips to keep the battery charged.

When not in use for a long period of time, I disconnect the negative battery lead.

A battery disconnect switch would work fine but I do not need one more gizmo to mess with or to accidentally leave in the wrong position.
Artum_Snowbird
Explorer
Sep 17, 2017
I go with the battery lead disconnected. If you rely on having it permanently connected to your power source, something will go wrong. Normally when things go wrong, the trickle charger gets forgotten and the batteries drain away. Charging it up, then disconnecting the battery lead will leave that battery in good shape for months.
SoundGuy
Explorer
Sep 17, 2017
gerewolf wrote:
I'm new to this forum and I just bought my first trailer and am going to need some help.

Do yourself (and everyone else) a favour and include the make / model / year of rig you have in your SIG, then in future we all won't have to guess what might be an appropriate answer to any questions you may be asking. :)
Jim2007
Explorer
Sep 17, 2017
I agree with the comment. To install a disconnect switch when trailer is in short term storage .... I do this and the battery stays charge for a few weeks. For long term storage like several months. I remove the battery a and put it in the garage and hook it up to a trickle charger. I have been doing this for over ten years ... I normally get about 4to 5 years from my 6 volt battery... happy camping. Jim2007
gerewolf
Explorer
Sep 17, 2017
Yahoo! Thanks. I have a feeling I'll be back here for more info. Good to know this forum exists.
turbojimmy
Explorer
Sep 17, 2017
gerewolf wrote:
Thanks again. So I can just keep the trailer plugged into my house electricity (using an adapter) and it will stay charged over the winter?

If by adapter you mean 30A to 15/20A (standard house plug) then yes that will work assuming you have a CONverter, which any modern TT would have.
turbojimmy
Explorer
Sep 17, 2017
SoundGuy wrote:
No, an INverter won't ... but the trailer's built in CONverter will. There is a difference. ;)

Oops yeah. There's a small difference. Thanks for catching that.
gerewolf
Explorer
Sep 17, 2017
Thanks again. So I can just keep the trailer plugged into my house electricity (using an adapter) and it will stay charged over the winter?
SoundGuy
Explorer
Sep 17, 2017
gerewolf wrote:
The dealer I bought the trailer from said that over the winter all I had to do is disconnect the battery and store it and it would be OK.

turbojimmy wrote:
The inverter will keep the battery topped off.

No, an INverter won't ... but the trailer's built in CONverter will. There is a difference. ;)
Lynnmor
Explorer
Sep 17, 2017
wing_zealot wrote:
You don't need to remove the battery when not in use. Just get a disconnect switch and mount it in the positive line at the battery. Turn the disconnect switch off when your storing the trailer and not plugged in and the battery will stay charged for several months.

This is the best answer. If it not being used, plugged in or connected to the tow vehicle, turn the switch off right away. It doesn't matter whether you use the positive or negative cable for the switch.