Keeping toad battery charged

[getgoin]

Hello All,
Getting things set up to hit the road. I have the 'Patriot' aux brake system set up in a Subaru Forester. I would like to disable the steering lock thus no key and minimize battery draw. Not as easy as it appears. So, I figure why not charge the toad battery as we go. There's kits out there and from what I see they do not use the existing + - off the seven blade motorhome socket. This seems a bit nuts to have to run yet two more wires to accomplish charging of the toad.

The kid next door offered to disable the steering lock....No thanks..

Any info on this would be great.

Mike
Mikestatland@gmail.com

[getgoin]

So, seven blade, on Winnebago, to 6 round should put me in charge :)....lights are wired, brake is Patriot wireless, pick up +/- (#8's) and I'm set.

Did I tell you I hate touch screens.

Thank fellas
Mike

[DSDP_Don]

"getgoin".....I would supply power to the toad as stated above, using your 7 pin cable. Years ago, I bought one of those pre made charging systems. Not only do you have to run additional wires outside the umbilical, they used some really cheesy connectors for that second set of wires.

Fuse at both ends as "wolfe 10" suggested, because your wire is HOT at both ends, even if one or the other end is disconnected.

[Gonzo42]

Brake Buddy sells a battery charge maintainer which includes an isolation diode and fuse. The 7-pin connector should have one pin which is used either for the electric brakes on a trailer or for +12V to your toad.

[wolfe10]

Mike,

No, your toad and coach battery both accept/work with the same charge voltage so no voltage-reducing isolator is necessary or even desired.

Here is how to do it:

In-line fuse at both coach chassis battery and toad battery. 8 gauge wire from each battery to either separate plug or incorporate it into a toad plug with more prongs.

You will also run an 8 gauge wire from coach chassis ground to toad battery negative. Can use a heavy gauge separate 2 wire connector or as mentioned above incorporate it into a male/female toad plug with more prongs.

If you often dry camp and sometimes do not disconnect the toad electrical connection, the above set up can continue to drain chassis battery. An easy modification is to use a 40 amp relay (under $10 at any auto parts house). Come off the chassis battery, through the in-line fuse to the relay. Use an ignition hot source to close the relay to send power to the toad. Now, it will only charge when the coach ignition is on.

If you do it yourself, total cost should be under $25.

[getgoin]

Scott, on simply running a wire to the battery should an isolator be in that line, or a charge controller? It would seem the toad battery could boil out due to over charging.

Thanks for the reply

Mike

[J-Rooster]

Like Scott said run a wire from your coach batteries to your toad! Constant charge!!

[rdmike]

What I do. When I get to an RV park, when setting up, I start the toad, and let it idle. I level the coach, slides out, hook up water, electric, dump hose etc. Shut off toad. Never had a problem but once where I did not start and left key on all night. I now have 24' jumpers in case I need to jump the toad without unhitching. 10 minutes of idling seems to charge it fine. I hope this helps.

[FIRE_UP]

getgoin wrote:
Hello All,
Getting things set up to hit the road. I have the 'Patriot' aux brake system set up in a Subaru Forester. I would like to disable the steering lock thus no key and minimize battery draw. Not as easy as it appears. So, I figure why not charge the toad battery as we go. There's kits out there and from what I see they do not use the existing + - off the seven blade motorhome socket. This seems a bit nuts to have to run yet two more wires to accomplish charging of the toad.

The kid next door offered to disable the steering lock....No thanks..

Any info on this would be great.
Mike
Mikestatland@gmail.com

get going,
Is there some reason why you prefer not to use any of the un-used wires in the 7 pin connector at the rear of the coach? That's what about 97% of the RVers do. It's clean, it's simple and, the best part, it's already there. You just have to make sure that you use the correct one and, continue it on from behind the toads plug, up to the toads positive battery post, through a fuse. DONE!
Scott