2016 Silverado heads up

[popeyemth]

Just a heads up to owners of a 2016 Silverado:
Just bought a new one and in hooking up a brake controller checked the 7 way trailer plug for power.
When new our 2007 Silverado had a dummy fuse for power to the trailer plug that had to be replaced with a working fuse, then power was sent to the trailer plug only when the ignition was on.
The 2016 evidently has a working fuse from the factory.
Here's the heads up:
The trailer plug battery connection is live with the ignition OFF.
This means when boondocking or WalMart camping one could wake in the morning to a dead TRUCK battery.

[Dandy_Dan]

Doesn't your 2016 have a built in controller? My 2014 came with one. If you are worried about the truck battery dying over night. Just unplug your camper cord from the vehicle. Also if you are setting still the portable controller is not using any juice ( to speak of if any)

[rjstractor]

garyp4951 wrote:
It might be for a safety issue allowing the trailer brakes to be used without the key in the truck.

The power feed being referred to is the one that charges the trailer battery. The feed that activates the trailer brakes is seperate. Are you referring battery power so the breakaway feature works? I'm thinking that if the trailer breaks away while it's parked, there are some big problems! 😉

[The_real_wild1]

I is good for my enclosed trailers as it powers the lights inside. I don't want to have the truck running to have lights.

[Bigfoot_affair]

KD4UPL wrote:
GM is hot all the time. Has been for years. The OP is either incorrect about his '07 or it was modified before he got it.
I find it very handy to use the power at the 7 pin to power other things through a cigarette lighter adapter: air mattress infiltrator, air compressor, etc.

Actually, the OP is correct about the hot wire going to the trailer plug. I have bought all my trucks brand new from 2001, 2003, 2012 and now 2015. The only one I didn't have to connect the wires / fuse to was the 15.

So, either your truck was not brand new or your dealer added the fuse for you before you took delivery... I also believe it was noted in the owners manual that the fuse needs to be installed to take advantage of this hot wire.

[garyp4951]

It might be for a safety issue allowing the trailer brakes to be used without the key in the truck.

[SouthpawHD]

I too prefer it hot as I have used my truck to help "charge" my TT battery several times due to some electrical draining issues before I installed a battery shut-off switch.

[PaulJ2]

Much prefer it hot all the time. With two batteries on the trailer plus one in the truck---very unlikely three batteries go dead.

[ScottG]

patriotgrunt wrote:
What's the reasoning for Ram and GM to leave their plugs hot?

Probably simplicity or preference.
I've had RV's with it wired both ways and I much prefer it being hot all the time.

[KD4UPL]

GM is hot all the time. Has been for years. The OP is either incorrect about his '07 or it was modified before he got it.
I find it very handy to use the power at the 7 pin to power other things through a cigarette lighter adapter: air mattress infiltrator, air compressor, etc.

[Old-Biscuit]

GordonThree wrote:
Are we really sure it's hot, or is it on some sort of accessory delay, like the windows, radio, etc?

Mine is HOT all the time.

[GordonThree]

Are we really sure it's hot, or is it on some sort of accessory delay, like the windows, radio, etc?

[patriotgrunt]

What's the reasoning for Ram and GM to leave their plugs hot?

[deltabravo]

discovery4us wrote:
My 99, 2001, and current 2004 Silverado have all been live 24/7 regardless of ign. position.

Ditto times 47.

GM is hot regardless of ignition dating back to 1999, though somewhere else there was a thread that said 2015 and newer was ignition controlled - that thread must have been erroneous info.

[GordonThree]

The_real_wild1 wrote:
Dodge has power all the time as well.

I've only noticed power being sent while the engine was running, including remote start.

Regardless, plenty of overnights at the blue store and various rest areas, no dead truck battery yet.