Battery run down

[gerewolf]

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.

[rbpru]

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]

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]

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]

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]

Yahoo! Thanks. I have a feeling I'll be back here for more info. Good to know this forum exists.

[turbojimmy]

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]

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]

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]

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]

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.

[wing_zealot]

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.

[MFL]

If you can charge a few times at the storage place, with a portable charger, that's what I'd do. If not, I'd remove it, take home, charge several times over Winter. While it may work on a fully charged battery, to disconnect, let it sit all Winter, it will run down some. The more times run down to 50 percent, or less, will shorten battery life.

Jerry

[turbojimmy]

gerewolf wrote:
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?

Yes, or just leave it plugged in. The inverter will keep the battery topped off. If you can't or don't want to leave it plugged in 24x7, then yes - remove the battery. As someone else mentioned, there's all kinds of stuff that will drain the battery if you leave it connected.

I leave mine plugged in 24x7 when I'm home. Despite being nearly 4-year-old cheap Wal*Mart batteries, they still have decent life when not plugged in.

[treyster]

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