Disconnecting the Trailer Connection when staying Overnight.

[Canuck_Travelle]

Hi everyone, I have a question for you.

We have a Kodiak Travel Trailer and it has Dual Batteries in it, it is towed with a 2017 Silverado 1500.
I always disconnect the trailer's electrical cable when staying overnight at an un-serviced location like a Flying "J", Wal-Mart, etc.,and as a point to jog my memory put a card around the steering wheel so an old feller like myself can remember to plug in.

Question,do I have to do that or does the newer Trucks remember with software or hardware to not allow the truck battery to be siphoned off through the Trailer Connection?

Maybe I should try General Motors but thinking there is more expertise here concerning Trailer Connections, the new truck is really a large computer, quite awesome in some things but no mention that I can find with respect to this subject.

Appreciate any help or comments anyone might have.

[rbpru]

My battery is good for about two days at least. The lights and pump and phantom loads are the only drain.

I could turn on the furnace and the hot water heater plus the exhaust fans if I wanted to increase the battery drain.

If I were to boondock I would certainly upgrade the system but then I would also have a generator.

Over night, not an issue connected or not.

[hohenwald48]

As they said in the 60's "If it feels good, do it."

[Canuck_Travelle]

Last year on the way to Florida we stayed in Cabelas with our older D/A Chevy and I disconnected the trailer, turned out next morning it poured rain so we stayed another day.

During that rainy day we used our invertor to run the Television, fridge running, cold as it was 1st of November so we had the furnace on.
We left the next morning and I checked the battery gauge in the Trailer, we were down to between 1 and 2. The point being if we had stayed plugged in would it have affected the TV batteries?

I really don't know but I don't want to find out.

Thanks to everyone for weighing in with their opinions, you all are helpful and we really appreciate your input, Bon Voyage to one and all!

[bobndot]

When i had a 3 way fridge (which could accidentally drain batteries running off 12v. ) and towed with a 'HOT' GM, i disconnected until i installed an isolator.

I now have a 2 way fridge without any chance of accidental 12v switching and a 2016 GM 1500 Silverado which is always HOT . I feel safe to leave this combo plugged in overnight.

[Turtle_n_Peeps]

wrenchbender wrote:
In my 44 yrs of camping I have never disconnected on overnights

Same here.

I would like to know what are you people running that can suck 3 or 4 batteries dry overnight?

[ktmrfs]

Canuck Travellers wrote:
Rain stopped, out to truck and sadly #4 & #1 are HOT, so there is power to the Trailer Connection with Truck off.

I was hoping with all the Software in these 2017 Chev Silverados that it would be off when the truck was off or....maybe I have not found the software to turn it off....don't think so though.

Guess I will continue to disconnect when in unserviced areas overnight.

One more question if I may, I see space for a second battery, I wonder if it would be a good idea to put one in.
I know there are ups & downs to this as in my former Diesel I needed two but one went bad once and pretty well ruined the other.

Upside is you have lots of power for what ever, anyone put two batterys in a 6.2 Gas Engine in a Chevrolet Silverado?

#4= 12 Volt Battery Power (Position 1 O'clock)
#1= Ground (Position 7 O'clock)
2017 Chev LTZ Silverado HOT ACROSS #4 / #1 WHEN TRUCK IS SHUT OFF

I think you have helped answer or solve the trailer power issue. Based on your comments, I believe that Chevy gassers with dual batteries have the trailer plug set up so that it does NOT apply power to the trailer with the engine off or they isolate the starting battery and they use a relay to do this. I'd stop by a dealer and see if they can either install the dual battery option, or tell you how to do it.

[wrenchbender]

In my 44 yrs of camping I have never disconnected on overnights

[Canuck_Travelle]

Rain stopped, out to truck and sadly #4 & #1 are HOT, so there is power to the Trailer Connection with Truck off.

I was hoping with all the Software in these 2017 Chev Silverados that it would be off when the truck was off or....maybe I have not found the software to turn it off....don't think so though.

Guess I will continue to disconnect when in unserviced areas overnight.

One more question if I may, I see space for a second battery, I wonder if it would be a good idea to put one in.
I know there are ups & downs to this as in my former Diesel I needed two but one went bad once and pretty well ruined the other.

Upside is you have lots of power for what ever, anyone put two batterys in a 6.2 Gas Engine in a Chevrolet Silverado?

#4= 12 Volt Battery Power (Position 1 O'clock)
#1= Ground (Position 7 O'clock)
2017 Chev LTZ Silverado HOT ACROSS #4 / #1 WHEN TRUCK IS SHUT OFF

[ktmrfs]

deltabravo wrote:
Everything I've seen/heard/read about the new generation of GM trucks is that the K2xx series disconnect the trailer batteries.

As wired from the factory, GMT900 and older generation to do not disconnect the batteries when the engine is off.

The K2xx is the current body style, which replaced the GMT900 (07-13 1500s and 07.5-2014 2500/3500)

GM truck platforms

not true, the My 2015.5 2500HD duramax is just like my 04.5 duramax. the battery does NOT disconnect with ignition turned off.

Some Gasser versions do, but NOT the diesels. Gassers depend on if you have the dual battery option or not.

[harley4275]

I have a 2015 2500hd chev . When I had the truck camper on and overnighting on a back road in alaska ,I kinda forgot to turn fridge from 12v to gas one night ,by 3am I had camper battery and truck battery dead...(propane sniffer sporadically beeping).
Truck live line still live in this truck. I disconnect nightly after that night.
Luckily a pickup was driving by when I need a boost.

[wing_zealot]

Why take a chance at having two dead batteries. It's a huge inconvenience to have two dead batteries. Unplugging is one of those little things that prevents the bigger things from happening. There is no down side.

[deltabravo]

I added an isolation solenoid

[rbpru]

When we camp and go I am with the group that stays connected.

Usually we have shore power but if not we really do not draw much power, just a couple of led lights and maybe the water pump for a few minutes.

[ScottG]

KD4UPL wrote:

SoundGuy wrote:

naturist wrote:
My TT owners' manual says the trailer won't draw power from the TV unless it is running.

Baloney. How would your trailer "know" whether the truck's charge line is active or not, whether the truck is running or not? Anytime the charge line is active the trailer will draw from it.

Good grief. :R

It's called various things: battery isolater, voltage controlled relay, automatic charging relay, Basically if the voltage is above about 13.2 volts it will connect assuming a running engine. When the voltage is less than that it disconnects. I've got one on my camper. It works great.

By the way, unless GM has changed recently the charge line is always hot. However, I see no need to unplug for one night if you have 2 batteries on the camper. But, better safe than sorry I guess.

Naturist was talking about the trailer disconnecting, not the truck.
So no, the trailer doesn't know the truck is running or not and connect based on that knowledge. I suspect he maybe misread the manual or read it in his TV's manual.