Newbie Question

[j4door]

I have a Fleetwood Timberlake PU (2004) and have 4 camping trips under my belt.  I discharged my battery while under tow because I had the fridge operating on 12V.  I thought the battery was under charge from the tow vehicle.  Apparently  not.  Is it possible to to do this?  If so, is there info available on how to do it?

[wavery]

I have a Fleetwood Timberlake PU (2004) and have 4 camping trips under my belt.  I discharged my battery while under tow because I had the fridge operating on 12V.  I thought the battery was under charge from the tow vehicle.  Apparently  not.  Is it possible to to do this?  If so, is there info available on how to do it?

Welcome to PUT

What kind of tow vehicle do you have?

How many connectors on your trailer wiring plug?

Try reading this thread to see if it helps:
http://www.arveeclub.com/showthread.php?t=57001

[lmack]

I have a Fleetwood Timberlake PU (2004) and have 4 camping trips under my belt.  I discharged my battery while under tow because I had the fridge operating on 12V.  I thought the battery was under charge from the tow vehicle.  Apparently  not.  Is it possible to to do this?  If so, is there info available on how to do it?

I have a Coleman and you can replace the trailer light with a 4 or 7 wire connector, you will need the 7 wire connector if you want to charge while towing, also you TV will need to be wired to the 7 wire connector to allow charging....if you intend to use a brake controller you will also need the 7 wire connector.

[j4door]

Thanks for the replies folks.  You've been very helpful. I read the recommended thread and think I found the answers I was looking for.  My tv  is a Honda Odessy and the tow package was installed by the U-haul folks.  I don't think they hooked up a hot wire for charging the trailer battery.  I'm assuming I can run a properly fused #10 line straight from the tv battery to the appropiate pin on the  7 pin connector.  If that's not correct, warn me before I do it!!!!

[wavery]

Thanks for the replies folks.  You've been very helpful. I read the recommended thread and think I found the answers I was looking for.  My tv  is a Honda Odessy and the tow package was installed by the U-haul folks.  I don't think they hooked up a hot wire for charging the trailer battery.  I'm assuming I can run a properly fused #10 line straight from the tv battery to the appropiate pin on the  7 pin connector.  If that's not correct, warn me before I do it!!!!

That'll get you half way there.

Take a test light and see if you have power to the corresponding pin on the TV side of the harness. If not, you will have to run that wire also.

[tlhdoc]

I'm assuming I can run a properly fused #10 line straight from the tv battery to the appropiate pin on the 7 pin connector. If that's not correct, warn me before I do it!!!!

Welcome to PUT.  
 
That is correct.  What kind of camper do you have?

[j4door]

TLHDOC:  I have a 2004 Fleetwood Timberlake and really like it.  Thanks all for the help.  I think I'm in business.  Going camping in the Savannah, GA area in a few days!

[tlhdoc]

Do you charge your battery with a regular battery charger when you get home from a trip?  If you don't your battery will not have a long life.  You should charge the battery after every trip and then top it off before you leave on the next trip.

[AustinBoston]

That'll get you half way there.

Take a test light and see if you have power to the corresponding pin on the TV side of the harness. If not, you will have to run that wire also.

Don't forget to fuse that end as well.  The charge line, because it can be powered from either end, needs to be fused at either end.  If a short develops in the middle of the line somewhere, either battery will gladly provide enough power to melt the insulation and/or start a fire.

In all my years, this is the only situation I have ever seen that calls for fusing/breakering both ends of a wire.

Austin

[j4door]

I've found that my PU has a black wire labed +12v aux which goes directly to the pu battery.  The matching terminal on the tv has no wire connected.  So looks like I have to install a fused (2) line on the tv.  Good info about two fuses.  Don't think I would have caught that.  Also I charge my pu batt with the built in converter after each trip by plugging the pu to 110v while parked at home.
Jim

[tlhdoc]

Many people charge their batteries with the converter, but you should get a longer life out of the battery if you use a three stage "smart charger".  The converter doesn't charge at a high, which is needed to mix the acid in the battery.  A "smart charger" will change the charging rate and give the battery a longer life.

[wavery]

What tlhdoc says is very true. Most PUs are equipped with a converter that does NOT qualify as a battery charger.

Converters are designed to take the 110v AC current and convert it to 12v DC so that you can operate your lights, w/pump and furnace without draining your 12v battery. They are not designed to put a full charge in a discharged battery.

Most converters put out about 12.2-12.5v that is enough to maintain your battery but not nearly enough to put a serious charge on your battery. A proper battery charger puts out about 14.5v (maximum) and 13.8v for maintenance charge.

Having said that, there are converters on the market that have proper, 3-stage battery chargers built in. However, IMHO they are not worth what they want for them because you can buy a "Smart" battery charger for much less.

If you are going to dry camp, you definitely need a separate 3-stage "Smart" battery charger. If you use your converter to charge your batteries for dry camping, you will be very disappointed in my opinion.

[tknick]

One thing I didn't see mentioned, is using a switched relay on your 12v line.  This would only have the 12v from your TV hot when the car is running.  That way, if you stop for a long lunch on a really hot day, you don't come back to a dead battery in your TV.  

If you are connected directly to the batter, once the battery on your trailer dies it will start draining your TV battery.  That may be just enough to leave it too weak to start your TV.  If the trailer battery dies while stopped, it will charge back up when you start the car, and then again when you plug in a the campsite but you will still have enough juice in the TV to get yourself there.

My TV came set up from the factory this way, and I have seen it mention by other posts here.  You can pick up the relay from the auto parts store when you pick pu the wire and the fuses.  One of the terminals on the relay is used to open/close the switch.  Connect a 12v source that is only hot when the car is on (radio, sunroof, power windows, windshield washers, etc) to that terminal.

That combined with the fuses shoud eliminate almost every headache and problem.  As for the charger, definitely go with a smart charger.  you can get them on eBay or even at the local wallyworld.

good luck.