Battery charger on towed vehicle

[suenmike]

Need some advice please. I have a Ram 1500 truck that does not have to be put on accessory when being towed because the steering wheel never locks, no drain on the battery. When I had the tow package added by an RV dealer, I requested a battery charger hook up to keep my towed vehicles battery fresh. When this work was done, it was only done to my truck, the motor home was not present at the dealer. Now I'm not sure that it was a smart addition because I am not going through the battery to operate the towed vehicle lights and signals, I am running directly off the motor home. I don't think I even have a charge line to my 6 prong outlet, Thor says I don't and the RV dealer who put this in a couple of months ago believes I do. What do others do here? We are not new to RVing, but newbies to towing. I'm thinking of just removing the battery charger because my thinking is that the battery is not being tapped at all when being towed because the accessory switch is not on. Please advise

[Bucket List Inn]

Hi suenmike, The only thing that may be a draw on your truck battery is the auxiliary brake system that you’re using. Because the possibility of the Motorhome power being lost to the toad during a break away the toad battery should power its brake system.
The way to check if your Motorhome is charging your toad battery is to check the voltage without your MH or the Toad running. Should be 12-12.5 volts. With it hooked up ready to tow with the MH running check the voltage again and if it’s charging you should see 13.5-14 volts. If it’s a float type charger you may have to turn your toad lights on for a few minutes before you start the MH to insure your charger is on.
I hope this helps!
Bill and Penny

[suenmike]

Due to the accessory not having to be on, I was considering just installing a battery disconnect to avoid any kind of drain or situation involving my towed vehicles battery

[JamieGeek]

6 prong outlet? Are you sure it isn't 7-prong (the center one is a connection)?

Like this:


Note #4: 12V battery power.

[Bucket List Inn]

[QUOTE=suenmike;151308]Due to the accessory not having to be on, I was considering just installing a battery disconnect to avoid any kind of drain or situation involving my towed vehicles battery[/

None of the 12 volt plugs are hot in my toad unless the Accessory switch is on so we had to add a separate 12volt plug (cigarette lighter) to plug in the brake system. That way the brake system is powered by the toad battery and the accessory switch is still off. The brake system doesn’t draw a lot of power however I was advised to start the toad and run it for 15 minutes or so after every travel day.

[suenmike]

Jamie, the plug from the motor home is 7 prong and the connection to the towed vehicle is 6. I did have a live cigarette plug installed, I may just do what Bucket List Inn does and just start the towed vehicle every travel day. I was hoping to avoid this by having the battery charger installed, but I don’t believe the installer checked to see if I had a charge line, he just put it in.

[Bucket List Inn]

If I start having trouble with my toad battery I will definitely be adding a 12 volt charger to the toad battery. I’d probably have to go back and add a wire to the pig tail and change the connector on the toad to accommodate a hot wire from the MH.

[tigwelder]

my jeep battery is charged with 12 volt wire coming from MH plug to jeep plug then to jeep battery. very simple. no chargers needed.

[MTHook]

Check your owners manual for towing instructions. Our Honda CVR requires the engine to be run for 8 minutes every 8 hours plus you have to shift threw the gears before and after towing.
All this is to lube the automatic transmission
i'm sure every vehicle is different