Can the CTEK MULTI US 7002 # CTEK56353 be Connected to 12V Power from Truck 7-Way to Power Battery

Updated 04/12/2018 | Published 04/11/2018

Products Featured in This Question

CTEK MULTI US 7002 12-Volt Universal Battery Charger w/ Pulse Maintenance and Backup Power

(98)

$199.99

Redarc In-Vehicle BCDC Battery Charger - Dual Input - DC to DC - 12V/24V - 40 Amp

(87)

$620.00

Question:

Can a battery maintainer be used through 7-pin connector to keep break-away style battery charged? Hello, I am wondering if I could use a maintainer like # CTEK56353 through a connector like # HM48480 to maintain/charge a small 12V 5.0AH break-away style battery I have in my trailer for an alarm system? The battery is connected to a 12V power source that has power when the trailer is connected to a vehicle, and I have a Schumacher SP-200 2.4W Solar Battery Maintainer connected to it but if the solar charger gets covered in snow it will not charge the battery. Since the battery is hidden it is very inconvenient to access to directly connect a plug-in maintainer. Hence the reason I would like to connect a maintainer through the 7-pin plug so that I could connect that when I will be parking the trailer for extended periods of time in the winter.

asked by: Brucer

Expert Reply:

Since the CTEK MULTI US 7002 # CTEK56353 pulls power from an AC power source and your battery on your truck and in your trailer use DC power you would need an initial DC to AC converter. This charger is best used when you are parked at a garage or near a building so that you can draw power right from a standard AC outlet.

Instead of using converting the electricity from DC to AC and then back again to DC, what you really need to use is the Redarc BCDC battery charger # 331-BCDC1240D. This ties into the 12V power wire that comes from the 7-Way on your trailer which connects to the connector on your truck that looks like the Hopkins # HM48480 that you referenced.

The D250S enables you to pull power for your battery from your alternator via the 12V power wire as well as a solar panel. It also includes a temperature sensor to help you better maintain your battery. The great thing about this is that you can connect your solar panel directly to this so that you never have to switch back and forth for charging your battery.

I have linked a photo showing which pin the 12V power should be on your trailer side 7-Way. You can use this to help you install it.

expert reply by: Jon G