Battery Charger for Trailer-Mounted Auxiliary Battery
Updated 12/28/2017 | Published 12/27/2017
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Question:
The question is this: Will the charging system work without the blue breaking wire attached. I have a very small trailer and there are no trailer brakes on it. I cannot find a schematic to understand what the function of this wire is in the sealed system.
asked by: Bob
Expert Reply:
A trailer breakaway battery charger kit like # 20011 will be needed only on a trailer that does have electric drum brakes and a breakaway system like the Hopkins # HM20001.
For maintaining a trailer-mounted battery that supplies power to lights, vents, etc you can use the 12V power circuit in the 7-way connector. This 12V feed is carried on the pin at the 1-o-clock position as you view the 7-way socket. Please refer to the linked photo and article.
This 12V feed has enough power to maintain a charged battery but it cannot re-charge a depleted one. That will require a battery charger, either an AC shore-power unit like the CTEK Multi # CTEK56353 or a DC charger like the Redarc # 331-BCDC1225D.
