Shore Power and DC Battery Chargers for Trailer-Mounted Battery Powering Electric Jack

Updated 04/24/2020 | Published 01/13/2018

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 - 25 Amp

(88)

$484.59

Question:

I have a 14 ram 2500. I pull a utility trailer a lot It’s equipped with an electric jack i have a marine battery running it I added cables from truck battery that run all the way to trailer battery but was wondering if I ran it from alternator would it charge battery faster and better

asked by: Terry S

Expert Reply:

For the battery on your trailer that powers your electric jack the best way to charge it fully is with a shore-power AC charger like the CTEK # CTEK56353. Then while you are on the road the maintenance level 12V feed from the Ram's 7-way will keep it topped off. I own one of this particular charger and mine has worked great for almost 4 years of non-stop use.

The trouble with running cables from your truck's battery or alternator all the way to your trailer battery is that they have to be quite long. Longer cables mean lower power delivery. A better solution for you is to use a DC to DC charger such as the Redarc In-Vehicle BCDC Battery Charger # 331-BCDC1225D. This full-sealed charger mounts in the truck and delivers controlled Multi-stage charging. This charger also allows use of solar power panels as a secondary power input.

expert reply by: Adam R

Michael G.

4/23/2020

I currently have a RedArc 1225D which charges two optima yellows I use in my FJ. I also have solar. But occasionally I have the need for shore power when stored in the garage or long rain trips. I am thinking about a CTek charger. Not sure how you’d wire it in? Or if it works for dual battery set ups

Chris R.

4/24/2020

The CTEK Charger # CTEK56353 would work really well to charge up the batteries when you have access to shore power. Wiring it up is just a matter of using the clamps or eyelets on the battery terminals and plugging into a nearby outlet. For best results I recommend charging both batteries individually. You could use two of the CTEK chargers or a battery bank charger like the NOCO # NOC34FR that will let you hook up both batteries to the same module.