How Long Does It Take To Charge a Breakaway Battery

Updated 08/05/2019 | Published 08/03/2019

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NOCO Genius Smart Battery Charger - AC to DC - 6V/12V - 5 Amp

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Question:

The trailer hasn’t been run since the fall. It sat idle during the winter and spring. How long does it take to charge the battery when connected to the tow vehicle and can I expect the system to be functional in quick time? Since I may have some concerns about the health of the battery, how can I connect my Battery Tender to condition and charge it before the first trip this season? Secondly, the expert answer given about charging the battery didn’t have any pictures. Can you supply something to help me understand the answer? Perhaps a pinout chart would help.

asked by: James D

Expert Reply:

I assume you are referring to a breakaway battery but this was not specified so please just clarify this for me if that is not the case. That said, I don't really have any accurate charge times for your breakaway battery as there are just too many variable involved. I would say anywhere from 20 minutes to an hour. If you use a meter to measure the voltage on the battery that should then let you know its state of charge.

The best option for you if you need to make sure the breakaway battery is charged before a trip would be to remove this from the trailer and and just use a conversational battery charger like the NOCO Genius Mini On-Board Battery Charger part # 329-GENIUS5. For future reference, we have push to test kits like the Hopkins Engager Push-To-Test Trailer Breakaway Kit part # 20099 which allow you to monitor the state of your battery in real time.

I am again assuming here as well but if you are looking for a wiring diagram for a breakaway battery, I have attached a photo to assist.

expert reply by: Conner L