Should Breakaway Switch Be Wired Directly To Travel Trailer Battery

Updated 09/07/2022 | Published 09/06/2022

Question:

My rv travel trailer breakaway switch is wired direct to battery on trailer without any fuse. When I pull the pin on the breakaway switch accidently and before I could get the pin back in, the wires hot very warm. Is that normal?

asked by: William L

Expert Reply:

It is not normal for the breakaway switch on your travel trailer to be wired directly to the trailer battery. Instead, it should have its own battery. I recommend adding a breakaway kit like the # 20400 along with a rechargeable 12V battery.

This kit will splice into the 12V wire of the trailer connector to charge the breakaway battery while the trailer is connected to the towed vehicle. It also has a push-to-test button that shows you if the battery is getting low. The 12V wire does not over-charge the battery because the breakaway battery is designed with an automatic shut off feature once the battery is fully charged.

expert reply by: Robin H