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05-01-2023, 10:05 PM
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#1
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Member
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: Palm Coast FL
Posts: 84
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Do I realy need a battery in my TT
I have a 33ft Springdale Travel Trailer and a Ford F250. My 12vlt lead acid battery has been dead for over a year. When I have no power I connect my RV to my truck to hook up. The battery disconnect is in the disconnect position. I only camp at full hook-up campgrounds. I assume my trailer disconnect cable will work from my car battery.
Do I really need a battery? Can I cause any damage to the RV or truck functioning this way. Your thoughts and recommendations are appreciated.
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05-01-2023, 10:14 PM
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#2
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Senior Member
Winnebago Owners Club
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Spring Branch, TX
Posts: 2,981
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In my experience your TTs electric brakes won’t work without a battery. Especially, the emergency breakaway if the TT separates from the tow vehicle.
__________________
2017 Winnebago Adventurer 37F
2016 Lincoln MKX Toad
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05-02-2023, 06:17 AM
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#3
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Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2019
Location: SC
Posts: 354
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You absolutely need a battery. If your trailer should break away from the tow vehicle, the battery applies power to the electric brakes. Very much a safety issue.
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05-02-2023, 06:26 AM
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#4
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Senior Member
Monaco Owners Club
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: On the road
Posts: 2,115
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Your a/c may not work...thermostat power, depends on how it's wired...even with FHU.
__________________
Happy Trails,
06 Dynasty Countess III ISL//3060
07 Hummer H3
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05-02-2023, 06:46 AM
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#5
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2014
Posts: 35,349
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Your converter/charger is designed to power the RV, including the 12 volts for the A/C thermostat, without a battery in it, if not, then the disconnect would be wired different.
Your truck charge line will give you limited power for inside lights, pumps and inside things but not for the brakes if the trailer got loose and unplugged.
The tail lights, signal lights, brake lights and power for the brakes all come from the truck when connected properly.
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05-02-2023, 09:24 AM
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#6
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Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2003
Location: Kelowna, B.C. Canada
Posts: 3,025
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Quote:
Originally Posted by jergle
You absolutely need a battery. If your trailer should break away from the tow vehicle, the battery applies power to the electric brakes. Very much a safety issue.
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Yep this; it's unsafe and illegal to run without a functioning trailer battery.
Dave
__________________
2022 Outdoors RV 25RDS, 2022 F350 dually, 6.7PSD, 10 spd, 3.55's
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05-02-2023, 09:28 AM
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#7
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Member
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: Palm Coast FL
Posts: 84
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Thank you all for your advice. I will purchase a new battery tomorrow
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05-03-2023, 05:55 AM
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#8
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Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2018
Posts: 204
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The battery is kind of like the brain of your rig, so yes.
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2024 Brinkley G 3500 #39
2017 F450
Always in the Dawg Haus
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05-03-2023, 06:30 AM
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#9
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Senior Member
Entegra Owners Club
Join Date: Jul 2016
Posts: 216
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Here’s another thought about the battery on a Travel Trailer. If you are traveling from one place to another and you have a mechanical problem with either the truck or trailer. You can disconnect them and still have 12v in the trailer. The refrigerator if nothing else will need the 12v to run when disconnected. I can think of other scenarios where it would be nice to have too.
__________________
Larry & Laura
2021 Entegra Anthem 44 W
2016 Wrangler Unlimited Rubicon
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05-06-2023, 02:25 PM
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#10
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Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: Palm Coast Florida
Posts: 12,995
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My 5th wheel would start to act weird when the small group 24 battery was dead. Even plugged in the landing gear would act up and not work right.
Anyway - when you get a new battery try to get a larger group size. Group 24 is small, group 27 is mid sized and group 31 is the largest. Each size bigger has more capacity and will last longer. Even plugged in a group 31 might last 7 years and a group 24 might last 3 years.
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05-06-2023, 04:11 PM
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#11
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Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2017
Location: DeLand, FL
Posts: 9,025
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My Group 24 is 5 years old and still going.
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05-06-2023, 04:15 PM
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#12
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Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: Palm Coast Florida
Posts: 12,995
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There are always exceptions
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05-16-2023, 04:05 PM
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#13
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Senior Member
Join Date: May 2019
Posts: 102
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Quote:
Originally Posted by bro61021
Thank you all for your advice. I will purchase a new battery tomorrow
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Depends on size of trailer and of tow vehicle. Do you need one for your junk trailer? No.. If you have 1 ton with diesel engine brakes.. no..
I mainly said this because, I know this will rile or sorts up who just like to slam their keyboards
Yeah get a battery.. it doesnt need to be charged though...
bahahahaha
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05-17-2023, 11:30 AM
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#14
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Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2003
Location: Kelowna, B.C. Canada
Posts: 3,025
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Barchetta
Depends on size of trailer and of tow vehicle. Do you need one for your junk trailer? No.. If you have 1 ton with diesel engine brakes.. no..
I mainly said this because, I know this will rile or sorts up who just like to slam their keyboards
Yeah get a battery.. it doesnt need to be charged though...
bahahahaha
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ummm; "junk trailer"? you mean a single axle trailer used to haul garbage? ....if so you are correct; trailers under 3500 lbs typically don't have or need brakes.
For trailers large enough to require brakes, the trailer break-away switch requires a functional battery......and the tow vehicle size/type/capacity is irrelevant to that requirement since it's intended to activate when the trailer becomes separated from the truck....
__________________
2022 Outdoors RV 25RDS, 2022 F350 dually, 6.7PSD, 10 spd, 3.55's
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