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GRF · 03-11-2025, 04:12 PM

This question is answered somewhere on this site...but I can not find it!
Is anyone towing a Jeep Wrangler EV model. If so, do you have a problem with battery drainage?

OMMM4747 · 03-11-2025, 04:23 PM

Need more info ... Coach manufacturer, year, chassis? Type braking system? Braking system powered by the coach or the Jeep (cigarette lighter, etc.)? DIY or pro-install?

Dodge Guy · 03-11-2025, 06:40 PM

You should have a battery charge line anyway. With that you will have no problem with the battery going dead.

radar · 03-11-2025, 07:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GRF

This question is answered somewhere on this site...but I can not find it!
Is anyone towing a Jeep Wrangler EV model. If so, do you have a problem with battery drainage?

Are you concerned with the 12 volt battery charge or the traction battery. You can run a charge line for the 12 volt battery. Should be on pin 4 (I think) if the 7 pin trailer plug.

GRF · 03-11-2025, 07:58 PM

This 2024 Jeep Wrangler is the PHEV model that use regenerative braking to keep the EV system charged. There is no power to any accessories when it is connected as a toad. The braking system uses centrigual force to apply brakes. Power to turn and brakes lights is supplied via the MH. I have towed the unit on multiple trips and here is what happens:
Towing for a single day (4 - 6 hours) .... no problem, the battery starts the Jeep normally.
Towing for two days (8 - 10 hours)... the vehicle battery is depleted ...will not start the Jeep. Had to jump start.
However, the EV battery is fully charged, but can not be used to operate the Jeep without the vehicle battery!

**Lt Dan** · 03-11-2025, 08:34 PM

If you use an add on braking system that pulls or pushes the brake pedal, then there will be depletion of the engine batteries. Every time the brake is activated the computer system "wakes up" for a period of time then goes back to sleep. After a while the batteries are depleted. You do need a charge line to keep the batteries from dying. A direct connection will work, but a smart charger like the RVI Towed Charger Plus will monitor battery levels and only charge if needed and only if the motorhome battery is above a certain voltage.

wildtoad · 03-12-2025, 04:01 AM

Sounds like you’re using a Ready Brake or Ready Brute Elite system. In a regular Wrangler, works great, not sure about the 4xE. If my premise is true have you called NSA to see if they have a clue? Does applying the brakes cause some system in the Jeep to “wake-up” and use power? To pick a nit, you said “no power to any accessory”. I assume this means the Jeep is totally off.

GRF · 03-15-2025, 11:10 AM

Thanks for the inputs. Talking with another Jeep tower and he said that he using a "Battery Maintainer" purchased from Amazon. So, I am thinking about that... don't need a charger, just a maintainer for the battery.

CoolTech · 03-15-2025, 01:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GRF

Thanks for the inputs. Talking with another Jeep tower and he said that he using a "Battery Maintainer" purchased from Amazon. So, I am thinking about that... don't need a charger, just a maintainer for the battery.

No, you will need a good charger. As mentioned previously, due to an unfortunate anomaly in the Wrangler JL/JT's, each time your brake lights or turn signals are activated, the BCM inadvertently wakes up the Jeep and it will draw 3-6A of power in this awake mode. It will go back to sleep again (drawing a more reasonable ~50mA) but the process starts again when there's another turn signal or brake light event.

To offset this draw, you need a reasonable charger.

wildtoad · 03-15-2025, 03:27 PM

If the lights are powered from the mh with diodes to isolate said power from the Jeep wiring, how do the BCM know the lights are lit?

Chargerman · 03-15-2025, 03:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by OMMM4747

Need more info ... Coach manufacturer, year, chassis? Type braking system? Braking system powered by the coach or the Jeep (cigarette lighter, etc.)? DIY or pro-install?

What does this have to do with the OP’s question?

CoolTech · 03-15-2025, 03:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wildtoad

If the lights are powered from the mh with diodes to isolate said power from the Jeep wiring, how do the BCM know the lights are lit?

The Wrangler's rear LED lights are on a circuit board and the wires to the light actually go to this circuit board. The reason for a circuit board is that NHTSA mandates that the OEM (Jeep) notify the driver in the event of a rear light failure. As such, the purpose of the circuit board is to determine if, in fact, the LED illuminated when commanded. If so, a 12v signal is sent to the BCM to confirm a "good" illumination occurred. This is labeled in the wiring diagrams as the "fault sense" wire. Unfortunately, this 12v signal causes the BCM to wake up. The "source" of the 12v is, of course, from the tow vehicle

You can't put a diode on this wire because in normal operation the BCM needs to see this signal - otherwise the Jeep will think a rear light has malfunctioned.

DarkSideJeep · 03-15-2025, 03:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GRF

This question is answered somewhere on this site...but I can not find it!
Is anyone towing a Jeep Wrangler EV model. If so, do you have a problem with battery drainage?

I do not have a Jeep EV but I have had a problem with battery drain on my Gladiator until I had the charge wire hooked up. It should have been hooked up by Camping World when the Invis-I-Brake was installed. If you have a braking system that draws power from the TOAD you will have battery drain.

wildtoad · 03-15-2025, 05:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CoolTech

The Wrangler's rear LED lights are on a circuit board and the wires to the light actually go to this circuit board. The reason for a circuit board is that NHTSA mandates that the OEM (Jeep) notify the driver in the event of a rear light failure. As such, the purpose of the circuit board is to determine if, in fact, the LED illuminated when commanded. If so, a 12v signal is sent to the BCM to confirm a "good" illumination occurred. This is labeled in the wiring diagrams as the "fault sense" wire. Unfortunately, this 12v signal causes the BCM to wake up. The "source" of the 12v is, of course, from the tow vehicle

You can't put a diode on this wire because in normal operation the BCM needs to see this signal - otherwise the Jeep will think a rear light has malfunctioned.

Good to know. Seems I forgot my ‘21 Glad has bulbs.