Breakaway Battery

civilian · Dec 10, 2015

So what does one do when the trailer with a break away battery on it is used in the winter in N. Michigan and stored in a cold barn? My boat and camper batteries are kept in a warm garage, but they are not used in the winter. Does the break away battery get enough charge to keep it from freezing on short around town trips? Trailer is new this fall, so battery should be good right now. Thanks, Jon

bigtiller · Dec 10, 2015

I charge/maintain mine with this 1.5 amp Schumacher from walmart.

Schumacher XM1-5 Maintainer, 1.5-Amp - Walmart.com

crazyal · Dec 11, 2015

You would think they would make them out of capacitors that get fully charged every time they are connected to a 12v source.

Garandman · Dec 11, 2015

K0UA, solar charger sounds like a great idea.

dfkrug said:
Good idea, OREZOK. Just lock it so it does not go missing when you stop somewhere for lunch.

Anyone use those new Lithium-Ion starter packs? They have come way down in price and are small and light.
r.

We've had the MicroStart (first and one of the best) for two or three years. They work great. But they don't like cold or sustained loads.

k0ua · Dec 11, 2015

crazyal said:
You would think they would make them out of capacitors that get fully charged every time they are connected to a 12v source.

Those supercaps are kind of expensive, but if we are replacing batteries all the time, it might be a good idea. Something to think about.

wolfpack2 · Dec 11, 2015

civilian said:
So what does one do when the trailer with a break away battery on it is used in the winter in N. Michigan and stored in a cold barn? My boat and camper batteries are kept in a warm garage, but they are not used in the winter. Does the break away battery get enough charge to keep it from freezing on short around town trips? Trailer is new this fall, so battery should be good right now. Thanks, Jon

I have 2 trailers and neither of them have had any battery issues over the winter. I don't tow in the winter if avoidable as the amount of salt they use in metro Detroit will eat a trailer in no time. The trailers are stored in a barn and the batteries are left on the trailer with no issues this far. The oldest one is currently 7 years old and it still holds a charge all winter and has never frozen. I typically charge the batteries at the beginning of the winter and again before I pout them back into service in the spring.