Keeping break away battery charged?

[Robert F.]

How do you keep a break away battery fully charged when your trailer is used very little?
I have a two axle trailer with brakes on both axles. I use this trailer to carry my tractor to my apartment buildings when needed to move snow, but only when it is needed after there is no more room to push it with a plow truck. This means that the trailer sits unused for long periods of time. I have a Hopkins break away kit with the tester to check the charge on the battery.
How can I keep the battery fully charged when it is so rarely used? I know that I could connect the cable to my truck and charge it that way but would that drain my truck battery if truck engine not running. I hate to have the truck sitting there connected to the trailer and engine running for hours to charge the trailer brake battery.
Thanks in advance.
Bob L.

 

[Scotty Dive]

I have an engager break away on my dual axel. The manual says it recharges in 20 minutes when hooked up. I usually hook up and run the truck for awhile and make sure I have a green light before I shove off. I should add - on the engager - you should check the status of the BA with it not connected to the vehicle.

 

[BobRip]

How do you keep a break away battery fully charged when your trailer is used very little?
I have a two axle trailer with brakes on both axles. I use this trailer to carry my tractor to my apartment buildings when needed to move snow, but only when it is needed after there is no more room to push it with a plow truck. This means that the trailer sits unused for long periods of time. I have a Hopkins break away kit with the tester to check the charge on the battery.
How can I keep the battery fully charged when it is so rarely used? I know that I could connect the cable to my truck and charge it that way but would that drain my truck battery if truck engine not running. I hate to have the truck sitting there connected to the trailer and engine running for hours to charge the trailer brake battery.
Thanks in advance.
Bob L.

I put a cigarette lighter outlet on it and keep a float charger on it most of the time. I actually keep this type of charger on all lightly used engines (generators, tractors, mowers, etc.)

 

[Diamondpilot]

The quickest easiest way is with your truck. As mentioned, about 30 minutes 2-3 times a year will do the job and only cost you a few dollars per year in gas.

Another option is to get a HF solar panel and hook it directly to the battery year round. 5 Watt Solar Battery Charger

Another option is a battery tender to keep it up but you must have 110V power available. 1.5 Amp Three Stage Onboard Battery Charger/Maintainer

I would just us the truck. This way you are checking not only the trucks trailer wiring but also the battery and wiring of the trailer before its too late and you need it.

Chris

 

[Robert F.]

Thanks.
I also have the Hopkins engager and shame on me for not looking at the instruction sheet. I didn't realize that it would charge up that quickly. I will follow your suggestions of connecting my truck to charge it.
My trailer hasn't been used since about last February. I occasionally check the battery and have always had a green light until last week when I got a red light indicator.
Will get it charged up tomorrow.
Thanks for the replies.
Bob L.

 

[BobRip]

The trailer battery was not even tied to my truck battery. They had no way to actually charge the battery!

 

[JB4310]

The trailer battery was not even tied to my truck battery. They had no way to actually charge the battery!

I've heard of that. I mentioned in another similar thread that I never tested my break away system's battery. So I'm not sure if mine is one that doesn't charge or not. My trailer is at least 6-8 years old, I bought it used, so it would not surprise me to find it stone dead.
This is a flat bed, my dump trailer uses the main deep cycle pump battery, so no issue there, never failed to dump, and have never charged it so I know it's getting charged by the truck.

JB

 

[Ken45101]

The trailer battery was not even tied to my truck battery. They had no way to actually charge the battery!

A lot (most?) are like that.

If you have 110v available, the Battery Tender Jr works well and is only $20. I have a couple here that I rotate between the motorcycles, ATVs, DR Mower, etc. I bought extra lug ends so that I can easily plug into everthing.

However, I have to admit that the break away batteries are usually forgotten.

Ken

 

[tcartwri]

A lot of them charge through the running light circuit. If you run with your lights off >> no charge.

 

[Diamondpilot]

A lot of them charge through the running light circuit. If you run with your lights off >> no charge.

I hate when they do that. I know its done but its not right. Modern tow vehicles have the capability to charge via separate pin at a much high amp rate and have relays and such in place to prevent back feeding and dead tow vehicle batteries.

Chris

 

[flusher]

How do you keep a break away battery fully charged when your trailer is used very little?
I have a two axle trailer with brakes on both axles. I use this trailer to carry my tractor to my apartment buildings when needed to move snow, but only when it is needed after there is no more room to push it with a plow truck. This means that the trailer sits unused for long periods of time. I have a Hopkins break away kit with the tester to check the charge on the battery.
How can I keep the battery fully charged when it is so rarely used? I know that I could connect the cable to my truck and charge it that way but would that drain my truck battery if truck engine not running. I hate to have the truck sitting there connected to the trailer and engine running for hours to charge the trailer brake battery.
Thanks in advance.
Bob L.

Take the battery out of the trailer, charge it up with a decent 12V charger, hook it to a Deltran Battery Tender and relax. I have six tractors (1 good one that I use constantly and 5 parade tractors) and usually 3 or 4 of the parade tractors have their batteries removed and on tenders.

 

[jeffsw6]

If a battery is actually dead for a long time, it may be damaged. There is some fancy chemistry behind it but the short of it is, the electrodes inside the battery cells corrode much more quickly when the battery has no charge, this reduces their effective surface area because large parts are covered up by corrosion, and now that battery is ruined and all you can do is recycle it and buy another.

If a battery runs totally dead you should test it with a load before you depend on it for a safety function.

 

[JFS2295]

I have a solar charger on my trailer for the last 5 years. Works great.