Can a Trailer Battery be Charged through the Trailer Connector on a 2011 Jeep Liberty

Question:

I purchased a curt tow hitch kit and tow ready custom fit vehicle wiring kit #118554 for my 2011 jeep liberty. I am now trying to tow a vintage camper that i would like to have the camper battery recharge off the jeep while i am driving. Do i have to rewire the jeep wiring system with a 5 or 6 wire connector or is there some kind of adapter i can get for the existing 118554 kit. Thanks.

asked by: Dan G

Expert Reply:

In addition to wiring kit #118554 you will need to convert the 4-Way to connector to a connector that supports a 12 volt circuit. To adapt the 4-Way to match the trailer's connector, I would need to know which type of connector is on the trailer. I have included a link to our FAQ on wiring that covers the most common types of connectors. The most common type with a 12 volt circuit is a 7-Way. To change your Jeep's 4-Way to a 7-Way with a 12 volt circuit I recommend either kit ETBC7, if you plan on adding a brake controller, or ETBC7L if you just need the 12 volt circuit.

The 12 volt circuit from the 7-Way will likely only be able to maintain the charge level on the trailer battery but not up-charge it. This is due to a voltage drop across the 12 volt circuit preventing conditions for a full up-charge.

In addition to upgrading to a 7-Way I recommend Redarc's BCDC Battery Charger # RED96FR to keep your battery at 100% instead of just maintaining its current charge. This unit is installed on the trailer and will act as a battery isolator as well as a battery charger that will increase the voltage as necessary to properly charge and maintain the battery. I have linked a video review of # RED96FR with more information regarding how it works and the installation.

If your looking for a brake controller I recommend Tekonsha's Prodigy P3 Proportional Trailer Brake Controller Item # 90195. This brake controller is great if you have more than one trailer because you can set up profiles for quick settings changes and it works with both electric and electric over hydraulic brake systems.