Break Away System Replacement Battery Recommendation for a Circle J Horse Trailer

Question:

Thanks for your website. I have a 1993 2 horse straight load bumper pull horse trailer. The battery for the breakaway unit sits in a little well in the tack compartment in the front of the trailer and is routinely changed every 2 years. I go to the local battery store with the old battery and just ask for a replacement, so I dont remember the specifics. Unfortunately my old battery was sitting on the edge of the counter and must have fallen into the trash. I called the battery store and was told there are all varieties of 12V batteries. There is no help on the trailer or in the manual or by e-mailing Circle J. Can you help me pick out the right battery? Is changing the battery every second year enough? The trailer is rarely used and is under cover. Winters in Oregon get down to the teens and summers to the high 90s. I appreciate your help.

asked by: Ve J

Expert Reply:

The battery that you use for a break away system needs to be able to power the trailer brakes on full for 15 minutes. A 12 volt battery rated for 5 amp hours would work but if you had 3 axles each with brakes you would benefit more from a 9 amp hour battery. Even a 12 volt car battery could be used but a battery this large would not charge up through the 12 volt circuit coming through the trailer connector.

The batteries only that we carry, # HM20008 and # TK2023 are both rated for 5 amp hours.

Every 2 years is probably fine but you can keep a battery longer if it is properly maintained. You will just need to remove the battery before storing the trailer for the winter. Then use a good battery charger like CTEK charger # CTEK56353 which will recondition a battery as well as charge it giving you the maximum life of a battery.

expert reply by: Michael H