Recommendation for Maintaining 1999 Jayco Pop Up Campers Battery While Towing

Question:

I have a 1999 Jayco pop up camper and wanted to know how I can keep the battery charged while I tow it? Currently I own a Battery Extender by Schumacher and it takes forever to charge my 24 group deep cycle battery while plugged into a house socket. Can I buy an adapter to plug into the car aux socket in the rear and charge while towing that way?

asked by: Brian

Helpful Expert Reply:

I have a solution for you to maintain your trailer's battery while towing, but we do not offer an aux socket adapter for your battery charger from Schumacher. There is not a great way to charge your trailer's battery while towing, but you can provide the battery a maintenance charge so the trailer battery won't drain while being towed. One way to provide a maintenance charge to your trailer's battery while towing is to use a 7-Way trailer connector and 7-Way vehicle connector to provide a connection between your Jayco's trailer battery and your 2002 Chevrolet TrailBlazer's battery.

The vehicle-side 7-Way connector will have a 12V holt lead wire connected to the vehicle's battery. If your vehicle came with a factory 7-Way connector, it is likely this 12V wire is already ran. You can use a circuit tester, # PTW2993, to test the pin in the 1 o'clock position on the vehicle-side 7-Way for constant signal to determine if the 12V power wire is already ran. When the trailer-side 7-Way's corresponding 12V hot lead wire is connected to the trailer's battery, the vehicle will maintain the trailer's battery when the two are connected together.

Based on the photo of the packaging you sent me, it appears that your battery charger may be intended for smaller batteries, such as those found in motorcycles, lawn mowers, and personal watercraft. A larger battery like yours will take a good amount of time to charge, but if your charger isn't designed to accommodate a large battery, the charge time can be extended.

If you need a battery charger that is designed for automotive-size batteries found in trailers, I recommend the CTEK MULTI US 7002 12-Volt Universal Battery Charger with Pulse Maintenance and Backup Power # CTEK56353. This charger is designed for 12V batteries, with a max output of 7 amps, and a battery size between 14 amp hours - 225 amp hours. I have attached a review video of this battery charger for you. I've attached a help article on selecting the right CTEK charger for your application.

expert reply by: Victoria B