Is it Possible to Hook Seven-Way Directly to a Battery to Power Concession Trailer Lights?

Question:

Can I use a car side 7-way to hoop up to my trailer so my 12-volt lights will operate while not hooked to my truck? Maybe using a deep cell battery or something I can keep charged? I have some 12v lights on my concession-type trailer that need to run when not connected to the truck. The trailer is also wired for 110v when I am hooked up to power for it. The 12v lights I want to use are separate from those lights. I want to be able to use my 12v rear entry and also have four LED scene lights on the side that are on the 12v system. What all would I need and is this possible? I am thinking I can use the 7-way car side fitting and hook direct to a battery for short term use.

asked by: Buddy N

Helpful Expert Reply:

It is possible to use a 7-way vehicle end connector such as # PK12-707E to hook up to a stand-alone battery for your lights. You would need to connect by using 10 gauge wire, # 10-2-1, and if you use a deep cell battery as you suggested, a pair of ring terminals such as # DW05705-1 would secure your wiring to the battery.

For a more permanent setup, you can mount a battery box such as # DW03188 (the exact size would depend on the dimension of the battery) on the trailer so you do not have to constantly tote an extra battery around. You will be able to ground the battery to the trailer's frame with the ground from the main trailer wiring, and you can run the power wire from the trailer plug to the battery.

I have also added a link to a help article on trailer wiring which you may find useful, as well as a link to all of your battery boxes so you can find the correct size.

expert reply by: Kyle S