Can a 7-Way Trailer Connector Be Used To Charge the Trailer Battery

Question:

My 7k GVW trailer has a brake-away switch for e brakes but no set-up for charging trailer battery. Brake wire is spliced with line running thru brake-away switch to trailer battery. Do you see any issues if I run wire from my 12V aux. terminal at trailer connector currently unused directly to my trailer battery? 12V Aux. is only hot when key is on. Thank you.

asked by: Kevin

Expert Reply:

The 12 Volt auxiliary terminal on your 7-way connector can be used to keep the battery on your trailer charged.

You will need to run a 10 gauge power wire like # 10-1-1 from the 12 volt auxiliary terminal on the 7-Way trailer connector on the trailer to the positive terminal on the trailer battery and ground the negative terminal of the trailer battery to the trailer frame. This will allow you to maintain a charge on your trailer battery, it will not charge the battery from a discharged state.

To be able to fully charge the trailer battery from a discharged state you would have to use a charger like the NOCO Genius Mini # 329-GENIUS5. This charger can be used to fully charge the battery and then you can maintain that charge with the vehicles charging system.

I am including links to the instructions and review video on the NOCO battery charger.

expert reply by: Jeff D