Capacity of Trailer Connector 12-Volt Trailer Accessory Circuit On 2011 GMC Savana Van

Question:

Need amperage capacity for 12v aux power on a factory installed 7 pin 2011 GMC Savana. My purpose is to charge trailer lithium batteries with a Victron 12v to 12v dc charger while traveling.

asked by: C C

Helpful Expert Reply:

I looked at the fuse diagram for your 2011 GMC Savana, and the fuse capacities weren't listed. Typically, that circuit is protected by a 40A fuse, so it'd be safe to say that the 12-V auxiliary circuit that feeds the 7-way trailer connector would be limited to a 40A capacity. This being said, due to the distance between the alternator and the 7-way and the small gauge of the wire feeding that circuit, using that 12-V accessory circuit to run your DC to DC charger wouldn't be very effective.

You don't mention the capacity of your charger, but for a 40 amp DC to DC charger we offer like the Redarc
# 331-BCDC1240D, we recommend an install kit like # e29ZR which uses 3 AWG wire and quick disconnects to connect the vehicle's charging system to the trailer mounted battery.

I've linked to the installation instructions and demonstration video for the Redarc charger I mentioned above.

expert reply by: Mike L