Can 12 Volt Circuit on Trailer Connector be Attached Directly to Trailer Mounted Battery

Question:

Can i connect directly the battery charge terminal pin 4 to my trailer battery Optima, Yellow, 12V? or do i need to add a protection between them? or something else?

asked by: Roy

Expert Reply:

You can connect the 12 volt circuit from the trailer connector to the trailer battery without any fuses or circuit breakers between them. This will provide a maintenance charge only and will not charge up the battery. The wiring in a trailer connector is not large enough and most vehicles do not have an alternator strong enough to push back the current needed to charge up a trailer mounted battery (the exception being small break away batteries).

When shore power is available it is recommended to use a battery charger to charge up the battery such as # CTEK56353. I own this charger and it works beautifully. It does not overcharge a battery like old trickle chargers and it also helps to revitalize a battery. I have linked a video review of this charger for you.

expert reply by: Michael H