Is a 12 Volt Circuit Required to Charge a Trailer Battery with a 2006 Ford F-350

Question:

I own a travel trailer and was hauling it with a 2003 Tahoe, which I had a brake controller installed at the dealer where a bought the trailer, supposedly they put a fuse on it to charge the battery of the trailer, is that correct? And if it is do I need to do the same on my new trk, 2006 Ford F350?

asked by: Luis

Expert Reply:

If your 2006 Ford F-350 does not have a 7-Way trailer connector already then in order to provide a maintenance charge to the trailer battery you will need to install a 7-Way using # 37185. The 2006 Ford F-350 does have the wiring and fuses needed for a 7-Way in place, even if it came with just a 4-Way trailer connector. I have included a link to a help article that explains the connections you will need to make using # 37185.

The 12 volt circuit at the trailer connector does not have anything to do with the brake controller. The two are separate and you can have one without the other.

You do not have to have a live 12 volt circuit but if you do not, the connector will not provide a maintenance charge to the battery on the trailer. Trailer connector wiring is too small and most vehicle alternators are not strong enough to charge up a trailer battery. I recommend using an AC powered battery charger such as # CTEK56353. I have also linked a help article on battery chargers for you.

expert reply by: Michael H