I got to get my trailer inspected and going this month. MY 74 YO Mother wants to take her stock '29 Model A to some events, but no longer wants to drive longer distances to out of town shows, so I was "drafted" to pull it to within comfortable driving distances. (Yeah, I know its cheating, but you dont wanna cross this Grandma in her Model A! LOL) Anyway, my breakaway battery is just a 12 V lantern battery. The last one I bought in "04 was $5, now they cost $15. The newer breakaways in the stores seem to have some type of recharge system. Do these work well? Is it worth changing the breakaway box, or should I just replace the lantern battery. (My trailer usually only gets used 2 - 3 times a year.) Thanks
what the hell is a breakaway box.? all i got on my trailers are electric winches and sometrimes taillites. ken
I dont know if you have a winch or not. I power my breakaway box with my winch battery and I charge my winch battery with the 12V source from the truck through the trailer wiring plug. BTW, the law requires that the breakaway system be able to hold the trailer for 15 minutes.
"Break-away" means electric brakes will come on at FULL power, once connection (plug) has been severed. Yes, just replace the lantern battery!!---That will provide enough raw voltage to energize the magnets in all wheels. To test, Jack up one side with wheels off surface, pull braided wire out of unit, try to rotate each wheel on jacked up side, they should immediately lock up!!---If they don't---Check for broken ground wire OR hot wire. Repeat for opposite side.----OK? I'm 78, (retired trailer mfg.)----Don't want your young(?) mom to get mad!!---HA!---Don
OK Duece Daddy, How long should I reasonably expect one of these batteries to last? This 7 year old one is dead! LOL Are they usually good for a year? Or two? I dont like the idea of not knowing how much juice is left in them in case disaster ever happens. Thanks
I have a Wells Cargo trailer that uses a garden tractor battery for break-away braking. They're not cheap and they don't last that long either. I end up having to buy one every few years. I use a separate electrical cable to the truck's 12V system when I need to power a trailer winch.
MY 74 YO Mother wants to take her stock '29 Model A to some events, but no longer wants to drive longer distances to out of town shows Run some jumper wires from grandma's model A. Case closed! Mom's A is 6V.
Let me put my 2 cents worth in here since I make my living servicing and repairing trailers. #1 these 12 volt dry cell batteries can be recharged using a real small charger, I bought mine from Interstate Battery. #2 they also make a charger that attaches to the 12 volt feed wire from the tow vehicle. #3 my local trailer parts supplier has a kit made by TEKONSHA PRODUCTS #20020 battery w/box, breakaway switch, and 12 volt DC TO DC charger. #4 easiest thing to do is replace the discharged battery. we retail that same battery for over $20.00 - Tekonsha # 2023
a year. maybe two if you're lucky. if you only run the thing a few times a year, its going to lose its charge, and an uncharged battery becomes a dead one fast. my advice is to get yourself one of those $20 HF solar powered maintainer chargers and just leave it hooked to the pigtail on the trailer. if your break away box is hooked up right, the tow vehicle charges the trailer battery as you drive, and yes, this includes the old ones. sometimes tail lights? for real? what does that mean?
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