TRAILER WINCH BATTERY

[fsj-earl]

Looking to mount a battery on my car trailer to power my winch that is mounted on my trailer. Currently I use a battery jump start box to power my winch. Is there a way to charge that battery while the trailer is plugged into the tow rig? Or do I take the battery out and recharge it after each use? The winch does not see a ton of use, but enough. Any suggestions or ideas? Thanks!

 

[MoparManiac]

Do you have a 4 pin or 7 pin trailer harness?

The 7 pins usually have a 12V lead that can charge a small emergency breakaway battery, but not a full-size car battery.

Your best bet would be running some 1/0 welding cable or something from the battery to the rear of the vehicle to some kind of plug (i.e. andersen) and similar on the trailer side. Then when you hook up to the trailer, just plug them in and you have plenty of power to the winch battery and a cable that can actually handle it.

 

[scottmcneal]

The 7 pin would charge a battery. That's what they use in travel trailers. Charges battery's as i drive, plus if i kill them(battery's) i can hook up my truck and close the pop outs. Then as i drive it will recharge the batts. Last travel trailer had 3 battery's. New one only has 2 for now.

 

[Tobey99]

The 7 pin would charge a battery. That's what they use in travel trailers. Charges battery's as i drive, plus if i kill them(battery's) i can hook up my truck and close the pop outs. Then as i drive it will recharge the batts. Last travel trailer had 3 battery's. New one only has 2 for now.

In my race car trailer (28' enclosed), I have a battery for the winch and the electric tongue jack (a miracle invention, btw). It charges just fine through the trailer plug.

 

[vt98xj]

deep cylce battery mounted on the trailer with a solar panel for charging? I cannot imagine you use the trailer winch a whole lot, unless you have a business.

 

[ExTankerGuy]

The 7 pin would charge a battery. That's what they use in travel trailers. Charges battery's as i drive, plus if i kill them(battery's) i can hook up my truck and close the pop outs. Then as i drive it will recharge the batts. Last travel trailer had 3 battery's. New one only has 2 for now.

You will need to test the 7 way. For some reason, most trucks come from the factory without the charge line hooked up and/or no fuse installed.

 

[scottmcneal]

I always buy a truck for towing so it has the towing package on it. I have a dodge at this time that came with one plus my 2 fords before it.

 

[ExTankerGuy]

Chevy is bad about running the wires under the hood and not hooking them up. (And not installing the fuse) Ford is is bad about not installing the fuse.

 

[Tobey99]

Chevy is bad about running the wires under the hood and not hooking them up. (And not installing the fuse) Ford is is bad about not installing the fuse.

Yep. Even my Chevy diesel had that fuse missing.

 

[87manche]

Chevy is bad about running the wires under the hood and not hooking them up. (And not installing the fuse) Ford is is bad about not installing the fuse.

yep. Fun times taking off fender supports and crap so you can hook the ring terminal onto the fuseblock for the trailer brake power.

Whatever you do, if you tie it to the 7 pin power to charge the battery, make sure it's properly fused, and that you disconnect it before you use the winch.

otherwise you'll be pulling current through that little 10ga wire when using the winch.

 

[eflores]

What every one else has said
I have a group 31 (semi truck) battery in my tongue box for the winch
Charges fine off the seven way

 

[MoparManiac]

Sorry for the misinformation.

I must have been confusing it with running the winch through the 7 way or something.

 

[eflores]

Ya, don't do that....

 

[unhitched]

just have to say rather than fusing you battery/charge wire make sure you use a breaker, they sell them that fit in a blade fuse spot, i normally run a 20 amp but you should look at what fuse you have. this way if you get a short with one trailer and you hook up to another it will still charge. nothing is worse than having a dead winch battery when you need it!