Posted 2008-09-29 11:15 AM (#92285) Subject: Truck battery being drained by LQ?
Veteran
Posts: 192 Location: Hutto, TX
Oh, this is going to be a long day. Hubby is working on the trailer and it's been hooked up several days and the truck (Ford 250) battery went dead. He's charging it now and says that he's had to do it before but had it tested and it's OK. Did I read a post here at some point about the LQ pulling from the truck batteries at some point? And it seemed that there was a fix? Can someone please send that link? I think I'd better take him to lunch as this was supposed to be a quick going over the truck and trailer for me next week. . .
Posted 2008-09-29 12:25 PM (#92290 - in reply to #92285) Subject: RE: Truck battery being drained by LQ?
Expert
Posts: 5870 Location: western PA
Don't know if it was I to whom you were referring. I posted the following:
On my Ford diesel, the ignition switch not only has to be on, but the motor has to be running to get power to the rear auxiliary circuit.
On my Sidekick, I changed the wiring from that circuit to the trailer's B+ battery supply. Now I have a stand alone circuit similar to our Exiss. It's much more convenient.
Posted 2008-09-29 12:42 PM (#92293 - in reply to #92285) Subject: RE: Truck battery being drained by LQ?
Extreme Veteran
Posts: 368 Location: Georgia
Yes your LQ trailer can and will drain your truck battery if you leave it hooked up to the truck. Usually takes a few days. At least mine did. Something to do with the Inverter/converter (not sure exactly what it is called). Fortunately, I just jumped my diesel truck off with another diesel truck and let it run for quite a while and my truck batteries "charged" back up. If your truck batteries are old however, you may have to replace them. My truck batteries lasted about another year after the draining incident (they were already 4 or 5 years old) and then I had to replace them. Having said that, if you leave your truck hooked up to your trailer, locate the battery switch on your LQ trailer and switch it to the "off" position and I think that will stop the pull from the truck batteries. However...I am NO expert.
Posted 2008-09-29 1:36 PM (#92296 - in reply to #92285) Subject: RE: Truck battery being drained by LQ?
Veteran
Posts: 195 Location: Atlanta, GA
I hope I can help a little, if you leave your trailer hooked up to your truck you need to unplug the trailer's cord from the truck. If anything is left on in the trailer once it has drained your trailer's batteries your truck is next. This is normal, it does not mean anything is wrong with the trailer or truck. That is what it is suppose to do. If you don't want this to happen you need to have the 12v (auxiliary) unhooked from the trailer or truck end of the plug. The 12v hook up on the truck helps keep your batteries on the trailer charged as long as the truck is running, and it gives you 12v in the trailer for horse area light etc. it also will run your interior lights and such if your on board batteries are dead, depending on the set up of the trailer's system. This is how most systems are designed.
Posted 2008-09-30 11:48 PM (#92397 - in reply to #92285) Subject: RE: Truck battery being drained by LQ?
Extreme Veteran
Posts: 385 Location: washington
Yep - I found that out while camping one weekend. Saturday the battery life was half gone... Sunday morning it was full and I wondered what in the world was going on and then thought, "oh oh, hope my truck starts". It did start and was fine but now when I camp or park, I unplug the trailer from the truck. I believe turning the battery key to the off position works too, but to be safe I unplug the trailer from the truck plug.
Truck battery being drained by LQ?
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