Battery is DOA every time

[rottnmom]

Our toad is a 2012 6 cyl Chevy Equinox, our MH is a 2012 Mirada. Aux brake is RVI Brake and we have same brand trickle charger installed. Everything is wired correctly and the brake system is getting 12v no matter how dead the car battery gets. Battery is brand new and has gone dead while towing twice. We are removing fuse 32 on the car per owners manual, could this be the reason we are not keeping the battery charged?

[kenandterry]

Underneath my 2017 GMC Terrain is basically the same chassis platform as your Equinox. That being said....

Have you always had this problem?

Where are you getting the power for the RVI braking system?

FYI.....the 12V outlet near the rear hatch is “alive” even with fuse 32 removed. Any others are not.

Are you sure your ignition key is in the “ ACC” position and not the “ON” position?

[rottnmom]

Acc position and we have always had this problem with this toad. 12v is being delivered to the car via 7 pin plug from MH and it is live. Not sure what removing the 32 fuse does, seems like not very much.

[kenandterry]

Is this 12v you mention powering the braking system?

Doesn’t indicate to me that you’re using this same source to trickle charge the Equinox battery.

To keep things simple....I use a small solar panel plugged into rear outlet by tailgate to trickle the Terrain 12v boaters under the hood. Never a trouble starting the Terrain even after a real long day towing.

[rottnmom]

The brake system works off the car battery and we are having a problem keeping the battery charged. Also tried a 5 watt solar panel before we installed the trickle charger, no dice.

[kenandterry]

There’s an ongoing discussion on various forums about fuse 32 being removed and what it really does. Some even suggest NOT pulling the fuse....but it’s a topic only related to 4 cylinder Equinoxes and Terrains because they have electric powered steering versus your hydraulic version.

True.....there is little difference observed when pulling fuse 32. What I have noticed.....if you’re on “ACC” and had the radio on and the instrumentation cluster between the speedo and tach are illuminated, at the instant you pull fuse 32, these two items go to sleep.....which would help to NOT drain the battery.

My Brake Buddy gets it’s power directly from the battery under the hood. My small solar panel is plugged into the rear 12v outlet to trickle charge and there’s no problem.

Sounds like you’ve got some other draw on your battery for your situation with even your new battery going dead.

[dymsail]

We tow a 2016 Jeep Patriot behind a Forester 28. Camping World installed our tow system. We do the ACC. Camping World instructed us to make sure our parking lights or headlights are on to activate the trickle charger.

[rsdata]

Battery is brand new and has gone dead while towing twice.

a dead battery will never be the same as a new battery even after charging... Each time the battery goes "dead" some of it's capacity to hold a charge goes with it.

Get a charger/de-sulfater "smart charger" to bring it back almost like new.

[kenandterry]

Dymsail....

Unless you’ve made a typo....what you’ve quoted Camping World told you by having lights “ON” to activate a trickle charge makes no sense whatsoever.

I’d be very afraid of what they did for you if that’s what they told you.

Just my $0.02

[PenJoe]

We have found two major concerns for parasitic draw on GM products. The most common is the radio.

We had a parasitic draw on our Silverado that two dealers nor a radio shop could find. After several weeks, I found it myself. It was the dome light. The dome lights come on when the door is opened and then fades out after the door is shut. But something in that circuit was draining the battery even though the dome lights worked normally.

Though you stated that everything is wired correctly, are you certain the RVI brake Battery tender is functioning? You may want to remove the battery tender terminals off the toad battery, start the MH and check the voltage across the +/- wires.

There are three pieces of information here that will answer why pull the fuse and other info on towing the equinox. Some of it is repetitive, but each has some different bits.

https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q...2&&FORM=VRDGAR

Chevrolet Equinox: Towing It Behind An RV | GM Authority

https://itstillruns.com/tow-equinox-7868600.html

[dymsail]

Originally Posted by kenandterry

Dymsail....

Unless you’ve made a typo....what you’ve quoted Camping World told you by having lights “ON” to activate a trickle charge makes no sense whatsoever.

I’d be very afraid of what they did for you if that’s what they told you.

Just my $0.02

No typo. We forgot the lights one time and that is when we had a dead battery. It might be the way it is set up. Today on the road for 10 hrs and no problem. Very secure tow/

[larry pw]

I'm not familiar with your system, but, I use a 7 pin plug and cable between the RV and the toad using the B+ & B - leads from the RV to keep the toad battery charged. Should work. My toad is honda Fit with an SMI system

[pmsherman]

Originally Posted by kenandterry

Dymsail....

Unless you’ve made a typo....what you’ve quoted Camping World told you by having lights “ON” to activate a trickle charge makes no sense whatsoever.

I’d be very afraid of what they did for you if that’s what they told you.

Just my $0.02

The Invisibrake system, sold by CW, has a battery charge circuit built into the control unit. It charges the toad's battery whenever the towing rig's parking lights are on. I've had this system installed for six years now and, except for my first trip when I didn't know about keeping the parking lights on, have never had a battery issue with the toad.

Phil

[dcheatwood]

On my invisibrake I was told it only charges while RV lights are on, as the power to toad comes from a tail light wire.
Just something to consider. Hope you get it figured out.