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09-15-2017, 06:35 PM
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#1
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Junior Member
Join Date: Sep 2017
Posts: 4
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Battery - Do I Need One?
Just bought a nearly new 178. Everything looks good but the battery and battery box were stolen prior to me purchasing it. I'm wondering what exactly the battery gives me, i.e. when would I be using it, and, considering that it is very unlikely that we will ever camp somewhere where we don't have an electrical hookup, do I need one?
We camped for years in pop-ups and never had a battery but this r-pod has more/different systems than any of our pop-ups.
Thanks for your thoughts on this.
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09-15-2017, 06:39 PM
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#2
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PhD, Common Sense
Join Date: Feb 2017
Location: Fairborn, OH
Posts: 1,384
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Yes, you need one. Some items only run off 12V DC. Others (such as the 3-way fridge) give you a 12V option.
Consider getting 2-12V batteries in case you ever camp without 120V AC shore power.
Great choice on the 178. We 178 owners are the best RVers around!
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09-15-2017, 06:47 PM
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#3
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NH Maple Maker
Join Date: Aug 2017
Location: Loudon, New Hampshire
Posts: 395
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I don't know about the R-Pod but on my old Shasta and my new V Cross things like the furnace and water pump didn't work properly without a battery. The lights would work off of the converter but everything else needed a battery.
__________________
Russ
2014 V Cross VIBE 822VRBS
2017 Silverado 1500 crew cab 4x4
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09-15-2017, 07:02 PM
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#4
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2015
Location: Pensacola, FL
Posts: 1,645
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The battery also powers the electric brake system in break-away mode. I would not want to be without it.
https://www.horsetraileraccessorysto...Works_b_3.html
A battery also helps to stabilize the 12 volt system, even though the converter *should* deliver a fixed voltage.
__________________
2019 Coachmen Freedom Express 192RBS
2015 T12RBST Flagstaff Hardside
Disclaimer: The actual value of my "Two Cents" of advice varies just like a bitcoin.
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09-15-2017, 08:01 PM
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#5
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: Big brown desert
Posts: 3,003
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Check out b and d battery locks. Good high quality stuff
__________________
2014 Stealth Evo 2850- "Woodstock"
2011 Toyota Tundra Rock Crawler TRD 5.7- "Clifford"
2013 Honda Accord Coupe V6 w/Track Pack- "Julia"
Just glad to get away 
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09-15-2017, 08:07 PM
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#6
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NH Maple Maker
Join Date: Aug 2017
Location: Loudon, New Hampshire
Posts: 395
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Bluepill
The battery also powers the electric brake system in break-away mode. I would not want to be without it.
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The most important reason right there.
__________________
Russ
2014 V Cross VIBE 822VRBS
2017 Silverado 1500 crew cab 4x4
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09-15-2017, 08:36 PM
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#7
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2016
Location: Carlisle, Arkansas
Posts: 1,387
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Yes you need a battery
__________________
2005 Cedar Creek 30RLBS/TrailAir Hitch/ MORryde 7K IS/Disc Brakes/ PI PT-50 EMS/ RV Flex Armor Roof
2015 RAM 3500 DRW 6.7 Cummins 3.42/ Garmin 760RV
40 Gal TransferFlow fuel tank/ TST 507
Amateur Radio W5CI 2019 Days Camping 25
2020 Days Camping 7
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09-15-2017, 08:53 PM
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#8
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Site Team
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: Goodyear, Arizona
Posts: 33,786
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Please Google "the 12 Volt Side of Life"
A good beginner's guide to RV electrical systems.
I owned 2 popups for 15 years and both had batteries.
I have no idea how you ran the lights and furnace without one.
Maybe if you always had hookups. We never had hookups.
__________________
Dan-Retired California Firefighter/EMT
Shawn-Musician/Entrepreneur/Wine Expert
and Zoe the Wonder Dog(R.I.P.) 
2016 PrimeTime TracerAIR 255, pushing a 2014 Ford F150 SCREW XTR 4x4 3.5 Ecoboost w/Max Tow Package
4pt Equal-i-zer WDH and 1828lbs of payload capacity
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09-15-2017, 09:37 PM
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#9
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2012
Posts: 10,907
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Since your GVWR is about 3700 lbs, I believe just about every state in the country will require you to have operable brakes. If the trailer were to become disconnected from the tow vehicle and you had no battery, the brakes will not engage.
Therefore, you almost certainly will be towing illegally if you don't have a battery. And make sure you also understand how the emergency brake switch works.
__________________
1988 Coleman Sequoia - popup (1987-2009) - outlasted 3 Dodge Grand Caravans!
2012 Roo19 - hybrid (2012-2015)
2016 Mini Lite 2503S - tt (2015 - ???)
2011 Traverse LT, 3.6L, FWD
2009 Silverado 1500 Ext Cab, 5.3L, 4x4, 3.73
2016 Silverado 2500HD Dbl Cab, 6.0L 4x4, 4.10
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09-15-2017, 09:49 PM
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#10
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Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2015
Posts: 4,223
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Some items need the battery in line to supply amperage not available from the converter.
__________________
BIRDS AREN’T REAL
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09-16-2017, 09:43 AM
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#11
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Junior Member
Join Date: Sep 2017
Posts: 4
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My thanks to everyone. You got me with the need for a battery to power the brakes in break-away mode. Our pop-ups, to my knowledge, didn't have this feature (at least the dealer never mentioned it or offered it and I wasn't aware of it as a need/option). That was many years ago. We took quite a long hiatus from camping and sold our unit and are just now getting back into it.
I'm on my way right now to get the replacement battery and box.
Thanks again for furthering my education.
__________________
All that is gold does not glitter,
Not all those who wander are lost;
The old that is strong does not wither,
Deep roots are not reached by the frost.
-J.R.R. Tolkien
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09-16-2017, 01:21 PM
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#12
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Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: Pittsburgh,PA
Posts: 173
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Many pop ups are light enough that braking system's are not required. So your past unit must have a Max weight rating below 3000 lbs. The power converter on your new unit has a built in battery charger and when the unit is plugged into the shore power that charger is activated and provides current to trickle charge or provide enough power to recharge your battery while you are using trailer accessories. Never leave the battery hook up leads unattached with the trailer not being plugged in. It will ruin the battery charger system.
Happy camping....
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09-16-2017, 03:17 PM
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#13
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Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2014
Posts: 173
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Bluepill
The battery also powers the electric brake system in break-away mode. I would not want to be without it.
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It is illegal to tow the trailer without a working breakaway brake capability.
__________________
2018 Coachmen Viking 21RD
2012 Ram 1500 5.7L Hemi 4x4
Full-timing since October 2017
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09-16-2017, 03:21 PM
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#14
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Junior Member
Join Date: Sep 2017
Posts: 4
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Battery installed. Now I'm safe and legal. Time to get a lock I guess. The folks at the dealer acted like they had heard of battery thefts too many times before me. They don't stock them but recommended getting one.
Snapper: I believe you may be right. Our last unit was a 2001 Coleman Bayside Elite with a dry weight of 2630. It did have electric brakes however. Or were the requirements were different then? The dealer installed a brake controller for our tow vehicle but made no mention of a break away switch or need for a battery unless we would be camping without a power hookup.
__________________
All that is gold does not glitter,
Not all those who wander are lost;
The old that is strong does not wither,
Deep roots are not reached by the frost.
-J.R.R. Tolkien
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09-17-2017, 06:57 PM
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#15
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Newbie
Join Date: Sep 2017
Location: Vermont
Posts: 12
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Tom,
Did your pop-up hitch include a slim steel cable, connected to a black box, that you hooked to the truck hitch? That's the electric brake engagement mechanism. If your pop-up disconnected from your hitch, that would pull this cable from the black box, which would trip the e-brake.
We had a Fleetwood/Coleman popup we bought probably 14 years ago, where the dealer installed a brake controller in the truck, and the break-away cable that trips the e-brake.
__________________
- Stew
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2018 RPOD 179
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09-17-2017, 07:02 PM
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#16
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Newbie
Join Date: Sep 2017
Location: Vermont
Posts: 12
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Quote:
Originally Posted by snapper
... Never leave the battery hook up leads unattached with the trailer not being plugged in. It will ruin the battery charger system. ...
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Could you please explain this point more?
On the pop-up we had years ago, I'd remove the battery over the winter while the camper was stored outside, not plugged in.
It sounds like you're saying that would ruin the battery charger?
Thanks in Advance
__________________
- Stew
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2018 RPOD 179
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09-17-2017, 08:07 PM
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#17
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Junior Member
Join Date: Sep 2017
Posts: 4
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Stew-My pop up did not have the cable or breakaway switch and it wasn't mentioned or installed with the brake controller. I am guessing it wasn't required at that time (2001). It appears to be required now in Michigan for new trailers over 3000 lbs.
__________________
All that is gold does not glitter,
Not all those who wander are lost;
The old that is strong does not wither,
Deep roots are not reached by the frost.
-J.R.R. Tolkien
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09-17-2017, 08:18 PM
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#18
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2012
Posts: 10,907
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Quote:
Originally Posted by VermontScouter
Could you please explain this point more?
On the pop-up we had years ago, I'd remove the battery over the winter while the camper was stored outside, not plugged in.
It sounds like you're saying that would ruin the battery charger?
Thanks in Advance
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You don't want to have the TT plugged into 110VAC ("shore power") without the battery hooked up. The converter powers all the 12VDC stuff and also charges the battery. But the battery also evens out the 12VDC and provides a nominal load on the converter. So running the converter without the battery is not good for the converter.
Removing the battery with the converter not powered by 120VAC is not an issue.
Read the attached:
__________________
1988 Coleman Sequoia - popup (1987-2009) - outlasted 3 Dodge Grand Caravans!
2012 Roo19 - hybrid (2012-2015)
2016 Mini Lite 2503S - tt (2015 - ???)
2011 Traverse LT, 3.6L, FWD
2009 Silverado 1500 Ext Cab, 5.3L, 4x4, 3.73
2016 Silverado 2500HD Dbl Cab, 6.0L 4x4, 4.10
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09-18-2017, 03:54 PM
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#19
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Newbie
Join Date: Sep 2017
Location: Vermont
Posts: 12
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Rockfordroo,
Got it, thanks!
__________________
- Stew
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2018 RPOD 179
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