Camper battery not charging while driving?

[boatnut]

I have a 2013 ford F150. Recently, I decided to check the camper battery voltage while hooked up to the running truck. I've always assumed it would get 12 volts from the truck, therefore it should of read about 13 volts. It was only at 12.6 which tells me it's not getting current from my tow vehicle.

Is this typical or should I contact my truck dealer?? It has the standard big round plug.

[Still Kickin]

Not completely sure what your asking, but if your reading the static voltage of your camper battery, a fully charged battery will read 12.7V. So, your bat is near fully charged.

[mud yapster]

X2
I always assumed the truck kept the rv battery charged also so now I'd like to know also.

[TURBS]

Only if you install the power relay in the engine compartment fuse box.

This relay not installed from the factory.

Look in your owners manual under towing and auxiliary power to towed unit.

Turbs

[AquaMan]

Originally Posted by boatnut

I have a 2013 ford F150. Recently, I decided to check the camper battery voltage while hooked up to the running truck. I've always assumed it would get 12 volts from the truck, therefore it should of read about 13 volts. It was only at 12.6 which tells me it's not getting current from my tow vehicle.

Is this typical or should I contact my truck dealer?? It has the standard big round plug.

Measure the voltage at your truck plug. If you are getting voltage at the battery pin, you will be charging your battery, however little it may be. I think you can measure across the 10 & 2 o'clock positions. Don't expect your truck to fully charge a dead trailer battery though.

[mud yapster]

thanks f1100turbo I'll look this afternoon. I remember way back when I started towing with my truck putting some fuses in there when I put the Prodigy brake controller on so I maybe good to go, but I'll check on it.
thanks

[mud yapster]

I have another question;
Will the trailer when tied to shore power charge the truck battery when its plugged into the trailer plug on your truck and trruck not running?

[TURBS]

Originally Posted by mud yapster

thanks f1100turbo I'll look this afternoon. I remember way back when I started towing with my truck putting some fuses in there when I put the Prodigy brake controller on so I maybe good to go, but I'll check on it.
thanks

I think there was also a fuse that needed to be installed for the brake controller if you use factory plug.

Yes DO NOT EXPECT the tv to charge a dead battery like a charger would.

At best when running fridge while traveling it will keep up.

Turbs

[boatnut]

Originally Posted by Still Kickin

Not completely sure what your asking, but if your reading the static voltage of your camper battery, a fully charged battery will read 12.7V. So, your bat is near fully charged.

True on voltage but if the battery still had a charge going to it, it should read a little over 13 volts or however much voltage the charging source is putting out, right?

[AquaMan]

Originally Posted by boatnut

True on voltage but if the battery still had a charge going to it, it should read a little over 13 volts or however much voltage the charging source is putting out, right?

You have to think, there will be a voltage drop from the alternator to the trailer, especially going through several plugs along the way.

[boatnut]

stopped by my local dealer (small town). He said, yes need relay plug and if i come by friday , he'll stick one in at no charge. sweet!

[mud yapster]

good deal boatnut

[Tomgky]

I have a 2012 Yukon and had the same problem. I found the 12 volt wire not connected in the fuse box. Fuse was there but no wire. The wire was bundled up and taped to the fire wall. Had to buy a metric nut and hooked it up. All went well. Then found out from GMC that if I want to charge the battery on the trailer I needed to push the tow haul button and that would send a boost to the battery. I tried it and it works well.

[kc5mhb]

Originally Posted by AquaMan

You have to think, there will be a voltage drop from the alternator to the trailer, especially going through several plugs along the way.

Resistance, wire size and number of strands in that wire make a difference too.

[TURBS]

Originally Posted by Tomgky

I have a 2012 Then found out from GMC that if I want to charge the battery on the trailer I needed to push the tow haul button and that would send a boost to the battery. I tried it and it works well.

Did he sell ice to Eskimos to? Lol

That's totally false.

Tow haul mode just raises the rpm between up shifts via the transmission.


Turbs

[AquaMan]

Originally Posted by f1100turbo

Did he sell ice to Eskimos to? Lol

That's totally false.

Tow haul mode just raises the rpm between up shifts via the transmission.


Turbs

Actually there may be something to that. What I think it does is raise the output at the alternator(s) if it detects a low voltage situation in the trailer battery. It goes into a high voltage boost mode, where normally it drops down if all batteries are fully charged.

[TURBS]

Originally Posted by AquaMan

Actually there may be something to that. What I think it does is raise the output at the alternator(s) if it detects a low voltage situation in the trailer battery. It goes into a high voltage boost mode, where normally it drops down if all batteries are fully charged.

I'm thinking that's possible regardless of tow haul mode or not?

Turbs

[kc5mhb]

Ok I realize that I'm new in the forum but I felt this information might be helpful for everyone facing this issue.
Tow vehicles alternators have changed over the years many of the newer vehicles utilize a computer controlled alternator. The computer tells the alternator when to charge and when to run off of the battery. I know my dad's 2005 Chevy Silverado and my 2007 Mustang both use this technology so I can at least say it goes back to 2005 for Chevy. (At this point I must make a disclaimer that it may not be true for all vehicles. A quick call to your local dealer's service manager and they should be able to tell you if you have this feature or not. I found out the hard way.) This poses a interesting scenario to charging the camper battery while driving if the alternator is turning on and off at regular intervals. The second thing to consider what size wire is running from the front distribution panel to the 7 pin plug in the rear of the vehicle. I believe on my F250 its a 10 gauge. A 10 gauge wire running roughly 25 feet ( I have the long bed CC) is only going to be rated somewhere around 14 to 16 amps at that length depending upon the number of strands in that wire. Current flows on the skin of each strand and that is why welding wire and golf cart wires have so many of them; for maximum current flow. So the bottom line is as someone else stated, you won't be charging a dead battery back to a fully charged state at that current rating. Best case is that you will be trickle charging or keeping the fridge running. To find out how much current the circuit itself can handle, check the owners manual of the tow vehicle and see what the towing charge circuit is rated for.

[Tomgky]

This is a photo from my Yukon owners manual. It says it sends 40 percent more power to the trailer battery


Sent from my iPhone using Forest River Forums

[TURBS]

Originally Posted by Tomgky

Attachment 63850
This is a photo from my Yukon owners manual. It says it sends 40 percent more power to the trailer battery


Sent from my iPhone using Forest River Forums

Now isn't that something!
I was wrong this month[emoji12]

I'm going to check the duramax manual I don't ever remember reading about this.

I take back what I thought was wrong!

Learn something new every day!

Thanks for sharing.

Turbs