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Old 03-29-2023, 04:49 PM   #1
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Battery for Towing

I live in my 2015 Evo T 2700 full-time. I've been parked for a year.
I am getting ready to move it 8 miles away, and my battery is dead. I don't plan to tow it again for at least another year. Can anyone suggest an affordable battery for just towing the trailer? I am always hooked up to electricity for living in it.
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Old 03-29-2023, 04:59 PM   #2
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A cheap group 24 12v dual-purpose marine battery from Walmart. Still gonna cost around $80.
Or a cheaper group 24 12v car starting battery will get you 8 miles.

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Old 03-29-2023, 05:24 PM   #3
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Borrow a 12V battery from any vehicle for a 8 mile drive.

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Old 03-29-2023, 05:27 PM   #4
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Not so easy

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Borrow a 12V battery from any vehicle for a 8 mile drive.

Not so easy. Almost all car batteries are side-terminal these days. Truck batteries are tapered lead top posts. Trailers use threaded top studs.
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Old 03-29-2023, 05:32 PM   #5
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A cheap group 24 12v dual-purpose marine battery from Walmart. Still gonna cost around $80.
Or a cheaper group 24 12v car starting battery will get you 8 miles.

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The "Legal" requirement is usually stated as "a 12 volt battery that is capable of operating the electric brakes for 15 minutes. That translates to only 3 amp hours for a typical tandem axle trailer with four brake assemblies.

Even a "mostly dead" battery will satisfy the need as long as it's not totally dead.

A battery like this only costs ~$17 and just about every battery store or auto parts store will have something similar.

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Old 03-29-2023, 05:32 PM   #6
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Not so easy. Almost all car batteries are side-terminal these days. Truck batteries are tapered lead top posts. Trailers use threaded top studs.
A lot of the cheaper dual-purpose marine batteries have the tapered round posts AND the threaded wing nut studs.

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Old 03-29-2023, 05:36 PM   #7
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As long as...

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The "Legal" requirement is usually stated as "a 12 volt battery that is capable of operating the electric brakes for 15 minutes. That translates to only 3 amp hours for a typical tandem axle trailer with four brake assemblies.

Even a "mostly dead" battery will satisfy the need as long as it's not totally dead.

A battery like this only costs ~$17 and just about every battery store or auto parts store will have something similar.

As long as you can make up the cables for it.
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Old 03-29-2023, 06:03 PM   #8
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Originally Posted by Ladyluvsdogs View Post
I live in my 2015 Evo T 2700 full-time. I've been parked for a year.
I am getting ready to move it 8 miles away, and my battery is dead. I don't plan to tow it again for at least another year. Can anyone suggest an affordable battery for just towing the trailer? I am always hooked up to electricity for living in it.
If it were me I would just do the move with what you have. I know the right thing to do is have a good battery but 8 miles? Really low risk as long as your tow equipment is up to snuff.
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Old 03-29-2023, 06:49 PM   #9
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Originally Posted by Larry-NC View Post
Not so easy. Almost all car batteries are side-terminal these days. Truck batteries are tapered lead top posts. Trailers use threaded top studs.
For cars and trucks we have a Dodge, a Honda, and two Fords, all a decade or less in age, and they all use top post batteries. In fact I can’t remember in almost 50 years ever owning a car that used side posts, although I’m aware of their existence. Should be no trouble buying a top post battery, and of course, anything marine/RV should have screw terminals as well.
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Old 03-29-2023, 07:15 PM   #10
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For cars and trucks we have a Dodge, a Honda, and two Fords, all a decade or less in age, and they all use top post batteries. In fact I can’t remember in almost 50 years ever owning a car that used side posts, although I’m aware of their existence. Should be no trouble buying a top post battery, and of course, anything marine/RV should have screw terminals as well.
Our 2006 Tahoe and (former) 2006 Yukon XL have side posts, as well as my son's 2005 Caddy. The 2015 Sierra has tapered top posts. Did the car manufacturers go away from side posts? Good riddance.
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Old 03-29-2023, 07:34 PM   #11
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Our 2006 Tahoe and (former) 2006 Yukon XL have side posts, as well as my son's 2005 Caddy. The 2015 Sierra has tapered top posts. Did the car manufacturers go away from side posts? Good riddance.
That was a GM thing. I hated them.

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and Zoe the Wonder Dog(R.I.P.)
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4pt Equal-i-zer WDH and 1828lbs of payload capacity
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Old 03-29-2023, 07:55 PM   #12
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As long as you can make up the cables for it.
For an 8 mile trip just use jumper cables.


Doesn't have to be fancy, just work.
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Old 03-29-2023, 08:06 PM   #13
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for 8 miles I would use the OLD battery.... try and charge it may last long enough to get 8 miles



the tow vehicle provides all the 12v power to the lights (brake /turn)


the battery on the trailer is only needed for the breakaway brake
go slow
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