Sanibel 3601 charging battery while towing

jimmyt11664 · 08-23-2015, 04:16 AM

I have a question, while towing my battery goes almost dead. We have the residential fridge, after towing for 3-4 hour's. It so low that the fridge quits working. They say that tow vehicle will not charge battery. I'm thinking of installing a circuit to change the battery while towing. Putting a circuit protection and a diode. Any suggestions on this? Thanks

sail2liv · 08-23-2015, 04:34 AM

Do you have tow haul engaged and is battery switch in correct position

jimmyt11664 · 08-23-2015, 05:33 AM

Battery switch?

B and B · 08-23-2015, 06:09 AM

Tow Haul would not anything to do with the 12 v charge feed. I would check your fuse or breaker in the TV. I know in F Series and Super Duty there is a fuse and relay for charging. Be aware that charge current might only be 20 amps and the amount of power required for the invertor is much greater. The charge line will help but you will get more operating time out of the Trailer Batteries.

The statement of TV won't charge the battery is incomplete, will not fully charge the battery or as I mentioned keep up with current draw.

Alternate solution is add more batteries with higher capacity. Personally I will never buy a residential fridge, always propane equipped.

DDC · 08-23-2015, 07:13 AM

First thing to do is make sure your vehicle has been set-up to charge through the plug, like Band B said ford has a fuse or relay and I know GM has a fuse also that is not activated from the factory.

TGR · 08-23-2015, 11:54 AM

To see if your truck is sending the 12V charging current to your trailer, measure between pins 1 and 4 on your truck’s trailer plug. Please note that some vehicles, like my F350, only supply this charging current with the truck engine running while others will do this even when shut down.

As B and B said, your tow vehicle may not be able to supply all the power your refrigerator requires but it will help the battery extend how long it can run the refrigerator.

If it ends up you needed to add a relay or replace a fuse on your tow vehicle, consider the discharge problem if the vehicle supplies current when the vehicle is turned off, as you could drain your starting battery if they are left connected too long.

DickiedooFlagman · 08-23-2015, 11:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jimmyt11664

I have a question, while towing my battery goes almost dead. We have the residential fridge, after towing for 3-4 hour's. It so low that the fridge quits working. They say that tow vehicle will not charge battery. I'm thinking of installing a circuit to change the battery while towing. Putting a circuit protection and a diode. Any suggestions on this? Thanks

Your trailer battery will charge a bit while towing down the road, but with the standard wiring in the truck and trailer, it will not be much more than a few amps. If you need a more robust charge, you will need to size the charge wiring correctly based on your power needs. Using the inverter will require significant 12v power. Here is one tool to assist with determining proper sizing: Circuit Wizard - Blue Sea Systems Notice that the tool needs the total distance both to and from the alternator to the inverter or trailer battery.

Tom48 · 08-23-2015, 12:54 PM

Make this a little easier at first. Check to be sure you have 12V at the proper connector pin on the trailer plug in as show by TGR above. Check the line for fuses that might be blown from the connection to the battery. Then ask self, IS THAT BATTERY ACTUALLY FULLY CHARGED TO BEGIN with, because if it is not, the TV will never keep it up. Then what do you have for batteries in the TT/FW? IF you are going to be running a Residential Frig two big deep cycle golf cart 6 v batteries are probably a minimum. Our friends drove out in their nice new D'pusher with Residential Frig and the Dealer only put two little cheapy 12 v 80 amp batteries in for them. They were lucky off grid, if the frig ran through the night before they had to start the generator for four of five hours. So we looked and sure enough, the coach was designed for FOUR Six Volts, with room for a second battery rack (option?). In short WITH RESIDENTIAL FRIG you need lots of battery and you need to keep them charged

Bushbunch · 08-23-2015, 01:09 PM

My fuses were OK in my Ford van, wiring OK, plug OK.
THE RELAY, listed in the owner's manual , that powers the TT, (it was a factory install)
was shot. A very quick cheap, plug in replacement.

jimmyt11664 · 08-23-2015, 02:22 PM

I have inspected my TV which is a 2014 F350 with the 6.7 diesel. The relay and 30 amp fuse is in place. I was at RV specialist in Elkhart Indiana. they told me that it is not wired to charge the battery. It's on a single 12 volt deep cell battery. I am asking is anyone else who has a 2015 3601 Sanibel has wired it. RV specialist said that I should put a solar panels to charge the battery. I think that I could get by with running a new circuit. I full-time, so the battery is always fully charged before we get out on the road. I still will check for voltage at the truck connector. The Engine has to be running so the relay is energized. If anyone has a Sanibel with the residential fridge. Please fill me in. Thanks for all your help.

jimmyt11664 · 08-23-2015, 02:23 PM

It's not wired to the tow vehicle, from the battery. Just a clarification on what I posted. Thanks

clr · 08-23-2015, 02:57 PM

I have a 2015 Sanibel 3601 and new from the dealer it only had one size 27 deep cycle battery. My TV I found out was not charging the battery the 30 amp fuse had blown with the old 5er I think. When I checked the relay and replaced the 30 amp fuse the Sanibel will run all day on the TV without discharging the battery. When we stop and shut off the engine on the TV while we are eating lunch or similar it will run off the battery but it is slow to make up for the discharge used during the stop. It may take 3-4 hours to charge back to the place it was prior to the stop. Bottom line I can run the frig all day on the road and will still be about 3/4 full with the battery when we stop for the night.

Tom48 · 08-23-2015, 04:08 PM

Pronouns get me. IT'S not wired to charge? The TV or the TT? Sounds like the TV is wired so find out where that leg of the TT plug is going. Mine is hot from the house and not when "the main battery" switch in the coach is off, but if I understand residential frig wiring, the "factory battery shut off " does not shut off the frig inverter. If that is so, your problem may be as simply as the main battery shut off was off when you were towing.

cap10gus · 08-23-2015, 06:20 PM

As a newbie I was unaware of the extra fuses required to charge through the trailer plug so my battery was not charging while in tow. The dealer was aware the truck manufacturer stored the extra fuses in the glove box. Inserted these in the fuse box of the truck and the problem was solved.

Rodgers · 08-23-2015, 06:55 PM

Is there any reason you don't just switch to propane when towing? Then your battery won't run down. We never run ours off the battery when towing.

clr · 08-23-2015, 07:02 PM

It is a residential frig there is no propane option on that type of refrigerator.

Rodgers · 08-23-2015, 07:04 PM

Ok then I don't have one so never mind.

jimmyt11664 · 08-24-2015, 12:03 AM

As stated, the fuse and relay are installed. I was told that the trailer is not capable of charging the battery when towed. The battery disconnect switch is set for battery on.. Sanibel was a early 2015 model actually built in 2014. RV specialist told me that it wasn't set up. To charge single battery by tow vehicle. Sorry didn't mean to get this crazy

Tom48 · 08-24-2015, 12:57 AM

Then I get your earlier comment You need to add that circuit and while you are at it Add that second battery Maybe TWO big golf cart batteries or four if there is room

Good luck

clr · 08-24-2015, 07:25 AM

My Sanibel is also a 2015 model made in early 2104 when they start the new model year and it has the power wire from the plug to the battery. If I were you I would check that I have 12V power first on the connector pin 4 from the truck with the engine running and no lights on. If you have power there I would then check the RV, remove the negative lead from the battery, so you are not reading RV battery. With the truck running and the RV plugged into the truck you should then read 12V on the negative battery lead.

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