Truck Not Charging Battery

[eric1514]

Originally Posted by NJKris

Sorry Eric, I replied to a tab I had open from yesteday, didn't see all the new posts.

Not a problem. It needs repeating.

[KnP]

Originally Posted by MICHAEL G WARREN

I always appreciate the suggestions of the obvious. Where would the battery cut-off switch be located?

Mine is in the Batt Compartment, is a rotary switch. Could be level, toggle, some hefty and Red in color.

[SJB]

Originally Posted by Trksr

In my older Chevrolet truck, had a fuse in the glovebox that had to be put in. And if I remember correctly I had to also connect a wire to the aux term on the fuse box under the hood.

Get a voltmeter or test light , with the ignition on test the + and - terminals on the connector. The cover shows which lugs I am talking about. If it works there your truck is supplying power.

We had the same situation with our F150. The missing fuse was also in our glove box. Why wasn't it installed by the dealer when we ordered the "max tow package"????

[NoviBill]

Originally Posted by SJB

We had the same situation with our F150. The missing fuse was also in our glove box. Why wasn't it installed by the dealer when we ordered the "max tow package"????

The trailer power line adds a small risk of shorting and fire, given how few people actually use trucks as trucks it is safer to not connect by default. Always read your owner’s manual!

[jlynn721]

Originally Posted by MICHAEL G WARREN

I have a 2004 GMC Sierra HD2500 Diesel. I am pulling a FR Sierra HT fifth wheel.

My truck is not charging the battery while traveling. I don't know if the truck has ever been setup to charge. I bought the truck about 8 months ago along with the camper. I check all my fuses and none are blew inside or under the hood.

Can you help me?

You can drive all day, and the parasitic drain on the 5er’s battery may be more than the trickle charge the truck is giving the house battery. It will look like it’s not working.

[BOO-BOO-IS-IN-CAMP]

the truck wire will only give you a trickle like some other people have said
BUT !!!!
if you realy want to keep it up and run invertor's to run frog heat
you should think about this ..
im tring my best spelling
RENOLAG solor co makes a type of buster they come in different Amp out put.
BUT!!!
you will have to run a completly new wire from alt or bat
the wire will have to be a minimum of Ot 1 or 2 you might get by with 4copper wire not the tin junk real copper connecting it with a anderson connector
you put the box RENOLAG in camper hard wired toyour batt
hang the pig tail off the end of your truck they come with covers..
for the connection's
you will never get enouf power to keep it charged by the 7 pin
i hop this helps

2000 dodge Ram 3500 dually 5.9 cummins restoring custom
2014 2608ws rock wood UL full on customizing every day
2 side kick Zoie & Cre

[BOO-BOO-IS-IN-CAMP]

google love your RV Utube
the guys out in arizona he turned me on to this set up

[Skocan]

Originally Posted by mfMcFroggierPod

EPC under the hood a fuse needs to be installed, also a wire that is bundled up near the EPC needs to be installed to a lug

What he said. They're wired but not completely connected from the factory. My 2008 Silverado was the same

[Crusadernoob]

Red dummy plastic is where the trailer fuse goes, hope y’all got it figured out.

[garywilson]

Put a copy with your battery:

[garywilson]

Or, if 6V or 12V:

[Darryl Honda]

Originally Posted by D W

Are you talking about the truck battery or the 5th wheel battery? If the 5th wheel battery, and your attempting to charge through the 7 pin connector, you're not going to get much more than a trickle charge due to the wiring.

--------
Just wondering why you would say your only getting a trickle charge from your truck. I'm asking because I don't know. I thought that the 12 v from the alternator is what that was designed for. The truck I recently purchased has the max tow package on it c/w a 220 amp alternator as an upgrade. I thought that was to look after the trailer battery (or snowplow accessory/etc). Could be wrong though. I was once before,lol... I have never had problems with my trailer battery so I have never had to test it so I don't know what the voltage/amperage output is. I will check it this summer to see what the charge rate is before we go camping again. Good heads up for sure.. Thanks

[eric1514]

Originally Posted by Darryl Honda

--------
Just wondering why you would say your only getting a trickle charge from your truck...Thanks

Typically, the distance between the truck alternator and the trailer battery combined with the small gauge of the wire used will reduce any charge to just a trickle.

[S.Edington]

That's the one! My son's GMC Sierra 2003 was missing too. Popped in a new fuse and had power to back 7 pin instantly.

[Chuck_S]

It's helpful to think of the battery sucking power from the charging source not the charger pushing it into the battery. A low battery sucks harder than a charged battery.

Battery charge works on voltage differential and the charging source needs to be at least 1v higher than the battery voltage. A 12v battery is really 12.7v which is why the normal output from the alternator is 13.7v after a few minutes -- very little charging is needed or being done. At the end of a dozen feet of wire from the alternator to the trailer battery the charging voltage will be less.

The voltage regulator in the alternator is the key and it reacts to the voltage it detects in the truck battery which rapidly increases on the surfaces of the plates. If the truck battery is low the VR will boost the voltage above the normal 13.7v but cuts back as the surface charge increases. Put a low battery on a charger for 15 minutes, disconnect it, and measure the battery voltage. Yep, 12.7v or fully charged. But we know it isn't as that's just the charge on the surface of the plates. Trailer battery requires an overnight charge with a real charger so don't expect any faster charging from your truck.

On larger boats and vehicles like public safety a separate alternator can be fitted to charge the house batteries as the voltage regulator on the alternator designed to run the engine (if gasoline powered) and charge the starting battery just trickle charges just like what happens on our trailers since starting battery voltage quickly rises.

-- Chuck

[Bradjr]

Thomas ho - has good info. Fuse box under hood needs 30amp fuse if vehicle has never towed anything. good luck

[BOO-BOO-IS-IN-CAMP]

we are talking about
14 gage wire to TT
all its going to amount to is a light on in the TT
i tryed to run my gas heater several times in the past on these things ..
and that little 14gage wire is not enof to replace the lost amount of power..
i tryed 10 gage then iv tryed #4 then i was getting some wair but with a renolag batt charge driving you get a true degree od amps it all about the gage of wire to repower

2000 Dodge Ram 3500 Dully 5.9 cummins full on customizing restor
2014 rock wood 2608 ws UL customizing every time i go out
2 side Kicks Zoie & Cre

[MontanaWill]

Your truck will not keep the RV battery charged unless it has an add on DC charger for the RV. Yes it will do a trickle charge, be sure that it is working. but beyond that you need separate DC charger circuit for the RV .

[Mandog]

Originally Posted by MICHAEL G WARREN

The camper has been plugged in for 24 hours. I unhooked the battery and checked the voltage with a test meter. The voltage was 12.31v. I have now hooked battery back up and disconnected the 50amp power cable as if I was traveling. I am going to check the battery again in 2 hours. I also took a few snap shots of my fuse box on the truck

I’m not sure if you solved your problem. If not here is your problem. Remove the red blank and install a 30 amp fuse.

[ebemis]

Chevrolet as a default does NOT hook up the wire to bring constant 12V power to your 7 pin so that you can charge the connected trailer battery. Even when you buy a "trailer package" and all the fancy bells and whistles..... the wire that makes that work is looped up and taped off on one of the wire bundles to that main fuse block under you hood. Here's the funny part... they DO go to the trouble of putting a connector on the end so you can hook it to the required post instead of having just a bare wire end..... well at least on BOTH of the Burbs we owned they did...

Any reputable trailer shop or Chevrolet dealer can "hook you up" with the required connection, most likely free of charge because truly, it takes like 38.5 seconds to do ;-)

Best of luck