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onazip View Drop Down
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Joined: 04 Apr 2018
Location: albertville mn
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Posts: 43 		Direct Link To This Post Topic: 176T Battery Life
    Posted: 11 Apr 2018 at 4:33pm
what about a Battery Tender?  If there is a power source at the place of storage, would it be ok to leave the battery tender on it?  works for the motorcycles.  
2018 Tundra
2018 176t
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Joined: 23 Jan 2017
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Posts: 302 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 11 Apr 2018 at 10:14am
Oh yea!! Forgot about that. Plus the fridge won't work either. Need to put that on my checklist for old mind.
Mark
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Posts: 364 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 11 Apr 2018 at 10:03am
If you turn off the battery while towing your brake-away switch will not activate the trailer brakes if the trailer comes off the ball.
JandL
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Posts: 36 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 11 Apr 2018 at 9:57am
Good question.  Let's see what the experts have to say. Smile
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Posts: 302 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 11 Apr 2018 at 9:55am
On a related note about battery cutoff switches, I installed one....will leaving it off while traveling damage anything?  Not intending to but I might forget to turn it on for the on-the-road charge.
Mark
Concord, NC
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Joined: 29 Nov 2015
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Posts: 6289 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 11 Apr 2018 at 9:14am
I mounted mine in the battery box lid. It has worked well.
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Posts: 3419 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 11 Apr 2018 at 8:06am
Lot of info on battery cutoff installs. Some have mounted internally in trailer, while others like me have installed outside next to or in battery box. I mounted a plastic electrical box next to my battery and the switch is the red key type that easily disconnects battery when necessary.
Mike Carter
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Posts: 36 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 10 Apr 2018 at 7:12pm
Originally posted by Outbound

Yes, two weeks 'with everything off' is about normal for battery life, 'cause not everything is off.  Specifically: your propane detector is hard-wired in and will not turn off with a breaker - and it'll chew through battery amps fairly quickly.

You have to disconnect the battery when storing your trailer more than a few days (a week at most).  You can either disconnect one terminal (negative is generally suggested, as if the positive terminal should happen to touch your metal trailer frame, it'll short), or you can install a battery cutoff switch.

Finally: You should avoid discharging your trailer's battery more than 50%; after that, it'll start to shorten your battery's useful life (both in how much charge it'll hold and how many years it'll last you).  Most importantly: a led-acid battery is only good for four full discharges: after that, you can't expect to get much out of it at all. 

Can you suggest a good way to install a cutoff switch?
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Posts: 767 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 10 Apr 2018 at 5:21pm
Yes, two weeks 'with everything off' is about normal for battery life, 'cause not everything is off.  Specifically: your propane detector is hard-wired in and will not turn off with a breaker - and it'll chew through battery amps fairly quickly.

You have to disconnect the battery when storing your trailer more than a few days (a week at most).  You can either disconnect one terminal (negative is generally suggested, as if the positive terminal should happen to touch your metal trailer frame, it'll short), or you can install a battery cutoff switch.

Finally: You should avoid discharging your trailer's battery more than 50%; after that, it'll start to shorten your battery's useful life (both in how much charge it'll hold and how many years it'll last you).  Most importantly: a led-acid battery is only good for four full discharges: after that, you can't expect to get much out of it at all. 
Craig :: 2009 RP171 towed by a 2017 F150
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Posts: 1014 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 10 Apr 2018 at 4:53pm
SH is giving good advise on this. Listen to what he said.

Is it normal, no, but don't 'really' know what was truly running. So, maybe for what was running.

I will also add a dis-connect, but do understand it is not a 'fix-all' answer.
Your battery needs to be used. The chemical reaction that occurs insists upon you draining and replacing amperage. Those that use the dis-connect understand this and still have a charging system in place for any 'long' durations. This would be the same if you dis-connect your battery by removing the terminal connection.

Realize your battery does need to be used. 

I setup a simple low wattage solar for my Nephew's sailboat. It allows him to leave it for the week after weekend use and re-charges the battery. It's not the best answer (dis-charge greater than re-charge) but works pretty well and hasn't replace for 3 seasons (used to very season).
What I'm saying here is it needs to be used.

Tell us more and we'll help as we can.

Only mistake we can make: Is not going camping!

Hope this helps. 
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