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Towing with a Forester

97 messages,  Last post on Apr 21, 2008 at 6:24 AM

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#39 of 97 Re: Battery Isolater on Subaru [xtop] by kayakingsue Oct 23, 2007 (6:32 am)
Replying to: xtop (Oct 12, 2007 9:03 am) How did your trip go? What does a battery isolater do?
#40 of 97 Leaving tomorrow on the trip. by xtop Oct 23, 2007 (6:50 am)
The trip starts in the morning.   A battery isolater allows me to charge the battery in the trailer using the tow vehicle alternator without risking discharge of the tow vehicle battery. It's a one-way switch.   Fred Replies to this message: ateixeira (Oct 24, 2007 7:50 am) xtop (Oct 26, 2007 6:39 pm)
#41 of 97 Do alternators charge trailer batteries? by kayakingsue Oct 23, 2007 (9:17 am)
Do you have to add an isolator, or does it come with the trailer connection?   I thought the car's alternator automatically recharged the deep-cell battery on the trailer through the electrical connection that lit the trailer's exterior lights and activated the trailer's brakes. Replies to this message: xtop (Oct 26, 2007 6:34 pm) kayakingsue (Oct 26, 2007 7:28 pm)
#42 of 97 Re: Leaving tomorrow on the trip. [xtop] by ateixeira Oct 24, 2007 (7:50 am)
Replying to: xtop (Oct 23, 2007 6:50 am) Have a good trip, Fred! He's probably off already. Replies to this message: xtop (Oct 26, 2007 6:39 pm)
#43 of 97 Towing trips; redesigning a small pop-up by kayakingsue Oct 24, 2007 (7:58 am)
Yes, Fred's off on his first TB trip and I'm back from my camp-hosting with my pop-up trailer, full of insights about trailing and pop-up living. I'm going to write Fleetwood a long letter about how they could re-design that rig to be more useful for a single person.   Does anyone know anything about retrofitting a pop-up for someone who isn't interested in sleeping the maximum number it (in theory) could hold? Replies to this message: xtop (Oct 26, 2007 6:37 pm)
#44 of 97 Re: Do alternators charge trailer batteries? [kayakingsue] by xtop Oct 26, 2007 (6:34 pm)
Replying to: kayakingsue (Oct 23, 2007 9:17 am) Hi, we're back. The isolator is not strictly necessary. It simply protects your car battery from discharge through the trailer. If the wiring were in place, the car would charge the battery in the trailer. Most trailer harnesses that are built into the cars will only run the turn signals, tail lights, and brake lights through a 4-pin harness. The 7-pin adapter that I bought has three more wires and a ground if you want to send power to the trailer battery. One of the three wires is the 12-volt charging wire which someone has to add on to the system along with the aforementioned isolator. I can't remember what the other two wires are for.   The trailer towed beautifully. MPG ranged from 13-17. A high-pressure water line leaked but we found a replacement at the local Ace Hardware in Socorro, NM. The LP-gas alarm went off last night but we couldn't find any leaks. We had the heat on again today and no alarm. Hmmmmm. Replies to this message: kayakingsue (Oct 26, 2007 7:28 pm)
#45 of 97 Re: Towing trips; redesigning a small pop-up [kayakingsue] by xtop Oct 26, 2007 (6:37 pm)
Replying to: kayakingsue (Oct 24, 2007 7:58 am) Sounds like an owner refit to me. We found out a lot of things too. I will be making mods as we go along. Our max sleeping capacity and max number of sleepers is in agreement so we don't have that problem. How about a home theater in the other end of your rig? Just kidding. Good luck working it out.   Fred
#46 of 97 Re: Leaving tomorrow on the trip. [ateixeira] by xtop Oct 26, 2007 (6:39 pm)
Replying to: ateixeira (Oct 24, 2007 7:50 am) Yup, we were off. Now we're back. One thing I failed to mention is that by putting everything we could in the rear of the trailer we changed the tongue weight from 225 lbs. to 205 lbs. Whoopee! Big deal, eh? I am going to have to adjust the headlights for towing for sure.   Fred
#47 of 97 Re: Do alternators charge trailer batteries? [xtop] by kayakingsue Oct 26, 2007 (7:28 pm)
Replying to: xtop (Oct 26, 2007 6:34 pm) For what it's worth, a friend who had a trailer said that their alarm went off when the 12 volt battery was low.   The guy at the dealership who ran me through the trail set-up when I bought it told me that the car would not charge the 12 volt. Everything I've read and heard disagrees with that. I'll bring it up with them the next time I go there, along with the fact that they left the paper instructions for the heater INSIDE the heater behind a part you could only get to by removing a sheetmetal screw that was set so close to the top that no screwdriver could reach it!   No home theater--I use the extra bed to store things; the real problem is the mega-uncomfortable table seats and the stinking table, which sit out into the "aisle" too far.   I'm glad your maiden voyage was a success, Sue
#48 of 97 Possible alarm causes. by xtop Oct 26, 2007 (7:47 pm)
Well, the trailer was attached to "shore" power at the time the alarm sounded but it's possible the battery is defective. Anything is possible.   As to the car alternator charging the trailer battery, it will charge if I get a 12-volt power source to the correct terminal in the 7-pin connector. I will install everything in the spring before we pick up the trailer from storage. I have the correct isolator part number from the manufacturer and the recommended circuit breaker amperage along with the proper wire gauge number.   The charging question should perhaps be addressed to the manufacturer of your trailer. My trailer manual says it will charge and the mechanic who took us through our setup said it would charge on this trailer provided I do as I have stated. I have also ordered a compact solar panel charger that will fit nicely and puts out 6 watts max with a regulating circuit built in.   Are the table seats in the form of benches on your trailer? The table could probably be shortened by someone in a good custom carpentry shop.   Thank you, we are very happy about it also. Fred

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