charging 12V brake battery in trailer

[Donald]

I just bought a trailer with electric brakes. It will be awhile before I am setup to use the electric brakes. How best to charge the small 12AH battery. I do have a 1 AMP float charger, but even that may be too much. I was thinking of putting it in parallel with a normal car battery and put the float charger on the two?

 

[bullwinkle]

A float charger will be fine, I use my Battery Minder on motorcycle & PWC batteries all the time, once it's fully charged, it starts desulfating/pulsing to break up grid deposits, can be left on continuously.

 

[NHGUY]

If its a sealed battery,you are required to have an onboard 12V charger that charges it the entire time the towing vehicle is running.Thats easily bought from Tekonsha/Raybestos. This was in response to the old days with the carbon/zinc 12V lantern batteries that always died/leaked and couldnt be recharged.This meant trailer breakaway was made into a tragedy instead of under control (with a working battery).

(As its not hooked to the vehicle,yes,that onboard charger wont come into play.But,make sure it has one,and its working.)

 

[Donald]

Originally Posted By: bullwinkle
A float charger will be fine, I use my Battery Minder on motorcycle & PWC batteries all the time, once it's fully charged, it starts desulfating/pulsing to break up grid deposits, can be left on continuously.


But this battery is about 1/3 the size of a lawn tractor battery.

 

[George7941]

Lawn Tractor batteries are larger than the average motorcycle battery.

A 500cc motorcycle will have a 14AH battery, your 12AH is not that far off. A float charger can be safely used on it.