Silly Question

[bfurry78]

I recently purchased a 2014 F250 6.7 PS and I was wondering do I have to do anything special to charge the trailer's battery while traveling? I think on my chevy I had to add an adaptor or some pigtail to get this functionality if I remember correctly.

[PARAPTOR]

I recently purchased a 2014 F250 6.7 PS and I was wondering do I have to do anything special to charge the trailer's battery while traveling? I think on my chevy I had to add an adaptor or some pigtail to get this functionality if I remember correctly.

There are no silly questions and hopefully that applies to this answer :eek:
I was told that with standard trailer wiring when you connect trailer cable to your truck, the batteries are in parallel. Therefore as truck battery gets charged so does the trailer batteries. Not sure what had to be added to the Chevy unless it did not have the towing package and the plug (pig tail) had to be added to the rear. :confused:

[JRTJH]

When I bought my F150, there was a packet in the glove compartment that had 2 fuse assemblies to install in the underhood fuse panel. They connected the charging circuit to the 7 pin connector so the trailer batteries would charge.

When I bought my F250, I did not get that packet. Whether it was installed by the dealer as part of their vehicle prep or if they came already installed by the factory is anybody's guess. I do know that the same type setup with fuses for the charge line is present in my F250 but I can't tell you when it was installed.

Yours also has the same setup. Your owner's manual will give you the locations and amperages for the fuses. Look them up and then check the underhood fusebox and you'll have your answer. Sorry I couldn't be more specific.

[PARAPTOR]

Wonder if it is part of the towing Package. Did not have anything done on 3500HD nor do I recall anything done on the 2500HD??

[JRTJH]

I don't know. On the F150, I had the 11,200lb towing package with factory installed brake controller. The fuse packet was in the glove box. On the F250 all of that is standard, not optional. I'm not sure if the "optional on F150" is why it was in the bag and "standard on the F250" is why it was installed ????

Beats me how or why manufacturers do some of the things they do, but I'm sure they have a reason, logical or not for what they do......

[DJ85]

If the truck came with a trailer hitch and the seven pin connector your good to go. Hook and enjoy the way that truck runs!!!"bouncey:

[denverpilot]

Also note the fuse size when you figure it out. Most only charge at about a 10A rate through the RV trailer light plug. By way of contrast, when your coach battery is run down, most of the "converters" in Keystone trailers start at about a 55A rate. It takes quite a while to fully charge the trailer battery via the towing connector. Usually it's quite limited by the length of the run to the TV battery and small gauge wire. Add a little corrosion to the pins on an older truck...

[bfurry78]

Thank you everyone. As always you guys are a great source of knowledge!

[BulletOwner1]

If the truck came with a trailer hitch and the seven pin connector your good to go. Hook and enjoy the way that truck runs!!!"bouncey:

That was not the case on a previous F150. King Ranch with hitch and 7 pin connector. No fuse installed. So just go to the manual and search for it. Either that or get a test light, start the truck and look for light on the proper pin in the connector.

[wowchad]

Slightly O.T. But FYI, I kept blowing the odd sized square trailer-light fuse every time I hooked up this 'one' trailer. Luckily the trailer lights are separate from vehicle lights but I learned to keep a spare oddball 'square' fuse and marked it with a white paint pen to quickly find its location.
Happened like 3x in a couple week span.

[audio1der]

I may be alone here, but I never consider hooking the trailer umbilical to the truck as 'charging'. I charge the battery with a proper battery charger at least a day before we leave, from a charger connected to shore power.
Running the trailer electrical while towing is only for lights, keeping the existing charge up, and maybe running the fridge.
My $.02

[SAABDOCTOR]

Like john said check that the underhood fuse box has the fuses in it for towing. and then you will be good to go. even my other brand truck has fuses for trailer lights and the charge lead to the 7 pin plug. good question. the only stupid question is the one you don't ask when you don't know!:D enjoy

[Shogunles]

I you find that you have been traveling a while, and your trailer battery is not charging, then your 40A fuse for the converter is blown. Start with that before you break out the tester. Always a good idea to keep extra fuses on you. Give your fuse panel a look to see what type of fuses you have. Chances are in the trailer they are the mini. Though, in my TT, they use both barrel and mini.

[RikChar]

You can also have your trailer dealer test your 7 pin receptacle with a tester that they use to diagnose problems with, just because you have a 7 pin plug does not mean it also charges as some times the factory does not connect the cable to the fuse box and install a fuse to it. Even though the truck has the towing package does not mean that the connection was fully done.
This is what I found out when Iasked my trailer dealer to check out every thing on my truck before I took my trailer out for the first time.

[Mark TC]

My F150 I had to put a fuse and relay in that was in the glove box, it was a 2012. I bought a 2013 F350 and they were already installed. It show what relay and fuse it is in the manual


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