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how hard is it...
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84 Posts
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July 18, 2011 - 11:47 am
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We are looking at a pop up that isn't wire for a battery.  How hard is it to add one and is it worth the trouble?

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July 18, 2011 - 12:11 pm
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First question is what year is the pup your looking at ???    This will impact the difficulty level .. 

The battery is really only needed if you plan to "dry camp"  without and shore power connection or "Boondock"  camp out in the middle of nowhere..    If your going to be staying in cg's that have power hook ups then NO you really don't need to wire in a battery ..

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255 Posts
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July 18, 2011 - 12:50 pm
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if it has electric brakes, then a battery is required by law.

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128 Posts
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May 7, 2012 - 12:50 pm
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Note: My trailer has electric brakes (standard).  No there is NO battery anywhere. Checking the original wiring diagram - does not have a connection anywhere for a battery.  But then again - my PUP is quite old.

NEWER trailer may have a BREAKAWAY system with at (least a small) battery to stop the trailer if it ever brakes/falls off when moving.

I would check with your dealer or consult your wiring manual before adding a battery. If there is NO battery then adding one could be a bit tricky as the shorepower/converter may not be compatible.

If it had a self contained BREAKAWAY system - I would not rewire it without proper understanding of it and verifying that you don't compermise that system.

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2545 Posts
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May 7, 2012 - 1:05 pm
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What appliances would run off of the battery? 

I had a pup that the battery would have only run 1 light in the ceiling. Rather than try to rewire the pup and put a new battery in I just bought 2 LED lights that ran on AA batteries and just attached them to the roof.  I got more light, cheaper ($10 each), and it was a heck of a lot easier.

Matt O 2006 Skyline Nomad 27' travel trailer.  Previously owned 1986 Coleman Columbia / 1992 Coleman Senecca / 1989 Born Free Class C RV.

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108 Posts
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May 7, 2012 - 1:49 pm
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  John , as others have stated .......... if you always use shore power .... you would never need a battery. How will you charge the battery, at home, with a battery charger and shore power ..... with a newer power converter in the PUP?  Any battery install will need a battery, a battery mount or box, 2 piece of wire, 8 to 10 gauge is suggested. A length of white wire will go from the negative battery terminal to the PUP frame (ground) and the other piece of wire should be black go to the positive battery terminal to the inside of the POP to the power converter. A fuse or circuit breaker should be installed in this wire near the battery. Many newer PUP's will have wires already run for a battery and only a short harness is needed.

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May 8, 2012 - 11:44 am
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Serious NOOB question that I may regret asking, but why can't the trailer plug just hitch up to the battery with some sort of adapter?  Wouldn't that be like running off the car battery?  :dunno:

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128 Posts
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May 8, 2012 - 4:41 pm
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MariskaHargitay - I don't see why that would NOT work.

Get a 7-pin RV Style Truck side adapter (if that is what you have on the trailer)

Wire the #4 pin to Positive terminal of the battery and #1 to the Negative terminal
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Then put the whole thing into a battery box and mount it on the tongue or have it portable.

You will have to add a charger to it before you use it or if need to top it up.

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