power trailer jack directly from truck batteries - Diesel Forum

WFTREE · 08-13-2005, 11:51 AM

I have a Gooseneck living quarters horse trailer with an electric jack. I seem to run the camper batteries down so low that when I go to leave I do not have enough juice to use the electric jack. The slow charge off the truck, throuhg the trailer light plug, takes to long and I have blown the fuse a few times if the batteries are way too low.

I have seen connectors for heavy guage wire, I think they are used for tow truck jumper cables and winches.

I would like to run heavy guage wires to the back of the truck so I can run the jack off the truck directly.

Any advice an where to get the connectors and what guage wire it should be would be helpful

WFTREE

MOUNTAINMAN444 · 08-13-2005, 02:58 PM

Just hook them directly to the battery, install an inline fuse (30 or 40 amp), and run them to the back of the truck. I would either run 10 or 8 gauge wire. All the parts should be at any local parts house.
Joe

Halfnut · 08-13-2005, 06:18 PM

Welding suppliers have the large connectors you see on tow trucks for external connections for jumper cables, but that's probably a lot larger than what you need. Electric forklift charger connectors may be just what you need, the small ones are good for 60 amps and are smaller than a pack of cigarettes. Look in your yellow pages for fork lift dealers.

garysjames · 08-14-2005, 10:28 AM

Anderson "Power Poles" make a connector that would work great for this application.

Try a search on Google or try here: Anderson Power Poles

I see that this place has them up to 30 amps, if you need more or higher current rating, they are available up to 150 amps at other companies.

My guess is that you will need a 40/50 amp model.

Good Luck,

Gary

nvcowboy · 08-19-2005, 12:42 AM

Are you still blowing fuses and having trouble with the engine running as you operate the jacks? Even with trailer battery stone cold dead my bumper pull electric jack on either of my trailers will go pretty good with juice from the alternator running through it. I am also certain my jack draw alot less than yours.

WFTREE · 08-19-2005, 07:31 AM

I am not sure of the draw but it works to lift the 2000-3000 pin weight of my trailer. The fuse only blows when the batteries are DEAD and I am running it all off the truck. I would thing that 2 dead deep cycle batteries and the jack will draw a lot of power. I will be installing a battery cut off switch soon and that may help. Then I would be powering the jack only and not feeding the dead batteries

nvcowboy · 08-20-2005, 01:29 PM

Never thought about the batteries and jack competing with one another. THings that make you go hmmmmm. Makes absolute sense to me.

I guess the reason I have not had a problem is that 1. My Bumperpull jack is smaller than your gooseneck and 2. I only have one deep cycle battery in the dressing/tack room of my trailer for lights and the aforementioned jack.

drcampbell · 08-22-2005, 12:20 AM

The obvious answer would be to not run the batteries down so far - maybe with solar cells on the roof to provide electricity during the day?

Here's Anderson's own site. Lots of good information there. http://www.andersonpower.com/products/mp/sb.html

Anderson connectors are widely available - I know NAPA and Grainger carry them.

If you hook up a pair of 50A connectors with 60 feet of 6 gauge copper wire, (two conductors going 30 feet) you'll have about 30 milliOhms in the line. That'll be a low enough resistance to run a heavy jack motor even with a nearly-dead trailer battery.

You can hook up to the truck's battery, starter motor or alternator, whichever is most convenient.

william_04_X · 08-23-2005, 08:03 PM

make sure you have quality batteries also..my trailer came with one junk battery...our first night dry camping i woke up at 3am to the sound of my CO detector chirping because of low voltage condition(battery run down)..i added a second battery(interstate) and now i can go for three days before a charge...