Replacing trailer brake battery with capacitors

[CajunRider]

My trailer was bought mostly to tow my tractor around so it doesn't get much use. It seems that every time I use it I have to fix a dead trailer brake battery. Has anyone of us here ever replace the trailer brake battery with capacitors? I think capacitors will be superior to batteries in this application.
The load requirement is low so the cost is reasonable. The capacitors will charge up much quicker and require a whole lot less maintenance than the batteries.

 

[Raspy]

I like the idea, but it probably won't get you out of a ticket, if it ever was checked, don't know. You could put the capacitors in a battery case and it would look like and do just what a battery does.

Seems like as long as the capacitors can power the brakes long enough to get the trailer completely stopped in an emergency, they would be fine. And zero maintenance.

 

[Diamondpilot]

The law requires the brakes hold for 15 minutes on trailers requiring brakes. That's usually at 3000#

So no, capacitors would not be practical.

Now to your battery. I have owned 7 or 8 trailers over the last 25 years and have maybe replaced the batteries every 5 years. Get them on EBay for about $12 to my door. If you are having this much issue you have other problems or use your trailer so little it's not necessary for you to own one.

A cheap $20 battery tender or solar panel should take care of your issues.

 

[RickB]

I just replaced a 10 year old breakaway battery last week. I'm good with that interval. There are few trailers that see LESS use than mine.

 

[MossRoad]

The law requires the brakes hold for 15 minutes on trailers requiring brakes. That's usually at 3000#

So no, capacitors would not be practical.

Now to your battery. I have owned 7 or 8 trailers over the last 25 years and have maybe replaced the batteries every 5 years. Get them on EBay for about $12 to my door. If you are having this much issue you have other problems or use your trailer so little it's not necessary for you to own one.

A cheap $20 battery tender or solar panel should take care of your issues.

What he said... :thumbsup:

Solar charger about $25 at Walmart.
https://www.walmart.com/ip/12V-Sola...1763&wl11=online&wl12=700878309&wl13=&veh=sem

Trailer brake batteries on Amazon for $14.

 

[Sprinklerman]

Get some battery clamps , make a cord that goes from your break away battery to reach your tractor battery . When you tow it , just hook to the tractor battery and you are good .

 

[civilian]

What he said... :thumbsup:

Solar charger about $25 at Walmart.
https://www.walmart.com/ip/12V-Sola...1763&wl11=online&wl12=700878309&wl13=&veh=sem

Trailer brake batteries on Amazon for $14.

My trailers are stored in a barn, solar doesn't work there. Jon

 

[MossRoad]

My trailers are stored in a barn, solar doesn't work there. Jon

Put the solar panel in a window or mount it on the outside wall and run the wire through the wall with a grommet and some silicone sealant.

If you have power in the barn, get a small AC charger/maintainer. They are dirt cheap as well.

 

[orezok]

Ditto the seldom used trailer. I have a jump pack that I built a carrier for on the tongue. When I need the trailer I drop it in and plug it into the breakaway circuit. It's a large one that has a lead acid battery, not the lithium ion jokes.

Dual purpose device.

 

[TemporaryKubotaOwnerMark]

A cheap $20 battery tender or solar panel should take care of your issues.

Yep.

Wouldn't hurt to do a test to see if something is draining it.

 

[Diamondpilot]

My trailers are stored in a barn, solar doesn't work there. Jon

Then a battery tender will work.

In our camp in Canada we mounted solar panels on the south side of the barn with cords that plug into the trailers light pigtail. On our Side by Side, Tractor, and Mini Ex we just use alligator clips.

 

[Diamondpilot]

Ditto the seldom used trailer. I have a jump pack that I built a carrier for on the tongue. When I need the trailer I drop it in and plug it into the breakaway circuit. It's a large one that has a lead acid battery, not the lithium ion jokes.

Dual purpose device.

I have 2 of the Lithium ones. I will never go back to a 40# old school one. I have started a airplane, my Eco Boost, and boats with motors as big as 502.

They are no joke!

 

[orezok]

I have 2 of the Lithium ones. I will never go back to a 40# old school one. I have started a airplane, my Eco Boost, and boats with motors as big as 502.

They are no joke!

Until they catch fire as LI batts tend to do

 

[Raspy]

Does the break-away battery charge from the 7 pin plug when towing?

 

[MossRoad]

Does the break-away battery charge from the 7 pin plug when towing?

They are supposed to.

 

[bajarage]

Does the break-away battery charge from the 7 pin plug when towing?

If every thing is wired correctly it is supposed to.


Since the trailers are stored indoors I, personally, would set it, and any others, up on battery tenders then set the battery tender on a timer that comes on for however many hours needed to top off once a week.

Or

Wire it up for a battery tender and plug it in on the first Friday of the month and unplug it the following Sunday.

 

[kennyd]

Until they catch fire as LI batts tend to do

Yeah like lead acid batteries have never exploded and sprayed acid everywhere?

 

[TemporaryKubotaOwnerMark]

Since the trailers are stored indoors I, personally, would set it, and any others, up on battery tenders then set the battery tender on a timer that comes on for however many hours needed to top off once a week.

Or

Wire it up for a battery tender and plug it in on the first Friday of the month and unplug it the following Sunday.

If you get the right battery tender there is no reason to do anything other than plug it in and leave it. A dumb trickle charger needs a timer as you suggest, but modern intelligent battery minders do not.

 

[orezok]

Yeah like lead acid batteries have never exploded and sprayed acid everywhere?

Virtually impossible with SLA's used in battery packs. NO venting.

 

[dodge man]

I have just gotten in the habit of pulling my battery and putting in a maintainer in the grage. It only takes a couple of minutes to install.