Dump Trailer Battery

[woody]

I'm considering connecting my dump trailer to my trucks battery, I have seen several kits to do this with but my concern is the strain it would put on my truck battery and since my Ram has two batteries does it make a difference which battery I connect to? I also have a tilt deck hydraulic trailer that would work with that set up. If I did set this up would it be better to keep a battery in the trailer so that maybe there is not as much strain on the truck?

 

[grsthegreat]

The guage of cord running all the way to truck battery would cost way more than a good battery and either a solar charger or a plug in charger.

 

[JCoastie]

keeping a 3rd battery would most likely necessitate another battery isolator as well. As noted above, best bet is keep it separate with a good battery and a solar charger, which is what I use as well. I made a 7 way pigtail that I can plug my <10a power charger into, and I also use the same pigtail for the solar charger which is on a 20w panel only because that's what I had already, smaller is fine too.

 

[Cat_Driver]

I added the solar kit to my dump and she stays charged

 

[bdhsfz6]

In many states, trailers with electric brakes are required to have an onboard battery to lock up the brakes in case of a runaway. Many use small dry cell batteries but, for efficiency, larger dump and lift trailers usually have their own high capacity batteries. As mentioned above, to handle the high current, heavy gauge cable would be required to use a battery located in the towing vehicle.

I use a deep cycle marine battery in my dump trailer. I keep it connected to a battery maintainer and usually get 10 or 11 years out of it.

 

[LD1]

I was faced with the same issue last year.

My truck is the only one that tows the trailer, and that isnt very often. I normally use it behind the tractor and have adapted it to run off my remotes....way faster and I dont have to leave the seat or worry about the battery.

But I still needed to dump it with the truck a few times a year and my battery was shot.

So for ~$150 I could replace the battery and do that every 3-4 years, or for $150 I could hard wire it one time and be done.

So I got a "winch" kit that was 2 gauge wire with anderson connectors. 28' truck side and 8' trailer side. Wired through the batteries and through an automotive/marine 300a breaker.

I left the battery in the trailer. That batter can be deader than a door nail and I plug in the anderson connector and it dumps no problem. Money well spent IMO. And I advise everyone with a dump trailer to set it up to run off the truck battery. Because as long as the truck is running, you will NEVER have to worry about a dead trailer battery preventing you from dumping

 

[Gordon Gould]

If it were mine I would do what LD1 says. My dually RAM dump truck is electric over hydraulic just like a dump trailer and I have no battery troubles and it is only a single battery. I do rev up to about 3000 RPM when I dump though. I have a toggle switch in the cab on the left side of the seat that drives a hi amp contactor relay like on a snow plow or winch.

If your 2 batteries are in parallel so you have a 12V system you can connect to either. If the 2 batteries are separate for some reason or in series for a 24V system you need more info before you hook up your trailer.

gg

 

[Gordon Gould]

Also if you can dump from inside the cab you can pull forward as you dump or even tail gate out a load of gravel.

 

[woody]

All good responses and thanks, I do keep the trailer plugged in to a trickle charger and it charges through my trucks 7 way plug and I wired up a relay so it disconnects from the truck while dumping but short runs between dumps and I have a dead battery. I do carry a NOCO jumper with me and it has got me out of trouble several times.
what LD1 described is what I was talking about doing, have you had any regrets maybe something you would have done different?

 

[woody]

If it were mine I would do what LD1 says. My dually RAM dump truck is electric over hydraulic just like a dump trailer and I have no battery troubles and it is only a single battery. I do rev up to about 3000 RPM when I dump though. I have a toggle switch in the cab on the left side of the seat that drives a hi amp contactor relay like on a snow plow or winch.

If your 2 batteries are in parallel so you have a 12V system you can connect to either. If the 2 batteries are separate for some reason or in series for a 24V system you need more info before you hook up your trailer.

gg

it is a 12V system

Also if you can dump from inside the cab you can pull forward as you dump or even tail gate out a load of gravel.

I have a hard wired hand held that will reach my truck cab, but I also connected a remote that I use when spreading a load.