How do you keep the trailer backup battery charged. (or do you)

[oldballs]

Since I don't use my trailer much anymore, I just take the battery out and periodically put it on a maintainer for a few hours. It's not that much trouble. I think that sitting in the direct summer sun helps kill the trailer (seldom used) battery anyhow.

Cheers,
Mike

 

[bmaverick]

Got a shelf with all the batteries from all sorts of things, including the trailers. Just toss the trickle charger on them once a month. Simple.

 

[bmaverick]

Those little 7 AH AGM batteries never last much over a year but I have never tried to keep one on a solar maintainer either.

I've never been a fan of the AGM batteries. They are the most troublesome.

 

[Cat385B]

Mine says maintenance free right on it. Therefore, it will last forever.

 

[Hay Dude]

Been using a 30W panel on a lawn tractor battery for my gate opener for many years. I get right at 5 years on the battery that would otherwise only last a couple. As long as you have a good quality charge controller they definitely extend the life of a battery. I hook that one right into the solar panel input on the Mighty Mule controller.

I have a couple panels on top of my barn. One 30W panel is running through a Battery Tender brand controller into another lawn tractor battery. I've been having to replace that one every 5 years as well.

I also have a 100W panel running through a generic controller into a group 27 battery that is 7 years old and holding a charge.

Those little 7 AH AGM batteries never last much over a year but I have never tried to keep one on a solar maintainer either.

My Liftmaster solar powered gate opener, with only a 5 watt panel, has only needed 1 battery replaced in 10 years of use.
But I think that’s a “gel” battery. I don’t know if the trailer batteries are same?

 

[dodge man]

I also just pull the battery every time and keep it on a trickle charger. I only use my trailer a few times a year and it doesn’t take but a few minutes to put it in.

 

[fried1765]

We are not talking about a dump trailer here so "that stupid little worthless battery" is ample as long as it take's and hold's charge. I suspect your past batteries were short lived due to being in some state of discharge most of the time. The only thing that kill's batteries worse than sitting partly charged is quick charging them. Sound's like you have taken care of that with new chargers and maintainer so I'm betting your batteries going foward will last much longer. I own 3 Deltran Battery Tenders that stay connected to something all the time and my batteries last twice warranty period on average. I am 100% convinced even the battery on a daily driver benifit's from occasionally spending time on a high quility maintainer to de-sulfate.
So I handle all batteries thusly. No delay between partial discharge and recharge on things such as trolling motor,dump trailer,golf cart,fence charger and others without dependiable charging system. Avoid quick charge like the plague. All batteries spend time on maintainer.

I have a total of 16 Battery Maintainers or Deltran Battery Tenders.
I keep one on every battery not expected to be in use for 30 days.

 

[nikerret]

I have a 7.5w solar panel and the Anderson connectors, if I’m doing a lot of dumping, in a short amount of time. If we have a run of overcast weather, I’ll plug in the 120v 5A charger that came with the trailer.

 

[Lineman North Florida]

Ordered a two pack of sealed lead acid maintenance free batteries off of Amazon a couple of weeks ago for $24.99 and replaced them in both of my gooseneck trailers, one was over 12 years old and the other was over 7 , I hope I get the same good luck out of these 2 new ones and I have never charged either one of them.

 

[ljjhouser]

So essentially you spent $400 to prolong the life of a $17.50 battery.

I knew that was coming. I knew that would be said when I typed it. But I have invested about half that in those cheap batteries. And since this battery also maintains the GPS locator. It has to stay on the trailer and stay charged.