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Topic: Toad battery dead with Unified Tow Brake (Read 5 times) previous topic - next topic
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Toad battery dead with Unified Tow Brake
Yahoo Message Number: 135856
Hi guys, I hope everyone is enjoying the holidays!
 This past Sunday I arrived back in Georgia and quickly discovered that the battery in my Honda CRV was dead. Once someone jump started my car, I had the battery checked out and was told it was good.
 I had towed it about 12 hours in 2 days (much more than I typically drive).  I have the Unified Tow Brake system with the umbilical cord, so I do not pull the fuse.  I am thinking that one of the ends of the cord was not plugged in tight, so the battery was not charged. I didn't know the car was dead at the time I unhooked the car from the RV, but I know both ends were plugged in - but not sure if they were tight.
 My question - is there any way to verify that the car battery is actually being charged by the RV?  I am wondering, what if something happened to the wires or the umbilical cord ends and it is no longer charging.  I suppose I could tow it again and see what happens, but I would prefer to have a way to verify it!

Thanks for any suggestions! Pam (2007 MB)
2008 MB
Toad battery dead with Unified Tow Brake
Reply #1 –
Yahoo Message Number: 135860
Quote
My question - is there any way to verify that the car battery is actually being charged by the RV?  I am wondering, what if something happened to the wires or the umbilical cord ends and it is no longer charging.  I suppose I could tow it again and see what happens, but I would prefer to have a way to verify it!
Yes, it is quite simple. Connect your toad to the the LD. With niether engine running, using a voltmeter,  measure the battery voltage of the toad. It should be typically somewhere between 12 and 12.6 volts.
Now start the LD engine and measure the toad battery voltage. It should have risen to at least 13 volts.
Tom
Re: Toad battery dead with Unified Tow Brake
Reply #2 –
Yahoo Message Number: 135873
When I installed my UTB I added a couple of wires to the harness between my LD and the toad.  Both are connected to indicators in the LD cab.  One indicates that 12-volt power from the LD is actually present in the toad.
The other is connected to the toad's brake lights and indicates whether the toad brakes are being actuated.

Doug

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