Connecting to hitch

[strickland]

I am picking up an airstream that has been sitting for several years. It has an attached electronic jack but was not sure how to operate. Is the power source my vehicles battery or do I need to install a new battery on the airstream? Or perhaps I need to find a wiring harness that links my vehicles harness with the one on the airstream. I can go to plan b and use a manual jack to lift if necessary.

[Phoenix]

Your electric tongue jack is powered by the Airstream's battery(ies). If they are operational, you should be able to operate the jack using the UP/DOWN switch.

You might also be able to operate the jack using the 12 volts provided by the converter. Just plug the shore power cable into 110 volts. However, this might not work, if the batteries are completely dead; in which case, you may need to buy at least one battery for your Airstream to be able to operate the jack electrically.

If all else fails, electric tongue jacks have a manual handle that can be inserted into the motor housing to hand-crank the jacking mechanism. Hopefully, the previous owner knows where it is. Otherwise, you may be on a quest for the "holy grail" (i.e., a jack handle for an old electric tongue jack).

One last resort: Use a tire/wheel jack to raise the tongue of the trailer. After our GYM blowout and stranding, we carry a two-ton floor jack in our pickup for special problems like this.

[Aage]

If you hook up the umbilical cord (and assuming it is wired internally in the same manner as your trailer's socket), you should get enough juice from your TV (Tow Vehicle) to raise and lower the jack, even if there is no battery in the trailer.

[richinny]

you'll need a battery for the trailer brakes break-away switch.

[AlbertF]

Originally Posted by richinny

you'll need a battery for the trailer brakes break-away switch.

Right. Probably a legal requirement just about anywhere.

Installing a new battery should only take 5 minutes. I recommend that you take a battery with you.