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m.hony · 04-14-2015, 11:07 AM

I have left the umbilical connected for weeks at a time without the tow vehicle battery draining.

gecko · 04-14-2015, 12:00 PM

Minno has it just right. If you don't need the tow vehicle to go elsewhere and you are level enough with it attached, it's so nice to have one less thing to do upon arrival and departure.

And DO unfasten the umbilical. Before heading to Texas from Southern California in our new 2009 28' International, we did a shakedown cruise to dry camp on the beach at Lake Isabella outside of Bakersfield. In February, it was chilly at 2600 ft--about 25 degrees--so we ran the furnace cycling on and off all night. We woke to a beautiful light frosting--and a completely dead battery on the Suburban. We couldn't believe that there wasn't an automatic shutoff of flow from the TV's battery--but there wasn't!

We've upgraded out battery bank from the two factory supplied 12v's to four 6v for a total of 440 amps (of which we don't use more than 50%), added more solar panels and a proper converter, and haven't had a problem since. But every time we stop for the night, the first thing we do is manually disconnect the umbilical! We've only forgotten to re-attach once, fortunately. Unfortunately, that was while climbing from Santa Fe to Telluride--I'm very glad that the Sprinter oversized brakes combined with low gears were able to handle our entire rig on some of those very steep, very long downslopes. I pulled over after one particularly long one and discovered the unattached umbilical--so no brake lights, but more importantly, no trailer brakes either!

Checklists are good.... :-)

m.hony · 04-14-2015, 01:49 PM

I'm thinking there is no draw on my Toyota's battery unless the switch is on-
If the coach batteries are dead, the tongue jack will not work until I start the truck.
It's like the cigarette lighters. Domestic makes- the cigarette lighter will work even if the key is not in the switch-
Asian makes- you have to turn the switch on to use the cigarette lighter-
I have left the umbilical plugged in for weeks at a time- truck still starts right away-

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dznf0g · 04-14-2015, 02:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by m.hony

I'm thinking there is no draw on my Toyota's battery unless the switch is on-
If the coach batteries are dead, the tongue jack will not work until I start the truck.
It's like the cigarette lighters. Domestic makes- the cigarette lighter will work even if the key is not in the switch-
Asian makes- you have to turn the switch on to use the cigarette lighter-
I have left the umbilical plugged in for weeks at a time- truck still starts right away-

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Cigarette lighter....? We don't have those anymore, unless you ORDER a "smokers' package!

They're all "power ports" and won't accept the pop-out lighter. We have some of the ports ignition controlled and some not. There's 4 in my truck and 1 is hot all the time.

m.hony · 04-14-2015, 08:23 PM

OK-
12 volt power port-
Same difference-

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m.hony · 04-14-2015, 08:26 PM

Point is-
No power is going through my umbilical unless the ignition switch is on-
I have the "smoker's package". It is a pop-out lighter and an ash tray that fits in one of the cupholders.

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Mrjkq · 04-17-2015, 06:37 PM

I always unplug from my truck, why gamble on a discharged battery & their is no upside to staying connected. In the morning you attach the umbilical & go.

**moosetags** · 04-18-2015, 10:55 AM

I'm with you. I always unplug when I stay hooked up. I've always been afraid that when the trailer is powered by 110, some freak situation could put 110 into the tow vehicle and do some damage.

Even if it is not really possible, it just makes me feel better.

Brian

Turtle · 02-20-2017, 08:23 PM

What about the weight distribution bars? Any issue leaving them hooked up? I leave them on. Jamie

urnmor · 02-21-2017, 06:49 AM

What about the weight distribution bars? Any issue leaving them hooked up? I leave them on.

I am not aware of any downside of leaving them on. I leave my weight distribution bars hooked up if I am not unhooking

SSquared · 02-21-2017, 03:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Turtle

What about the weight distribution bars? Any issue leaving them hooked up? I leave them on. Jamie

I run very heavy bars (1400 pound rating), and pull them pretty tight when hooking up. My trailer (25FB twin) has a front outside compartment. When the bars are hooked up, the compartment door is jammed shut. So the bars are flexing the body a bit. For that reason, I remove the bars every time I stop for the night.

Wanna EB · 02-21-2017, 07:39 PM

That your compartment door is jammed shut is interesting. I have a 25 Eddie Bauer and 1400 pound bard and have never experienced any binding of the starboard side compartment.

SSquared · 02-21-2017, 11:26 PM

We have no problem with the compartment doors on the sides. It's just the one on the front.

m.hony · 02-22-2017, 05:34 AM

No issues with leaving truck and trailer coupled indefinitely, weight bars in place with tension on, but I don't have a front storage compartment.
Even when I uncouple the truck and trailer I don't remove them, but slide them back out of the hitch head toward the front of the trailer and leave them sitting on the L-brackets.
I use the electric tongue jack to lift the truck and trailer high enough to remove the weight bars from the hitch head easily by hand with very little effort. I never use the provided lever. This only works with the jack foot in place to get the truck and trailer high enough.

SCOTTinNJ · 02-22-2017, 07:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wayne&Sam

I'm another who leaves it hitched for a one night stop. I may put down the tongue jack because that seems to take out a lot of the movement when you move about the trailer.

Same here. I also feel that it unloads the suspension on the truck a bit, depending on the angle you are parked at. Can't hurt (unless you drive off forgetting it's down...)

Mollysdad · 02-22-2017, 10:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SSquared

I run very heavy bars (1400 pound rating), and pull them pretty tight when hooking up. My trailer (25FB twin) has a front outside compartment. When the bars are hooked up, the compartment door is jammed shut. So the bars are flexing the body a bit. For that reason, I remove the bars every time I stop for the night.

That's interesting. It make me think the chassis is being twisted, not just pulled down. Is one bar pulling harder than the other? Does it happen all the time, or just when using the jacks? It must be the bars, since you say it stops when you remove the bars.

Mollysdad · 02-22-2017, 10:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SCOTTinNJ

Can't hurt (unless you drive off forgetting it's down...)

Okay, I'll rat myself out. I had two small utility trailers at home. I'd chain them together to prevent theft. Since they sat for a while the chain would get invisible in the grass.
You see where this is going? I hooked up one and drove away, noticed it acted a bit sluggish, so I looked in the mirrors and YIKES! I was dragging a second trailer alongside the first! I only got about 20' but it was enough.