Electric jack is great until it's not

[Land Grover]

Hi all,
This forum is a great resource. I'm just acquired an 85 excella and I'm trying to work out the issues. My main use is as a home base for endurance mountain bike races in the southwest. That usually means I'm camping in a field for a few days--no hookups of any kind.
At the end of my last event, I was trying to hitch up the truck when the batteries died. The jack is electric. I was barely able to slip the ball under the hitch. Yikes.
I've been careful so far, but I'm concerned my kids will leave on every light and suck the batteries dry while I'm on the bike and I won't be able to hitch up after the race. What can I do here? Is this a problem other have encountered?
Thanks!

[Phoenix]

If you have a generator, you can hook up to shore power. The converter/charger will provide enough juice to use your electric tongue jack. Otherwise, you could use your jumper cables between your tow vehicle and the battery box. However, be careful not to discharge your tow vehicle battery, or you'll have additional problems.

We use a marine battery isolator switch and only use one trailer battery at a time. Then, if it goes dead, we just switch to the other one, which is fully charged.

[AWCHIEF]

Most (if not all) electric jacks can be operated manualy. It should have come with either a special crank or a socket to use with a ratchet handle.

[Land Grover]

I'll have to look and see where the socket connect might be. There is nothing obvious, but it seemed strange to me that there would be only an electric option.
I also have a generator, but it's heavy and I prefer to leave it at home if it's only a weekend.
Thanks for the advice. I was imagining the call to my wife: "can't hitch up, I guess I 'll just stay out here."

[Airstream12557]

On my Safari, I could plug the trailer into the tow vehicle and have elect. To operate the jack, even when the trailer battery was dead. This does not work on all, since they are not all wired alike.
S

[idroba]

You should be able to back up close enough to the trailer to plug in the cord to the truck. Run it for a few minutes hooked up that way to put a little charge into the trailer batteries, then the current from the truck and the power from the batteries will allow you to use the electric jack. I am assuming, of course, that you do have a charge line hooked up from the truck to the trailer to charge the batteries while you are towing. If you don't have that connection, have one installed. You don't get a huge charge due to the distances and wire size involved, but you will most likely get 4 to 10 amps from it.

[Land Grover]

I have no clue about the charge line from the truck to trailer. I did let the batteries die at home and I plugged the cord in the truck and tried to see if it would lift. However, I didn't wait more than a minute and perhaps had I waited I would have had a different result. Is there an obvious way to see if I have a charge line?

[mutcth]

Look up online the wiring diagram of a 7-pin trailer connector. Use a voltmeter between the + and - terminals of the connector (about at 10 and 4 going around the connector, respectively). If you get 12 volts there with the truck running, then your charge line is connected and working.

I just went through this with my new-to-me trailer and its not-so-new batteries. Simply plugged in the cable into the running tow vehicle, and the jack then worked. No need to wait.

Tom

[memgrove2000]

On our 72 when the batteries are dead all we do is get the truck close enough to plug the cord into the truck. Instantly we can run the jack. We do this at least three times a year, and yes the kids will leave the lights on(most often in the bathroom).

[xrvr]

One of the first things I did when I bought my Safari used was get rid of the electric jack. Jim

[Splitrock]

I removed electric jack. I have enough problems without planning for them.

I installed a Front-Facing Sidewind Crank jack.



Bulldog A-Frame Trailer Jack HB-155010

Works every time . . . in the dark, in the rain, with no battery.

`

[mefly2]

Originally Posted by Phoenix

We use a marine battery isolator switch and only use one trailer battery at a time. Then, if it goes dead, we just switch to the other one, which is fully charged.

Taadaaa; that way you don't have to use the manual handle for the electric jack ... takes many revolutions to effect any vertical movement of the frame ... our electric jack is fused at 30 amps - be sure to have a spare fuse ... tinfoil rap is not recommended. Yes, we have experienced that as well ...

[RangerJay]

... also of the camp that ran into one too many problems with a power jack and removed it for a manual one ..... trouble free since .....



Jay

[benjisgal]

Originally Posted by Land Grover

Hi all,
This forum is a great resource. I'm just acquired an 85 excella and I'm trying to work out the issues. My main use is as a home base for endurance mountain bike races in the southwest. That usually means I'm camping in a field for a few days--no hookups of any kind.
At the end of my last event, I was trying to hitch up the truck when the batteries died. The jack is electric. I was barely able to slip the ball under the hitch. Yikes.
I've been careful so far, but I'm concerned my kids will leave on every light and suck the batteries dry while I'm on the bike and I won't be able to hitch up after the race. What can I do here? Is this a problem other have encountered?
Thanks!

If you can hook up the electrical connection to your tow vehicle, you will be able to operate your hitch that way. I've done this on occasion.

[benjisgal]

Originally Posted by memgrove2000

On our 72 when the batteries are dead all we do is get the truck close enough to plug the cord into the truck. Instantly we can run the jack. We do this at least three times a year, and yes the kids will leave the lights on(most often in the bathroom).

Same here. It's very simple and it took me seconds to figure it out....

[Land Grover]

Sounds like the best solution is a mechanical jack, but in the meantime I need to make sure I can power it off my truck. Like I mentioned, this didn't work for me the first time I tried, but sounds like I was a little hasty. Thanks for the help. Kris

[surfpod]

Originally Posted by Splitrock

I removed electric jack. I have enough problems without planning for them.

I installed a Front-Facing Sidewind Crank jack.



Bulldog A-Frame Trailer Jack HB-155010

Works every time . . . in the dark, in the rain, with no battery.

`

I did the same. Less is more.

[RDM16CCD]

Pros & cons with either electric or manual jacks. As an emergency backup, try out the jack you have in your tow vehicle and make sure you can lift the trailer to couple up. Most of us have wood or plastic blocks for various chores around the trailer that could be used if you needed more lift, but I suspect you'll find it works ok. Or, carry a spare jack (like a bottle jack, etc) - will come in handy if you ever have a flat tire.

Just an option to consider

[mutcth]

Originally Posted by mutcth

Look up online the wiring diagram of a 7-pin trailer connector. Use a voltmeter between the + and - terminals of the connector (about at 10 and 4 going around the connector, respectively). If you get 12 volts there with the truck running, then your charge line is connected and working.

Update: Actual pin location depends (of course) on the orientation of the connector - mine is actually rotated 90 degrees left so that the tab that secures the plug is on the left side. Check a diagram to confirm for your application.

Tom

[Cracker]

Originally Posted by AWCHIEF

Most (if not all) electric jacks can be operated manualy. It should have come with either a special crank or a socket to use with a ratchet handle.

I'm surprised that everyone seemed to ignore this very sound advice in lieu of finding an electrical alternative. Yes, it does require a lot of cranking - but it works!!!