If I dont need a battery power can dispense with univolt? can I dispense

[fast fredy]

I'm making a 4 hour drive with new brakes . Heard lots of stories about batteries being burned for various reasons . Do I really need a batery for towing or once I'm plugged in in new location?

Right now trying to decide between the iota 55 and progressive dynamic 9260. Any suggestions appreciated.Peter

[RickDavis]

You need a battery when you are towing so the breakaway switch will have power to turn on the brakes in case the trailer becomes seperated from the tow vehicle.

Most battery charger/converters are much happier when there is the load of a battery on them and the power out is much cleaner. It would be good to check with the maker of whatever converter you select about running it with out a battery.
You need some kind of 12 volt source because that is the voltage most of the trailer operates on

[Belegedhel]

Unless a PO has done some serious rewiring, then everything except the 110 V outlets (and airconditioner) are powered by 12V (ie., refrigerator controls if equipped, lights, fans, sound systems, thermostats, tank monitors, furnace, etc.) The old univolt needs to have a battery in the system, or it won't last long. This may not be true of some modern converters. But, as mentioned above, you need a 12V battery on board to power your brakes in the event of a break-away situation.

[Protagonist]

Yes, you need a battery for towing. Without it, your breakaway switch will not activate your trailer brakes; once the umbilical comes loose, you'd have nothing. Disabling required safety equipment by towing with no battery is not a good idea.

I'll decline to answer the question of whether you need a battery if you'll be plugged in for a year. Others will be better able to answer that.

[wahoonc]

I agree with Belegedhel, you will most likely need the battery. You can mount a small battery just for the brakes, however the bulk of the lights and such in your trailer are 12 volt powered. I have seen some that were converted completely to 120v but they are the exception rather than the rule and still require a battery for the emergency braking system. No real opinion on which inverter, I like the specs on the Progressive a bit better than the ones on the Iota but that is me.

Aaron

[AldeanFan]

I'll say yes to removing the univolt/charger, but no to removing the battery totally.


Our Trillium doesn't have a coach battery, and no electric brakes. All interior lights etc run on 120v, makes it a poor choice for boondocking but it doesn't have a water pump either


My car trailer has a small battery mounted on the tongue to activate the brakes in case of a breakaway, its smaller than the battery in my lawn tractor and charges off of the tow vehicle only, no converter.


If you don't need 12v interior power you don't need a converter, but since you have electric brakes you must have a battery.

[Al and Missy]

I'll go with the majority. You need both, although perhaps not at the same time. You need a battery for towing to operate the brakes if the trailer should separate from the tow vehicle. You don't need a converter while towing. You need a converter while parked as others have said. I just yesterday finished the installation of a pd9260 in my 2001 Safari 25. The manual says it is designed for use with a battery but a battery is not required as the output power is regulated and filtered and can be used with sensitive electronics without a battery or other filtering.

[Bill M.]

Yes, you really need a battery in the trailer to tow legally in many states.