another battery question

[lpk49]

brian-thank you for that. i wouldnt have been able to find it even if i tried.

carol-i was hoping the ppl on here with rav4s would give me better info than i could find on my own. i know a lot about a lot of things-but not about campers and towing - and to tell you the truth i dont really want to know all this stuff. i just want to find someone i can trust to do what needs to be done right. but it seems there are so many different opinions. and up here there are very few fiberglass campers and the rv places keep saying "all campers are the same" but i'm not sure if that is true.

the rv guy i have been working with seems open to discussion...so i will take some of these links to him monday. i think he ordered the other wdh...but maybe i can make up the difference if he agrees to use the lighter one. the lighter ones are about 100. more. but i guess if a heavy one is bad for the car it would be worth it.

again thx for your time. i really wish i could find someone local to trust. i'm confused why there are so many different ways to do things.

[Brian B-P]

Originally Posted by Carol H

Kayak they reason may be that they think Toyota has a requirement for brakes if pulling trailers over x so many lbs with a RAV4. Its pretty common with most smaller tow vehicles.

I agree. It's 1000 pounds for my Sienna, and probably the same for the RAV4... but yes, check the manual.

Originally Posted by Carol H

You Silverado probable didnt have such a requirement.

The last time I checked a GM light truck manual, it did contain a similar requirement, at 2000 pounds. My guess is that this is widely ignored.

Originally Posted by Carol H

There are also some states and provinces that have requirements for brakes on trailers if the trailer is more then 40% or so of the gross weight of the tug.

Yes, see the New Hampshire regulation which I quoted above. Here in Alberta, the rule says you need trailer brakes if the trailer is over 2000 pounds, but you are exempted if the trailer weighs less than 40% of the tug. In New Hampshire, the exemption only applies to trailers under 3000 pounds, but is at the same 40%, in this case based on tug axle ratings.

[Bob Miller]

One would think that a basic rule-of-thumb, especially with safety related questions, would be: "If the manufacturer built it that way, keep it that way". My 1983 StarCraft pop-up (project) , @ only about 875 lbs, came with electric brakes and a breakaway switch with it's own battery.

BTW: That $200 battery is less than $85 at Wal-Mart and, when it gives up in 10 months just go in for a free replacement. (As I, and many others, have done.)

[Byron Kinnaman]

Originally Posted by Brian B-P

You can guess, or you can accept rumours from people with no authority or training, or you can spend five minutes on the internet with our friend Google and find the authoritative trailer brake rules for New Hampshire:


Of course, I understand that not everyone is inclined to sort through search matches and navigate government websites, just to find regulations which then need to be interpreted...

Yup, Or you can just install a breakaway switch and then you don't have to worry about the "no authority or training" people.

[Bob Miller]

Hmmmmm.... If you took out all of the "No Authority or Training" list members (including Moi) replies, you would be down to about three posts a day, with two of them about glamping.

[lpk49]

bob-glad to know about the battery at walmart for when i decide to use a big one again

for now. $27. sounded like a good way to solve the problem with all this other hitch stuff i am doing

[Carol H]

Originally Posted by lpk49

carol-i was hoping the ppl on here with rav4s would give me better info than i could find on my own.

Best place you could look is in your RAV4's owners manual. Every year and model is different regards to towing capacity and requirement for trailer brakes.

[Donna D.]

Originally Posted by Bob Miller

Hmmmmm.... If you took out all of the "No Authority or Training" list members (including Moi) replies, you would be down to about three posts a day, with two of them about glamping.

True story. But then again the most valuable posts are about "Lessons Learned," because those are cheap for the rest of us!

[lpk49]

the TW should not exceed 350

my campers TW is 365-but i have taken stuff out of the camper including the propane tanks so i think it is less than 325

if camper weighs more than 600 lbs it need brakes

it needs safety chain

GVW AND GAWR are listed in the car-im not going out to check now

but i really do not understand this and since there are ppl on here pulling with the rav4 i thought it would be ok-when i bought it the salesman said it could pull 3500 and that is what casita says is GVW and the max on my hitch

i really do travel light...and i will weigh it when i can - or go empty...if i have to

thx for your help. i'm really tired. nite.

[Brian B-P]

Originally Posted by Byron Kinnaman

Yup, Or you can just install a breakaway switch and then you don't have to worry about the "no authority or training" people.

I was referring to the legal requirement - about which the various people at various businesses didn't agree - rather than the wisdom of using a breakaway switch. Yes, of course it would be good to use a breakaway switch, regardless of any legal requirement.

I didn't even look up the legal requirements for breakaway switches where I live... the Boler came with one, I replaced it (because it didn't work well anymore), and I use it (that is, I hook up the cable when I hitch up). If you have one, it doesn't matter whether you are legally required to have it.

[Brian B-P]

Originally Posted by Bob Miller

Hmmmmm.... If you took out all of the "No Authority or Training" list members (including Moi) replies, you would be down to about three posts a day, with two of them about glamping.

Everyone's information about their experience is valuable, and anyone can help explain things, but if looking for a specific regulatory requirement, opinions and rumours about what that requirement might be from people who don't know are worthless... just read the thing! Same goes for the vehicle manufacturer's recommendations...

Originally Posted by Carol H

Best place you could look is in your RAV4's owners manual. Every year and model is different regards to towing capacity and requirement for trailer brakes.

Yes!

[Jared J]

Originally Posted by Brian B-P

I was referring to the legal requirement - about which the various people at various businesses didn't agree - rather than the wisdom of using a breakaway switch. Yes, of course it would be good to use a breakaway switch, regardless of any legal requirement.

I didn't even look up the legal requirements for breakaway switches where I live... the Boler came with one, I replaced it (because it didn't work well anymore), and I use it (that is, I hook up the cable when I hitch up). If you have one, it doesn't matter whether you are legally required to have it.

I completely agree. I KNOW it isn't required here.

I just put one on the scamp in the process of rewiring, think it cost me all of $9. If you can eat at a choke and puke (fast food), you can afford a breakaway switch.

Remember, it might be your butt getting ran over by the trailer when it comes loose...how many body parts are you willing to sacrifice of yours (or somebody elses), for a few $$? I also don't have to worry about an over-zealous officer worrying about it.

Here it is, $8.57. Trailer Breakaway Switch It might be cheaper elsewhere, I was ordering battery cable terminals and heatshrink, anyway.

[Bob Miller]

You can buy an entire break-away switch system, including the switch, battery and a battery charger for well under $40 at eTrailer.com.

[Donna D.]

Here's a good one: Fastway Trailer Products - Fastway Zip Breakaway Cable & Switch

[lpk49]

carol i pmed you back but not sure if you got it...still trying to find my way around here...and donna...i did put time into posting a pic...but i still hasnt worked. thx for your help-when it quiets down i will try again

[lpk49]

i'm back to deciding on a battery. i really couldnt follow all of the above conversation. its true when you are as ignorant as me about campers...you just dont get it.

but i have been told by the rv repair guys here:

-any camper over 2000 lbs requires a brake controller
-any camper with with brakes requires a brake controller
-the battery that came out of my casita 17 freedom deluxe was maintenance free and did not need water added to it.

***buying a battery from walmart can kill me...something about acid fumes coming into camper...they wont install one cuz they would be responsible***

-no comment on sears - they will only install a delco that is the same as what came out of the camper

but it was $220.00 for the battery and putting it in. i already paid him 150. for cleaning up the battery that was in the camper in the winter that exploded or something-i didnt know i needed to take it out. now he feels sorry for me cuz i am having so many problems getting the rig together...so he says he will do the battery for 180.

but that is more than the 100 that someone on here said it would cost.

so i'm just throwing this out there - someone here also told me i needed to be sure to put water in the battery-and then i found out i had a maint free one. are there some freedom deluxes with batterys that are not maint free?

[mary and bob]

Where is the battery located on your casita. Sounds like maybe your original battery went dead and froze, which would have bulged out the case and possibly cracked it. I'm still amazed at the costs of simple jobs, but I guess that's overhead expenses of a business.

[lpk49]

yes-i know it was my fault. it froze. but it was 6 yrs old too...and i was starting to have some trouble with it before that happened.

it is in the back curb side...under the dinette.

it has a little cubby and they were able to clean it and it is now ready for the replacement.

[Carol H]

Originally Posted by lpk49

but that is more than the 100 that someone on here said it would cost.

so i'm just throwing this out there - someone here also told me i needed to be sure to put water in the battery-and then i found out i had a maint free one. are there some freedom deluxes with batterys that are not maint free?

Kayak I am pretty sure the fact your battery is located inside the trailer changes your options a little bit in regards to what type of battery you need. Suspect the party who suggested you could pick up a good battery for about $100 didn't realize you had yours inside the trailer & that what you had was a maintenance free one.

[mary and bob]

I'm just using an 1150 big truck battery in our Uhaul. It's a sealed battery, and I was a truck mechanic until I retired so had access to good used batteries. Policy was if one of the set of 4 was bad, we replaced them all. Anyway, it is under the rear bed, in a box with a cover and vent hose to the outside. Those batteries won't produce any significant fumes unless on a very high charge rate, so don't worry. In all my years as a mechanic I've seen two batteries actually explode, one had open caps, was on a fast charge, and a spark from a grinder hit it. The other was in my pickup and shorted out when I hit the starter. Now that your buying the truck will you need a kayak rack for it, a whole other discussion. I made one for my pickup that sets in the 8' bed, kayaks extend over the cab. We have two 9 footers, two 11's and one 12, but only use two at a time.