Hi,
We just finished our first trip(1000 miles prox) in our new to us 2003 U320 40'. Everything went well (it's a learning experiece every day) except the Even Brake system would drain the battery on the the Grand Cherokee in about 45 minutes! After a while I just stopped plugging it in! When I bought it, the installer suggested I have a power line from the coach to the toad. Says he puts them in about 90% of the installs. I didn't have time to deal with it ,so I put it off.
Now, I've brought the issue up to couple of Even Brake dealers in the Reno area. One said " put in the power line", another said " the system is incorrectly installed-a power line will boil the toad battery". Even Brake tech said that I shouldn't be draining the batterys that fast, I shouldn't need a power line.
I'd appreciate any feed back/ suggestions.
Thanks
Larry Boyd
2003 U320 /08 Grand Cherokee
There is an easy way to charge the tow vehicle battery
http://beamalarm.com/Documents/charging_your_tow_vehicle_battery.html (http://beamalarm.com/Documents/charging_your_tow_vehicle_battery.html)
Having the same issues, I installed a Toad Charge on my 06 Honda Pilot/08 Nimbus and solved the problem. The device includes a charge controller which protects your toads battery from over charging. I am now a happy toad puller. :D
Barry and Pat,
Thanks for the info, I had never heard of Toad Charge. I'm going to check it out.
Lloyd,
I am not as electrically inclined as Barry (Beam), so I purchased a "Toad Charge" from LSL Products (Barry has a link to it at the bottom of his page on toad charging) in San Antonio by going to their website. It is now $125 (including shipping), but it is well worth it; the instructions were so clear, the kit comes witth everything you need, that I was able to install it myself. That was 4 years ago and haven't had a batttery issue since. We use a Brake Buddy, which is similar to the Even Brake. We never pull a fuse or anything else. We just plug in the power line when we connect the tow bar.
It should solve your battery issue.
Don Hay '92 U-280, The Hayfever Express