Blue Ox Patriot 2 power source

[jdux999]

Hello All. I'm changing my supplemental braking system to a Patriot 2 and I don't want to use the car battery to power the Patriot. Any suggestions for a 12 volt power source that I can just sit inside the car and plug the Patriot into? Something that I can recharge nightly from a 110 source. It has to produce a minimum of 2 amps to power the Patriot. I generally tow about 6 hours a day. Thanks for the help, John

[gprapim]

Originally Posted by jdux999

Hello All. I'm changing my supplemental braking system to a Patriot 2 and I don't want to use the car battery to power the Patriot. Any suggestions for a 12 volt power source that I can just sit inside the car and plug the Patriot into? Something that I can recharge nightly from a 110 source. It has to produce a minimum of 2 amps to power the Patriot. I generally tow about 6 hours a day. Thanks for the help, John

I ran a wire from my 7 way plug (tapped into the 12v power wire before the plug) on the motor home with connecting plugs on each end. When I want to use it, I simply plug it into the coach and the other end into the Patriot. No worries from there on with using the car battery. Works great !!

[Bullitt6283]

Originally Posted by gprapim

I ran a wire from my 7 way plug (tapped into the 12v power wire before the plug) on the motor home with connecting plugs on each end. When I want to use it, I simply plug it into the coach and the other end into the Patriot. No worries from there on with using the car battery. Works great !!

Are you saying that you power the braking system from the motorhome? If there should happen to be a breakaway, the braking system would not function?




.

[Bullitt6283]

Originally Posted by jdux999

Hello All. I'm changing my supplemental braking system to a Patriot 2 and I don't want to use the car battery to power the Patriot. Any suggestions for a 12 volt power source that I can just sit inside the car and plug the Patriot into? Something that I can recharge nightly from a 110 source. It has to produce a minimum of 2 amps to power the Patriot. I generally tow about 6 hours a day. Thanks for the help, John

If you've established how much power in amp-hours you need for the braking system, it should be easy to choose a suitable portable power source. 2 amps at 12 volts for 6 hours = 144 watt-hours.
By way of an example, this unit provides 240 Wh.
https://www.amazon.com/Jackery-Porta...dp/B07D29QNMJ/


If I may ask, what is your objection to using power from the car battery?


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[Vicr]

If I may ask, what is your objection to using power from the car battery?


.[/QUOTE]

My question also when you can run a charge circuit through the 7 pin to a $19 fused charge controller. Doesn’t get any more simple than that.

[Camper_bob]

Originally Posted by Bullitt6283

If you've established how much power in amp-hours you need for the braking system, it should be easy to choose a suitable portable power source. 2 amps at 12 volts for 6 hours = 144 watt-hours.
By way of an example, this unit provides 240 Wh.
https://www.amazon.com/Jackery-Porta...dp/B07D29QNMJ/


If I may ask, what is your objection to using power from the car battery?


.

Originally Posted by Vicr

If I may ask, what is your objection to using power from the car battery?


.

My question also when you can run a charge circuit through the 7 pin to a $19 fused charge controller. Doesn’t get any more simple than that.[/QUOTE]

+1

This is how I set up my Grand Cherokee, as well as my Wrangler JL Unlimited. It's just too easy NOT to do.

My only issue was that I didn't have a constant 12V in the new Wrangler up in the front (there is one in the back). So I just installed one; super easy to do.

[jdux999]

Thanks All for the info. I do have the etrailer kit installed, RM-156-25, to provide power from the RV to my toad battery using the center power pin from the 6 pin cable. My problem is when I turn the key to AUX, my battery still runs down after a couple of hours. AUX is 2 clicks of my ignition switch. 1 click unlocks my steering wheel and that position doesn't run down my battery so I use that position when towing I'm assuming that I'll need AUX power to power the Patriot. I'm the first to admit that I don't know much about batteries and electricity in general.

[Bullitt6283]

Originally Posted by jdux999

......I'm assuming that I'll need AUX power to power the Patriot.......

Wire up a 12 volt receptacle directly from the battery to power the Patriot and you'll not have all the battery drain caused by using the AUX key position.


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[Camper_bob]

Originally Posted by Bullitt6283

Wire up a 12 volt receptacle directly from the battery to power the Patriot and you'll not have all the battery drain caused by using the AUX key position.


.

+1

It sounds like your 12V socket is only powered with ignition on. That's no good. You're powering all kinds of things that don't need to be powered and running your battery down in that situation.

If your vehicle doesn't have a constant on 12V source, you should wire one in. Easiest is a socket wired directly to the battery that carries its own fuse. But you can go through the fuse box if you're handy and know what you're doing.

In my Grand Cherokee, there were several 12V sockets, but the one inside the center console was constant-on (not with ignition). In my new Wrangler Unlimited (JL) the only socket in the front area is on with ignition, so I wired a separate one up directly to the battery specifically to power my brake, but I put it in a location that would make it easy to power an inverter or air pump or whatever if needed.

The charge line isn't going to provide enough juice to keep the battery topped up with the ignition in AUX position. It's really going to be little more than a trickle charge given the length of run and the gauge of wire. Just enough to keep the battery topped up with only the brake drawing power.