Brake Buddy Drained Toad Battery

[TwinDad]

MH is 2020 Redhawk 31f, toad is a 2014 Wrangler. I purchased a used Roadmaster tow bar and a brake buddy. I had the dealer install the base plate on the Jeep and wire the Jeep for the brake buddy and lights. When I picked up the MH and Jeep from the dealer the Jeep initially started to for me to move it behind the MH for the tech to show me how to set everything up. The Jeep engine was off while he was showing me how to use the Brake Buddy and turned the Brake Buddy on to prime it.

When I went to start the Jeep to put the transfer case in neutral the battery was dead. Jumped the battery and the Jeep started. We finished setting everything up and I towed the Jeep home with the MH. The MH and Jeep are supposed to be set up for the Jeep battery to be maintained via the MH alternator while in tow. When I got home and went to unhook the Jeep, the battery was dead again. Jumped it and took the battery to get tested which showed it was weak, so I replaced the battery.

The dealer confirmed there is power going through the charge line of the 7 way plug so the Jeep should be receiving power, or so they say. The dealer was adamant the issue was a bad battery on the Jeep as I was concerned when the wired everything up something got connect wrong causing a constant draw on the battery.

Is there a way for me to confirm that the Jeep battery is being charged by the MH when in tow?

[Pops&Dee]

You can measure the voltage on the Jeep battery before and after you start your MH and see if the voltage increases.

[Grumpy]

If the battery is original he may be right. 5 years is a normal life for most OE batteries.

Is there an extra wire going to the battery or to a terminal near the fuse block?

[TwinDad]

Originally Posted by Grumpy

If the battery is original he may be right. 5 years is a normal life for most OE batteries.

Is there an extra wire going to the battery or to a terminal near the fuse block?

I’ll have to double check when my wife gets home from work this afternoon.

[Mark S]

Living in Florida, about all my batteries die right at 3 years. I’ve never had a battery last 5 years.

I use a RVI brake for my 2014 Wrangler. My jeep battery is NOT charged by motorhome and I have towed multiple days without draining the Jeep battery.

Either your battery is bad or you have an electrical drain somewhere in the system.

[Trapper2020]

My 2017 wrangler is not set up to charge while towing and even after three days of use with no starts battery is fine. Sounds like you are due for a new battery.

Enjoy the journey

[EA37TS]

Originally Posted by TwinDad

MH is 2020 Redhawk 31f, toad is a 2014 Wrangler. I purchased a used Roadmaster tow bar and a brake buddy. I had the dealer install the base plate on the Jeep and wire the Jeep for the brake buddy and lights. When I picked up the MH and Jeep from the dealer the Jeep initially started to for me to move it behind the MH for the tech to show me how to set everything up. The Jeep engine was off while he was showing me how to use the Brake Buddy and turned the Brake Buddy on to prime it.

When I went to start the Jeep to put the transfer case in neutral the battery was dead. Jumped the battery and the Jeep started. We finished setting everything up and I towed the Jeep home with the MH. The MH and Jeep are supposed to be set up for the Jeep battery to be maintained via the MH alternator while in tow. When I got home and went to unhook the Jeep, the battery was dead again. Jumped it and took the battery to get tested which showed it was weak, so I replaced the battery.

The dealer confirmed there is power going through the charge line of the 7 way plug so the Jeep should be receiving power, or so they say. The dealer was adamant the issue was a bad battery on the Jeep as I was concerned when the wired everything up something got connect wrong causing a constant draw on the battery.

Is there a way for me to confirm that the Jeep battery is being charged by the MH when in tow?

Yes there may be power coming through the 7 pin from the motorhome but unless the dealer wired the connector on the Jeep. to the battery the battery will not charge. That wiring is not normally part of a base plate light wiring kit.

Although my InvisiBrake charges the battery when the motorhome's parking or headlights are on I still had the dealer run a separate charge line for the battery. My installer told me they always offer to install that charge circuit to eliminate people coming back and complaining about dead batteries on a TOAD.

To check gif the circuit was added there should be a wire, with in-line fuse, running to a ruction block under the hood or to the battery itself. You can also check the voltage on the battery with a multimeter when the TOAD is connected and the motorhome is running.

My guess, however, is if you didn't specifically request the charging line be installed they didn't install it.

[Daniel3359]

we installed a battery disconnect on our jeep and just switch the lever off when getting ready to tow.

[Grumpy]

Originally Posted by Daniel3359

we installed a battery disconnect on our jeep and just switch the lever off when getting ready to tow.

But then his Brake Buddy wouldn't work.

[TwinDad]

I’m going to pick up a multi meter today. They were supposed to wire it so the battery was charged to prevent the brake buddy from draining the battery.

[RoWest]

And your emissions system will not reset without a 50ish mile drive after disconnect. Poor fuel economy, spewing crap, poor idle.
https://www.yourmechanic.com/article...-a-drive-cycle
A battery disconnect is not a good plan.

[TwinDad]

It must have been the bad battery. Drove almost 300 miles today and the Jeep fired right up when we got to the campground.