I haven't used my van for a while & although it's showing charged was wondering if it's possible to charge up the break safe battery by the two external terminals shown in the pic by using a smart charger instead of waiting until I hook up the van in two months time. Hasn't been used for 12 months.
Yes - just connect your battery charger to the external Red & Black screws. I think that brand has a charging light which should illuminate when you have the charger on. The battery is 12v.
outlaw40 said
06:14 AM Nov 22, 2018
Spoke to their tech team about this a while ago and was told to just run a wire from the red terminal to the house battery + terminal . The system is fitted with a diode ( I think ) to overcome any incompatible battery issues and the existing wireing provides an earth, dont know why he said not to connect the black terminal to another earth but anyway ...that was their advice and has been working for me for over 2 years now .when at home my house batteries are on a maintenance charge and that maintains the brake battery
PeterD said
10:08 AM Nov 22, 2018
skins wrote:
wondering if it's possible to charge up the break safe battery by the two external terminals shown in the pic by using a smart charger
Possibly no. If you put a meter across those terminals you do not measure any voltage. Many of the battery chargers must see at least 6 V at their output terminals before they will start charging. If your charger has a power supply mode then switch the charger to that setting and it will then charge the battery via the internal charger in the breakaway unit.
For external charging, we recommend using the Breaksafe Battery Charger Part Number 30016. Alternatively you
can connect a small battery charger (4 amps maximum) to the red and black terminals on the front of the Breaksafe
box. If the charger is working the orange charge light next to the red terminal should illuminate. Some so called
"smart chargers" with a charge and float stage will not work when connected to the Breaksafe charge terminals as they
require direct connection to the battery terminals. Open the breaksafe box and connect the charger directly to the
battery terminals.
A basic battery charger will work fine and should illuminate the orange charge light when connected..
The charging system in the Breaksafe unit is a trickle charge circuit only and it may take several hours for the battery to fully
recharge.
TESTING
Disconnect the trailer plug from the tow vehicle. Pull the Breakaway pin from the breakaway switch attached to
Cupie said
10:46 AM Nov 22, 2018
PeterD wrote:
skins wrote:
wondering if it's possible to charge up the break safe battery by the two external terminals shown in the pic by using a smart charger
Possibly no. If you put a meter across those terminals you do not measure any voltage. Many of the battery chargers must see at least 6 V at their output terminals before they will start charging. If your charger has a power supply mode then switch the charger to that setting and it will then charge the battery via the internal charger in the breakaway unit.
That seems to apply to my circa 1999 vintage unit. I have never been able to charge it from the red & black external terminals.
I just remove the battery from the unit & bench charge it.
I have never got round to looking at why this is so given that it is only necessary once or twice a year. My chargers don't have the 'Power Supply' option so I'll just accept Peter D's advice. (It charges OK from the tug when travelling).
Edit ... Bill B responded while I was composing this .. Yes, I use a 'Smart Charger' so my experience is in line with his advice. I might just look at my manual to see if it gives this advice .. Probably not, as I think that Smart Chargers were not common in 1999.
ps. Gee, I love my spellchecker 'Grammarly'. It even tells me when to put in commas.
-- Edited by Cupie on Thursday 22nd of November 2018 10:53:19 AM
I haven't used my van for a while & although it's showing charged was wondering if it's possible to charge up the break safe battery by the two external terminals shown in the pic by using a smart charger instead of waiting until I hook up the van in two months time. Hasn't been used for 12 months.
Possibly no. If you put a meter across those terminals you do not measure any voltage. Many of the battery chargers must see at least 6 V at their output terminals before they will start charging. If your charger has a power supply mode then switch the charger to that setting and it will then charge the battery via the internal charger in the breakaway unit.
For external charging, we recommend using the Breaksafe Battery Charger Part Number 30016. Alternatively you
can connect a small battery charger (4 amps maximum) to the red and black terminals on the front of the Breaksafe
box. If the charger is working the orange charge light next to the red terminal should illuminate. Some so called
"smart chargers" with a charge and float stage will not work when connected to the Breaksafe charge terminals as they
require direct connection to the battery terminals. Open the breaksafe box and connect the charger directly to the
battery terminals.
A basic battery charger will work fine and should illuminate the orange charge light when connected..
The charging system in the Breaksafe unit is a trickle charge circuit only and it may take several hours for the battery to fully
recharge.
TESTING
Disconnect the trailer plug from the tow vehicle. Pull the Breakaway pin from the breakaway switch attached to
That seems to apply to my circa 1999 vintage unit. I have never been able to charge it from the red & black external terminals.
I just remove the battery from the unit & bench charge it.
I have never got round to looking at why this is so given that it is only necessary once or twice a year. My chargers don't have the 'Power Supply' option so I'll just accept Peter D's advice. (It charges OK from the tug when travelling).
Edit ... Bill B responded while I was composing this .. Yes, I use a 'Smart Charger' so my experience is in line with his advice. I might just look at my manual to see if it gives this advice .. Probably not, as I think that Smart Chargers were not common in 1999.
ps. Gee, I love my spellchecker 'Grammarly'. It even tells me when to put in commas.
-- Edited by Cupie on Thursday 22nd of November 2018 10:53:19 AM
skins