Journey with Confidence RV GPS App RV Trip Planner RV LIFE Campground Reviews RV Maintenance Take a Speed Test Free 7 Day Trial ×
Sunline RV Forum
Sunline User Photos

Go Back   Sunline Coach Owner's Club > Technical Forums > Towing and Tow Vehicles
Click Here to Login

Join Sunline Club Forums Today


Reply
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread Display Modes
Old 01-05-2008, 09:42 AM   #1
Senior Member
 
purplesuebug's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: Pennsylvania
Posts: 312
SUN #307
purplesuebug
Is battery needed to tow

Okay.............laugh you oldtimers, laugh!!!! I've made an appointment for my annual maintainance to be done next week and need to haul our TT to Stoltzfus about 10 miles away. Now my question to you experts.........do I need to install my battery. I am asking because I know the truck charges my battery as we drive but don't know whether this will hurt anything as we drive without the battery. Thanks in advance..............Marshall
__________________

__________________
Marshall & Sue
2007 T-195SR (Lucky)
1980 Sunspots (Peanut,Pigpen & Penelope)
purplesuebug is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-05-2008, 10:05 AM   #2
Senior Member
 
Steve Collins's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: New York
Posts: 1,846
SUN #264
Steve Collins is an unknown quantity at this point
Re: Is battery needed to tow

Quote:
Originally Posted by purplesuebug
Okay.............laugh you oldtimers, laugh!!!! I've made an appointment for my annual maintainance to be done next week and need to haul our TT to Stoltzfus about 10 miles away. Now my question to you experts.........do I need to install my battery. I am asking because I know the truck charges my battery as we drive but don't know whether this will hurt anything as we drive without the battery. Thanks in advance..............Marshall
Marshall,

You are OK as far as the electrical system to tow without the battery.

BUT! (You knew there was one... ) Your emergency breakaway system won't work without the coach battery installed and functional. For a short hop like you are planning, you might be OK to not bother with the battery, but I wanted you to know the risk.

Personally, I probably would put the battery in as the rig is going in for annual maintenance. The shop will probably want/need it installed to service some of the systems.
__________________

__________________

'12 F250 4x4 Super Duty PowerStroke 6.7 diesel
2011 to present: '11 Cougar 326MKS
1999 to 2011: '99 Sunline T-2453
SUN264 * Amateur Radio kd2iat monitoring 146.52
Steve Collins is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-05-2008, 10:11 AM   #3
Moderator
 
JohnB's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: Ohio
Posts: 12,643
SUN #89
JohnB is on a distinguished road
Marshall

You have a battery disconnect switch on your newer Sunline. This being turned off and no battery installed is "close" to the same thing if your is wired like my 2004. I say close for 1 exception.

Yes the TT lights will work off the truck, brakes lights and the brake when you press the foot pedal and no battery in the TT or the disconnect switch turned off.

However what will not work is the emergency break away switch. This is wired ahead of the disconnect switch right to the battery. So if you come uncoupled, the 7 wire cord yanked, there is no power to the breakaway switch to stop the TT.

Also if you move the TT around with no battery even in your own yard, tape up the hot wire (red in most cases) on the battery leads so it will not touch the TT ground or frame. If it touches the frame, no battery and you press the brakes on the TV connected to the TT, the battery hot wire will become hot backwards thru the breakaway switch and can pop the fuse in the truck on the brake controller for a dead short.

I do move my TT around in the yard here to work on it with no battery. I just tape up the hot lead.

So will it work towing down the road with no battery?

Yes, and tape the hot lead.
You will not have any emergency breakaway brakes.
If you are fortune enough to get stopped by a trooper, and he is wise enough on towing, having no battery installed may present a situation as you have no emergency break away brakes. I know some states give out tickets for not having a physical breakaway switch on electric brakes, but do not know about having one and not having a battery installed.

I know, now you have a choice to make. Hope this helps you with what to do.

John


PS. I know you where joking, but there is no need to laugh here on someone asking a question. Especially on Sunline Club. If someone does not know, ask. We are a good group and try to answer the best we can.
__________________
Current Sunlines: 2004 T310SR, 2004 T1950, 2004 T2475, 2007 T2499, 2004 T317SR
Prior Sunlines: 2004 T2499 - Fern Blue
2005 Ford F350 Lariat, 6.8L V10 W/ 4.10 rear axle, CC, Short Bed, SRW. Reese HP trunnion bar hitch W/ HP DC

Google Custom Search For Sunline Owners Club
JohnB is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-05-2008, 10:13 AM   #4
Moderator
 
JohnB's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: Ohio
Posts: 12,643
SUN #89
JohnB is on a distinguished road
OK Steve types faster.... or a lot less I know I can be wordy.

Seems we both where typing at the same time.

Good luck
__________________
Current Sunlines: 2004 T310SR, 2004 T1950, 2004 T2475, 2007 T2499, 2004 T317SR
Prior Sunlines: 2004 T2499 - Fern Blue
2005 Ford F350 Lariat, 6.8L V10 W/ 4.10 rear axle, CC, Short Bed, SRW. Reese HP trunnion bar hitch W/ HP DC

Google Custom Search For Sunline Owners Club
JohnB is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-05-2008, 10:31 AM   #5
Senior Member
 
purplesuebug's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: Pennsylvania
Posts: 312
SUN #307
purplesuebug
Thanks guys................I knew I could count on you for the answer. Marshall
__________________
Marshall & Sue
2007 T-195SR (Lucky)
1980 Sunspots (Peanut,Pigpen & Penelope)
purplesuebug is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-05-2008, 11:37 AM   #6
Moderator
 
Sunline Fan's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: Michigan
Posts: 6,155
SUN #123
Sunline Fan is an unknown quantity at this point
I personally wouldn't want to leave the battery on it while at the dealer anyway this time of year. With the temps getting so cold, the battery could freeze if not plugged in and left outside for a number of days. I'm sure Stoltzfus has plenty of batteries around there that they could use, if they need one.

Jon
__________________
2007 T-286SR Cherry/Granola, #6236, original owner, current mileage: 9473.8 (as of 6/18/21)
1997 T-2653 Blue Denim, #5471
1979 12 1/2' MC, Beige & Avocado, #4639
Past Sunlines: '97 T-2653 #5089, '94 T-2251, '86 T-1550, '94 T-2363, '98 T-270SR
Sunline Fan is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-05-2008, 12:19 PM   #7
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: Pennsylvania
Posts: 272
SUN #139
Al in PA
Marshall:

If your annual maintenance includes PA state inspection, your breakaway switch has to work to pass inspection. In this case, you would want to install your battery.
__________________
Al
1985 T-1550
1993 T-2051
2007 T-2553
2003 Silverado 1500
Al in PA is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-11-2008, 08:48 PM   #8
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Aug 2007
Posts: 280
SUN #382
Mooney
Actually, this was a really good question- thanks for reminding me to get my battery from it's storage and charge it up before it goes to the shop next Friday! (charging now...) Going through RI to get where it's going- the laws down there actually make sense (I STILL can't believe that you can tow up to 10K in Massachusetts wihtout trailer brakes- they regulate the he77 out of everything else, but not this?????), and I don't like to circumvent road regs....
__________________
Kelly & Greg Southeast MA
https://i249.photobucket.com/albums/g...hotos006-1.jpg
'04 2500HD Silverado
'05 2380s Solaris Lite, axles flipped
Mooney is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-12-2008, 07:34 AM   #9
Moderator Emeritus
 
kanyonkitty's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: West Virginia
Posts: 2,289
SUN #17
kanyonkitty is an unknown quantity at this point
Trailer Inspections? Oh that is funny, at least here in this area of WV where I live. First, let me say that inpsections are performed by garages, body shops, and stealers(oops dealers). Back in 1996 I took a Sunny to local garage (not RV place) to have it inspected. Told them what I was there for, and they had this stupid look on their face. They asked me if I knew what they were supposed to inspect. I think they looked at both tires, asked me to hit the brakes, and turn on the lights, and they put a sticker on the trailer. BUT, they asked me "WHERE" the sticker was supposed to be placed. The '06 T-2499 was inspected at Stoltzfus in July '05 when I picked it up, and it STILL bears that inspection sticker. Don't get me wrong, my trailer does get inspected, once, sometimes twice a year by the one bus mechanic that maintains Sunny for me, and he is a certified state inspector. I just don't have a sticker, other than the PA one that came on Sunny. Figured, "IF" I ever get stopped and asked about it, I'd play the "dumb blonde" routine, HUH, I need to have it inspected geesh, DMV never told me it needed to be inspected when I put tags on it. Plus hope for a little proffessional courtesy since son is K-9 police officer.

Kitty
__________________

__________________
Sunny #18 2003 F-344SR #8157
Sunny #19 1997 T-2653 #5485
1999 Ford F350XLT DRW Crew Cab, Long bed 7.3 PSD
2002 VW Jetta TDI.. AKA: Kitty's Kruiser
kanyonkitty is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply


Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off


Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
Hub cap needed longnecker Repairs and Maintenance 4 04-29-2010 07:31 PM
Manual needed awellis3 Sunline Travel Trailers 2 02-22-2010 01:25 PM
Advice needed longnecker Sunline Community 4 05-30-2009 07:29 PM
Anode Rod Needed? Both2Retired Repairs and Maintenance 3 03-21-2009 09:44 PM
measurement needed... Janalee Sunline Community 18 11-16-2007 06:48 AM


» Featured Campgrounds

Reviews provided by

Disclaimer:

This website is not affiliated with or endorsed by Sunline RV or any of its affiliates. This is an independent, unofficial site.


All times are GMT -6. The time now is 05:19 AM.


×