iWithout a battery

MikeRog
MikeRog Member Posts: 11
in Service/Maintenance & Recall Notices
Afternoon All

I have a 2014 Little Guy 5 Wide with no brakes
3 Questions please 

1) Can I pull my Tag without a battery
2) Can I plug into shore power without a battery
3) Instead of a regular lead acid battery can I plug my Jackery 300 into the + and -  leads in the battery box when at a campsite with the trailer disconnected from the truck

I know what I think but just checking 
Thanks all and have a good day
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Best Answer

  • JamesDow
    JamesDow Member Posts: 740
    Answer ✓
     
    1.  Yes you can pull your trailer without a battery. Power for brake lights, etc come from the tow vehicle. 
    2.  Yes you can plug into shore power without a battery. Your 12 volt system is powered via your converter (assuming you have one).  Make sure any disconnected battery leads are not touching together.
    3.  Yes you can plug your 12-volt Jackery 300 into the positive/negative of your trailer 12-volt input. (Not sure what 12-volt input you reference) With my 2018 T@G I have a SAE solar input on the side of my tongue box which is a direct connect to my battery. I can turn my lithium battery off and that SAE input would be a direct connect to my T@G (assuming the T@G battery disconnect switch is turned to on). 

    I would not use the Jackery 300 120-volt to power your trailer. The Jackery 300 is small with limited battery capacity. Using the Jackery plugged in as shore power would have a near 15-watt drain just by running through your converter. 

    If using your Jackery 300 for multiple day boondock camping, I would recommed using a solar panel (40-100 watt) to keep the Jackery 300 charged.  
    (Note any solar panel will work just fine as long as the panel specs fall within what the published Jackery solar input specications show and you have the correct input plug or adapter) 
    Happy camping!  




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Answers

  • MikeRog
    MikeRog Member Posts: 11
    Thanks James
    I appreciate your answers

    Take care
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  • ScottG
    ScottG Administrator Posts: 14

    MikeRog said:
    Afternoon All

    I have a 2014 Little Guy 5 Wide with no brakes
    ....
    For others reading this discussion, this is worth emphasizing. I believe newer T@Gs have electric brakes and presumably an emergency breakaway brake switch. In order for the brakes to engage in the event of a full trailer separation, there must be a battery on board and it must be connected.

    Partly due to ambiguous information from the manufacturer, this topic was a subject of, um, energetic discussion several years ago on the T@B forum!
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  • JamesDow
    JamesDow Member Posts: 740
    edited July 6
     
    Brake requirements are based typically on the state, trailer weight and sometimes date of manufacture.
    In CA my standard 2018 5-wide weighs less than the minimum state requrement and was sold without brakes.  I believe the 6-wide boondock edition came equipped with standard electric brakes.
    The newer stripped-down, lightweight base trim model known as the T@G SE may not include electric brakes. My current 2026 T@G model is sold now with electric brakes. 
    Back to the topic, the 2014 Little Guy 5 Wide subject of this post does not have brakes and thus a battery is inconsequential. 
    The point that @ScottG made is important to note and remember.  Thanks 

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