Any reason I “should” unhitch my trailer?

[stevea]

I’m pulling a 6x8 runaway venturist trailer behind my truck. 

So far I’ve only spent one night in any place so I’ve not unhitched it. This makes it easier to break camp and take off in the morning. 

However, now that I’m boondocking on blm land, I plan to stay in one place for at least a week at a time. If I don’t need to move my truck to resupply or do day trips is there any reason why I should unhitch my trailer?

 

[Seminole Wind]

not that i would consider. unless the way you parked you needed to lower the tongue to get level maybe.

my self i would only unhitch if i wanted to use the tow rig independently

 

[tx2sturgis]

Unless:

Does this trailer have electric trailer brakes?

And if it does then it has 7-way plug, and if it does, it may have a charge line to the 12v battery in the trailer (if the trailer has a 12v house battery) and if all of that is true, SOME, but not all, tow vehicles provide power to that auxilliary charge line whever the trailer is hooked up.

Which means, in theory, that anytime you are using power from the house battery, your loads are also pulling power from the starter battery up front. Meaning, you could, if all of the above is true, deplete your starter battery with a week or two of boondocking, assuming no solar or generator input. You  can simply un-plug the electrical 7-way plug to eliminate the drain.

Some tow vehicles disconnect the charge line when the ignition is switched off. Mine does.

If you dont have trailer brakes, you probably have a 4-way flat trailer plug, and if so, then no worries, mate.

 

[Seminole Wind]

good point, simply pulling the plug would take care of that to be safe.

 

[ckelly78z]

When my large TT is hooked to my Excursion with the ignition off, the brake controller has a green light that is illuminated showing that some power is being transferred to the trailer. I have never left it hooked up.

 

[RoamerRV428]

no you don't have to unhook, just use good advice on the board and be smart about it all and you are fine to stay hooked forever

 

[JD GUMBEE]

When my large TT is hooked to my Excursion with the ignition off, the brake controller has a green light that is illuminated showing that some power is being transferred to the trailer. I have never left it hooked up.

I have left mine hooked up.
It kills the battery.



We have a sticky over the speedo on the RV that says "TRAILER PLUG" and when we pull the connector, it gets stuck on.
That way, I avoid stopping when I realize we have no brakes...or lights. Might be something to think about.

 

[tx2sturgis]

Yeah I forgot about the brake controller itself being powered up, but on mine, it has so little drain, something like 10ma, that it would take probably a month to 'make a dent' in the starter battery.

At any rate, pulling that 7-way plug stops all current flow (brakes and charge line) from the tow vehicle to the trailer.

Good idea that JD has....with a reminder so they dont drive off with that pigtail not connected, or dragging the ground!

 

[JD GUMBEE]

...or dragging the ground!

Yeah...never did that one. Don't know what you are talking about. Nope, nothing to see here...move along now, move along.
(Did I ever tell you I am part Pinocchio? My nose is growing right now.)