Charging While Flat Towing

[NC_Pinz]

For those that charge the Bronco battery while flat towing, how are you doing it?

I'm just starting the process of setting up the Bronco for flat towing and I was planning on using the Roadmaster kit pulling power from the motorhome via a tether.

https://www.etrailer.com/Accessories-and-Parts/Roadmaster/RM-156-25.html

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[Fordified1]

No reaponses, did you find info elsewhere? I’m ready to flat tow except for the charge line. Towing with a 2002 American Coach DP.

 

[grtharris]

This is what I use came with my Brake Buddy Stealth system.
https://www.brakebuddy.com/towed-vehicle-battery-charger.html

 

[Fordified1]

How does it get its ground? I see a single hot wire. No description of how it hooks up.

 

[dgorsett]

The RVI version. Quite a bit more expensive. Monitors rv and towed side

 

[Fordified1]

Do these get ground from the MH through the hitch? Brake Buddy one doesn’t look like it has a ground wire to connect to the MH.

 

[dgorsett]

The RVI grounds on the towed battery AND through the 6 pin connector to the MH. They really emphasize grounding both.

 

[73Corvetteman]

No reaponses, did you find info elsewhere? I’m ready to flat tow except for the charge line. Towing with a 2002 American Coach DP.

I would definitely have some type of charge system in place. Everything being electronic on these new broncos puts a bunch of draw on battery. Gremlins start popping up if battery gets low and last thing you want when you get to campground is problem with toad!

 

[ssmegapunish]

I just used power from the 7 pin umbelical. There’s a voltage drop from tow vehicle to bronco that sometimes means you need a 12v dc to dc charger (basically boost voltage at bronco to a float charge voltage) if you want to charge to 100% reliably. It wasn’t needed in my case since the load is minimal and the battery should already be at or near 100% charge. I’d watch your voltage and determine if it is needed rather than adding a booster right away.

 

[Yii-Haw]

For those that charge the Bronco battery while flat towing, how are you doing it?

I'm just starting the process of setting up the Bronco for flat towing and I was planning on using the Roadmaster kit pulling power from the motorhome via a tether.

https://www.etrailer.com/Accessories-and-Parts/Roadmaster/RM-156-25.html

I know its been some time, but did you end up installing this system? Also what brake system did you go with? Thanks.

 

[NC_Pinz]

I know its been some time, but did you end up installing this system? Also what brake system did you go with? Thanks.

I didn't. I actually bailed on towing the Bronco and spent $5k on a used Mini Cooper to drag along. I'm a little bummed that I'm not taking the Bronco with us on adventures but I just don't trust that it won't be damaged when I get there.

 

[evofxdwg]

Im working on the same setup for the new Bronco that I have with two motorhomes and a 2016 F150 FX4 now with 40K+ towed miles on it.

On the first motorhome I had to add the Aux +12 wire to the 7 way connector since it wasn't there on the Ford motorhome chassis. For that one I added a 30A self resetting breaker at the motorhome chassis battery. Then I added a 30A self resetting breaker at the F150 battery and brought the Aux +12V to it. The wire I ran was AWG12 stranded.

The 2nd motorhome, on a Freightliner diesel chassis, had the Aux +12 wire already installed and a 30A fuse under the hood for that circuit. So I just used it as is. Have had no problems with the F150.

I installed a 7 way receptacle on the F150 at front and use a Curt umbilical 7way to 7way coiled cable. I will do the same for the Bronco, including adding a 30A self resetting breaker at the Bronco battery.

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