PowerMover AC Trailer Dolly

[ThePair]

Originally Posted by rumbleweed

I modified my power mover to use the TM battery. You simply need to move some wires around on the Bargman connector and switch box . Use a wire in the bargman cable that goes to the 12V pin to connect to where the 12V aux battery is now connected in the switch box ( may have to move wires on connector). Use the ground wire to connect to where the negative of the aux battery connects in the switch box. I think the comment on using the TM battery being a liability is just that. Remember that if the TM comes lose from the TV. Power for the brakes needs to come from the rear ( on rear mounted batteries) up to the safety pull pin then back to the brakes. So that better not mean too much loss as the TM will be moving much faster than if you were using a PM.

So, I haven't looked yet, but how does ground work in this scenario? Doesn't the Bargeman only have one ground? I'm assuming the ground from the aux battery goes to this wire already. I can bring up the line that goes to the 12v charge/battery on the TM and route it through the switch to the brake line, but I don't see how the other side is supposed to be wired. How did you do it?

Unless I'm misunderstanding something, I would think that I just need to pull the 12v and route it to the switch, and ignore the ground entirely. The brakes should already be hooked into the trailer ground, and thus to the neg. terminal on the battery, right? Flipping the switch will then complete a circuit, with the load side at the switch, and the return side internal to the TM.

FWIW, I put my voltmeter on the 7-way, and pins 4 & 1 (12v and ground) show 12+ V, as expected. To support my concept, pins 2 & 1 (brakes and 12v) also show 12+ V, thus proving completion of the circuit internally.

I'm am doing this mod prior to my next use of the powermover. I almost had an issue with my aux battery running low during use last time, and I do not want a repeat of that!

You guys are making a simple issue very complex! Why not just buy some wire (#10 or 12 stranded) and connect direct to the battery and to a female plug, then you just plug your device into that line, run the camper where you want it and unplug and put it away? Rewiring harness seems a bit over kill.

[ThePair]

Originally Posted by clown9644

You guys are making a simple issue very complex! Why not just buy some wire (#10 or 12 stranded) and connect direct to the battery and to a female plug, then you just plug your device into that line, run the camper where you want it and unplug and put it away? Rewiring harness seems a bit over kill.

Battery's in the back. Rather than running a long wire, why not just strip back a little insulation and make a simple internal rewire in an easily accessible box?

Now that I've looked with my voltmeter, I really think it's as simple as pulling out one wire (12V black). We shall see...

[Bill]

I've been watching this thread, and I'm not sure why things are getting so complicated.

In the TM half of the Bargman connector, pin 6 runs directly to the TM battery, and pin 4 runs directly to the brakes. If you jumper pin 6 to pin 4, the brakes are applied. Simple. Nothing more is required. And if you put a switch in the jumper, you can turn the brakes on and off.

So go down to the RV place, buy the mating half of the Bargman (called the car end or tow vehicle end), connect a short wire from pin 6 to one side of a switch, and another wire from pin 4 of the switch, and mount the switch on your power mover. I'm sure that the 12VDC version of the power mover often comes equipped this way. Yes, the wires are long, but as Clown9644 points out, if they work for breakaway, they should work here.

FWIW, I would never cut open a molded Bargman, or the cable that is molded into it. Once you cut the insulation, it will never be waterproof again, and the location where it operates (in or below the rear bumper, subject to all the wheel splash) is nasty. But that is just my preference.

Bill

[ThePair]

Originally Posted by Bill

I've been watching this thread, and I'm not sure why things are getting so complicated.

In the TM half of the Bargman connector, pin 6 runs directly to the TM battery, and pin 4 runs directly to the brakes. If you jumper pin 6 to pin 4, the brakes are applied. Simple. Nothing more is required. And if you put a switch in the jumper, you can turn the brakes on and off.

So go down to the RV place, buy the mating half of the Bargman (called the car end or tow vehicle end), connect a short wire from pin 6 to one side of a switch, and another wire from pin 4 of the switch, and mount the switch on your power mover. I'm sure that the 12VDC version of the power mover often comes equipped this way. Yes, the wires are long, but as Clown9644 points out, if they work for breakaway, they should work here.

FWIW, I would never cut open a molded Bargman, or the cable that is molded into it. Once you cut the insulation, it will never be waterproof again, and the location where it operates (in or below the rear bumper, subject to all the wheel splash) is nasty. But that is just my preference.

Bill

This is precisely what I wanted confirmed. There is already, on the powermover, a box with the car end of the bargman sticking out. Opening the box (it's just a mounted electrical box) shows the end of the thick bargman coming into the box, and it's cut, and there are two wires coming out (the rest are flush with the end of the insulation). One is Brake (#2, Blue) and the other is Neutral (#1, White). There are a pair of alligator clips wired to these, the neutral is direct, the hot goes through a switch to the brake/blue wire.

I wanted to strip off a little of the insulation off the already cut end of the bargman socket (inside the box), to get access to the 12V Hot (#6, Black) wire that goes down to the bargman, then wire that to the switch and back to the Brake, and cap off the neutral. This should then apply brakes when the switch is closed, right?

Edit: did one better. It was a do-it-yourself bargman socket, so I unscrewed the socket. Only two wires were connected, so I just moved the neutral to the hot and reassembled. Now, flipping the brake will jumper the 12V to the brake line, and should do the trick. Took all of 10 mins, once I thought it through. Thanks!

[RejoiceWay]

We have a Parkit360 - works great.
http://www.parkit360.ca/