Thread: 2013 D4 Trailer Power Question

Here are the stats for the Manager30. It lists DC power unit as between 9-30V so I would have thought that even with the smart alternator that the ignition trigger would be fine leaving it attached to the 12V DV power input cable.

I guess the question is - do you want the trailer batteries to always be charging when connected to the car, whether the car is running or not? If so, the feed from the car can be the trigger for the Manager30. If however you only want that to charge the trailer if the car is running then you need a trigger wire if you want to automate that.

4b&s will always be better than 6b&s but for 30amps presumably to charge the trailer - as it’s limited by the manager30, it’s also overkill.

Which Is why I’d thought of using the usi160 to control the trailer feed wire. So, from what I'm now thinking, I could probably do without the relay and go from the main battery to the towbar to the trailer batteries, and connect the Manager30 ignition trigger to the car. This should tell the manager 30 “the car is turned on, time to start work”.

Am I on the right path now?

What is the easiest way to run a trigger wire back into the car? I have a 7 pin round plug, a 120amp Anderson, and a reversing camera input on the towbar. I've disconnected the white socket.

John

The manager 30 will not kick in until the trigger wire is energised.
Run 4 B&S from batter to unit, hook trigger wire from the old white socket ignition trigger to the Manager30 trigger wire. This way it will start charging when the vehicle powers up.

If you dont want the unit to go live when no trailer is connected, install a small switch on the trigger wire line in the rear of the vehicle that you switch on when you plug in a trailer

Or if you want to get real fancy - a simple relay using the reed switch on a replacement tow plug, triggering a simple relay from the ignition switchted trigger circuit - so no need to connect anything just hook up and go

I spoke to a local tow bar install guy the other day about how to run an ignition trigger into the van. He suggested using the red wire from the unused plug (12N?) and splicing that into the blue wire on the standard 7 pin round (which is designated to the fog lights on the trailer). I have never owned a trailer with fog lights, so I did this. This gives me an ignition trigger to the standard trailer plug, and all I’ll have to do is add the other end of the blue wire to the Manager30.

One last question. As the 4b&s is coming straight from the main battery, I can’t see why I’d need to install an ignition triggered relay (ITR) near the battery end. I should be ok with just a fuse and leave out the ITR?