Keeping battery charged while towing behind Motorhome

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Windsurferlady

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Sep 28, 2017
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I'm about to get ready to head south and concerned about my battery dying while towing my Honda CR-V behind my 2001 Winnebago Adventurer. Because you need to have the key in the on position.  Someone suggested I get a solar panel to put in the car window and hook up to the battery, another said take the fuse out that runs the instrument panel, another said disconnect the battery.  Should I go to Honda and ask them?  I was hoping to find someone who tows a Honda CR-V behind their motorhome and find out what you do.  My Honda is a 2011. I'm sure this topic has been addressed before but I can't find it so thought I'd ask the question again. 
Windsurferladay
2001 Winnebago Adventurer
Kingston, Ontario
 
I don't have a definitive answer for you on the CR-V, but you could also consider adding a charge line from your coach.
 
I added a charge line from the coach. I put a 20 amp fuse at the coach battery and a 10 amp self-resettable breaker at the toad battery.

I was going to use a diode to keep any power from flowing back to the coach but haven't found it necessary. The resettable breaker should open if either battery tries supplying starting current to the other.

Tom
 
We have one of these intalled under the hoods of each of our towed vehicles. They're regulated battery chargers, specifically designed for keeping towed vehicles' batteries charged. They're powered from the power-pin on the seven-pin connector and were easy to install. There are cheaper versions available, but these are reliable and well built.
https://rvibrake.com/products/towed-battery-charger

Kev
 
Welcome to the Forum.

Very good advise above.

I seriously question the key being in the "ON" position.  The "Accessory" position is quite common, to unlock the steering column.  The "LOCK" position is often a problem.

One other suggestion I have seen - Get an extra key cut for the toad, but DO NOT PROGRAM THE KEY!  The key will work great to leave the steering column unlocked, but is worthless for starting the car.  A great anti theft devise.
 
grashley said:
I seriously question the key being in the "ON" position.  The "Accessory" position is quite common, to unlock the steering column. 
Click to expand...

We tow a 2014 CR-V and have never heard of a Honda that needed the key to be in the ON position.  We, also, have a charging line using a ToadCharge kit which provides diodes in addition to a circuit breaker.
 
I have a Saturn that needs the key on to put gear in neutral. I disconnected the hot wire from from fuse to ignition switch. Connected from fuse to a toggle switch I put on the dash and connected to ignition. After I turn on ignition, I just hit the switch and turn off  power to ignition. Only problem I have is sometimes when I get into the car my knee hits the switch. I turn on ignition and no power. The first few times I did this, I thought what the heck. I have a dead battery.
 
Most key locks have several positions
acc lock off on start  is one common configuration

OFF is what you tow in unless you use a lighter plug powered aux brake system then you may neeed to use ON because in the ACC position the steering wheel is locked.

The solution is to use a US Gear Unified Brake Decelerator aux braking system.  It tows in OFF and it also includes a battery charge line.
 
I tow a 2012 CRV, similar in vintage to yours.  In the owners manual under the towing instructions, it says to remove the radio fuse.  I put in an inline fuse line to that slot on the fuse panel, with a switch on the dash so I can turn it to connect or disconnect.  Before that was installed, the car battery would be dead after 2 or 3 hours of towing.

Also, the procedure for preparing for towing is to start the car, run the gear shift down the gears from park to D2, then back up to drive and leave it there for 5 seconds, then up to nuetral, and leave the car running for 3 minutes.  Then you turn the ignition to accessory, and you are prepped for towing.

The instructions for towing your particular CRV behind a motorhome begin on page 334 of the owners manual at this link.  It even has a diagram of which fuse to pull.
http://techinfo.honda.com/rjanisis/pubs/OM/WA1111/WA1111OM.PDF
 
We have a 2008 Honda CRV.  Every time we have towed it the batter went dead unless it was disconnected.  We have a charger that is supposed to keep the batter charged when towing. it does not do the job.  Since the aux towing break needs 12v, disconnecting is not a good option.  The solution was to have a switch installed that cut out the fuse for the accessories.  The installation is not pretty, but it works.
 
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