Camper battery when towing.

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Yes, it's needed to activate the trailer brakes on case of a breakaway. I'm curious as why you need to take away some tongue weight.
 
Yes. Your brake away cable activates the trailer brakes via the battery. Probably not legal in most states. 

If it's that important, perhaps you can rig a small gel battery while hitched.  I think that is what they are called.  They're used on horse trailers for the braking.  They're tiny. 
 
Strange that you have to remove weight; 10% is a recommended minimum and more  should result in a more stable tow.

Ernie
 
Haven't recieved the camper yet and wondered if the hitch weight was close max if i could shed a few pounds when towing. Don't the batteries weigh 50-60lbs?
 
The problem with shedding tongue weight is that it increases the risk of trailer sway.  If the tongue weight is in the range of 10%-15% of the trailer GVWR and it's still too much for the hitch and rear suspension, then your problem is "too much trailer" or "too little truck". Removing tongue weight simply trades one problem for another.

Yes, a typical 12v battery weighs 50-70 lbs and provides 70-80 amp-hours of capacity.  You could substitute a smaller/lighter battery - some are around 20 lbs.  If you will have electric hook-ups at your destination, that's enough anyway. If not, carry a larger battery elsewhere and add it when you arrive. A pair of jumper cables will do the trick.
 
What were you referring to as the "max" that the hitch weight might be close to?  Rating on tow vehicles hitch? Tow vehicle rear axle rating? Tow vehicle GVWR?  And is that with or without a Weight Distributing hitch?  a WD hitch shifts trailer tongue weight forward on to the tow vehicle front axle and backward to the trailer axles, thus reducing the strain on the ball coupler and rear axle.  If you aren't using WD and the tongue weight is approaching the weight-carrying limit, get a WD hitch to compensate.
 
The camper brochure says the A-Frame has a unloaded vehicle weight of 2,670 lbs and a base dry hitch weight of 370 lbs.My 2018 Chevy Equinox has 2.0 turbocharged engine with the factory tow package and can tow up to 3,500 and 350 lbs hitch weight. I know the dry weights don't include propane tanks, battery,water and cargo.I'm considering using a WD. The Equinox has a gross weight of4,630 lbs and can carry a cargo of up to 1,083 lbs including passengers. I thought if ipack real lite and maybe only fill the propane tanks half full and use a light weight battery.Maybe i can shave a few lbs off by puttlng a little weight behind the camper axle.I won't know the true camper and hitch weight until it arrives at the dealer.I don't intend to tow it anywhere mountainious.Mostly in ohio and michigan.
 
For trailers newer than June, 2008, the UVW shown on the federal weight placard includes full propane.  If the trailer comes from the factory with a battery installed, it is also be included.  Anything you add after that is "cargo".

What is the trailer GVWR?  You can estimate 10% of that as the tongue weight.  I suspect that's where the 370 lb in the brochure came from - 10% of the GVWR.  On a low and relatively short trailer like the A-frame, you can probably tow fine with a tongue weight that is 10% of the actual loaded weight.  That might keep you within the Equinox 350 lb hitch weight carrying limit, but it's probably going to be close.

Reese makes a "mini-lite" WD hitch that works with tongue weights in the 250-400 lb range, but some light trailers use a C-channel tongue frame rather than a box type. Usually a plate has to be welded on to mount the WD hitch brackets.

http://www.reeseprod.com/products/weight-distribution/light-duty-wd/xDqAUvNOHeKF9elVt1Js3r0m2XWmdIti


This discussion of WD on pop-up type trailers may be helpful:

http://www.popupportal.com/threads/weight-distribution-hitch.43894/
 
I would not do anything past checking options until I physically had possession of the camper and get it weighed.  It sounds like you are really pushing the limits on weights.  I assume the car will not be carrying much at all - only 1 or 2 passengers and little cargo.
 
Good luck, but I really hate to see anyone start out with a marginal situation, banking on being only lightly loaded.  You may be ok on Day One, but each trip the load grows (just one more item, right?) and at the same time complacency settles in (it droves OK last trip).  And then the day comes when the SUV breaks down or the trailer overwhelms the tow vehicle in an emergency stop or maneuver.  I'm not saying it WILL happen, but it's something you always need to keep in mind.
 
Your SUV can tow up to 3500 lbs, OR it can carry 1000 lbs. of passengers and cargo. Not both at the same time.

If you have 1000 lbs of stuff in the SUV, the most it can tow goes down a like amount ... i.e. to 2500 lbs.  That's where a lot of people make their mistake and wind up overloaded.
 
Lou Schneider said:
Your SUV can tow up to 3500 lbs, OR it can carry 1000 lbs. of passengers and cargo. Not both at the same time.

If you have 1000 lbs of stuff in the SUV, the most it can tow goes down a like amount ... i.e. to 2500 lbs.  That's where a lot of people make their mistake and wind up overloaded.
Click to expand...
EXACTLY CORRECT!

You are going to do what you want to do, and we can not and will not try to stop you.  However, in my considered opinion, you are at best running on the ragged edge of safety and tow vehicle abuse.
 
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