Wiring Honda Accord to trailer

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Wiring Honda Accord to trailer

Postby Gwannybear » Fri Jul 31, 2015 5:26 pm

Hello,

I'm just starting out designing and researching my teardrop. I have a question about electrical wiring. I want to have a 12v system from my Honda Accord to my teardrop and need help wiring from the car battery to the trailer so that I can charge my trailer battery while towing.
So far I understand it would require a 10 gauge wire with a 30amp in line fuse and an isolated solenoid for shutting off after towing. I believe it might be simpler to just unplug from the harness rather than deal with a solenoid. Before I get ahead of myself I wanted to mention that I spoke with a mechanic and he said he could wire it underneath the vehicle
and would charge about $200.
Like anyone else Id like to save money on a project but I also feel that I am honestly in over my head when it comes to electrical and would want to screw up anything in my car. That being said is there anyone that could offer some guidance as to going at this myself or consider biting the bullet and having a mechanic proceed with it?
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Re: Wiring Honda Accord to trailer

Postby GuitarPhotog » Fri Jul 31, 2015 6:32 pm

Your plan is sound, you might need a 7-pin connector from tow vehicle to trailer because the 4-pin doesn't have a pin for 12 VDC Power. $200 sounds high unless that includes all the parts and the 7-pin connector. I paid ~$25 for the 7-pin connector and the installer charged $60 to wire it all up. No solenoid cutoff. I just unplug the trailer.

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Re: Wiring Honda Accord to trailer

Postby MtnDon » Fri Jul 31, 2015 7:47 pm

A solenoid is relatively easy when you are handy, and place the solenoid under the hood, near the battery and near a source that can be tapped into to activate the solenoid only when the cars main switch is in the run position. Finding that can be frustrating depending on one's level of "handiness". A test light with pointed probe makes that easier. I have one similar to this. I got lucky finding a tap in point with our Tacoma right in the main fuse box which is right by the battery. The feed to the trailer begins with a fuse at the battery, then a 12" wire to the solenoid. The long run to the rear of the TV runs alongside a brake line

You could run that to a 7 pole connector and simply remember to unplug when stopping for more than a lunch break. And remembering to reconnect when getting set to take off again. Depends how well your memory works. That was one reason I went to the trouble of using a solenoid that only closes when the vehicle runs.
Last edited by MtnDon on Fri Jul 31, 2015 9:06 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Wiring Honda Accord to trailer

Postby capnTelescope » Fri Jul 31, 2015 8:16 pm

+1 what MtnDon said. If your car has Daytime Running Lights, that would be a prime source to tap for solenoid control.
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Re: Wiring Honda Accord to trailer

Postby Gwannybear » Fri Jul 31, 2015 8:18 pm

Thanks everyone. I was just talking with an electrician friend of mine and he said that he has a rv himself and rather than charging while driving he uses a battery tender?
He says that with led lights a fan and cooler his deep cycle battery lasts a while.
I am assuming that would be the easiest way to charge. I guess I am just concerned about a dead battery at the campsite and would like to know that the battery is being charged where I don't have to stop somewhere and recharge.
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Re: Wiring Honda Accord to trailer

Postby Dale M. » Sat Aug 01, 2015 10:36 am

Only concern is if you are camping where there is no shore power.... Battery tender + no shore power is no joy....

There is a whole section in sticky section of Electrical Forum for "charge while towing"....

viewtopic.php?f=30&t=28620

Do not be afraid of the "solenoid" its merely a form of relay or electrically operated switch....

As for finding "switched power" to operate relay, I tapped circuit on my Jeep that powers cigarette lighter (now call accessory plug) becasue it is switched on/off with key....

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Re: Wiring Honda Accord to trailer

Postby woodywrkng » Sat Aug 01, 2015 11:29 pm

I did what you're thinking about with a previous tow vehicle, a Scion, and honestly never used the car's 12 volts for the trailer battery. I have a 20 watt solar panel and it worked fine for keeping the battery charged.

If you're still considering it, I would suggest running the 12 volts through the interior of the car, under the rocker panel area beneath the doors, and into the trunk where it can come out with your trailer wiring connector. You could run the wire, and your mechanic could connect it under the hood if you're not comfortable with that aspect. I used a separate plug / jack rather than a 7 pin setup. The connector I used also plugs into the solar panel. It's called a Hopkins 47965. Like you mentioned, I just wired it straight to the battery through a fuse, without a solenoid.
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Re: Wiring Honda Accord to trailer

Postby RonS » Tue Oct 13, 2015 8:01 am

Gwannybear wrote: So far I understand it would require a 10 gauge wire with a 30amp in line fuse and an isolated solenoid for shutting off after towing. I believe it might be simpler to just unplug from the harness rather than deal with a solenoid.


It might be simpler (but only slightly) but it will be incredibly frustrating the first time you forget to unplug from the vehicle and you're in the trailer using stuff and drain both the trailer battery, and the car's battery. Paying 1 time for a "roadside assistance" call for a jump start will probably cost you more than just adding the solenoid......
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