Newbie question

mandtmandt Member Posts: 158
i am preparing to pick up my tab next week purchased from a private seller out of state.  I had a hitch installed with a standard 7 pin connector. And a brake controller. My question is will this setup charge the tab battery as I drive. 
Tv 2016 Kia Sorento 6 AWD

Thanks

Mickey
Mickey & Terri
2016 Max S
Kalamazoo Michigan

Comments

  • Sharon_is_SAMSharon_is_SAM Administrator Posts: 9,461
    Call whoever installed the 7 pin and ask if they included a charge wire.  I found that it is not standard and you must request it.  You can also purchase a 7 pin tester and I believe it will identify the presence of a charge wire, but don't quote me!
    Sharon / 2017 T@B CSS / 2015 Toyota Sienna Minivan / Westlake, Ohio
  • mandtmandt Member Posts: 158
    So is this beyond the utility of the 7 pin connector.? Is it just a loose wire going from the car battery to the tab battery. What kind of connector is needed? Sorry for the barrage of questions!
    Mickey & Terri
    2016 Max S
    Kalamazoo Michigan
  • Sharon_is_SAMSharon_is_SAM Administrator Posts: 9,461
    edited April 2017
    Mickey you need one of these.  It will identify the presence of a charge line.  The charge wire runs from your tow vehicle battery to your tow vehicle 7 pin plug.  It can be run outside or inside the tow vehicle and is best to avoid any contact with a hot exhaust system:)

    CURT 58270 12V LED Connector Tester


    (sorry, I could not post the picture.)


    Sharon / 2017 T@B CSS / 2015 Toyota Sienna Minivan / Westlake, Ohio
  • EstancioEstancio Member Posts: 243
    I have a big wire run from the battery to a BlueSea 6-fuse block. Wire exits fuse block, runs from engine bay through bulkhead,  inside vehicle wire chase, and exits at underneath near rear tow hitch. Goes into 7-pin connector. 

    As has been mentioned -- ask previous owner and get a tester. 
    Stancil Campbell
    2011 T@B
    Rockingham, NC

  • MouseketabMouseketab Member Posts: 1,230

    mandt said:

    So is this beyond the utility of the 7 pin connector.? Is it just a loose wire going from the car battery to the tab battery. What kind of connector is needed? Sorry for the barrage of questions!


    It goes from the battery to the 7-pin with an inline fuse, and should also run through a switched circuit so that it doesn't pull from the vehicle battery with the ignition off.
    Carol
    MOUSE-KE-T@B
    2007 Dutchmen T@B Clamshell #2741
    2022 nuCamp T@B 320 CS-S
    2021 F-150 502A Lariat SuperCrew, 3.5 EcoBoost 4x2
    Harvest, AL
  • Sharon_is_SAMSharon_is_SAM Administrator Posts: 9,461
    Carol,
    How would you check if you have your charge line on a switched circuit?
    Sharon / 2017 T@B CSS / 2015 Toyota Sienna Minivan / Westlake, Ohio
  • VernaVerna Member Posts: 6,878
    edited April 2017



    SAM said:



    Carol,
    How would you check if you have your charge line on a switched circuit?






    I'm not Carol, but if you have a multi-meter or volt/ohm meter, you can check for voltage inside your 7-pin connector when your tow vehicle is not running. If no voltage, then your vehicle has a switched circuit that turns off any auxiliary power when the vehicle ignition is turned off. My Toyota Tacoma has a built-in switched circuit on all accessories. 
    Verna, Columbus, IN
    2021 T@B 320S  Boondock “The T@B”
    Towed by a white 2019 Ford F-150 4x4 Supercab, 3.5L V6 Ecoboost “The Truck”
  • Sharon_is_SAMSharon_is_SAM Administrator Posts: 9,461
    Verna, the 12 volt accessory outlets in our Toyota Sienna are on a switched circuit, but, are charge wires always part of the same TV circuit?  Can a charge wire be run separately from the TV circuit and then be unswitched?  Will the 7 pin tester reveal this?
    Sharon / 2017 T@B CSS / 2015 Toyota Sienna Minivan / Westlake, Ohio
  • VernaVerna Member Posts: 6,878
    @SAM, my Toyota Tacoma has a factory tow package. The first thing I checked was if I had power at the 7 pin recepticle on the truck. No power when the ignition is off, but it is there when the ignition is on. My Tacoma charges my T@B's batteries while I'm driving. 

    Is yours a factory tow package package or after market? Factory--it should be off when the ignition is off. After market--check it. 

    Yes, the tester will verify power. Check it. 
    Verna, Columbus, IN
    2021 T@B 320S  Boondock “The T@B”
    Towed by a white 2019 Ford F-150 4x4 Supercab, 3.5L V6 Ecoboost “The Truck”
  • Sharon_is_SAMSharon_is_SAM Administrator Posts: 9,461
    Verna, the 7 pin and charge wire were after market.  Good thing I bought a tester!
    Sharon / 2017 T@B CSS / 2015 Toyota Sienna Minivan / Westlake, Ohio
  • ChanWChanW Member Posts: 3,158
    edited April 2017
    mandt, the charge wire from the vehicle battery to the 7-pin is usually (should be) a heavy gauge, ie #8 or #10, and can (should) be run through an isolation relay which separates the Tab from the tow vehicle's electric system when the tow vehicle isn't running/charging. The isolation relay prevents draining your vehicle's battery.

    From what I understand, some installed charge lines are not heavy gauge, unless you specify that you want it. The Tab needs it, due to the heavy draw of the three-way fridge when it's running on 12v.
    Chan  -  near Buffalo NY
    2014 S Maxx
    2011 Tacoma 4cyl ... edit: 2022 Tacoma 6cyl - oh yeah! 

     A_Little_T@b'll_Do_Ya
  • dsatworkdsatwork Member Posts: 744
    @mandt just ask the company that did the installation...if they wired the power
    2017 Tab Basic S Silver on Silver with Sofitel Cushions....upgraded from 2013 LG 5W....Towed by a 2016 Sorento V6 AWD w/5000lb tow capacity. Dave S. married to Jen aka SanDiegoGal We pull a Tab but live in a 2014 Airstream International Signature 27 FBQ...Talk about embracing a trailer lifestyle.
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