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Topic ClosedCharging battery while connected to tow vehicle

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Direct Link To This Post Topic: Charging battery while connected to tow vehicle
    Posted: 29 Sep 2020 at 8:19am
Certainly if Lexus said that trailer brakes are not required for trailers weighing less than 3500 lbs that is wrong information. Most states limit is 3000. But the state regs are based on actual gross trailer weight, not empty weight and not max gross weight. We all know that most rPods weigh less than 3000 empty but will go down the road weighing more than 3000 lbs, and quite commonly more than 3500,  but unless the state trooper has a set of portable scales with him how would anyone know? 

Regardless, Lexus is absolutely within their rights as a manufacturer to refuse to install aftermarket equipment in their vehicles. If I were them I wouldn't do it either. Why accept the liability? 

Also, the state regs don't specify how the trailer brakes need to function, just that they do. I have a horse trailer that  weighs about 4000 lbs if I load it with two animals and it is perfectly legal to operate without a brake controller in the TV. It has surge brakes. So, specifying a max tow rating of 3500 (which is done to a specific standard not set by Lexus) while not recommending or installing electric brake controllers in their vehicles is not unreasonable on Lexus' part. 

I look at it this way: by dissuading customers from getting trailers that require electric brakes and will weigh more than 3000 lbs, Lexus is doing its customers a favor. We all know that the tow vehicle ratings are bogus because they allow for nothing to be loaded in the TV. The extra 500 lbs provides at least a little margin for carrying stuff and people and towing a trailer. 
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: 29 Sep 2020 at 10:16am
Surge brakes are the most common braking system used in Europe for caravans.  They don't seem to like electric brake systems, so no one worries about installing brake controllers in their TV's.  I'm sure each system has its detractors and advocates and that the debate rages on and on.  Does anyone know why we don't see surge brakes here on light weight travel trailers?  [Maybe a new thread should be started on this topic, but it comes up often with vehicles that have marginal towing capacity and no provisions for an easy installation of an electric brake controller.]
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: 29 Sep 2020 at 10:24am
I would guess that's its because the electric brakes are less expensive. My Euro horse trailer with surge brakes has a hitch assembly that flexes in and out and actuates a set of rods and cables that are connected to levers in the brake drums. Works great, very smooth, no fiddling with brake controller adjustments, and more reliable I think. 

All electric brakes have are a couple of electromagnets and some wires, gotta be a lot cheaper for the trailer manufacturer, although overall cost including the brake controller is probably not much lower. 
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: 29 Sep 2020 at 2:32pm
Better than either system would be electric over hydraulic disc brakes. However, that is a very expensive proposition at this point.
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: 29 Sep 2020 at 3:16pm
Originally posted by StephenH

Better than either system would be electric over hydraulic disc brakes. However, that is a very expensive proposition at this point.

+1, that would bring trailer brake technology from 1930's tech into the second half of the 20th century. Even 1930's farm tractors have braking systems comparable to what rPods have. Then we couid also have ABS on our trailers. 


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Direct Link To This Post Posted: 29 Sep 2020 at 6:47pm
I think electric over hydraulic disc brakes were adopted, economy of scale would bring the cost down to a more reasonable price. However, since we are still stuck with the older drum brakes, to convert would cost a lot. I have not found a kit suitable for the RPods either. 
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: 29 Sep 2020 at 7:20pm
Electric over hydraulic is just so complex, I wonder if its possible to directly actuate the calipers electrically. There are electric parking brake systems in use, but I think they use actuating motors on the calipers so they're probably not fast enough for on the road braking. Of course, all hybrids and ev's do direct electric braking using the electric drive motor as a generator. 

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Direct Link To This Post Posted: 29 Sep 2020 at 7:39pm
I have not seen any electrically operated disc brakes. I think the hydraulic is to generate the braking force which is much higher than the electric drum brakes can generate.
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: 30 Sep 2020 at 7:52am
There are electric disk brakes but for parking only, they use little gear motors so most likely too slow for regular braking.
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: 30 Sep 2020 at 10:05am
Getting back to the question about a brake controller for the Lexus. If Lexus does not approve using a brake controller, then they are kind of saying that you can't tow over 3000 lbs (or whatever the state allows) without a brake controller.
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