Chevy plug in to RV

[mobilcastle]

I just bought a 2011 chevy 3500 for TV. Can you plug in the 5ver while it is running or do you have to shut off the truck first? My Ford did not make a difference. Anything else that would be different in reference to operation would be appreciated since I have never owned a GM truck.
Thanks
Steve

[MIMF]

Steve, I have on numerous occasions plugged and unplugged the 5er with the truck running. Have never had any problems.

[WaltandLynne]

No problems here either.

[kdeiss]

No Problem

[DarMar]

We plug in while running as well.

In addition I would highly recommend that you install an axillary rv plug in the truck bed.

On our last trip out, on a very windy day, while hooked using the bumper plug, the rv cord got caught under the the bumper hitch. During the next left turn into a flying J we heard a pop type sound and sure enough it pulled the rv cord out of the pin box connector box and broke the cable clamp. Fortunately it just stretched the wires and didn't rip them apart.

From here on in we will always be using my recently installed in bed plug.

[mhs4771]

No problem here either, and I agree, plug in the bed. I attached mine to the side of the in-bed took box.

[camper4]

No problems. I have a prodigy controller.

[8.1al]

If your new Chevy has the camper package there will be a harness for a in bed receptacle underneath near the front of the box

[mobilcastle]

Thanks for the replies, info and the advice. My plan was to put the plug in the bed. Where do you think the best location would be since I used the bumper plug on my Ford. I was thinking either in front of the wheel well or behind the wheel well drivers side.
Steve

[snfexpress]

Behind the wheel well in our case.

[jimcol]

Behind the wheel well makes it easy to reach with the tailgate down. Jim

[maximo]

My in bed plug is on the left side of the bed just above the tail light on the same suport post that the tail gate latches on to. In that location nothing can hit it or hit the RV plug when it is pluged in.

Frank

[Carl n Susan]

I have a Ford but I don't think that matters. I personally like having the plug installed in the middle stake-post on the driver's side if you have a long bed truck. I have Bulldog hooks installed in the stake-post holes so I don't use the holes for their original purpose. Having the plug there makes it close to the hitch release handle and the pin box. This is the one area in the truck bed which doesn't get loaded up with "stuff" when traveling. The cord doesn't get hung up on projections from the load and pull out when you make a turn. Of course with the new trucks you have to be tall or have a step stool handy to reach the cord (and the release handle).

[Phil P]

Hi

No problem either.

We did have the same thing happen to our cord that DarMar had. Didn’t break anything but stretched the cord.

Phil P

[TAKPAK]

quote:Originally posted by mobilcastle

I just bought a 2011 chevy 3500 for TV. Can you plug in the 5ver while it is running or do you have to shut off the truck first? My Ford did not make a difference. Anything else that would be different in reference to operation would be appreciated since I have never owned a GM truck.
Thanks
Steve

Steve, one word of caution.....I discovered (the hard way) one thing you do NOT want to do with the RV plug hooked up, and that is to test the breakaway system. I tried it one time with the RV plugged in to the truck, and because the breakaway takes power from the RV battery, it "backfed" the truck's braking system computer and caused a fault, which totally disabled the truck's trailer braking system. I wasn't sure what to do at that point, as I had NO trailer brakes. However, as will all computers I tried a "reboot", I disconnected the plug, reset the breakaway switch, shut the truck down, let it sit a bit, then plugged the RV back in and restarted the truck. Brakes were then OK. Rebooted the computer, so to speak. Otherwise, I have had NO problems with the plugging/unplugging of the connection. If you want to test the breakaway system (which should be done often) do it with the plug DISCONNECTED until you are though with the test and everything is back to "normal" position.

[Art-n-Marge]

I wish mine were behind the wheel well. The dealer installed mine in the front of the wheel well on the driver's side. At 5' 9" I have a hard time reaching it so I had to install a truck bed step (it swings back under the truck bed when not in use). Now I use the step to climb up and put my other foot on the top of the tire and then I can reach. If the plug were on the back side of the wheel well, I could reach it from the tailgate and it would also be closer to the pin.

TAKPAK - I don't understand your post. I would think that the breakaway cable should not cause any problems under that condition because that's pretty much what happens if your plug was connected to the truck and the trailer gets disconnected and the breakaway disengages. Am I missing something? I'm guessing that if the breakaway does disconnect, then either the truck's batteries or the trailer batteries will give the power to keep the trailer brakes engaged. I think this should work no matter what and NOT cause any problems unless you keep it like this for a long time where it will discharge batteries for a long time.

[Sinterior]

No problems plugging in with the truck running or not, and I use the factory plug in which is just to the left of the license plate, and I do that because twice now over many years have had wiring issues with spliced in bed plugs, and never once using the factory plug in even when it was lower down.
Also, if things haven't changed, Chev/GM trucks do not disconnect the trailer 12V supply when the truck is shut off, so if you are dry camping for a while, pull the plug if you leave the trailer hitched so you don't run down the truck battery(s).

[TAKPAK]

TAKPAK - I don't understand your post. I would think that the breakaway cable should not cause any problems under that condition because that's pretty much what happens if your plug was connected to the truck and the trailer gets disconnected and the breakaway disengages. Am I missing something? I'm guessing that if the breakaway does disconnect, then either the truck's batteries or the trailer batteries will give the power to keep the trailer brakes engaged. I think this should work no matter what and NOT cause any problems unless you keep it like this for a long time where it will discharge batteries for a long time.[/quote]

Art-n-Marge, I had posted this situation around a year ago. What had happened to me was, I had plugged in everything to the truck, then decided to test the breakaway system. Upon activating the switch, I got an alarm on the DIC that the truck's system had a fault. So, I reset (deactivated) the breakaway switch and tested the brakes. Absolutely NO brakes on the trailer. NONE. Truck still showed a fault. Now I was worried. So, I unplugged everything, shut the truck down, waited, then started up/plugged everything back in. Now I had trailer brakes. Phew.....!! Upon return home, I checked in with the dealer. They had never heard of this before, so we started researching. Apparently what happened was......the breakaway system uses the trailer battery for power. When I activated it, the trailer battery "backfed" into the truck's computer system through the breakaway switch, which saw it as a short/ground situation, and shut the system down to protect it. Unplugging/restarting fortunately "reset" the system. Normally, the only power that the trailer brakes ever see is what comes from the truck. End result was....never test the breakaway system with the trailer plugged in to the truck, at least on the new "integrated" systems. Analogy was.....if the breakaway system has activated, you probably have bigger problems anyway, such as a ripped off cord, with the trailer on it's nose, brakes locked up, sliding down the road anyway!!!!!

Hope this helps??