Buying a new horse trailer and have never had a gooseneck before. What are the pros/cons of hydraulic jacks vs. electric jacks? Is one more maintenance than the other? (I am already aware that the hydraulic is 2x the price but quieter and faster. Does that matter?). Also does anyone have a solar panel on their trailer to keep their battery juiced up? TIA.
Are you referring to keeping the battery for the breakaway brake system charged? Or an added deep cycle auxiliary battery for running items like interior trailer lights and the electric jack (though some trailers run the electric jack off of the breakaway battery alone)?
They said I could get a solar panel installed to keep the jack charged. One of the things I am wondering about is how durable the solar panels are–we get hail here. (That said, my front entry gate is powered by a battery connected to a solar panel and it has been running great for 5 years).
standard life expectancy of a solar panel in 20 to 25 years, some manufacturers actually warranty their panels for 20 years. Use a regulator on the panel to keep it from overcharging the battery. Be sure to clean the panel periodically
as for the jack, I no direct experience…might start with checking the amp draw of the two, the more current needed the bigger the battery needed
The hydraulic would in the long run require more service as it has seals that could wear and fluid that could become contemned. The mechanical…does it have an override if the motor fails?
As for the battery itself I would desire a glass mat (AGM) as these do survive longer i harsh environments of being jiggled/bounced around …expect six to eight years of live where as a lead acid three to five years. Also with the AGM the the acid is contained in the mat.
We have a dump trailer with a solar panel keeping the battery charged.
Has been working great several years now.
Those today are very reliable, you can depend on them.
If you have never pulled a GN, they really are great on the road, way more stable than pull type.
It takes a bit to get used to turns, practice before you head out, so you won’t run over curbs turning too close.
Backing takes a bit to get used to it, a little tweak will get the trailer turned, just take it slow.
After you drive it for a bit, you will wonder why it took so long to get one.
Our horses told us they liked GN also way better than bp, they jumped in happily any time, any place.
Both of them are going to need batteries/electric. The hydraulics don’t create pressure all on their own.
I have a hydraulic on my trailer and it’s fine. There’s a slow seal leak somewhere internal because over the period of a couple weeks of sitting the trailer… “droops”. I don’t plan to fix that issue at this time, I just raise it up every couple weeks.
I will say there is some serious concern on my part if that thing fails, because there is no backup. Well, there is, but it would involve me pulling a drill out of thin air and disassembling the whole thing to try and get to the little nut that would raise/lower the trailer. It’s stupid that they don’t have a mechanical back up on them that won’t make me produce a power tool I typically don’t take with me on trail rides.
I have two marine batteries in the box under the neck. I have never formally charged them, going on 4 years, and I don’t haul my trailer that much so they don’t get to charge off the truck often. They’re fine and still work without issue.
How big a trailer is this? Is an electric or hydraulic jack really necessary? I ask because I’m on my third gooseneck trailer with just a regular mechanical crank it up jack (and I’m small and older). It’s not been that big a deal to crank it myself. Largest trailer was a 3H slant with a weekend package.
None of my business, just mentioning this in case you are also getting a fairly simple not-that-heavy trailer (without living quarters, for example, or for only two or three horses), and the salesperson could be suggesting/upselling an option that might not be strictly necessary. I’ve never even had one recommended to me.
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My LQ trailer has a hydraulic jack with the manual jack option (single foot). I asked this past spring inspection for the tech to look at the jack and have it serviced and he said there’s nothing to service! As long as the fluid is the appropriate level and there’s not fluid spraying anywhere, it’s fine. Trailer is over 10 yr old and still on original equipment.
I would recommend the jack with the manual option. I have had two instances of the batteries dying and a handful of other times where the batteries were not installed (we keep them on tenders over the winter) and needed to haul in an emergency.
If you’re not going to have a small generator for your trailer, then a solar panel is a good idea.
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Necessary, no. But very convenient.
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Love mine. It was a great choice. Highly recommend.
I understand the appeal, but I like to keep things simple and not have to worry about batteries failing me (and I know I would), etc.
It’s entirely possible that, in future years, I’ll have to resign myself to having one, but not yet.
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Honestly, I have never charged the two that are on the trailer now. The charging they get off the truck is minimal, and I only hauled that trailer twice last year.
The jack is as strong as ever.
Other than a mechanical failure of the jack itself, the two batteries seem pretty “bulletproof”.
It’s a 2+1 rear facing (but reversable and convertable to two box stalls) gooseneck with a dressing room. Where I will be parking it is not an easy distance to plug in electric (which is why I am thinking of the $600 solar panel).
Thank you! I will ask those questions.
another difference between the standard auto lead acid and the AGM glass mats (also known as a sealed lead acid construction battery SLA or mainatance free ) is the glass mats can be discharged to a lower level and still recover. Typically an AGM change be discharged to 80% of its stated capacity while the standard leas acid is pretty much toast if discharge below 50%. also the AGM can be recharge faster than lead acid
AGM vs GEL? the GEL battery’s rated capacity will decline faster then a AGM as ambient temperatures drop below 32F (GELs will have longer life)
and the AGM can be easily recycled with 98% of it being recoverable
It will charge off your truck when you’re hauling. I think you’ll be fine without a solar panel, if my experience with this means anything.
true in most cases, but if the battery has been frozen it could explode under charge
ehh… While that is true, it’s so unlikely that I’m unconcerned. They’re standard marine batteries, and I don’t think many boats spend the winter in climate controlled storage. 
At what temperature do batteries freeze?
depends upon state of charge and type
Temperature also affects how deeply the battery can be discharged without a risk of freezing the battery. As a battery is discharged, the freezing point of the electrolyte decreases. A fully charged battery should not freeze until about -94°F (-70°C). A battery that is at about 50% DOD will freeze around -13°F (-25°C), and at a 75% DOD it will freeze at about 9°F (-13°C). The system should be designed so that it never discharges the battery bank below its expected coldest operating temperature. If the battery freezes, it will likely be permanently damaged.
My company did a lot of off grid access control work on US gov projects, we would incorporate a drop out circuit that would shut down the system once a specific battery level was reached (well actually IF the batteries became discharged as we had over designed the charging systems to provide continuous use if needed) But we always included a Shut Down safety in the systems just for our company’s welfare
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