break away system on trailer

BlackRaptor · Apr 30, 2009

My trailer came with the break away system but what they didn't incude was the cord that goes into that box to the bumper of the pickup. Need to call them.
I haven't really used the trailer yet but a friend saw it and said the trailer could be getting power from the truck for that and lighterly applying the brakes all the time because the break away cable is not in there. is this true?

Diamondpilot · Apr 30, 2009

When you say cord I am assuming you are talking about the steel cable with a clip on the end that pulls the plunger out of the actual brake away actuator. He is right, if the battery has any charge what so ever or your truck is wired properly it could be applying power but I don't think that is the case or you would have smoking brakes in a few miles or even dragging locked up tires.

My guess is the battery on the trailer is dead and will need charged or replaced. I am also quite confident your truck is not wired properly or you would have brakes on like he said. If its a late model Ford you need a relay to make the charge circuit work. It allows power to come from the truck when the key is on or the engine is running via the #1 and #4 pin of the trailer light plug for positive and negative power to charge the battery. In this case with the trailer hooked up it would send power to the brakes since the brake away is pulled assuming its functioning properly. If its a GM they work the same but will need a Large Maxi-Fuse in either 30 or 40 amp. Not sure about Dodge or the Toyota. I do know for a Nissan there is nothing to do the truck, its set up at the factory.

Chris

laen64 · Apr 30, 2009

Wow nissan is ahead of the Game. Please do post the info for Dodge. All Good info!

Diamondpilot · Apr 30, 2009

I really can not comment on Dodge. I have sold tons of trailers but Dodge is just not that popular around here and have never done one. I did own a 2500 Hemi Dodge myself but never installed a trailer brake controller in it because the only trailer I had at the time had surge brakes that were hydraulic. Did wire up a few Jeep products which would be about the same but no Dodges so I will not claim I know about them. This is the site and guy I but parts from all the time. Check out his HELP section for info, that's what I would do.

Sorry I can not be more help but maybe someone else will chime in.

R and P Carriages, Towing and trailer help questions

Chris

denmansoft · Apr 30, 2009

I got a trailer last year with electric brakes and the breakaway system with its own battery. All was good except there was no connection to keep the battery charged while driving. The standard 7 pin trailer connector cable has a 12V line for charging the RV battery but the wire was cut off and not connected!
This was one of 3 shoddy workmanship items on this trailer! I will not recommend Cascade trailers to anyone.

Diamondpilot · Apr 30, 2009

denmansoft said:
I got a trailer last year with electric brakes and the breakaway system with its own battery. All was good except there was no connection to keep the battery charged while driving. The standard 7 pin trailer connector cable has a 12V line for charging the RV battery but the wire was cut off and not connected!
This was one of 3 shoddy workmanship items on this trailer! I will not recommend Cascade trailers to anyone.

So did you splice in a wire and hook it up properly?

Chris

Scrounger · May 1, 2009

Diamondpilot said:
When you say cord I am assuming you are talking about the steel cable with a clip on the end that pulls the plunger out of the actual brake away actuator. He is right, if the battery has any charge what so ever or your truck is wired properly it could be applying power but I don't think that is the case or you would have smoking brakes in a few miles or even dragging locked up tires.

My guess is the battery on the trailer is dead and will need charged or replaced. I am also quite confident your truck is not wired properly or you would have brakes on like he said. If its a late model Ford you need a relay to make the charge circuit work. It allows power to come from the truck when the key is on or the engine is running via the #1 and #4 pin of the trailer light plug for positive and negative power to charge the battery. In this case with the trailer hooked up it would send power to the brakes since the brake away is pulled assuming its functioning properly. If its a GM they work the same but will need a Large Maxi-Fuse in either 30 or 40 amp. Not sure about Dodge or the Toyota. I do know for a Nissan there is nothing to do the truck, its set up at the factory.

Chris

I have a 2000 Yukon XL and the charge will continue as long as the trailer is plugged in. Its killed my truck battery more than once so I just unplugged the trailer if it will be parked hitched up for more than a day.

Diamondpilot · May 1, 2009

Scrounger said:
I have a 2000 Yukon XL and the charge will continue as long as the trailer is plugged in. Its killed my truck battery more than once so I just unplugged the trailer if it will be parked hitched up for more than a day.

If it is doing that you have a problem. It was not wired properly. Is this the factory wiring or is it something someone else has done? Either way, as long as you know its ok, just unplug it as you have been doing. The industry standard is the charge circuit is key controlled just for that reason.

Chris

GreenWannabe · May 1, 2009

Back in the '60s, I had a camper on board two different trucks - a '63 Chev and a '67 International. Both trucks had a 7-pin connector, and I had a mating connector on the camper. I had 12V hot with the key off, which operated a light in the camper. It is possible his plug is wired always hot like mine was, but it should be simple enough to rewire it to a switched circuit.

Scrounger · May 1, 2009

Diamondpilot said:
If it is doing that you have a problem. It was not wired properly. Is this the factory wiring or is it something someone else has done? Either way, as long as you know its ok, just unplug it as you have been doing. The industry standard is the charge circuit is key controlled just for that reason.

Chris

Chris

Its the factory wiring with a wire harness to a prodigy controller.

KrisNMo · May 2, 2009

Diamondpilot said:
If it is doing that you have a problem. It was not wired properly. Is this the factory wiring or is it something someone else has done? Either way, as long as you know its ok, just unplug it as you have been doing. The industry standard is the charge circuit is key controlled just for that reason.

Chris

I have the same thing on my 07 Hummer with factory wired plug on the truck, if I leave the 7 pin connected it will charge with the key off and truck not running. Must be a GM thing.

Diamondpilot · May 2, 2009

You have a bad relay then somewhere in the circuit. From the best of my memory GM had it wired by that time to cut off the power when the truck is off. Think about it, everyone would end up with dead batteries like you if they pulled into a camp ground and left the camper hooked to the truck or if a guy hitched up a trailer the night before a trip he would come out to a dead truck.

Either way you only need to trace it down and fix it if you feel necessary. You know to unplug it.

Chris

Diamondpilot · May 2, 2009

KrisMMo said:
I have the same thing on my 07 Hummer with factory wired plug on the truck, if I leave the 7 pin connected it will charge with the key off and truck not running. Must be a GM thing.

I now for a fact the last 5 or so GM trucks I wired did not charge unless the truck was running or the key was on. Check it with a test light. I just re did a 2005 3500 Dmax in the last week and it did not charge with the key off according to my tester.

Chris

denmansoft · May 2, 2009

DiamondPilot:
Yes I did splice in the wire to charge it. What really annoyed me was the dealer didn't care when I reported the 'defect'. I wasn't asking him to fix mine, just to pass the problem back to manufacturer or at least make sure other customers check and re-charge the battery before use.

QRTRHRS · May 2, 2009

BlackRaptor said:
My trailer came with the break away system but what they didn't incude was the cord that goes into that box to the bumper of the pickup. Need to call them.
I haven't really used the trailer yet but a friend saw it and said the trailer could be getting power from the truck for that and lighterly applying the brakes all the time because the break away cable is not in there. is this true?

Are you talking about the steel cable to the break away switch or the power cord? Everyone else is replying in terms of the power but if you are speaking about the steel cable then your friend is wrong.

The switch would only activate if the cable pulled the end out of it and then the brakes would be applied.

Diamondpilot · May 2, 2009

I am pretty sure the OP was talking about the steel cable and I think I got him pointed in the right direction. Then the post took a tangent and others along with myself got to talking wiring.

Chris

BlackRaptor · May 4, 2009

Thanks guys,
Chris I have an 08 GMC I'm installing the brake controller in it this weekend. So as of right now the truck doesn't have a brake controller. I have used it a couple times to haul my ATV a couple times on dirt roads thats all i've really pulled with it.
I was talking about the metal cable that plugs into that little box than to your truck so if the trailer comes off it locks the breaks up. the trailer is brand new I haven't looks for a battery on it. there is a black box on the front of it that might be large enough to hold an ATV sized battery. It's a PJ trailer i can't remember the name of the break away system i'll try to look tonight.
Thanks again for the help. sorry for the slow reply i was out of town.

BlackRaptor · May 4, 2009

QRTRHRS said:
Are you talking about the steel cable to the break away switch or the power cord? Everyone else is replying in terms of the power but if you are speaking about the steel cable then your friend is wrong.

The switch would only activate if the cable pulled the end out of it and then the brakes would be applied.

It's the steel able. when i purchased the trailer it has the break away system on it but they didn't give me that little cable to plug into that break away plus on the touge of the trailer so i'm conerned that the trailer thinks it's not hooked up and the break away system is active and using the power from the power plug for lights and the breaks might be lightly applied.

Diamondpilot · May 4, 2009

The battery is in that small box. Its about 4" square. Does not take much since all that battery has to do is hold the brakes for 15 minutes if the truck comes un hitched.

Chris

HarryVanderpool · May 4, 2009

Diamondpilot said:
You have a bad relay then somewhere in the circuit. From the best of my memory GM had it wired by that time to cut off the power when the truck is off. Think about it, everyone would end up with dead batteries like you if they pulled into a camp ground and left the camper hooked to the truck or if a guy hitched up a trailer the night before a trip he would come out to a dead truck.

Either way you only need to trace it down and fix it if you feel necessary. You know to unplug it.

Chris

Why would you end up with a dead battery after hitching up your trailer? If the battery on the trailer and the battery (s) in the truck are fully charged current isn't flowing anywhere.