more e-brake questions / need help

[Soundguy]

I don't have time to troubleshoot them know.. but tomorrow I will. Symptoms.

Brake controller registering 0.0 when brakes pushed... .. manual push switch registers whatever power dial is set at.. but display dims.

Display normally shows a red dot if no trailer is connected, and is suposed to be 'short proof'..

So I am guessing i have 1 or more shorted magnets... or the breakaway battery is shorted partially and drawing down the power feed to the trailer...

opinions? It's a big tex model.. .. anyone been into one of these.

Do the universal magnets at tractor supply fit them?

If anyone has a link to the breakaway wireing I'd be very thankfull... I *think* it is just a wire from incoming 12v+ and - to a rechargeable battery, and then a wire from 12v+ thru a open switch to the brakes. if the switch closes ( breakaway wire pulls plug out ).. then the switch gives 12v+ tot he brakes... am i on the right track here?

thanks

I'll add that this trailer has been working fine with this truck for a few years.. nothing new has been added or changed... brakes worked fine at start of trip.. I set them and adjusted as soon as I pulled out on the road.

Any help, thoughts, ideas, pointers anyone has.. even far fetched ones, will be much appreciated. ( I'll even take WAG's )

Also.. I have a auxilary ground wire from the tow vehicle tot he trailer that is on a quick attach connector.. so i don't think it is a bad ground issue.



Soundguy

 

[Hooked_on_HP]

The battery for the breakaway shouldn't have any effect unless the cable is pulled. On most trailers the battery isn't wired to charge off the truck, you have to charge it manualy. Does the trailer have brakes on one axle or two. Does the light on the brake controler turn green when you plug in the trailer connector. Magnets on these brake systems usualy don't short out the just get week.Have you ever adjusted the brakes. They have a star wheel adjuster like on drum brakes on a car but no self adjuster. Check where your brake controler ties into your brake lites. Do your brakes work when you manualy move the lever.

 

[BTDT]

You probably did this when you mounted it, but it (mine, I forget the brand) has to be adjusted for level with little white nob on left of unit. If it slopes too much up or down it doesn't work (properly). Where is yours mounted?

 

[wushaw]

I would check the plug on the truck to see if it is getting all the correct signals then move to the trailer. Check the wiring for breaks and bad connections.
There is a little device connected to your breakaway battery that allows it to be charged when connected to the truck, atleast there is one on my BigTex 70pi.

 

[Soundguy]

Hooked. My controller is not the led dot display.. it is actually 3 multi segment displays.. so it can display 2 numbers, plus a decimal, or 3 letters..

The breakaway device is indeed tied right to the incoming battery wire. there is a charge limiter / regulator in line with it.

Aparently the magnets can short, as one of the error codes on my other controller is E2-Shorted magnet.

Brakes are adjusted fine.. if they weren't... it would only be weak.. not an error message, like mine was showing... As stated... no brakes when i manually move the lever.. and all trailer lamps work like they are suposed to.


BTDT - No pendulum on mine.. it uses a 'timed-adjustable' voltage ramp up, and reverse cutout.

I got up this am, and got to work on it. I tried my wifes truck with the same controller.. ( same results ). I pulle dthe breakaway controll apart and cleaned it.. looked pretty good, though, I think the charge line was pinched real tightly against ground.. thus perhaps making a load on the incoming power line..The charge gauge in my dodge indicated a higher charge voltage the entire time the trailer was hooked up... After I repaired the wire insulation.. that issue went away.. but still no breaks.

I borrowed my stepfathers truck and hooked it up.. his controller sent the error message of shorted magnet, which i knew also meant could be shorted wireing to the magnets.

I traced the wireback down the frame to the first axle, and then to the 2nd.. I found 2 problems.On the first axle, the wires from the magnet were but connected, with a parallel wire running to the other axle.. the insulation was bad on one of the but connectors, and they way it was mounted it -could- have been touching the frame. I pulled the wireing out of the hollow axle, and found a chaffed spot in the crossover wire to the other side. I replaced that wire, and all of the butt connectors... temp wired it back up.. controller said good. I spun the tires and hit the brakes and the wheels locked up fine... I'm a happy camper now.

thnaks for the ideas and suf=gustions.

Soundguy

The battery for the breakaway shouldn't have any

effect unless the cable is pulled. On most trailers the battery isn't wired to charge off the truck, you have to charge it manualy. Does the trailer have brakes on one axle or two. Does the light on the brake controler turn green when you plug in the trailer connector. Magnets on these brake systems usualy don't short out the just get week.Have you ever adjusted the brakes. They have a star wheel adjuster like on drum brakes on a car but no self adjuster. Check where your brake controler ties into your brake lites. Do your brakes work when you manualy move the lever.

 

[Soundguy]

I'm confused..is this the unit you installed on your tractor, or is it on your truck?

Uh..the e-brakes are on the trailer... the controllers are int he truck / tractor. Same error on al the controllers.. thus the problem was on the trailer.. ( bad wireing.. )

Soundguy

 

[Glowplug]

Soundguy-It's a legitimate question. Afterall, you started this thread on a tractor forum and not the Trailers & Transportation forum. Just kidding.

 

[AndyMA]

The battery for the breakaway shouldn't have any effect unless the cable is pulled. On most trailers the battery isn't wired to charge off the truck, you have to charge it manualy. .

ust a small comment unrelated tot he overall issue. On many of the newer breakaway batteries, they are not rechargable. When they go dead they need to be replaced. Years ago batteries had short shelf lives,, but now with 7-10 year or more shelf lives, and the breakaway battery never having any current draw, a nonrechargable battery with a long shelf life will typically have a better chance of being charged than a rechargable lead acid battery which self discharges and you have to remember to recharge.

Andy

 

[Soundguy]

The one in my unit has a neat float charger built in.. and uses a big sealed ?gel cell 12v battery. Charges any time the truck is hooke dup tot he trailer and vehicle is powered.

Soundguy

 

[jimainiac]

I was interested to read about your electrical problem and finding the cause. There's nothing like methodically tracing down a circuit to uncover the problem. I'm just curious, how do you keep the controller weatherproof on the tractor? Is it in a cab? I added a trailer connector to our tractor for lights, but couldn't figure out where to put a controller that would be out of the weather.