![]() Tekonsha is the industry standard in brake controllers. Tekonsha P3 Electric Trailer Brake Controller Wire colors are not typical for many OEM applications, you will need to verify each circuit with a multimeter. You'll find that rewiring or repairing the wiring on a trailer is not an expensive endeavor and well worth the peace of mind.Ĭommon 7 pin spade connector, various lengths. Trailer Equipment and Part Numbersįor your convenience, the following table contains part numbers from common manufacturers for various products used or mentioned herein. These all produce less than ideal connections that may fail. While crimping may seem like a rudimentary process, it is common for connectors to be over-torqued, under-torqued, or selected improperly for the adjacent wire size. Crimping, however, only produces a reliable bond if it performed correctly with the proper tools and a connector properly sized to the wire gauge being used. One might argue that this is avoidable by not over-soldering a joint. Crimping is often preferred in environments that experience continuous vibrations or require a wire to flex as soldering tends to result in the solder "wicking" up the wire beyond the insulation, creating a stiff portion of wire in the vicinity of the terminal/splice. It is of utmost important to ensure that the tow vehicle's auxiliary charging circuit is functioning so that the breakaway kit/trailer battery charge is maintained.īoth crimped and soldered joints are entirely sufficient in providing a sound connection between a wire and a terminal or two or more wires. The breakaway switch is NOT to be used as a parking brake for the trailer - it will drain the batteries on the trailer and tow vehicle. So long as the breakaway switch is open, it has no affect on the trailer's braking system. When the safety cord is pulled, the switch is closed and full voltage from the trailer (not tow vehicle) battery/breakaway kit battery is applied to the trailer brakes. The breakaway switch is a normally open switch. Typical trailer breakaway switch/breakaway kit circuit A typical breakaway switch circuit looks like this: The breakaway switch itself CANNOT rely on power directly from the tow vehicle, as in the event of a breakaway condition there would be no electrical contact between the tow vehicle battery and the trailer brake system. In both cases, the battery charge is maintained by the tow vehicle. Trailers without their own battery supply require the installation of a breakaway a kit that has a small standalone battery. On trailers that have their own battery supply (travel trailers, dump trailers, etc), this switch is wired to the trailer batteries. On vehicles with electric brakes, a breakaway switch is required so that in the event a trailer were to completely breakaway from the vehicle (or some idiot decided not to connect his safety chains) the trailer brakes would lock up and prevent a serious collision. Trailer breakaway Switch WiringĪll trailers are equipped with chains connecting the tongue of the trailer to the bumper/receiver hitch of the tow vehicle. Wire colors are NOT standardized between all manufacturers. Note - ALWAYS use a multimeter to verify connector terminals and wire colors. The auxiliary power circuit is connected to the battery or alternator of the tow vehicle and is typically used to recharge batteries on trailers that have their own power system (travel trailers, dump trailers, trailers with winches, etc).įor 4 pin and 6 pin connector diagrams, see: Trailer Connector Wiring Pinout On a 7 pin connector, the 7 circuits controlled by the towing vehicle are: 1) 12 volt + auxiliary power, 2) ground, 3) trail light/running lights 4), left hand turn signal and brake light, 5) right hand turn signal and brake light, 6) trailer brake control, 7) backup lights. Standard 7 Pin Connector PinoutĦ pin and 7 pin connectors are extremely common on trailers that utilize their own electric brakes on one or more axles. These issues should be addressed so that all the trailer's functions - lights and brakes - work properly and reliably. ![]() Poor or corroded connections, loose fitting trailer connectors, bad grounds, and chaffed wires are common on aged trailers. All it takes is one bad connection and your trailer's braking system will cease to function - thus, it is necessary to periodically inspect and test both the trailer and truck's wiring systems. As the weight of a trailer increases, the tow vehicle must increasingly rely on the trailers braking system. With modern weight ratings and capacities reaching inconceivable milestones, your average pickup can pull a substantial amount of weight down the road. In the grand scheme of things, poor trailer wiring is a public safety concern. ![]()
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