Emergency Brakes
Recently I was having a problem keeping the battery charged. Several times it was charged for 24 hours and then unhooked the shore power from the trailer. Would go back and check and battery was charg...
Forum Discussion
LukeS wrote:The brakes will only stay engaged if they have electric power. The battery energizes the magnets which put pressure on the brake shores. No power, no magnet. They are emergency brakes only and should be used as such. Get a set of wheel chocks and use them when parked.
I was in a mindset that pulling the breakaway switch would engage the electric brakes and make the trailer stable. Just like engaging air brakes on a rig. Went out last weekend and found out that the electrical circuit gets hot and something has to give. What gave was the pin melting and the front stayed inbetween contacts. Was in a predicament but fortunately the brakes were released and made it home. Did not blow fuse or brake controller in cab.
Talked to a tech and basically best thing to do is chalk the wheels unless you can pull the pin engage the brakes and then quick disconnect the battery and brakes stay engaged not sure. Shore power then takes over 12 and 120 volt in trailer but does not charge battery theory only. Lessoned learned for me could have been worse as noted by others.
B.O.
