Is my Ready Brake Always on going downhill?
We went to Yosemite last week going up 120 through Groveland and our little Tracker pulled like a charm. On the way back down the (New) Old Priest Grade I was able to have the Motor Home in 2nd and it...
Forum Discussion
Just Lee wrote:
Bobbo that's a great idea running a wire from the 3rd brake light. The only problem I see with that is I have to disconnect the battery in my TOAD the reason why is, here is my story (and I'm sticking to it LOL)
My coach is a 2013 with LED tail lights, it has separate Turn Signals (amber) and Brake/Running lights. My TOAD I bought is a 96 Geo Tracker that has separate Turn Signal, Brake/Running lights. The Toad I bought was already wired using (DIODES 4 wire plug on the front) so I bought a 7 to 4 Umbilical Cord.
Right now when hooked up the TOAD uses the Brake/Running Lights for everything Running/Brake/Signal........ However my TOAD lights work whether the key is on or not. So I disconnect the Battery because I do not want the lights to be fed from 2 sources.
So I am not sure I can do as you suggest.......
Thanks LeeB
Diodes are meant to handle exactly what you describe here, I'm not seeing just based on this, a need to disconnect your battery. One of our toads, a Kia Sedona minivan, is wired with diodes exactly as you describe. We use a Readybrake with it, and when braking, no doubt two signals are going to the diode. Has not been a problem.
Obviously its your vehicle(s) and your call, but just from a tail-light wiring standpoint, I don't see the need to disconnect the battery in your case. I'd try keeping it hooked up, then you can look at how to wire the Readybrake dash indicator to the toad's brake switch.
FYI, an easier, safer, and less intrusive way I've found to wire to a vehicle's brake switch, is to get and install a universal trailer wiring kit like this one on your toad. Just make sure you connect it to the toad's brake light wire on the vehicle side before it goes to the diode. Then, you can use the stop light wire from the 4 flat connector on the wiring kit, and run a wire from there to the MH dash indicator. This way, it 'isolates' the wiring going to the MH dash indicator, and if there's ever a short or other problem with the wiring to your dash indicator, you're not going to hurt the electrical system of your toad. Most you'd do is blow the fuse for the trailer wiring kit. I used a wiring kit this for both of my 'toads' to make the MH dash indicator show true toad braking, and it works great.
