Breakaway Switch

kellertx5er wrote:

BFL13 wrote:

kellertx5er wrote:

BFL13 wrote:
Tekonsha says don't do it and so does the instructions for the switch.

"4. WARNING. Disconnect trailer plug before testing breakaway unit. Failure to do so will result in severe damage to electronic brake control."

Apparently, it does not always fry it. But that's what the instructions say.

I guess Tekonsha expects you to unplug the 7-pin before your hitch fails and pulls the breakaway pin?

No, you are supposed to have the lengths of the wires and cords so that the 7-pin gets pulled out before the breakaway pin does. With a TT instead of a 5er, you also have those safety chains. If the TT comes off the ball to the chains, I am not clear if that counts as a breakaway. I think I would like the 7-pin to still do the braking then and not get pulled till the chains broke too.

I think the whole thing is for a crash where the tow vehicle is now stopped and the trailer has come off and would roll down the road on its own till it hit something if it didn't have its brakes come on using the power from the trailer mounted battery.

Also some common sense is required for where to attach the breakaway pin wire. The RV "techs" at our Dealer had ours with the wire hooked to the 5er hitch head in the truck. This would not help if the breakaway was due to the hitch head coming off its support somehow (no idea of a scenario for that). I have it hooked to the clip on a long dog leash attached to one of the eye-pads in the truck bed.

Also the switch instructions say, " Do not hook cable to safety chain loop or the hitch ball." Same idea.

My comment was made as sarcasm. Should have added a :)

It's BEYOND ME why in the world anyone would think it's O.K. to do what you did in the middle of an exchange of information like you did here. When I see something like this to be honest I put that poster and all future posts in the "USELESS" or at least "UN HELPFUL" category regardless of content since I can never be sure what to believe or not.

I know I can't stop it, nor do I want to be a "POST POLICEMAN", but it just bothers me when folks do these sort of things and in fact even adding some emcon as a subtle indicator still really falls into the "UN HELPUL MEMEBER" monniker.

I guess I might just be an old Curmurgeon, but I feel these forums are a source for meaningful exchange and even spirited debate and not for meaningless silliness, sarcasm, kidding, etc. There is a place for that drivel and its call "Around the Campfire" here. Also, garbaging up the technical forums makes the search feature and what it provides close to a "waste of time" which is sad IMO and show a disturbing lack of respect for what these forum are for again IMO.

To the OP sorry for the rant and I'll leave my soapbox and go back to my "TIME OUT CORNER".;)

Larry

kellertx5er wrote:

BFL13 wrote:

kellertx5er wrote:

BFL13 wrote:
Tekonsha says don't do it and so does the instructions for the switch.

"4. WARNING. Disconnect trailer plug before testing breakaway unit. Failure to do so will result in severe damage to electronic brake control."

Apparently, it does not always fry it. But that's what the instructions say.

I guess Tekonsha expects you to unplug the 7-pin before your hitch fails and pulls the breakaway pin?

No, you are supposed to have the lengths of the wires and cords so that the 7-pin gets pulled out before the breakaway pin does. With a TT instead of a 5er, you also have those safety chains. If the TT comes off the ball to the chains, I am not clear if that counts as a breakaway. I think I would like the 7-pin to still do the braking then and not get pulled till the chains broke too.

I think the whole thing is for a crash where the tow vehicle is now stopped and the trailer has come off and would roll down the road on its own till it hit something if it didn't have its brakes come on using the power from the trailer mounted battery.

Also some common sense is required for where to attach the breakaway pin wire. The RV "techs" at our Dealer had ours with the wire hooked to the 5er hitch head in the truck. This would not help if the breakaway was due to the hitch head coming off its support somehow (no idea of a scenario for that). I have it hooked to the clip on a long dog leash attached to one of the eye-pads in the truck bed.

Also the switch instructions say, " Do not hook cable to safety chain loop or the hitch ball." Same idea.

My comment was made as sarcasm. Should have added a :)

:) =sam the eagle&filters[primary]=images&filters[secondary]=videos&sort=1&o=0]http://media.photobucket.com/user/fosse7/media/sam-the-eagle-i-dont-approve.jpg.html?filters[term]=sam the eagle&filters[primary]=images&filters[secondary]=videos&sort=1&o=0

When the Brake controller is activated, it sends a DC current from 1 to 12 volts to the trailer brakes. HOW MUCH voltage determines how much trailer braking happens. When you pull the Break a way pin, you supply 12 volts direct to the trailer brakes(lock up) and THAT voltage will also feed back to the brake controller. The Brake Controller may not be able to handle that INPUT voltage from the Trailer and "may" destroy something in the brake controller. In a TRUE trailer break away, even with safety chains, the odds are the 7 way will be pulled out of the truck. As others have stated, IF a break away happens, what remains of your brake controller will not be thought of for days or weeks to come. Doug

BFL13 wrote:

kellertx5er wrote:

BFL13 wrote:
Tekonsha says don't do it and so does the instructions for the switch.

"4. WARNING. Disconnect trailer plug before testing breakaway unit. Failure to do so will result in severe damage to electronic brake control."

Apparently, it does not always fry it. But that's what the instructions say.

I guess Tekonsha expects you to unplug the 7-pin before your hitch fails and pulls the breakaway pin?

No, you are supposed to have the lengths of the wires and cords so that the 7-pin gets pulled out before the breakaway pin does. With a TT instead of a 5er, you also have those safety chains. If the TT comes off the ball to the chains, I am not clear if that counts as a breakaway. I think I would like the 7-pin to still do the braking then and not get pulled till the chains broke too.

I think the whole thing is for a crash where the tow vehicle is now stopped and the trailer has come off and would roll down the road on its own till it hit something if it didn't have its brakes come on using the power from the trailer mounted battery.

Also some common sense is required for where to attach the breakaway pin wire. The RV "techs" at our Dealer had ours with the wire hooked to the 5er hitch head in the truck. This would not help if the breakaway was due to the hitch head coming off its support somehow (no idea of a scenario for that). I have it hooked to the clip on a long dog leash attached to one of the eye-pads in the truck bed.

Also the switch instructions say, " Do not hook cable to safety chain loop or the hitch ball." Same idea.

My comment was made as sarcasm. Should have added a :)

If my trailer ever breaks loose the last thing I am going to worry about is the controller. Worry about the controller is even way down the list from cleaning my pants.

LarryJM wrote:

BFL13 wrote:


No, you are supposed to have the lengths of the wires and cords so that the 7-pin gets pulled out before the breakaway pin does. With a TT instead of a 5er, you also have those safety chains. If the TT comes off the ball to the chains, I am not clear if that counts as a breakaway. I think I would like the 7-pin to still do the braking then and not get pulled till the chains broke too.

You can of course believe anything you want, but I do not share your concept of how the breakaway switch and the 7 pin connector work together. I think you will find your opinion also not shared by those that have studied this issue in some depth and I wish you good luck in trying to control a trailer and not running into a ditch while trying to control that trailer with one hand while fiddling with your brake controller that has "disconnected from the ball" and is only connected by the safety chains with your regular brake controller.

I want my brake away switch to activate just after the tongue becomes unconnected from the tow vehicle, but is still attached via the safety chains. I could care less what the status of the 7 pin plug is and I will have "BOTH HANDS" firmly planted on my steering wheel attempting to control my TV as best I can until my speed is reduced to a safe level or stopped.

Larry

I am happy to learn what is proper in this situation. I did say I was unclear about the situation if the TT came off the ball but the chains still held. I have a 5er, no chains.

I would not be fiddling with the brake controller, since mine is automatic like most are, so I would be braking with my foot and have both hands on the wheel like you.

I was thinking the breakaway full braking would just cause the trailer wheels to lock up and drag, which is not so good as the regular brake controller that is properly adjusted not locking up the trailer wheels( but does brake the trailer a bit more than the truck, so the trailer stops first.--"rolling friction is greater than sliding friction" being the key, as you probably know.) I suppose the danger is if the truck and trailer get out of alignment when it drops on the chains? Please explain in more detail, thanks.

I am happy to learn what the experts say about that in case I ever get a TT and need to know that. This must all be in some sort of TT driver's manual what to do?

If you disagree with the idea the brake controller can be damaged by having the breakaway pin out with the 7-pin still connected, take it up with the people who write the owners' manuals on that.

BFL13 wrote:


No, you are supposed to have the lengths of the wires and cords so that the 7-pin gets pulled out before the breakaway pin does. With a TT instead of a 5er, you also have those safety chains. If the TT comes off the ball to the chains, I am not clear if that counts as a breakaway. I think I would like the 7-pin to still do the braking then and not get pulled till the chains broke too.

You can of course believe anything you want, but I do not share your concept of how the breakaway switch and the 7 pin connector work together. I think you will find your opinion also not shared by those that have studied this issue in some depth and I wish you good luck in trying to control a trailer and not running into a ditch while trying to control that trailer with one hand while fiddling with your brake controller that has "disconnected from the ball" and is only connected by the safety chains with your regular brake controller.

I want my brake away switch to activate just after the tongue becomes unconnected from the tow vehicle, but is still attached via the safety chains. I could care less what the status of the 7 pin plug is and I will have "BOTH HANDS" firmly planted on my steering wheel attempting to control my TV as best I can until my speed is reduced to a safe level or stopped.

Larry

kellertx5er wrote:

BFL13 wrote:
Tekonsha says don't do it and so does the instructions for the switch.

"4. WARNING. Disconnect trailer plug before testing breakaway unit. Failure to do so will result in severe damage to electronic brake control."

Apparently, it does not always fry it. But that's what the instructions say.

I guess Tekonsha expects you to unplug the 7-pin before your hitch fails and pulls the breakaway pin?

No, you are supposed to have the lengths of the wires and cords so that the 7-pin gets pulled out before the breakaway pin does. With a TT instead of a 5er, you also have those safety chains. If the TT comes off the ball to the chains, I am not clear if that counts as a breakaway. I think I would like the 7-pin to still do the braking then and not get pulled till the chains broke too.

I think the whole thing is for a crash where the tow vehicle is now stopped and the trailer has come off and would roll down the road on its own till it hit something if it didn't have its brakes come on using the power from the trailer mounted battery.

Also some common sense is required for where to attach the breakaway pin wire. The RV "techs" at our Dealer had ours with the wire hooked to the 5er hitch head in the truck. This would not help if the breakaway was due to the hitch head coming off its support somehow (no idea of a scenario for that). I have it hooked to the clip on a long dog leash attached to one of the eye-pads in the truck bed.

Also the switch instructions say, " Do not hook cable to safety chain loop or the hitch ball." Same idea.

kellertx5er wrote:
I guess Tekonsha expects you to unplug the 7-pin before your hitch fails and pulls the breakaway pin?

If your hitch fails, your brake controller is the least of your worries.

BFL13 wrote:
Tekonsha says don't do it and so does the instructions for the switch.

"4. WARNING. Disconnect trailer plug before testing breakaway unit. Failure to do so will result in severe damage to electronic brake control."

Apparently, it does not always fry it. But that's what the instructions say.

I guess Tekonsha expects you to unplug the 7-pin before your hitch fails and pulls the breakaway pin?