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Break away cable pulled out draining battery

WallynDiane
Explorer
Explorer
We have a 2004 Holiday Rambler Presidential 5th wheel.

It is permanently parked in a campground. Earlier this spring, a bird built a nest in the front pin area. In pulling out the nest, we accidentally pulled out the break away pin.

We couldn't figure out why our battery was drained when we opened camp the last two trips. I did a google search and I found others who had a similar battery drain problem. I read to check that breakaway cable and it was pulled. The little box was very hot where the pin connects to. Also the box had a small heat deformity.

We plugged the cable pin back in and the box cooled down immediately.

Again, we don't move our RV. Is there any possibility the electric breaks were damaged while the cable was out?

I never heard of this before and since we may sell our rig in a couple of years, I don't want bad brakes. Any comments welcomed.
7 REPLIES 7

45Ricochet
Explorer
Explorer
sch911 wrote:
I'd be most worried about the state of the magnets after having them "hot" for so long....

I agree, thats about the only damage you could have done, other than the batteries. Your copper wire in your stick and bricks carry loads 24/7. A 12V load should not fry your brake wires or shoes or drums.
2015 Tiffin Phaeton Cummins ISL, Allison 3000, 45K GCWR
10KW Onan, Magnum Pure Sine Wave Inverter
2015 GMC Canyon Toad

Previous camping rig
06 Ram 3500 CC LB Laramie 4x4 Dually 5.9 Cummins Smarty Jr 48RE Jacobs brake
06 Grand Junction 15500 GVWR 3200 pin

Cougarnewbie
Explorer
Explorer
I made the same mistake as Path. Pulled the cable thinking theft protection. It drained the battery. More important, I got in the middle of Nebraska and discovered I had eight burnt, broken brake wires. IMHO the sustained heat had burnt the wires.
May All Your On Ramps be Downhill

sch911
Explorer
Explorer
I'd be most worried about the state of the magnets after having them "hot" for so long....
OEM Auto Engineer- Embedded Software Team
09 Holiday Rambler Endeavor 41SKQ Cummins ISL
2012 Jeep Grand Cherokee Limited Toad

Vulcaneer
Explorer
Explorer
John Bridge wrote:
Since the wheels aren't spinning, there is no wear or damage -- except to the drained battery. 😉


That depends. He may be right. But may be wrong too. The continued amperage load, can be damaging to the wires, connectors, and magnets. If the wire sizes were marginal to begin with, the chances of damage would be higher. Every situation is different. You could be lucky. Or not...
'12 F350 SB, CC, SRW, 6.7 PSD, 3.55 RAR, 6 spd auto
2015 DRV 38RSS 'Traditions'
Pullrite Super Glide 18K

Retirement = It's all poops and giggles....UNTIL someone Giggles and Poops.

John_Bridge
Explorer
Explorer
Pull the cable and the brakes simply engage. Since the wheels aren't spinning, there is no wear or damage -- except to the drained battery. 😉
Semi-"retarred" in 2006. 🙂 2008 Newmar Cypress 5th wheel, 2008 Dodge diesel dually to pull it with.

path1
Explorer
Explorer
I'm telling on myself a little bit...but when our trailer was brand new and we were newbie's we were told when the break away cable is pulled nobody could move the trailer. Great, built in theft protection I thought. When leaving our seasonal lot we pulled the cable. 2 weeks later of course battery was drained. Charged it back up and brakes worked fine. Maybe we were lucky.
2003 Majestic 23P... Northwest travel machine
2013 Arctic Fox 25W... Wife "doll house" for longer snowbird trips
2001 "The Mighty Dodge"... tow vehicle for "doll house"

downtheroad
Explorer
Explorer
Possible damage..but not for sure. How long was the cable out and brakes engaged?
"If we couldn't laugh we would all go insane."

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