break away switch killed by Matthew

[riven1950]

We evacuated our house on the NC coast for Hurricane Matthew. Went about 170 miles inland. We missed the big winds but it rained for about 24 hours straight.

When we hooked up to leave my GF noticed the break away switch was just hanging. " what is this " she asked. I was explaining and went to hook it back up and noticed the box it fits in was pretty much melted and actually smoking a bit.

Anyway, being Sunday, hurricane, a lot of power out, I decided to just cut the wires and tape them off. We made it home ok with the TT, which is more than I can say for my S&B, but that is another story.

Couple of questions:

Is the likely cause just a piece of **** switch that got too wet and shorted or should I check something else out, wiring wise?

Any recommendations on a good replacement to buy or are they all pretty much the same?

2014 Apex 215rb TT

Thanks in advance,

[JBarca]

This option or an adaption to it, may help on how to clip the breakaway to the truck and not the receiver. See on your truck what you have to work with.

On my 2005 Ford, see the chain that goes through a loop and a stainless carabiner.





On my prior 2003 K2500 Suburban. The chain went through holes in the bumper.




Hope this helps

John

[riven1950]

I am no expert so don't take my advice but I decided to hook mine to the hitch where the chain is hooked but on a separate clip. I figure if my whole hitch falls off I have problems a breakaway switch won't solve.

I just found out this year the ba cable is supposed to be shorter than the chains, or at least tighter so the switch will work if the ball comes off and chains are still on.l had never really thought of that. that seems more important than where the cable is hooked.

[austingta]

Lantley wrote:

austingta wrote:
I hook it to the safety chain attachment point, but not the safety chain. .

Hook it to the frame of the vehicle or something other than part of the hitch. If for some bizarre reason the entire hitch broke loose you want pin to pull at the breakaway switch and the brakes to engage

I looked underneath the truck and I think the factory 2 1/2 receiver is completely welded to the frame. My breakaway cable is about 4 feet long and I don't see a better place. Where do you recommend?

[riven1950]

OP here: I had the wheels packed today and got the dealer to check the brakes. The brakes are ok. The dealer said in his experience the breakaway switch will melt, as mine did , and disconnect before the magnets are damaged. I have no idea, but I think he was being honest. Otherwise he missed a real opportunity to hit me with a brake repair bill and I would not have known the difference.

[Lantley]

austingta wrote:
I hook it to the safety chain attachment point, but not the safety chain. .

Hook it to the frame of the vehicle or something other than part of the hitch. If for some bizarre reason the entire hitch broke loose you want pin to pull at the breakaway switch and the brakes to engage

[austingta]

I hook it to the safety chain attachment point, but not the safety chain. .

[Cameo_Phil]

Breakaway cable should be hooked to a solid point on the TV. Be sure you have enough slack in the cable so it doesn't pull the breakaway switch when you turn.

[travelnman]

Now that we are on this topic. Does anyone have an opinion of where the best
place is to hook the break away cable. The guy I bought the TT from had it
looped around the safety chain hook. Others say hook it to the car frame.Still
others say to the hitch.

[atwowheelguy]

When I purchased my toy hauler second hand, it has been stored in a garage for a long time. The brakes didn't work. The magnets were ruined. The mechanic that looked at them said if the breakaway switch is pulled, the batteries will usually run down before any damage is done to the magnets. If it is hooked to shore power and the brakes remain activated, it will eventually ruin the magnets. The labor cost to replace just the magnets made it impractical to do that. It was cheaper to have whole new brake assemblies installed.

[BenK]

Sounds like a piezo beeper wired into the breakaway box for me...

[Bird_Freak]

riven1950 wrote:

If the box was smoking, the pin had been pulled for a long time. Possibly for as long as you were parked there.

Very odd that you didn't hear the annoying hum from the brakes. All my electric brakes are very audible. Makes your teeth itch.

Was the pin and cable on the ground? If so, someone either stepped on the cable and yanked the pin out, or some curious kid walked by and pulled it out to see what would happen.

I don't think Matthew killed your switch

As I stated before,I don't know when the pin was pulled. Pin cable and chains were all hung over the tongue as normal so no one stepped on them. Very few kids around to play with it. Guess it got pulled somehow when we disconnected, although I figured it just shorted out somehow. Anyway, at this point it doesn't matter, as I still need to get the brakes checked. Mystery to me. I'll surely check it from now on when we disconnect.

I kind of had my tongue in my cheek when I said Matthew did it. He kind of did since we had to hook up and leave home to get out of his way, so it is his fault! 🙂

Mine was also tonge in cheek.:B

[riven1950]

If the box was smoking, the pin had been pulled for a long time. Possibly for as long as you were parked there.

Very odd that you didn't hear the annoying hum from the brakes. All my electric brakes are very audible. Makes your teeth itch.

Was the pin and cable on the ground? If so, someone either stepped on the cable and yanked the pin out, or some curious kid walked by and pulled it out to see what would happen.

I don't think Matthew killed your switch

As I stated before,I don't know when the pin was pulled. Pin cable and chains were all hung over the tongue as normal so no one stepped on them. Very few kids around to play with it. Guess it got pulled somehow when we disconnected, although I figured it just shorted out somehow. Anyway, at this point it doesn't matter, as I still need to get the brakes checked. Mystery to me. I'll surely check it from now on when we disconnect.

I kind of had my tongue in my cheek when I said Matthew did it. He kind of did since we had to hook up and leave home to get out of his way, so it is his fault! 🙂

[Bird_Freak]

I don't think Matthew killed your switch. :h

[mkirsch]

If the box was smoking, the pin had been pulled for a long time. Possibly for as long as you were parked there.

Very odd that you didn't hear the annoying hum from the brakes. All my electric brakes are very audible. Makes your teeth itch.

Was the pin and cable on the ground? If so, someone either stepped on the cable and yanked the pin out, or some curious kid walked by and pulled it out to see what would happen.