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How Do I check to see if Trailer brake ontroller is working?

Started by JOE.G, August 04, 2020, 10:08:33 AM

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JOE.G

Hi, I have a Tekonsha unsure what model but I can check later today, It is just a basic slide controller, I hooked up a trailer that has Electric brakes but the controller didn't do anything no lights lit up on the controller even if I slide it manually. The trailer I used may not have working brakes so It was not the best one to try ( Trailer is going though a overhaul ).

How can I check the controller with out a working trailer hooked up?

Should it light up if I slide the slider over with nothing hooked up?

Any and all tips would be great .

Thanks

2004 Ram 1500 with Factory Tow Package.
Husqvarna 562XP Woods Ported .025 pop up MM
Husqvarna Rancher 55 2005
Husqvarna 450 Anniversary Edition 2010
STIHL 009 1998
STIHL HT 131 Pole Saw 2012
STIHL FS 110 R Trimmer 2010
STIHL BR 600 Magnum Blower 2012

Crusarius

There is a gain setting that needs to be adjusted. If you are just testing to see if its working you can crank it up and if the trailer brakes are working you will hear a hum standing next to them.

No idea if your controller has any lights so it may not light up.

doc henderson

Mine is the same brand from 2007.  it is digital.  with power it has red dots on the screen.  when connected it has a C.  it has 3 overall settings, and  a rheostat for fine tuning.  most trailer places have a plug and play tester, and some will plug it in for free, hoping if it does not work, you will let them fix it.  can check fuses ect.  you can get a plug or pigtail and plug it in, and check for voltage on the leg for brake, with the controller depressed.  
Timber king 2000, 277c track loader, PJ 32 foot gooseneck, 1976 F700 state dump truck, JD 850 tractor.  2007 Chevy 3500HD dually, home built log splitter 18 horse 28 gpm with 5 inch cylinder and 32 inch split range with conveyor powered by a 12 volt tarp motor

mike_belben

Make sure the controller has power and no blown fuse.  Apply power to the input wire [it normal goes to your brake pedal switch] and use a test light on the output wire.  It should vary from dim to full brightness.
Praise The Lord

sawguy21

What doc said. As Mike suggested check the fuse and spray contact cleaner on the receptacle and plug contacts.
old age and treachery will always overcome youth and enthusiasm

doc henderson

some trailer ground through the tongue.  it is better to have a dedicated ground.  my dad taught me in automotive or 12 volt systems, "if it ain't the fuse, check the ground".  some old trailer the lights would not come on till I drive a while.
Timber king 2000, 277c track loader, PJ 32 foot gooseneck, 1976 F700 state dump truck, JD 850 tractor.  2007 Chevy 3500HD dually, home built log splitter 18 horse 28 gpm with 5 inch cylinder and 32 inch split range with conveyor powered by a 12 volt tarp motor

alan gage

Like Mike said you'll probably need a test light. Many controllers won't light up or doing anything if they don't sense a load (trailer connected). If you connect a test light to the output wire the light on the controller should light up and then if you manually energize the controller the test light should light up.

Alan
Timberking B-16, a few chainsaws from small to large, and a Bobcat 873 Skidloader.

Crusarius

Dumb question. Some vehicles that have factory trailer installed may not actually have it activated in the computer system. are you sure the trailer wiring works at all?

JOE.G

Can I test the 7 pin on the truck with a volt meter? What pins would I check? Ill have to check power coming into the controller first I would think. I honestly have not looked into it much yet figured Id get some pointers first. Electric is not my strong point. Trailer wiring I am not sure about, I do have all the lights working on trailer when plugged in.
Husqvarna 562XP Woods Ported .025 pop up MM
Husqvarna Rancher 55 2005
Husqvarna 450 Anniversary Edition 2010
STIHL 009 1998
STIHL HT 131 Pole Saw 2012
STIHL FS 110 R Trimmer 2010
STIHL BR 600 Magnum Blower 2012

doc henderson

If working well, you can apply the brake an feel a tug on your vehicle as it rolls, and poss. slide a tire on an empty trailer.
Timber king 2000, 277c track loader, PJ 32 foot gooseneck, 1976 F700 state dump truck, JD 850 tractor.  2007 Chevy 3500HD dually, home built log splitter 18 horse 28 gpm with 5 inch cylinder and 32 inch split range with conveyor powered by a 12 volt tarp motor

terrifictimbersllc

Yes you can check the voltage on the plug. You might need a helper. The white wire is ground and the blue wire is the brake so if you check across those with the slider full on,  you should get a significant voltage forget if it's 12 might be as low as seven When you press on the brake or the activator  button on the controller if it has one.  You should notice that when you move the slider toward less braking, that this voltage will decrease when the brake is applied.

When I do this alone, I wedge a stick in between the seat and the brake and use the seat control to depress the brake.
DJ Hoover, Terrific Timbers LLC,  Mystic CT Woodmizer Million Board Foot Club member. 2019 LT70 Super Wide 55 Yanmar,  LogRite fetching arch, WM BMS250 sharpener/BMT250 setter.  2001 F350 7.3L PSD 6 spd manual ZF 4x4 Crew Cab Long Bed

btulloh

Do you have a trailer hooked up or are you just testing the controller/truck end with nothing hooked up?  

Google 7 pin trailer connector if you need a pinout.  Plenty of info on that.

Most brake controllers have a switch or control on the front to activate the brakes manually.  Find out how your controller does that.  That's step #A.  If you have a trailer hooked up, apply the trailer brakes manually from the controller when you're just rolling along at low speed.  If you're on grass or gravel, you can see the tires lock up in your side view, or feel the trailer brakes slowing you down if on a hard surface.  Best done on level ground.

With no trailer, using the pinout you googled, you can use a trailer test plug, meter, or simple test light to see if it's supplying power when you activate the control.  Certainly easier with 2 people.  

If you've got a trailer on and the brakes aren't working, you're back to troubleshooting the whole business.  Trailer wiring is always a suspect - more likely than trouble at the truck or controller end.  It's not rocket science, but does require a systematic approach since there are multiple points of failure in a trailer brake system.  Ground being the #1 culprit in most cases, as stated above.

If all that gets too overwhelming, trailer sales and service places have the experience needed to run these things down quickly.  Money well spent in some cases.  
HM126

doc henderson

so I thought mine was a Toshiba.  must have been my last truck.  this is a prodigy.  



 

 

 

off, power, and not connected to trailer
Timber king 2000, 277c track loader, PJ 32 foot gooseneck, 1976 F700 state dump truck, JD 850 tractor.  2007 Chevy 3500HD dually, home built log splitter 18 horse 28 gpm with 5 inch cylinder and 32 inch split range with conveyor powered by a 12 volt tarp motor

Stephen1

Mine will not light up if there nothing connected properly. Mine only light up when the brakes are connected properly and the number I set to shows. 
You can buy and use a 7 pin tester. Plug it in to your truck it will light up the 7 lights on the plug and show what is and is not working.. If it doesn't light up It is a simple tester for us simple people. 
IDRY Vacum Kiln, LT40HDWide, BMS250 sharpener/setter 742b Bobcat, TCM forklift, Sthil 026,038, 461. 1952 TEA Fergusan Tractor

mike_belben

At full slide a good controller will pass full input voltage. Probably 13.4ish at idle.

Put your meters on beep mode.  Scratch the trailer with one probe and the receiver frame with the other.  If you dont have a beep you dont have good ground.  

Dim trailer lighting is almost always solved by running a small wire all the way from the negative battery post to the female plug then a ground wire from the male plug to the chassis.  I try to never rely on steel chassis for grounding.  Ill run wires and lug them to the mounting bolt if its designed for chassis grounding [1 wire bulbs] 
Praise The Lord

JOE.G

Husqvarna 562XP Woods Ported .025 pop up MM
Husqvarna Rancher 55 2005
Husqvarna 450 Anniversary Edition 2010
STIHL 009 1998
STIHL HT 131 Pole Saw 2012
STIHL FS 110 R Trimmer 2010
STIHL BR 600 Magnum Blower 2012

Wudman

Quote from: JOE.G on August 04, 2020, 10:08:33 AM
Hi, I have a Tekonsha unsure what model but I can check later today, It is just a basic slide controller, I hooked up a trailer that has Electric brakes but the controller didn't do anything no lights lit up on the controller even if I slide it manually. The trailer I used may not have working brakes so It was not the best one to try ( Trailer is going though a overhaul ).

How can I check the controller with out a working trailer hooked up?

Should it light up if I slide the slider over with nothing hooked up?

Any and all tips would be great .

Thanks

2004 Ram 1500 with Factory Tow Package.
My F-150 has the tow package, but was not activated when I took delivery of the truck new.  The relay was not installed in the fuse panel.  It came with the truck, but was not installed.  Check to be sure that the relay is in the system and that you are getting power to the controller.
Wudman
"You may tear down statues and burn buildings but you can't kill the spirit of patriots and when they've had enough this madness will end."
Charlie Daniels
July 4, 2020 (2 days before his death)

Tom King

Didn't read the thread, if you can find (know you said you didn't have one, but this is a method if someone does) a working trailer that can be hooked up, hold a directional (as opposed to one that draws circles) compass a few inches above a trailer hub, and have someone press the brake pedal.  If the needle turns to point to the wheel, it's working.

sawguy21

I messed with trailers for years and never thought of that!
old age and treachery will always overcome youth and enthusiasm

dgdrls

Get a 7 pin tester,

about $10-15,  you'll know right quick whats working or not

D

moodnacreek

Quote from: mike_belben on August 04, 2020, 12:24:38 PM
At full slide a good controller will pass full input voltage. Probably 13.4ish at idle.

Put your meters on beep mode.  Scratch the trailer with one probe and the receiver frame with the other.  If you dont have a beep you dont have good ground.  

Dim trailer lighting is almost always solved by running a small wire all the way from the negative battery post to the female plug then a ground wire from the male plug to the chassis.  I try to never rely on steel chassis for grounding.  Ill run wires and lug them to the mounting bolt if its designed for chassis grounding [1 wire bulbs]
I also wire both sides of the trailer and solder everything. N.Y. is a salt state.

JOE.G

I figured it out today and the issue is in the trailer, I used a volt meter and a test light and everything on the truck side is working as it should and with the test light the controller also lit up.

Now I need to figure out how to wire the trailer up correctly.
Husqvarna 562XP Woods Ported .025 pop up MM
Husqvarna Rancher 55 2005
Husqvarna 450 Anniversary Edition 2010
STIHL 009 1998
STIHL HT 131 Pole Saw 2012
STIHL FS 110 R Trimmer 2010
STIHL BR 600 Magnum Blower 2012

doc henderson

new trailer stuff includes the plug and wire, that goes into a "connection box" so you can then send wire to all the appropriate lights, and brakes.  thanks for the update!  I have tried conduit for trailer, but not yet a plan I can pass on.  nice to protect the wires
Timber king 2000, 277c track loader, PJ 32 foot gooseneck, 1976 F700 state dump truck, JD 850 tractor.  2007 Chevy 3500HD dually, home built log splitter 18 horse 28 gpm with 5 inch cylinder and 32 inch split range with conveyor powered by a 12 volt tarp motor

JOE.G

Is there a Kit? Any pointers on where and what to get?
Husqvarna 562XP Woods Ported .025 pop up MM
Husqvarna Rancher 55 2005
Husqvarna 450 Anniversary Edition 2010
STIHL 009 1998
STIHL HT 131 Pole Saw 2012
STIHL FS 110 R Trimmer 2010
STIHL BR 600 Magnum Blower 2012

snowstorm

i added the trailer control to one of my fords. the control is a little over $200. the wiring harness is already on the truck. then its snap it in thats the easy part. then the dealer has to program it. that was $50

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