Thread: electric brakes

I'm not familiar with electric brakes, but assuming you are activating electronic magnets, which require a closed circuit, then you should in theory get the same reading as if there was any other load in the circuit. I.E a continuity reading. Your best bet (if you dare to connect it up) is to put an ammeter in line to see how much current it draws. Hope this helps in lieu of a better answer from the many brillient minds on this forum! My City & Guilds is a bit dated now LOL

Thanks Snowbird
I think I will cut the wires where they come out of the brakes and check the reading there if its the same and the wires that run to the plug show no continuity with the magnets disconnected, I can assume no direct short.

If I get continuity with the magnets disconnected, to me it would show a short in the wires as they run through the chassis of the van?

Then I might get brave and hook it up to the trailer plug on the Landy.

Thanks Andrew

Hello!
You could try running 12 v through a headlight globethen the brakes with one wheel on the caravan jacked up and see if there is any breaking effect.
If it's a dead short, the globe will just run at full output.
Don't do it for long though you may overheat the coils in the brakes (not likely though)

Fraser

^that.

with the possable exception that the brake controller is mounted to the van and is stuffed.

If the feed wire from the plug goes straight to the brakes then you should also get a controller for the brakes fitted to the trailer or the tow vehicle.

doing the headlight bulb trick is cheap but effective as a long term solution for a brake controller, the trick is picking the right wattage bulb.

What brake controller do you have ? It will be a case of hooking one up and testing how many amps each wheel draws. The coils themselves only have about 3 ohms resistance (Which is probably why it shows as a short, but could be normal) and anywhere from 2 -5amp draw each depending on make. Any more than that, and the electromagnet is probably U/S. Most of the Tekonsha range have an indicator for a shorted electromagnet - which is how I found out about one of my magnets being stuffed. The good news is that the coils aren't too expensive and readily available (Including the older versions you should have).

Hi Dave
Havent hooked the van up to the vehicle yet, the brake controller worked perfectly on the last two trailers. The wiring on this van is woeful and I want to try and get it right on the van before I melt wires and blow circiut breakers.

The controller (Tekonsha ) is fitted to the vehicle not the van From what I have discovered so far there is a feed from the controller to the magnets, two wires on the magnets, 1 is feed from controller the other is earth, simple set up and the wires on the magnets are interchangable.

I will try the wiring with the magnets disconected if I still get a short i will have a fair idea something is wrong between the trailer plug and the brake. The wires run through the chassis and they also show signs of recent work. New insulation tape and crimp terminals all tied up with a bit of string?

Might have to wait untill all the large black spiders die before I get under it again. I sprayed the underside with rust preventative and the spiders are not happy, had at least 2 down my kneck so far

Andrew, if you connect 12v to the brake wire on the trailer at the hitch via a headlamp globe, and check if you can rotate a wheel, then you will know if the wiring works or not without getting under the van, or cutting any wires.

That was what I was trying to suggest.

Good luck!

Originally Posted by fraser130

Andrew, if you connect 12v to the brake wire on the trailer at the hitch via a headlamp globe, and check if you can rotate a wheel, then you will know if the wiring works or not without getting under the van, or cutting any wires.

That was what I was trying to suggest.

Good luck!

This seems like the way to go will give it a try Thanks to all that helped
Andrew