Defective breakaway switch

traveler44

Well-known member
I did a pull test while leaving a repair center yesterday and found that I didn't have any braking action on the 5er. It turned out that the breakaway switch was defective and instead of locking the brakes up when the plunger was pulled, it caused the lack of braking. A new breakaway switch and all is fine now. It just seems dangerous to me to think that a defective breakaway switch could cause us to lose braking power. I'm sure glad that I learned to raise the landing gear a little and activate the brake controller and do the pull test before traveling. Tom
 

Ray LeTourneau

Senior Member - Past Moderator
For quite some time, I just assumed ours was wired correctly. One day while moving the rig the breakaway wire got pulled accidentally. I found out that it was working fine. Almost gave me whiplash. Well, not really. But I do know it works. I suppose it's a good idea to test it though.
 

RollingHome

Well-known member
In harmony with this thread, placing the battery disconnect switch in the off position will also disable the breakaway feature. When/if a trailer leaves the TV it will surely rip the power cord off too... When this happens all braking action stops because the battery switch is off. Just a "pre-trip" thought.
 

goodtruck

Well-known member
This is something I have always taken for granted.Guess it would be a good thing to put on the pretrip and post trip inspection.
Thanks for the info.
 

jpajax

Well-known member
On my previous sob camper I had to replace a battery terminal block and the camper had a battery disconnect switch, the breakaway brake switch was wired directly to camper battery. If I had a camper that had a disconnect switch I would make sure that the breakaway switch was wired directly to battery with a in line fuse.
 

RollingHome

Well-known member
Jim, just a suggestion, I would not worry about the inline fuse. It's only used in an emergency and who cares if it overloads the circuit. For example, electric booster fire pumps for comercial and industrial (building/s) sprinklers are not fused or overload protected. If they are running they are needed. Ditto for emergency RV brakes. You are correct the RV emergency brake circuit needs to be seperate from the house circuit and un-switched. As delivered, they are switched and this ain't good, may be a legal lawyer type thing though. JMO

Tom
 

jpajax

Well-known member
I was thinking about the wires that run inside the camper walls that might get pinched or rubbed and causing a short. Hate to lose a $70,000 camper over a $1.00 in line fuse. All so how many pull the pin to check to see if it really works or do it when you hook or unhook your rv.
 

RollingHome

Well-known member
Jim, good point ! I never tried or pulled my pin... However, I changed my hitch last month and went for a test ride... man did I get a lesson ! The cable "PULLED THE PIN" and all Hades brought loose. First I found out how "exactly" the breakaway switch worked ! Next I discovered how well my safety shoulder belt harness worked. Finally, I found out my Duramax has some serious power. It could actually tow locked up tires (and put flat spots on them). I was suffering from information overload ! After this fiasco, I now comfortably "pull the pin" to check my emergency brake function, it is absolutely NOT a big deal and we ALL should do it to get comfortable with what happens. Don't leave it out for too long or you will 'smoke' your brake coils. Also, in PA the break away is supposed to be tested once a year at inspection time... However, nobody does it :) Trust me, if your $70,000.00 rig has departed the $1.00 fuse will be your least concern... Can you just imagine, my fuse saved my rig... but my rig wiped out the north end of town... JMO
 
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