I want to pass along a recent experience to keep others from this same mistake.
I bought a M219 Heartland Edge trailer two years ago and have had good experience with it. Upon purchasing the Edge I moved it to the first trailer site where we intended to keep the trailer for a few years; not knowing on setting up I pulled the pin out of the Breakaway Switch so the cable would not be in the way. Big mistake but I was a newbie.
This weekend I was getting ready to move the trailer to a new site and did the normal inspections finding the Breakaway Switch had melted either as a result of pulling the pin two years ago or a short in the Breakaway Switch wiring.
Fortunately on inspecting the balance of the wiring all was well. It looks like the wiring in the Breakaway Switch melted and in doing so disconnected the Breakaway Switch from the battery. There is no fuse in this circuit so I was concerned that having the brakes energized for what ever time it took the switch to melt may have damaged the electric brakes.
Well it all went well; I replaced the Breakaway Switch and completed the wiring. Jacked up each wheel and spun each wheel pulling the pin on the Breakaway Switch and thus engaging the brakes which are still working fine.
I'm not sure whether there was a short or the cause was pulling the pin on the Breakaway Switch? I don't remember seeing anything on this site cautioning the pulling of the pin on the Breakaway Switch but I thought I would pass this along as a warning.
I bought a M219 Heartland Edge trailer two years ago and have had good experience with it. Upon purchasing the Edge I moved it to the first trailer site where we intended to keep the trailer for a few years; not knowing on setting up I pulled the pin out of the Breakaway Switch so the cable would not be in the way. Big mistake but I was a newbie.
This weekend I was getting ready to move the trailer to a new site and did the normal inspections finding the Breakaway Switch had melted either as a result of pulling the pin two years ago or a short in the Breakaway Switch wiring.
Fortunately on inspecting the balance of the wiring all was well. It looks like the wiring in the Breakaway Switch melted and in doing so disconnected the Breakaway Switch from the battery. There is no fuse in this circuit so I was concerned that having the brakes energized for what ever time it took the switch to melt may have damaged the electric brakes.
Well it all went well; I replaced the Breakaway Switch and completed the wiring. Jacked up each wheel and spun each wheel pulling the pin on the Breakaway Switch and thus engaging the brakes which are still working fine.
I'm not sure whether there was a short or the cause was pulling the pin on the Breakaway Switch? I don't remember seeing anything on this site cautioning the pulling of the pin on the Breakaway Switch but I thought I would pass this along as a warning.