Switched brakes when hooked up?

[flaagan]

In the process of fixing up a '72 Ambassador, currently parked on the side of our property, and my father and I were talking about ideas for when it's at a campsite (and hooked up to facilities). Something he asked about was whether you could set up a switch to power / engage the brakes while you're parked, as opposed to setting up one of those "x-brace" wheel chocks. Has anyone tried out something like that?

[Melody Ranch]

If you have battery power...pull the emergency brake disconnect pin on the A frame. Whats the matter with chocks...?

[overlander63]

You will burn up the electric brake magnets in a matter of minutes.

[AWCHIEF]

If anyone has tried it I suspect they found out quickly what a bad idea it is.

[flaagan]

Originally Posted by overlander63

You will burn up the electric brake magnets in a matter of minutes.

This is exactly what I suspected would be an issue. Thanks for confirming that thought.

[flaagan]

Originally Posted by Melody Ranch

If you have battery power...pull the emergency brake disconnect pin on the A frame. Whats the matter with chocks...?

Nothing at all wrong with chocks. He suggested the idea and I figured it was worth asking. Overlander63's reply about damaging the magnet was something I suspected, just wanted to hear it from another source to confirm.

[idroba]

Originally Posted by overlander63

You will burn up the electric brake magnets in a matter of minutes.

No you won't. I accidentally pulled the break away pin on my Argosy with a new axle and brakes. Was plugged into power so the battery stayed up. Found it 3 days later. Didn't hurt the brakes one bit. All it is is an electromagnet, taking about 3 amps at 12 volts, or 36 watts. They don't burn up in minutes.

[Wayne&Sam]

Otherwise you'd be replacing magnets after a long stop light.

[AWCHIEF]

Originally Posted by Wayne&Sam

Otherwise you'd be replacing magnets after a long stop light.

I have thought about that. At long stops I will usually shift into park, foot off the brakes. Truly necessary or not, I do not know. But I have read too many post warning about long activation of brakes to chance it.

[overlander63]

Originally Posted by idroba

No you won't. I accidentally pulled the break away pin on my Argosy with a new axle and brakes. Was plugged into power so the battery stayed up. Found it 3 days later. Didn't hurt the brakes one bit. All it is is an electromagnet, taking about 3 amps at 12 volts, or 36 watts. They don't burn up in minutes.

Someday, when I have nothing better to do, I'll post pictures of the melted breakaway switches and ruined magnets I've had to replace over the years, because people think "no, you won't".
Keep doing it, I need the work.

[TimeForFun]

I would like to add a few thoughts on electric brakes. An electromagnet is made up of many windings of wire. The wire is insulated with a thin coating of varnish like material. The heat can build up over time and melt the varnish. The wires may short internally and this will cause more heat. It will just destroy itself. Anyone try to remove a 25 watt incandescent bulb while it is on. That is a lot of heat. Also the manufacture doesn't recommend using them as a parking break. After working on my breaks it looks to me like the vehicle has to be moving before the breaks will work. Bottom line. They are not parking breaks.

[AWCHIEF]

Originally Posted by TimeForFun

I would like to add a few thoughts on electric brakes. An electromagnet is made up of many windings of wire. The wire is insulated with a thin coating of varnish like material. The heat can build up over time and melt the varnish. The wires may short internally and this will cause more heat. It will just destroy itself. Anyone try to remove a 25 watt incandescent bulb while it is on. That is a lot of heat. Also the manufacture doesn't recommend using them as a parking break. After working on my breaks it looks to me like the vehicle has to be moving before the breaks will work. Bottom line. They are not parking breaks.

Interesting first introduction post, welcome.

[batman]

Someone correct me, I think some countries in Europe require travel trailer to have a mechanical (parking) brake.
However, I see no real need for a parking brake. I do not (and would not) park on steep slopes or grades. Chocks work great for me!
I have hydraulic disc brakes on my Safari which uses an electric/hydraulic actuator. I have never tried to use them for parking brakes. I wonder???

[NWRVR]

I don't know what happens to the brakes, but I do know it will destroy the breakaway switch. I had my AS dealer check the brakes for function after inadvertently not reconnecting the breakaway plunger after unhitching and they found the break away switch destroyed. Also, if you do this while camping you will have the converter fan coming on frequently as it will be working overtime to keep the batteries charged or if using solar to maintain battery charge, with batteries disconnected, it will discharge the batteries and possibly damage them.

[idroba]

I was never suggesting that the electric brakes should be used for parking brakes. That is both silly and stupid. They were and are not meant for parking brakes.

My comment was that the brake magnets will not "burn up in a few minutes" if fully applied. I cited my personal experience with mine being accidentally left on for 3 days with no consequences. Three days is a lot more than a few minutes.

And yes, it is only one experience and the brakes and magnets were relatively new, that is less than a year old. Maybe old ones fail more easily after they have been used for many years, but I still very much doubt that they fail in a "few minutes" if left on or activated.

[dalemonroe]

Originally Posted by TimeForFun

I would like to add a few thoughts on electric brakes. An electromagnet is made up of many windings of wire. The wire is insulated with a thin coating of varnish like material. The heat can build up over time and melt the varnish. The wires may short internally and this will cause more heat. It will just destroy itself. Anyone try to remove a 25 watt incandescent bulb while it is on. That is a lot of heat. Also the manufacture doesn't recommend using them as a parking break. After working on my breaks it looks to me like the vehicle has to be moving before the breaks will work. Bottom line. They are not parking breaks.

It would not work very well for the reason above. The magnet sticks to a spinning disc when the vehicle is moving and the force of the spinning disc forces the brake shoes against the drum.

[blkmagikca]

Originally Posted by batman

Someone correct me, I think some countries in Europe require travel trailer to have a mechanical (parking) brake.
However, I see no real need for a parking brake. I do not (and would not) park on steep slopes or grades. Chocks work great for me!
I have hydraulic disc brakes on my Safari which uses an electric/hydraulic actuator. I have never tried to use them for parking brakes. I wonder???

I used to have a small English trailer that had a surge brake with a hand brake for parking it. In fact, I think if you take the factory tour at JC, you will see that the trailers made for the European market have the surge brake with a hand brake for parking.

My experience with the hand brake was not good. I had parked and was told to move my g*&# d^*&# trailer "forthwith". So I hitched up and took off forgetting to release the hand brake. This caused the return spring on one wheel to overheat and break. Finding a replacement was impossible, so I took the spring off the other wheel and had it duplicated. Unfortunately, they duplicated it exactly as per the one I gave them, whereas it should have been wound the other way. It kludged it and it worked for the next 5 or 6 years that we had that trailer.