Breakaway switch question.

[did]

New to this whole towing thing. Did I mess up by storing my 2014 27FB with the breakaway pin out? I wasn't informed, by the dealer, if I should leave it in or not. Am I going to find my batteries dead and did I do any damage?

Thanks for any info, Dan

[did]

"breakaway" not brakaway........Really, I'm not really illiterate. I just play one in real life. D.

[dznf0g]

Batts will be dead. I've heard some say that the magnets can be damaged by this, but I struggle with that.

[HowieE]

The brake away switch is an emergency switch that applies the brakes if the trailer become disconnected from the TV while on the road.

Yes your battery will be dead. Replace the pin before you install a new battery.

As for the magnets. They can be tested individually with an amp meter to see what draw they take.

I would suggest you ask what they will do before you go in as most dealers are thiefs and will milk a new comer to death.

[jcanavera]

Originally Posted by dznf0g

Batts will be dead. I've heard some say that the magnets can be damaged by this, but I struggle with that.

I've heard the same thing. I'm not sure if the magnets themselves or the actuator that energizes the magnets is the component potentially damaged. Supposedly excessive heat is generated when the brakes are energized by a long term disconnect of the break away pin.

I guess that once the batteries are recharged you could take the trailer out to a parking lot and try to energize the brakes from your brake control. That would tell you if they are working. Supposedly a properly set up controller will supply enough voltage at the manual max power application that will keep the trailer wheels just short of locking up.

Jack

[HowieE]

When the brake away switch is activated the only things in the circuit are the battery, wires, and magnets.

Each magnet will draw 3 1/2 amps and the resulting heat from a prolonged draw may cause the potting material in the magnets to melt and allow a short or open within the magnet. The possibility of a short or open is why I mentioned doing a test to see just what amperage each magnet draws now. A short or open will cause a damaged magnet to draw a current different from the expected 3 1/2 amps thus indicating a problem with that magnet.

Yes you could go out on the road but that would not give any indication of the condition of a given magnet. One may be bad and you would never know it.

[dznf0g]

Originally Posted by HowieE

When the brake away switch is activated the only things in the circuit are the battery, wires, and magnets.

Each magnet will draw 3 1/2 amps and the resulting heat from a prolonged draw may cause the potting material in the magnets to melt and allow a short or open within the magnet. The possibility of a short or open is why I mentioned doing a test to see just what amperage each magnet draws now. A short or open will cause a damaged magnet to draw a current different from the expected 3 1/2 amps thus indicating a problem with that magnet.

Yes you could go out on the road but that would not give any indication of the condition of a given magnet. One may be bad and you would never know it.

Here's what I struggle with....and I'm not doubting the possibility of heat damage....I've just never had occasion to experience yes or no to heat damage. What I question is, since the magnets are subject to high heat from both electrical resistance as well as A LOT of mechanical heat together when going down a mountain, for example, I can't see the heat from electrical application alone melting the pot material.

Anybody here actually experienced heat failed magnets from extended breakaway application alone?

[idroba]

Originally Posted by dznf0g

Anybody here actually experienced heat failed magnets from extended breakaway application alone?

I was parked at a friends place for 4 days, plugged in so my batteries were not run down. Somehow the break away switch pin got pulled out and the magnets were energized for the entire 4 days.

No indication of any problem in the thousands of miles since.

[HowieE]

If you reread my comments above you will note the word "MAY" was used to describe a possible failure point. Not that that is a given. The simple test here is to test each magnet with an amp meter.

This is a complete system test. Testing the battery, battery connections, the wiring, and each individual magnet and should take less than 10 minutes.

[did]

Thanks so much for all of your input, guys and gals. I just talked to the service dept. where I purchased it and their response was "Oops, I guess the tech should have said something." Ya think?

[ventport]

I would say you are in for a new set of batteries. After being completely discharged and left dead for a while the batteries will not hold a charge for long anymore.

[perryg114]

It is entirely possible to ruin a magnet by running full current through them for hours. Heat will build up. They things are not made to run 100% power indefinitely. This would be a thing called duty cycle. Real life is that they would be used intermittently and usually not at full power. They should be tested.

Perry