Breakaway switch underpowered?

[teddies]

Testing breakaway and not getting any reaction from brakes. We swapped out the switch, no difference, and the new switch has an LED indicator that doesn’t light up either when pin is pulled. While swapping the switch out, we tried touching blue wires are together the brakes click but don’t hum, get a spark so there is definitely current. No problem with TV brakes or controller, and when umbilical is hooked up, brakes hum when pressing TV’s brake pedal.

Is it possible that the switch is just not getting enough current? How would this happen? Anyone had the same problem?

[wulfraat]

Sounds like your battery is dead perhaps? Voltage and current to energize the brake magnets comes 100% from your 12v battery when you pull the trigger on that switch.....

[teddies]

Originally Posted by wulfraat

Sounds like your battery is dead perhaps? Voltage and current to energize the brake magnets comes 100% from your 12v battery when you pull the trigger on that switch.....

It’s running the lights OK, multimeter reads full voltage, it’s weird. I’m plugging into 120 overnight to see if that makes a difference...

[teddies]

Originally Posted by teddies

It’s running the lights OK, multimeter reads full voltage, it’s weird. I’m plugging into 120 overnight to see if that makes a difference...

Lights are such a low draw maybe i wouldn’t notice if it was low.

[wulfraat]

I'd check the water level in your batteries as well while you are at it...

[Msherw]

Originally Posted by teddies

Lights are such a low draw maybe i wouldn’t notice if it was low.

Just because the LED lights work there is no guarantee the magnets work on the same voltage.

Check the battery with an analyzer that loads it. If that is ok, move to the breakaway switch for diagnosis repair or replacement.

[Al and Missy]

The brake magnets draw 3 amps each, so a total of 6 amps on your 16' trailer.

Brakes should not hum. They are fed with DC. If you hear a click that is the magnet grabbing the hub. Jack a wheel up, spin it, and pull the pin. Try to turn the wheel. At first it might be easy but then you should not be able to turn it.

They only work going forwards, not in reverse so be sure you are spinning it the right way.

Probably for the LED to light the switch bracket needs a good connection to the trailer frame. If it is mounted on paint, it may not work. That wouldn't affect the brake operation, only the LED.

Al

[teddies]

Thanks all very helpful! The battery was reading 13+ volts off the inside volt meter and with a multimeter directly at the terminals. Water levels were good. Will try grounding the switch better for the LED, but makes sense just to test directly by jacking it up. Will try this tomorrow and let you know how it goes.