Do you use electric trailer brakes?

[GBurton]

Everything that I have read concerning electric trailer brakes told me to connect the brake controller to the vehicle battery using a self-resetting circuit breaker, not a fuse. GM must not agree with that concept because they provided a fused 30amp circuit for the factory brake controller circuit. If you want to replace the 30amp fuse with a self resetting circuit breaker there is one available. The Buss part number is CB1911-30. Yes, it does fit as I just installed it in my truck. The color of the circuit breaker is very important. Silver is self-resetting. I believe there are two additional versions of the circuit breakers but you don't want either of them. One is a manually resetable breaker which is no better than a fuse since you can not reach it while driving and the other one will not reset until all loads are removed from it.

A bit of information for those of you who many not know why this is a good idea. Assume you have a damaged wire in your brake wiring going to or in your trailer. If that wire contacts ground, even for a moment, while you are braking you could blow the fuse. If that happens, you just lost your trailer brakes until you stop and replace the fuse. On the other hand if you use a self-resetting circuit breaker it will reset after a few seconds. If the damaged wire is not still touching ground, your electric trailer brakes will be working again.

yes, I understand that the brake controller operates by controlling the voltage to the brakes and there by limiting amount of current that is drawn by the brakes. With light brake application the chances of drawing enough current to blow the fuse is slim but if you apply full voltage to the electric brakes during max brake application it is possible that your brake controller could pass enough current to blow a fuse.

George

[SoMnDMAX]

George, the fuse provided is for the trailer battery charging circuit. I believe the trailer brakes are on a breaker.

[GBurton]

SoMnDMAX

Thanks for your comments. After reading your information, I went out to my truck to check. The trailer brake controller power is connected to STUD #2. I verified this two ways:

1) Owners manual, page 6-77, STUD#2 Accessory Power/Trailer Wiring Brake Feed.

2) Since I don't always trust owners manuals ;) I removed the replacement circuit breaker from the STUD#2 fuse position. Power to the brake controller was gone. When I replaced the circuit breaker in the STUD#2 fuse position I have power to my brake controller.

Can someone with a 2002 truck see if this is correct on a 2002?

STUD#1 is the 40 amp circuit that feeds the 12vdc hot lead to the trailer connector for trailer battery charging.

FYI, do you have a use for a 12vdc power source at the rear of your truck? Nothing says that you can only plug a trailer into the "trailer" connecter on the rear of your truck. Just don't try to power a winch smile.gif .

George

[ 06-22-2002: Message edited by: GBurton ]</p>

[tpitt]

George is right. Ask me how I know? :rolleyes: :rolleyes: George please give me a call when you get a chance. tpitt

[ 06-22-2002: Message edited by: tpitt ]</p>

[SoMnDMAX]

Really? I'm going to verify this for myself. I've got my truck in the shop today adding a secong pyro probe. I'll look into it, and post my findings.

What's wrong with powering a winch thru the circuit??? I power a small winch thru the circuit, without a battery on the trailer. The winch only pulls about 10 amps. Now, keep in mind this is a small winch- 1000 pounds dead pull, 5000 rolling. The winch is just big enough to pull a 3500 pound vehicle onto my trailer. If one was to use anything bigger, you'd certainly have to add larger wiring with the proper circuit protection.

[zip]

Thank you, George.
It's refreshing to see somebody giving info about an accessory OTHER THAN go-fast parts.
( I'll get flamed for that one!)
zip. :D

[tpitt]

SoMnDMAX:
When I was installing my Prodigy brake controller the factory harness was way to long, so I took a pair of diagonals ( politically correct word ) and cut the wires. Like the big dummy I am I forgot that it was plugged in the other end. Presto I blew the fuse.
Also wouldn't you be running the winch through the charging circuit instead of the brake control circuit? Terry

[ 06-22-2002: Message edited by: tpitt ]</p>

[SoMnDMAX]

Learn something new every day. :confused: The trailer brakes are in fact fused.

Tpitt, I'm running the winch thru the charge circuit, not the brake circuit.

Zip- what's wrong with go-fast parts??? :confused: :D :D :cool:

[tpitt]

SoMnDMAX:
Kinda figured you were, sounds like a good idea.
Zip: We wouldn't flame you, Just smoke you a bit as we go on by you. :D :D :D tpitt

[Colorado Kid]

If your electric brake controller is a Prodigy you don't need to worry much about that fuse, the Prodigy will display o.L and interupt power to the brakes when they short, before the fuse blows. At least that's what happened to me. After about 1 second (during which the driver goes :eek: ) it trys again, and my short had disappeared by then.

It also "looks" for shorts all the time (when brakes are not applied) and will display S.c if it detects one. Pretty smart controller! I found the bare wire on the trailer and fixed it right up.