Brake controller and surge brakes...

[rw99]

Hey, all...

My truck has a brake controller unit on it, but the trailer for my new 21' I/O has its own surge brakes. Will plugging this trailer into the 7-pin connector on my truck screw anything up? Or will the brake controller automatically realize that there are no electric brakes connected to "talk" with?

Thanks in advance for any info,

Rich

 

[boat1010]

Re: Brake controller and surge brakes...

If your trailer has surge brakes I wouldn't think it would have a 7pin connector. But even if it does the wires will not go anywhere so the truck will not know the trailer is even there. As long as the plug is wired correctly.

 

[lncoop]

Re: Brake controller and surge brakes...

Yeah, I would think if the trailer has surge brakes it would have a flat four pin plug which will require an adapter for your truck. I assume you already have one, but if not you can find them at any auto parts store. They're not expensive.

 

[dockwrecker]

Re: Brake controller and surge brakes...

Check to see if your new trailer has a backup solenoid! If so, your surge brakes will DEACTIVATE if you plug it into a 7 to 5 pin adapter when the brake controller kicks in. No backup solenoid, no worries, use a 4 pin adapter. Usually backup solenoids are found with disc brakes but you didn't say which you have. There's another thread on here about back up solenoids that will tell you how to correctly connect one if you do.

 

[rw99]

Re: Brake controller and surge brakes...

Check to see if your new trailer has a backup solenoid! If so, your surge brakes will DEACTIVATE if you plug it into a 7 to 5 pin adapter when the brake controller kicks in. No backup solenoid, no worries, use a 4 pin adapter. Usually backup solenoids are found with disc brakes but you didn't say which you have. There's another thread on here about back up solenoids that will tell you how to correctly connect one if you do.

Ahhh, very good info. The new trailer DOES have a solenoid. My truck has separate 4-pin and 7-pin connectors. So if I plug the new trailer with surge brakes into the 4-pin I should have normal surge brake operation, right? Because the brake controller only operates via the 7-pin connector?

Thanks for the info, all...

 

[NelsonQ]

Re: Brake controller and surge brakes...

Ahhh, very good info. The new trailer DOES have a solenoid. My truck has separate 4-pin and 7-pin connectors. So if I plug the new trailer with surge brakes into the 4-pin I should have normal surge brake operation, right? Because the brake controller only operates via the 7-pin connector?

Thanks for the info, all...

What does the trailer have on it? My guess is it will have a 5 pin flat connector. So it'll provide standard ground, brake, and signals. the 5th should be for disabling the brakes to allow you to go in reverse. not sure how it'll map to your 7 pin connector. It will works with the 4, but if you backup on a slight incline, the brakes will activate.

 

[RL Gman]

Re: Brake controller and surge brakes...

The 7 pin should have the correct wire for the reverse solenoid. All you should need to do is buy a 7 to 5 adapter and should be just plug and play. The 5th wire is connected to the reverse lights, and should be the same on your 7 pin.

Just get the adapter, connect and on your way. I wont even get into the fact that you can just leave your wires connected while you back into the water...

 

[bhammer]

Re: Brake controller and surge brakes...

If you get a 7 to 5 converter, you will not deactivate your surge brakes. The selenoid is hooked into the backup lights and that is when the valve will open. The trailer brakes from your truck have nothing to do with that.

 

[gstanton]

Re: Brake controller and surge brakes...

Just for the record, the back-up lights are (standard) wired to the center pin on a 7 pin connector.

 

[bruceb58]

Re: Brake controller and surge brakes...

If you buy the adpater you have to be sure that it routes the center conductor of the 7 pin to the 5th pin on the flat connector because there are some adapters that send the brake controller wire to the 5th pin of the flat connector.

 

[dockwrecker]

Re: Brake controller and surge brakes...

If you buy the adpater you have to be sure that it routes the center conductor of the 7 pin to the 5th pin on the flat connector because there are some adapters that send the brake controller wire to the 5th pin of the flat connector.

Exactly. Buy a bare 7 pin female plug and connect the solenoid to the CENTER pin. Ditch the 5 pin plug. If you try to wire for a 5 pin, you'll just have a hassle dragging a lead from your backup lights to the 5 pin plug. You already have this connection at the 7 pin so use it! Extend the leads to connect all the way from the trailer to the bumper socket. Do this "trailer side" and it will always work correctly on a 7 pin plug. I guess the Chinese don't have a translation for "purple wire" when building solenoids for standard trailer connections...

 

[rw99]

Re: Brake controller and surge brakes...

If you buy the adpater you have to be sure that it routes the center conductor of the 7 pin to the 5th pin on the flat connector because there are some adapters that send the brake controller wire to the 5th pin of the flat connector.

OK, picking up the boat next Friday. Does anyone know what's more common on these 7-pin round to 5-pin flat adapters: brake controller routed to 5th pin or reverse lights routed to the 5th pin?

I can't find any wiring diagrams online for the adapters available...

Specific product numbers would be a huge help if you happen to have an adapter that routes the center (brake lights) pin of the 7-pin to the 5th pin of the 5-pin flat.

Thanks!

 

[bruceb58]

Re: Brake controller and surge brakes...

To be sure just make one yourself.

 

[NYBo]

Re: Brake controller and surge brakes...

OK, picking up the boat next Friday. Does anyone know what's more common on these 7-pin round to 5-pin flat adapters: brake controller routed to 5th pin or reverse lights routed to the 5th pin?

I can't find any wiring diagrams online for the adapters available...

Specific product numbers would be a huge help if you happen to have an adapter that routes the center (brake lights) pin of the 7-pin to the 5th pin of the 5-pin flat.

Thanks!

You want the backup light feed to go to the fifth pin, not the brake light.

 

[bruceb58]

Re: Brake controller and surge brakes...

You want the backup light feed to go to the fifth pin, not the brake light.

You don't understand what he is saying. On a 7 to 5 adapter, its not the brake light signal but the brake controller signal that gets routed to the 5th pin of the 5 pin connector.

 

[dingbat]

Re: Brake controller and surge brakes...

You don't understand what he is saying. On a 7 to 5 adapter, its not the brake light signal but the brake controller signal that gets routed to the 5th pin of the 5 pin connector.

The solenoid has nothing to do with the brake controller. The wire to the solenoid gets connected to the center pin (back up light) on the 7 pin.

Eliminate the whole problem by cutting that stupid 5 pin connector off and wiring a 7 pin on the trailer. Your trailer will then be compatiable with anything with a factory tow package.

 

[gstanton]

Re: Brake controller and surge brakes...

Agree with Dingbat. Just do it right and be done with it! Then you'll be ready for anything you might have to tow.

 

[NYBo]

Re: Brake controller and surge brakes...

You don't understand what he is saying. On a 7 to 5 adapter, its not the brake light signal but the brake controller signal that gets routed to the 5th pin of the 5 pin connector.

Why would you want to use the brake controller signal?

 

[bruceb58]

Re: Brake controller and surge brakes...

Why would you want to use the brake controller signal?

Exactly....but that is way most 7 to 5 adapters are configured!

 

[Yellow Yota]

Re: Brake controller and surge brakes...

You need this....
http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl...=1&hl=en&client=safari&sa=X&rls=en&tbs=isch:1

White is ground
Brown is tail markers
Yellow is left turn
Green is right turn
Orange is back-up lights (when in reverse, it will activate the solenoid on the trailer, disabling your brakes.)