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    Trailer brake/electric question

    Let me see if I can type this so that folks can understand......
    I recently bought a small Jayco travel trailer. It is a single axle, 3500 pound loaded weight and has electric trailer brakes.
    I pull it with my 2011 Toyota Tundra 5.7l that has the factory towing package installed but did not come with the factory brake controller like some of the newer models. I purchased and installed a Hopkins Impulse controller and the factory wiring harness pigtail that allowed a plug and go scenario.

    When I depress the gain button, the digital numeric values light as thet should as does the same digital display when I manually adjust controllers output. So obviously I have power to that point

    When the new camper is hooked up and I depress the brake pedal nothing lights up and the trailer brake is not activated. I got my trusty old 12v test light and proceeded to the rear of the truck to test each of the 7 prongs of the 7 prong receptacle.
    right turn signal.....bright red test light
    left turn signal......bright red light
    flashers................bright red light
    back up lights.......bright red light
    Running lights.......bright red light
    BRAKE LIGHTS......very dim, barely visible red light????

    any ideas green screen as to where to start

    #2
    Ground?

    Comment


      #3
      Originally posted by pyrobow View Post
      Ground?


      Can count on a ground issue

      Comment


        #4
        run a small jumper wire inline to the frame with clean metal-
        its usually white on trailers but dont quote me on this

        Comment


          #5
          what color wires out of your brake controller, and what color did you match them to on your pigtail?

          Comment


            #6
            Here is mine using a reese controller.

            Tundra pigtail at top, controller bottom.

            Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk

            Comment


              #7
              Originally posted by duckmanep View Post
              what color wires out of your brake controller, and what color did you match them to on your pigtail?
              It is the "plug and go"...but the colors are red, white, blue, and black....a generic pic of the controller, the pigtail and Toyota plug receptacle



              Sent from my SM-G892A using Tapatalk

              Comment


                #8
                Originally posted by Thwackdaddy View Post
                Let me see if I can type this so that folks can understand......
                I recently bought a small Jayco travel trailer. It is a single axle, 3500 pound loaded weight and has electric trailer brakes.
                I pull it with my 2011 Toyota Tundra 5.7l that has the factory towing package installed but did not come with the factory brake controller like some of the newer models. I purchased and installed a Hopkins Impulse controller and the factory wiring harness pigtail that allowed a plug and go scenario.

                When I depress the gain button, the digital numeric values light as thet should as does the same digital display when I manually adjust controllers output. So obviously I have power to that point

                When the new camper is hooked up and I depress the brake pedal nothing lights up and the trailer brake is not activated. I got my trusty old 12v test light and proceeded to the rear of the truck to test each of the 7 prongs of the 7 prong receptacle.
                right turn signal.....bright red test light
                left turn signal......bright red light
                flashers................bright red light
                back up lights.......bright red light
                Running lights.......bright red light
                BRAKE LIGHTS......very dim, barely visible red light????

                any ideas green screen as to where to start


                Have you actually pulled the camper and noticed poor braking?

                The controllers now use brake force, inertia etc to determine how much power to send to the trailer brakes. Sitting still pushing the brake pedal I would expect very little power going to the trailer.

                If you used the hand actuator on the controller it’s self I would expect full power (bright test light) at the plug.

                Comment


                  #9
                  Originally posted by bboswell View Post
                  Have you actually pulled the camper and noticed poor braking?

                  The controllers now use brake force, inertia etc to determine how much power to send to the trailer brakes. Sitting still pushing the brake pedal I would expect very little power going to the trailer.

                  If you used the hand actuator on the controller it’s self I would expect full power (bright test light) at the plug.

                  Yes, I have pulled the trailer and have noticed zero braking. Even pushing the gain button.......nothing.

                  The trailer is very lightweight and really don't need the trailer brakes in normal braking situations but it would be nice to have the confidence in the trailer brakes if the situation arises that they are needed

                  Comment


                    #10
                    .

                    Comment


                      #11
                      My truck had a towing package but when I added a trailer brake I also had to add a fuse to the under hood fuse box for the trailer breaking system to work.

                      Comment


                        #12
                        I did the same as you (OP). 210 tundra, added the wiring harness, just plug and play. hooked up the P2 brake controller and have never messed with it again. works fine. used on several different trailers.

                        basically saying im no help, sorry. but I didn't do anything different from you, other than brand of controller. maybe harness is bad?

                        Comment


                          #13
                          Originally posted by Katch66 View Post
                          My truck had a towing package but when I added a trailer brake I also had to add a fuse to the under hood fuse box for the trailer breaking system to work.
                          The Tundra already comes with a 30 amp fuse labeled TOW BRK. It is there and not burned out

                          Originally posted by Rescue1 View Post
                          I did the same as you (OP). 210 tundra, added the wiring harness, just plug and play. hooked up the P2 brake controller and have never messed with it again. works fine. used on several different trailers.

                          basically saying im no help, sorry. but I didn't do anything different from you, other than brand of controller. maybe harness is bad?
                          I guess it could be but I am getting voltage to everything just what appears to be weak voltage to the brake pole on the 7 pin connector

                          Comment


                            #14
                            I had the same issue in my dodge with a Reese controller. Took the controller back and upgraded to a prodigy, worked perfectly out of the box.


                            Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

                            Comment


                              #15
                              Do the brakes on the trailer work? Pull the emergency brake cable and see if the lock.

                              Comment

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