Will Titan Brakerite EHB System # T4813102 Continue to Work if Connected to Dead Break-Away Battery

Question:

I have a query regarding the Brakerite EHB System. Can you please confirm that if the break-away battery connected to the system runs flat then the trailer brakes will no longer function. This appears to be what I am experiencing and I cannot see how this could be allowed in the design – as a flat or defective battery appears to be able to bring the system down. If this is the case - is there a way to also wire in the car battery to ensure that, no matter how flat the break-away system is, the trailer brakes will always be able to operate correctly? Please advise.

asked by: Darren G

Expert Reply:

I spoke with my contact at Titan to confirm the operation of the Titan BrakeRite EHB Electric-Hydraulic Actuator for Disc Brakes System, # T4813102, and you are correct that if the BrakeRite is connected to a dead battery, it will bring the system down. In order to prevent this from happening, you will want to make sure that you are using a good battery and that you check it each time that you get on the road. We do not recommend trying to make a direct connection to the vehicle battery. Having constant power from the vehicle would alleviate one from checking the brake-away battery since you would not have to worry about a lack of power to the trailer brakes. This could lead to a very dangerous situation if the trailer were to ever become disconnected from the tow vehicle and the break-away battery was dead or damaged.

In an emergency situation you could remove the leads to the break-away battery and use the 12V power from your vehicle to operate the system until you could get a different battery. The reason behind having to remove the leads is due to the fact that, if still connected, the circuit board will send power to try and charge the dead battery instead of sending power to the pump. In an effort to avoid a dead battery, I recommend using a maintenance charger like the NOCO Genius # 329-GENIUS5. This charger is virtually maintenance free and constantly monitors and maintains a 12V battery charge.

Please keep in mind that if the leads are disconnected or the break-away battery is dead and the trailer were to become disconnected from your vehicle, the brakes on the trailer will be inoperable.

If you have any additional questions, please don't hesitate to send me an email.

expert reply by: Leah S