Expert Answers about Chevrolet Trailer Breakaway Kit
- How to Test the Hopkins Engager Trailer BreakAway Kit
- On the Hopkins Trailer Breakaway Kit, part # 20099, when you push the test button the green LED will light if the battery is over 12 volts. If the battery is less than 12 volts the red LED will light illuminate.
I would also recommend to check the wiring of your breakaway kit. I am including a link to a video of the breakaway kit being installed.
1 - Connect one black wire from the breakaway switch to the blue electric brake wire coming from the trailer side connector.
2 - Connect other...
view full answer... - Troubleshooting Breakaway Kit When Plunger/Pin is In Place But Brakes Wont Release
- Reinserting the plunger or pin back into the breakaway switch should release the trailer brakes. You may need to back the trailer up slightly to get them to release.
If reinserting the plunger or pin does not cut off the power to the brakes on your trailer, then you can either remove the breakaway battery or cut one of the wires going to or from the breakaway switch. One wire is coming from the breakaway battery and the other wire is going to the brake circuit on the trailer. Cutting...
view full answer... - Trailer Brakes Not Working When Using Hopkins Engager Trailer BreakAway Kit # 20099
- The Hopkins Engager Trailer Breakaway Kit, part # 20099, uses the 12V power wire on your vehicle 7-way connector to charge the breakaway battery so it can activate your trailer electric brakes in the event of a trailer disconnect. Your tow vehicle battery provides the charging voltage for the breakaway battery (but only when the engine is running).
I suggest you review the linked article concerning the installation of breakaway kits. This covers important details for both installation...
view full answer... - Troubleshooting UPG Breakaway Kit To Allow Trailer Transport To Service Center
- You can get your trailer to a repair center without a breakaway battery working. You will just need to disconnect the power going to the switch for the pin prior to the pin. This will disengage your breakaway system until you can get it looked at. If there is still power going to your brakes, there is a short somewhere else in your system.
Another option is to get the kit and replace it yourself. If you just need a battery, I recommend the Breakaway Kit Replacement 12 V Battery # HM20008....
view full answer... - Will Breakaway Pin Being Pulled on Trailer Breakaway Kit Drain Battery
- If you pull the pin of a trailer breakaway kit the breakaway battery is going to lock up the trailer brakes as long as it can till the battery dies. The battery will drain pretty quickly. You'd want to store it with the plunger inserted.
view full answer... - Breakaway Kit Not Working Properly and Causing Issues with my Brake Controller
- If I understand correctly when you hit the brakes in your truck the trailer brakes work fine. Then if you pull the pin on the breakaway switch the trailer brakes do not work and will not work again even using the truck until you put the pin back in the breakaway switch.
If this is the case there is a wiring problem with your breakaway kit the main trailer brake wire should run directly to the brakes and the breakaway kit should only be spliced into that. It sounds as though the trailer...
view full answer... - Brakes Not Activating When Breakaway On Dexter Breakaway Kit # 34-285 Is Pulled
- I contacted our representative at Dexter about the issue you were having with the Dexter Breakaway Kit # 34-285 on you 36 foot tandem axle gooseneck trailer. The Dexter representative informed me that the Breakaway Kit is not designed to lock up the brakes, but to stop the trailer.
If you have electric brakes on your trailer, you will have to roll the trailer about a foot or two for the electric magnet in the brakes to activate.
If, after rolling the trailer the brakes do not activate...
view full answer... - Troubleshooting Trailer Breakaway Kit on Trailer with 2016 Ram 2500
- Typically, a trailer breakaway kit will have enough power to engage the trailer's brakes for fifteen minutes once the pin is removed. So, if the pin was removed while your vehicle was idle, then it's possible that the battery had died before getting back on the road during your trip. This would explain not noticing the brakes locking up while driving, even though the pin was not present.
If you need a replacement battery, you can use the Hopkins Breakaway Kit Replacement 12V Battery #...
view full answer... - Troubleshooting Trailer Brake Controller Saying N.C When Breakaway Pin Is In But C. When Removed
- Since the aftermarket trailer brake controller says N.C (Not connected) when the pin is installed in your breakaway switch, but .c (connected) when the pin is removed it is more than likely due to the breakaway kit wires are connected incorrectly and are not sending the braking signal to the brakes unless the pin is pulled.
It looks like you were looking at the Hopkins Engager Push-To-Test Trailer Breakaway Kit w/ Built-In Charger - Side Load - 7" Wire # 20099 so if this is the breakaway...
view full answer... - Troubleshooting Confusing LED Lights on a Hopkins Engager Trailer Breakaway Kit
- It sounds like you might have one or two situations going on there. First, use the installation instructions, linked here for you, and make sure the breakaway kit is wired correctly. Also, check to be sure the plastic breakaway switch pin is correctly inserted into the breakaway switch housing.
Next, make sure that the ground wire from the breakaway kit, # 20401, is attached to the trailer frame and not wired into the trailer connector. My contact at Hopkins indicated that this could be...
view full answer... - Correct Voltage Reading from Tekonsha Trailer Breakaway Battery
- A standard trailer breakaway switch like # 3802348 does not have a circuit board but a unit like the Tekonsha Trailer BreakAway Kit # PS50-85-320 does have circuit board for its battery tester. If this circuit board is corroded, you need to replace the breakaway system since a voltage reading of 2V indicates the built-in battery charger is not functioning.
A healthy and fully charged breakaway battery should give you a voltage reading of at least 12V.
Your existing battery may still be...
view full answer... - Troubleshooting a Breakaway Kit Installation that Locks Up Trailer Brakes All the Time
- .27 volts would not be enough to lock your trailer brakes. I would recommend you check the voltage of the brake output circuit of your trailer wiring to determine what kind of voltage is there if anything.
I would also check the wiring of your Engager Breakaway Kit # 20099. It sounds like the wiring is off somewhere. You might try uninstalling the # 20099 and seeing if the brakes stay locked up.
Check out the picture I attached that shows how the breakaway kit should be wired.
I also...
view full answer... - Troubleshooting a Trailer Breakaway Kit that Drains the Battery When White is Connected
- The white wire is the ground wire of the breakaway kits like part # 2028 that you referenced. When it is connected it is completing the circuit for the battery to the trailer wiring. The problem you are having would indicate that there is a circuit on your trailer wiring's 12 volt circuit that is drawing amperage from the battery. This shouldn't be happening unless your battery is run straight to the breakaway battery and not through the charger.
I would recommend you check the wiring...
view full answer... - How to test Hopkins Trailer Breakaway Kit when LED test light doesn't work
- Since the test light isn't illuminating on your Hopkins Engager Push-To-Test Trailer Breakaway Kit w/ Built-In Charger - Side Load - 7" Wire # 20099, it sounds like it could be one of the following issues:
-test light is burnt out
-breakaway kit is faulty
-wiring is incorrect or damaged
I would start by unplugging the trailer wiring connector from the tow vehicle, then pull the lanyard pin on the breakaway system and see if your trailer brakes are engaged when you try to slowly pull the...
view full answer... - Why Is There No Light on Hopkins Engager Push-To-Test Trailer Breakaway Kit With Test Button
- There should be a light on the Hopkins Engager Push-To-Test Trailer Breakaway Kit part # 20400 when you press the test button no matter the battery status. If ones does not appear, check your connections but you'll likely need a new unit as this would point to an issue with the circuit board.
I recommend plugging the trailer into the vehicle for 15 minutes as this is what is needed to charge the battery completely. If you don't get any lights after that you know there is an issue with...
view full answer... - The Battery on the Hopkins Engager Breakaway Kit is not Charging When Used With a 2007 GMC Sierra
- The Hopkins Engager Breakaway Kit, # 20099, takes about 20 minutes to recharge. Your 2007 GMC Sierra New Body must be running to charge the battery. The charging light on the breakaway kit will always stay on as long as the trailer is connected to the tow vehicle, but that does not mean the battery is charging.
If you let your vehicle run and the battery will not charge, then you can take the battery to a local automotive store and have them test the battery.
I have linked the installation...
view full answer... - Yellow Light On Hopkins Engager Push-To-Test Trailer Breakaway Kit Still On While Disconnected
- I spoke with Hopkins about the yellow light on the Hopkins Engager Push-To-Test Trailer Breakaway Kit part # 20400 staying on while the trailer is disconnected and they stated this was likely due to an on-board battery on the trailer sending power to the breakaway module. In order to prevent this you'd need to install a diode like part # RM-690 inline on the circuit which runs from the main battery to the trailer connector.
If there is no on-board battery on the trailer then the only...
view full answer... - Replacement Breakaway Switch Kit for an Older Kit That Has Melted Wires
- Usually when wires become melted that means there is a short somewhere in your wiring. That would need addressing first before you do anything else because if there is a short somewhere and you haven't identified it yet, the same thing is just going to happen again.
Once you find and fixed the wire(s) that are causing the short, you can then replace your breakaway switch with the Replacement Switch for Curt Soft Trac I and II Trailer Breakaway Kits # C52010.
These kits are universal...
view full answer... - Why Would Trailer Breakaway Battery Only Charge When Pin Is Pulled
- Sounds like you might have some of the wires of your breakaway kit reversed. If you check out the picture I attached you'll see how the kit is supposed to be wired. Most likely your issue is between the connections to the blue and red wires of the trailer in the diagram.
view full answer... - Troubleshooting Trailer Breakaway Battery Kit Not Wired Correctly
- Thank you for all of the details!
From what I'm seeing I don't think you have the breakaway switch connected properly. You want the blue wire from the breakaway switch to be connected to the trailer brake wire and then the black wire to be connected to the blue (or output to trailer brakes) wire from your breakaway battery.
I've attached a wiring diagram of the Hopkins Engager Push-To-Test Trailer Breakaway Kit w/ Built-In Charger # 20099 for you to check out. Wire colors can vary sometimes...
view full answer...
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