Troubleshooting Hopkins Impulse Brake Controller Damaged by Short Circuit on Trailer  

Question:

Expert Reply:

A severe short in your trailer's braking system such as what you describe could indeed fry a brake controller. Since you only get brake activity with the trailer's breakaway engaged, that suggests the unit is damaged.

You can further test it if you like by severing the blue wire at the back of the controller a few inches from the housing (leaving enough room to re-connect the two ends if necessary). Apply a circuit tester like # PTW2993 to the blue wire at the back of the controller while you press the manual override. If you get a signal here, then you can re-connect the ends of the blue wire and check the blue wire from the controller all the way to your 7-way. If there is a signal on that blue wire, then you know the unit still works and that your problem is in the wiring between the controller and the trailer connector.

If you need to replace the unit I suggest the Prodigy P2 # 90885. This easy-to-use and versatile controller is highly rated by our customers for its simple set-up and reliable operation.

If you'd like to tell me about your vehicle (year/make/model/version) I'll be glad to see if we offer a quick-connect wiring adapter for the P2 that will save you the time and effort of a hardwired installation.

expert reply by: Adam R

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