Hopkins Impulse Brake Controller Shows 2.2 Volts All the Time on Blue Wire
Question:
2008 ford f150 with a impulse controller get 2.2 volts on blue wire all the time shouldnt I have 0 volts when Im not activating controller
asked by: Doug
Expert Reply:
At 2.2 volts that is excessive. A controller will send back a little power to check for a trailer but not that much. That would seem to indicate a short somewhere. The likely culprit is a dirty or corroded trailer connector. Many times, dirt or corrosion can cause a short in a trailer connector. Make sure the truck and the trailer side connectors are clean and free of corrosion inside and out.
You can test the brake output pin and it should only show power with the manual override. If it shows power any other time then there is a short somewhere between the connector and the brake controller you will need to track down.
If the truck side checks out fine then it could be the wiring to the brake magnets or the magnets themselves. Inspect the power wires to the magnets and look for pinched, frayed, or damaged wires and fix as needed. Make sure the ground wires are attached to clean and corrosion free bare metal surfaces.
You can visually inspect the magnets and if you can see the copper windings coming through the magnets will need to be replaced. To further test the magnets you can follow the help article I have linked. I have also included some help articles on testing and troubleshooting brake controllers for you.
