Best Way To Check Brake Light Signal For An Electric Brake Controller On A 1997 Ford Explorer

Question

Question:

What voltage should I be seeing on the light green wire that comes from the stop light switch when the brake pedal is engaged? I have tested both sides of that switch, and have found the switched side Light Green Wire but am only seeing around 0.32v when the brake pedal is engaged. This would be the signal wire used by the red wire on my brake controller. Thanks.

asked by: Josh

1

Helpful Expert Reply:

When checking the wires associated with a brake controller, you should use a incandescent circuit tester like # PTW2993. This will actually cause a power draw on the wire to light the bulb and give you an accurate visual of if the system is functioning correctly. You will need a 12V power for the brake controller to work.

I can confirm you are testing the correct wires and that the green wire will connect to the red wire on your brake controller. If the incandescent circuit tester is showing the same lack of power, you may have a bad brake switch.

I've attached a couple articles to help.

expert reply by: Jason S

1

Answer 1

There are a few things you will need to check on your trailer tail lights. First is the simplest and checking the light bulbs to ensure they are not burnt out. The tail light bulbs will have 2 filaments inside the light for the running lights and…

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Answer 2

Your main problem is an insufficient ground for the trailer wiring. Try improving the connection of the main ground wire of the trailer wiring harness. Make sure it is attached to a clean metal surface. Or you can run all of the trailer wires back…

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Answer 3

You have a short between the running light and stop/turn circuit on the side of the vehicle that stays on with the headlights. Go over that circuit starting at the assembly looking for any cut or exposed, touching wire and fix as needed.

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Answer 4

On your 2014 Harley Tri Glide, there is an open circuit on that brown pin for your running lights. I recommend tracing that wire with a circuit tester like #PTW2993 to locate the short. It sounds like it was spliced in on the wrong side of your…

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Answer 5

When a fuse is constantly blowing it does sound like something very simple - you have overloaded a circuit which is causing the fuse to blow so your best option would be to utilize things like LED lights that draw less power as opposed to any…

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Answer 6

You need to confirm your routed the brake lines to the proper pin on your trailer connector or you need to check the wiring on your vehicle side. The brake magnets can be wired either way, just one wire power and one wire ground. It sounds like there…

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Answer 7

Sound like one of the assemblies has the running light and stop/turn circuit switched as the brigher filament of the bulb should be the same on both lights and would explain why the side doesnt' work properly. On the dimmer assembly try swapping…

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Answer 8

That certainly sounds odd. Here is what I would try: First, unplug the brake controller for 5 minutes and plug it back in. This will perform a hard reset on the controller which is sometimes necessary after a new installation. If that doesn't…

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Answer 9

I contacted the manufacturer about the wattage draw of the Hook Probe Circuit Tester #PTW2993. They told me that the circuit tester will pull at least 5 watts.

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Answer 10

Yes. There should always be a very light power on your brake controller wire. However, it should be extremely minimal. As you increase in power using the manual override, you should see an incandescent circuit tester like #PTW2993 going from almost…

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Answer 11

The difference between the Class II and Class III hitches has to do with their Gross Trailer Weight (GTW), their Tongue Weight (TW), and their Hitch Receiver Size. Class II trailer hitch receivers have a 1-1/4 inch receiver and can be rated up to…

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Answer 12

In order to determine the torque rating for the lug nuts on your trailer you will need to know check out the chart I attached that shows all of the torque specs for all the trailer lugs available based on stud size, wheel material and wheel size.

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