Can the Curt Echo Brake Controller be Powered by a Battery on the Trailer

Question:

I have three cars with 4-pin connectors. Is there a reason I cant use a deep-cycle battery from a tear trailer for the hot wire for the Curt Echo brake controller and avoid having to install 7-pins on all three cars?

asked by: Elmer

Expert Reply:

Technically you could power the Curt Echo # C51180 with a battery on your trailer but there are definitely some downsides to this. The first is the issue of being able to connect the hot lead to an adapter. The RF has a 7-Way so if you were to use it with vehicles that only have a 4-Way an adapter like the Hopkins # 37185 would need to be used. This kind of adapter is supposed to be permanently mounted to a vehicle and it would likely get damaged if you were to leave it on your trailer and move it with the vehicle.

The second, and more important, issue is that you will have to keep the battery charged. This is a major safety hazard because if your battery were to die while you are going down the road this would mean that your trailer would no longer have functioning brakes. You would need to have a way to fully charge your battery before each trip.

Even though it is technically possible it isn't very safe or practical and we don't recommend doing so. For your application I recommend installing the Wiring Upgrade Kit # ETBC7L on each vehicle.

Attached are a few helpful articles to assist you in the installation process.

expert reply by: Jon G