Does Brake Output Pin on New Vehicle 7-Way Harness Need to be Active

Question:

I was following the hardwiring a 7 blade harness and was wondering what happens if i dont... wire up the brake control feed

asked by: Anthony R

Expert Reply:

If you are installing a new 7-Way connector using the Universal Wiring Kit # ETBC7 (or similar harness) on your vehicle and the trailer you plan on towing isn't equipped with electric brakes there's no reason the brake output wire needs to be run from the 7-Way connector. In this case the short brake output wire on the 7-Way can simply be capped off or if you're just installing a plug like # PK11893 the wire doesn't need to be added at all.

If your trailer IS equipped with electric brakes but you'd still rather not run this wire you can go with a brake controller like the excellent Curt Echo # C51180 that only requires an active 12V pin on the 7-Way. With this controller the brake output pin isn't used. You will just need to make sure you run the black power wire from the 7-Way up to the vehicle's battery to complete the circuit.

expert reply by: Chris R