Parts Needed to Install a Trailer Brake Controller on a 2003 Alpine Coach 40FDTS Motor Home  

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Expert Reply:

A brake controller can be installed on your 2003 Alpine motor home, but you will need to do some hardwiring to get it installed. Since you are ready have a 7-Way trailer connector you will just need a few items to wire in the controller.

You will need a certain length of wire # 10-1-1, sold in 1 foot increments. It will need to be long enough to reach from the 7-Way all the way to the cab of the vehicle where the brake controller will be plus another 10 feet or more because extra will be needed. The wire will need to attach to the back of the 7-Way in the 7:00 position. You will then route it under the motor home, avoiding areas that may pinch or burn the wire, and into the cab of the vehicle by going through the firewall.

This wire will attach to the blue wire on a brake controller. Use some of the extra wire and attach a length of it to the white wire and black wire on the brake controller (separate pieces of wire for each of course!). The white wire needs to attach to the negative battery terminal. The black wire needs to first attach to a 30-amp circuit breaker, # PK54530, mounted to the metal under the hood, and from there to the vehicle positive battery terminal.

The red wire will need to attach to the cold side of the brake switch located above the brake pedal. use a circuit tester like # PTW2993, to probe the wires. You need the wire that only shows a signal when the brake pedal is pressed. If it also shows power with the turn signals or running lights it is not the correct wire.

I have included some links that should help you.

For a brake controller, I recommend the Tekonsha P2, # 90885. It is one of our most popular controllers because it is easy to set up and easy to use.

expert reply by: Michael H

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