Should a Circuit Breaker or Fuse be Used to Power a Brake Controller on a 2006 Ford Van

Question:

I have a 2006 Ford Econoline E-350. It does not have a factory towing package, so at the recommendation of the sales associate, I ordered the ETBC7 to install my brake controller. When looking around under the dash, to my surprise, I found a brake controller plug and even more surprising, the black wire is actually hot. Looked in the owners manual and located the 30-amp maxi-fuse under the hood for the brake controller circuit. I am wondering, should I just go ahead and use the existing power from that factory plug to supply the power to my brake controller, or would it be better to run a new circuit using the 30-amp breaker out of the ETBC7 kit and direct to the battery? My thinking is that if the factory maxi-fuse blows, I have to replace it, whereas if the breaker that comes with the kit blows, it will automatically reset itself. What are your thoughts?

asked by: Chris C

Helpful Expert Reply:

The path of least resistance might be the way to go. That would mean using the factory wiring. What you have said is true. If the fuse blows you have to replace it whereas a circuit breaker will reset. They both are serving the same function, protecting the electrical components. Ultimately it is up to you. We include circuit breakers instead of fuses for the very reason you have mentioned but a fuse can also be used. Many factory tow packages do have fuses and not circuit breakers so it is common.

If you go with the circuit breaker I have included a link to a video showing a typical ETBC7 installation on a 2002 Ford Van and an FAQ article on ETBC7 installation for you.

expert reply by: Michael H