Troubleshooting Trailer Brakes Not Working With Thin Gauge Brake Wiring

Question:

I put a pair of these on my stock trailer. I don’t think they are as strong as they would be. For instance, empty driving down a gravel road, I hit the manual over rude and the wheels don’t lock up. They are adjusted properly with about 30 miles on them. After quite a bit of braking, the hubs do feel warm and I can also feel the brakes engage. I did notice the wire I bought was only 16 gauge and I meant to buy 10 gauge. Could this have an affect on the performance?

asked by: Tom

Expert Reply:

For the Electric Trailer Brake Kit # AKEBRK-35-SA you need to use at least 12 Gauge Wire # 12-1-1. The thin 16 gauge wire you are using is not capable of carrying the amperage needed for the brakes. Having this thin wire you also risk damaging the wire as it will overheat trying to push the amperage through the thin wire.

expert reply by: Bud M