Testing the Activator II Brake Controller on a 2003 Chevy 2500 HD Pickup  

Question:

Expert Reply:

To test the Draw-Tite 2-8 Brake Electronic Brake Controller, item # 5500, you will need to use a circuit tester, item # PTW2993 if needed, to test the connections at the back of the brake controller and at the trailer connector. Start with the black wire on the back of the brake controller, you should get 12 volts power constant on this wire, next test the red wire at the back of the brake controller, you should get power on this wire only when the brake pedal is pressed. Next check the blue wire, you should get power on this wire when the brake pedal is pressed and when the manual slide is activated. If any of these functions are not working, then you will need to find where the problem is.

If there is no power on the black wire, then check the fuse under the dash in the electrical center. If the fuse is good make sure that the power wire is attached to the power stud located at the junction box. If this connection is not made you will need to remove the support brace behind the junction box and find the red brake controller power feed wire and attach it to the closest positive post, next check the blue wire if it is not connected to the farthest positive post then you will need to remove the plug from the blue wire located on the cab side of the fuse block and connect it to the farthest positive post. We have detailed instructions for vehicles without a factory 7-Way on our Brake controller installation page (see link) for you to review.

The light that comes on, on the brake controller, leads me to believe that your controller has power and when the brake pedal is pressed it is waking up the brake controller. The controller will shut down after 15 minutes of inactivity to conserve power. If all of the brake controller wires seem to be functioning properly you will need to make sure the blue brake feed wire is supplying power all the way to the brake controller connection in the trailer connector at the rear of the vehicle. This connection is number 2 inside the connector (see link). If this connection is not working and you cannot find the cause then a new 10-gauge wir, item # 10-1-1, can be ran from the blue wire on the brake controller to this connector in the 7-Way to power the trailer brakes. If there is power to the connector when the brakes are applied, you will need to check the wiring on the trailer and the trailer brake magnets.

Finally, if the connections are all properly made and there is no power on the blue wire at the back of the brake controller then the brake controller is bad, and you will need to replace the brake controller. There are no user serviceable parts inside of the brake controller.

expert reply by: Robert G

0