Troubleshooting a Brake Controller that Has Voltage on Brake Output Circuit all the Time
Question:
I am trying to determine why the trailer breaks are not working. The truck is a 1981 chevy 1-ton, came with a voyager controller installed. but there is no light. I have voltage on black, red and blue wires. thing is the voltage is present on the blue wire weather the system is activated or not. I do not believe the blue wire should have voltage all the time. Is this correct? the email name results from I use to work as a tow truck driver.
asked by: Ken R
Expert Reply:
You are correct, your brake controller # 5504 should not be sending voltage on the brake output circuit at all times like it is doing. The red wire should only be sending voltage when the brakes of the tow vehicle are applied. This would indicate that this circuit is not connected to the correct circuit. You need to find the circuit that runs to your brake pedal switch on your 1981 Chevy truck that only sees voltage when the brakes are applied. Once you find that circuit connect the red wire of the controller to it and see if that fixes the problem.
Testing the brake controller is fairly easy. Sever the blue brake output wire and then apply the manual slide. Using a circuit tester like part # PTW2993, you should get output to the trailer brakes. If the manual slide activates the trailer brake output wire properly, try the brake pedal. If the brake pedal activates the brake output properly also then the problem is farther back either in the vehicle wiring or on the trailer.
If either the brake pedal or the manual slide are not functioning properly you will need to test the wires going into the brake controller. Make sure you have power entering the brake controller on the black wire. On the red wire you will only want power when the brake pedal is pressed.
If these connections check out and the brake controller is properly grounded then there is possibly a problem inside the brake controller.
I am including a link to a video that will show you how to test the wiring on a brake controller.
