5th wheel wiring question

[ggorremans]

Got our new (to us) 2000 Cardinal home and discovered some wiring problems. Opened up the electrical junction box on the pin box and discovered, among the loose and barely making contact wires, that the breakaway switch was not wired.



Somebody had apparently replaced the wiring pigtail and did a crappy job.



Question: one side of the breakaway switch is blue wire and ties to the blue going to the brakes. The other side is orange/black and hanging loose. I assume this should tie to the battery +12v. Correct?



Thanks for the help... Gary

 

[RustyJC]

Gary,



Yep, the other side of the breakaway switch should be tied to the +12VDC side of the coach battery.



Edit - You probably already know this, but NEVER unplug the breakaway switch to test it with the trailer plugged into the brake controller of the truck. The backfeed of the full coach battery voltage into the trailer brake circuit can (and will) fry many brands of brake controllers.



Rusty

 

[ggorremans]

Rusty,

Thanks for the answer and the reminder regarding the testing of the switch.



Don't test while plugged into the brake controller and don't pop the brakeaway switch to hold the coach in place in lieu of chocks!



More things to remember as I/we get into the swing of RVing.



Thanks... ... gary