Break away setup questions

[DrewGzy]

I've got a few questions about pulling a trailer. I've pulled a few trailers before, but this is finally my own trailer and I have a few questions



The trailer is nothing fancy, it is 2 years old, tandem axle, 16' flatbed, bumper pull, it's got brakes on one axle, and it has the breakaway setup. I've got a Tekonsha Prodigy controller in the cab. My only real question is about the breakaway setup. The previous owner of the trailer had never used the setup, and disconnected one of the terminals on the battery. I figure since I've got the setup I should use it.

So, first off I want to check the battery:

Should it be 12 volts or 6? If the battery is not fully charged, is it alright to put a small battery charger on it?

What is the easiest way to test and make sure the setup will work?

Finally where should I attach the small cable that actually engages the setup should I lose the trailer. I was thinking to set it up so it is just a little tighter than the safety chains. That way if I lose the ball mount and not the safety chains the trailer will lock up. Or is it better to just attach it to the truck so it will only engage after the safety chains have been broken.



The truck/trailer combination that I will be pulling weighs about 7000 lbs.



If I left out some information let me know, and thanks for the advice.

 

[RMcCulloch]

It's probably 12V - someone would have had to go to great lengths (and expense ) to find/fabricate 6V brakes.



If it's been sitting for a while, the battery could be dead or simply need charging. Charging it would, definitely, be the first step in determining whether or not to replace it.



If the wiring pigtail is a 4-pole, you'd need to recharge it periodically but if a 7-pole connector, the center lead is +12V and can be used to keep the battery charged while connected.



As to the breakaway, the important thing is to not have it too short - you don't want it to activate prematurely (like in a tight turn). Personally, on a bumper-pull, I prefer to have mine a little longer than my safety chains - otherwise, if the hitch jumps off the ball, the trailer brakes will be adding to the strain on them and possibly cause them to break. (I've had trailer tongues resting on the chains before. )

 

[BCook1]

Location

After hearing the Bargman (the maker of many harness plugs and recepticals) was being sued because a trailer had come unplugged and someone had died, I looked carefully at how mine attached. I ended up zip tying a hitch pin to the trailer harness and sticking it through one of the unused hitch ball holes in the bumper. I tied it on with more cord than needed to reach the receiver. I attached the breakaway to the pin. The extra pressure on the plug keeps it engaged. Haven't had a problem yet.