Trailer brake residual voltage

[drsmart]

A friend just sent me a link to a blog from someone that bought a new Ram and determined there was a problem with the integrated trailer brake. Wondering if anyone else has come across this. With the trailer hooked up but no brakes applied, he could hear a hum coming from the brake controller. When he felt the trailer brakes, they were warm. He then tested the brake line from the truck and measured 1.28 volts. Should be zero. Wouldn't this be enough to cause the brakes to drag not to mention premature brake wear?
The dealer service department couldn't resolve it so he installed a Prodigy and measured zero without brakes applied.
Any thoughts?

Dave

 

[Newsa]

My 2013 brakes worked like a charm. I leased a 21 ft travel trailer/camper this past June & towed it 2500 miles.

I set my brake controller gain at 6 (out of 10) at first. After 1000 miles, I decided to increase it to 7 and eventually 8.

Brakes were not dragging when not applied any gain I tried.

I heard stories of GMC duramaxes coming from factory without fuses for the brake controller.

When I heard that, I was a bit nervous about whether I would need to make trips to the auto parts store

If the dealer can't correct it. I'd consult your rights under the Lemon Law.

 

[Newsa]

Oh, he installed a prodigy, never mind about the Lemon Law. He now has a working controller.

I think the factory brake controller is good enough not to need to spend money on aftermarkets.

 

[crispyboy]

I have heard of this problem on another forum.
They may need to replace the factory controller or possibly put on an aftermarket controller. The DirecLink is probably the best on the market since the Maxxbrake is no longer manufactured.

http://www.direclink.com/

 

[RustyJC]

He then tested the brake line from the truck and measured 1.28 volts. Should be zero.

Who said it should be zero? As you know, the factory ITBC gives a "Trailer Brake Disconnected" warning if you lose continuity in the trailer braking circuit. The reason that the ITBC knows that continuity has been lost is that it sends out a low voltage signal on the blue trailer brake wire. If this voltage does not produce the corresponding current that the ITBC is expecting to see, then it gives the "Trailer Brake Disconnected" warning. Without a tracer signal going over the trailer brake wire and back through the ground wire, how else would the ITBC know that trailer brake circuit continuity has been lost?

Rusty

 

[RikDavis]

Some low voltage may be normal as stated in the post above.
Many of the aftermarket (Tekonsha for sure) controllers send a pulse every few seconds to confirm brakes are present. On a quiet day you can hear the brakes click every now and then.
I talked to a fellow in a campground who was complaining about hearing water dripping in his trailer but couldn't find the leak. I noticed he was hooked up and suggested he unplug his cord. When he did the "leak" went away

 

[Dieselnerd]

Before my first tow I checked my factory trailer brake controller by jacking up the trailer and spinning the wheels while my wife applied the trailer brakes. They locked up fine with the brakes applied and spun freely with no brakes. I never checked the voltage.

As far as I'm concerned, my integrated controller works as well as my old BrakeSmart did. After towing for about 6000 miles with the new truck now, I'm very happy with the controller. The exhaust brake makes a big difference too of course. I didn't even have to adjust my trailer brakes this year because of the excellent performance of the exhaust brake!

 

[Newsa]

Not trying to change the subject, but I am interested in something trailer brake related that I got contradicting info on.

I leased a travel trailer for the first time this past june. I was told by both leasing people at different companies that double axle travel trailers have 4 brakes. Yeaterday I was looking at specs for trailers online and all I checked only had brakes on the 2 wheels on the rear axle. That is unless I read it wrong.

I never thought to look on the leases trailer because I figured they were telling me the truth.

 

[Dieselnerd]

I have never seen a double axle travel trailer that did not have 4 brakes.

 

[RikDavis]

I have seen horse trailers with brakes on one axle only, but not travel trailers

 

[Newsa]

Ok, then I read the specs wrong. But what does it mean when it says Brakes :rear axle?

 

[RikDavis]

only way to know for sure is to crawl under and look for wires coming out of the backing plates. It may be they are building some low end trailers or light weight trailers that way.
The 61 Airstream I rebuilt, at one time had electric brakes on one axle and hydraulic on the other axle. I guess they were trying to cover their bases

 

[sag2]

The brake controller sends a pulsed voltage all the time to the brakes. I use a blower motor to test the controller. If you plug in the blower motor the squirrel cage rotates very slowly in pulses. Hit the brakes and off it goes.

 

[Powder Extreme]

It isn't uncommon for lightweight, small, cheaply built trailers to only have brakes on the rear axle. Looking at DOT laws in some states those trailers aren't even legal. Personally, I would be concerned what else a manufacturer cheapened out on if they only use one braking axle.