I was installing the new 6-round plug on my 85 F-250, it already has a brake controller. I was checking to see if there was power from the brake controller to the plug(PO hacked them off at the old plug). I have a big red wire and a big blue wire. I knew the blue went to the brakes, and thought the red wire was for aux. power, but it appears to be a 2-stage brake system. If I push the pedal halfway, I get power from the blue wire, if I push the pedal all the way, I get power from both wires. Do I need to connect both wires, I have a 20' flatbed with 4 wheel brakes, but it only has one wire for the brakes. Would I be okay just hooking up the blue wire, and capping off the red one, or should I connect both wires to the one trailer brake wire? Did I mention I hate electricity?

 

try this site below. It show the schematic for a 7 pin - 6-pin and other stuff.
http://firefyter_emt.tripod.com/elec.htm

 

What brand of controller do you have? Are there big blue and red wires coming out of the controller, in addition to wires for power, ground and brake signal?

Steve

 

The controller is a Tekonsha, the model isn't listed anywhere on the unit. It's an older controller, it taps into the brake line, and has 3 wires coming out the back, red, black, and blue.

 

Shouldnt you have a 1)ground 2)stoplight 3)brakes 4)power? Just curious. Might try to do a search for the manual on the brand of Tekonsha you have. Never heard or delt with a "two stage" so you got me stump.

 

I'm kinda stumped too; if the controller is plumbed into a hydraulic brake line then I guess that's the signal, with the 3 wires being 12VDC power in, 12VDC out to the trailer, and ground. Does the controller have any adjustments?

Steve

 

There is a wheel on the bottom to make some kind of adjustment, and then the slide control **** on the front. There is also a pad on the inner fender with a U shaped spring, that has a clamp connecting the sides, with arrows indicating which way to move the clamp for more or less trailer brake. I just checked the Tekonsha site, and with out a model type, it's like a needle in a haystack.

 

Aha! This was discussed not too long ago; that fender-mounted item is a resistor to determine braking force. Very old - I'd stick a Prodigy in there instead, so you can make adjustments while moving.

Steve

 

I have another controller to stick in there, but I didn't want to take the brake line apart and have to bleed the sytem yet. I figured I would just use this one for a bit. If I do swap in the other controller though, would I just need the blue wire? I shouldn't have to worry about the red one? I believe the other one is a 2030.

 

It all depends on how many wires that 2030 has.

Steve

 

It has 4 wires, black, red, blue, and white.

 

You shouldn't need that red wire at the back then, but you still need to find out how to wire that 2030. Are 2 of the wires thick and 2 thin?

Steve

 

I just found a wiring diagram for the 2030 on the Tekonsha site, white is ground, blue is brakes, black is power, and red is brakelights. I will try the old one with just the blue wire for now, and eventually get the 2030 installed this spring. I hate the thought of bleeding brakes just because I uncapped 1 line for a few seconds. I will probably throw on a new Master cylinder while the lines are apart, so it's not a total waste.

 

Be careful when you tow that trailer for the 1st time - the other posts about your present controller said the brakes seemed to be either full on or full off, plus stopping to adjust the resistor was a real pain.

Steve

 

I wont be hauling anything too heavy for awhile, so if it gives me any trouble, I will just disconnect the wire until I get the other one swapped in. The last truck I pulled this trailer with didn't have a brake controller, and I never had any problems with it. I just took extra caution in judging braking distance and following other vehicles. Since I have a brake controller now, I figured I may as well use it.