We have a trip coming up next week towing the camper and my brake controller has began to act up. It is operating correctly when no trailer is attached (a decimal on the readout). The problem begins when I begin to pull, I can press the brakes once or twice and they will work ok, then I may press them the third time and I will get a error message and I will have no trailer brakes. So, I am getting an intermittent error message and brakes work some of the time. The controller is a Drawtite Activator II, I have no problem tossing this controller and buying a new one but I want to make sure that I just dont have a wiring problem. What is the best way to go about testing the controller and/or the wiring and finding the source of my problem? Thanks

99 F250 v10

 

Do you have another trailer around that you could test your tow vehicle with? Like your brother's, father's, friend's, etc?

 

Take a look at the diagram whiskey posted in the post.

https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/1...mendation.html

The #2 connection should be checked for corrosion on both male and female connectors. Spray some wd 40 in the connection and plug/unplug several times.
If that doesn't solve the issue, you must have a bad connection leading back to the brakes themselves or too much resistance on one of the brake actuators.
With the actuator/brake pedal depressed, go back and make sure all brake drums are "humming" due to current reaching that wheel. Obviously get a helper for this.

 

OK, went out today to try and figure this thing out and now I am getting the decimal point but no reading, before I would get a reading when i applied the brakes, trailer lights work. I swapped in a friends controller and no power at all on it no lights on the controller or nothing, lights on trailer still work.

 

Did you clean the connector? I think you need to ensure that you have a good ground between truck and trailer.
So many times...

 

I did clean the trailer plug connector and the truck connector, used some compressed air and clean the pins on the truck with some scotchbrite. It is like I am getting no power now, but the trailer lights work. Taking it to a friends house this morning who is a little more knowledgeable than me, hope he can figure it out, next Sunday is fast approaching. I could just buy that 2013 f150 Ecoboost I looked at yesterday, that should fix my controller problems, just would have a debt problem then .

 

I'd get under the trailer and look at the connectors going into each hub. If one is up against the frame, shock, or leaf spring, you might have a direct grounding of that brake. I would still listen for the hum at each wheel with another person pushing on the brakes to ensure all are activated. At least you can reduce the possibilities and move towards the truck side.

 

I'll jump in and throw out a couple of comments as this situation comes up often and is not normally all that hard to troubleshoot.

First, you started off saying the problem was intermittent. Is it still intermittent and does the controller always work the first couple of times? If so, it almost has to be the controller.

Does the problem happen when moving or while static?

I am assuming you know to do all testing with the manual slide on the controller. If it works manually, but not in synch with the brake pedal, it is the controller.

Have you taken voltage reading at the seven pin on your truck?

Steve

 

I forgot to throw in here most folks focus on the pins on the trailer side of the seven pin plug, which is not where contact is lost on that plug most often, in my experience. The pins normally corrode from the backside and will almost completely rust off in some cases. The plug seal on the underside of the truck is a weak point.

Just an added thought,

Steve

 

OK, the reason I had now power at all was a blown 30amp fuse, once the fuse was replaced I was getting brake power to the 7 pin connector but no reading on my controller. So, swapped in my friends Prodigy and it worked as it should but we didnt have a trailer to hook to (3 days of rain and a soaked yard!). Then I went to the local auto part store were a friend works and got one of there mid level controllers just to try out, hooked up the trailer and the controller seems to work as it should. Here is the controller, I did notice once I applied brake, it would run up to around 10 on the readout then drop back to 0, is this normal with this controller? Hopkins Agility Trailer Brake Controller - Plug In - 1 to 4 Axles - Proportional Hopkins Brake Controller HM47294

 

It does sound like the replacement controller is working without a trailer tethered, but I still can not tell whether there is an additional problem. After you replaced the fuse, what did the old controller say?

I reviewed the installation manual for your original controller and am assuming the error message you were seeing was "ER", which he manual says means the controller is bad. If you were seeing anything else, what was it. The reason I am being somewhat repetitive is I suspect more good controllers are replaced than almost anything else in the RV braking system.

I suspect you have already reviewed the manual for your Draw Tight, but if not, here is the URL http://www.hitchpro.com/application/...ions/N5500.pdf

 

My controller would only show "." after the fuse was replaced, it was showing an occasional ER when hooked up to the trailer.

 

The ER message would be primary in this case and means a controller failure. The instructions say that is the only thing ER can mean with or without a trailer attached.

Steve

 

Thanks Steve and others for your input and help, should i keep this controller or get another?

 

All controllers work and the one you have is certainly acceptable. You can get one with more bells and whistles and there are clear favorites among the folks who post on this forum. I have used quite a collection over the years and never had problems with any of them.

For any of the electronic controllers complaints are really very rare among end-users. The cheapest controllers (timed) are jerky, but are still out there with plenty of users. The controllers with accelerometers to match the rate of slowing of your tow vehicle are the smoothest and most of the software for those is written by just one or two people who consult, so the software programs are very similar.

Steve