I recently purchased a vintage camper. When I got it the electric brakes were disconnected and only a 4-pin connector was wired in. I purchased a 7-pin tail / connector for the camper and replaced the 4-pin. I then installed a new lead from the 7-pin to the first brake in the system (all are wired in parallel) because the old wire was missing insulation in a few spots and I could see copper at one of those spots. I am also cleaning up the connection at each brake. During this I discovered the original 7-pin shoved back into the camper frame and the brake wire showed signed of getting hot and melting the insulation; this has been completely abandoned. I do not know the exact cause of this.

We did do some basic tests. Nothing is shorted to ground or each other (the lights on the trailer did work before I replaced the 4-pin). The electrical resistance for the brakes also looked good.

So my question. Before I plug this $900 (pretty sure I've gotten the value up to $1600 ) camper into my expensive truck ('15 F150 with factory controller); what are my risks here? Is there anything else I should test? How smart is the controller? Will it tell me a fault or will it just dump voltage and risk burning up more wiring if there is a fault?

TIA!

 

Might install an inline fuse somewhere that makes sense. Once you know it's all good then switch to a resettable circuit breaker.

 

Should be no problem. Truck is fused on the leads.Burned brake lead could be nothing more than someone pulled the break-away and did not plug it back in. If you want to be really cautions take your battery jump box and with an inline fuse test each circuit at the junction box before hooking it to the truck.

 

I wasn't sure if you could apply a full 12v without burning up the brakes so I wasn't sure if using a battery was safe.

 

No problem at all, but any time I test a unit I always use a fuse inline with the positive lead. Never had a problem, never blew the fuse, but still do it.

 

Sweet! Thanks.

Man, I wish we were buddies in real life. This is my first camper and I have so many questions haha. Finding a rim for this thing has been a nightmare. Found some on craig's list but the guy wanted $900 for 3 rims and 4 hubs. Fun of an early '70s Yellowstone I guess. Thanks for the help.

 

One of the biggest problems you will confront is when you go back as far as the 70s some parts really are hard to come by and you end spending more because you have to upgrade. There is always a work-around, but sometimes it is a pain in the butt.

The forums here are great sources of information from a load of folks who have been RVing for decades.

 

Well, it all works. Truck didn't complain. Lights worked and so did the brakes. We also ended up replacing 1 bearing and two dust seals. The pads looked good. All I have to do now is get the clearance lights working and I can start making it look better.

 

Good job dude!