Lengthen breakaway switch wires

[cpenn43]

I am installing an Anderson WDH on my Flagstaff 21 travel trailer. The breakaway switch is mounted to the trailer frame right where my bracket needs to go. So now I need to find a new place for my breakaway switch. My question is if anyone has ever added wire to the existing wire? Since the switch is already installed, there is not much play in the wiring. I would like to add about six inches to the wires about four inches behind the switch. Any reason this would not be a good idea or the wire should be one continuous length?

[cboss]

Try one of these, subtract wire if you have to. Available from multiple vendors. Adjusts to almost any length.

[cpenn43]

I have one of those. That is not what I need to lengthen. I need the wires from the brakes to the actual breakaway switch box lengthened. I prefer to move the box closer to the hitch (forward on the frame) instead of back towards the axles.

[cboss]

Not trying to be smart, but why?

[Mandog]

Your fine to lengthen the wires. Just make good connections.

[cpenn43]

As I stated in my original post, the wdh bracket needs to be where the breakaway switch box is mounted on the frame. I need to relocate the box and don't have enough wire to work with. There are actually two wires going into the box.

[dbledan]

I just removed the wiring and redid it with longer wire rather than 2 splices. The one to the brakes had enough wiring and I only needed to replace the hot that went to the DC fuse block on the tongue. The brake switch was wired to always be hot and had its own fuse so there was already a splice in mine.

If you add another splice I suggest making sure you use the proper gauge wire and use good connectors. I used posi-lock connectors matching the wire gauge to keep it waterproofed.

Worth mentioning as well is you should allow the connector to swivel on the bolt and not screw it on tight when you move it. The theory is it will allow it to disconnect at an angle as well.

Hope that helps!

[Bama Rambler]

As said a couple times above, it's fine to lengthen the wiring. Just make sure to make good water resistant connections. I'd probably use solder seal connectors. Makes good connections and seals them with heat shrink tubing.

[Chuck_S]

The break-away switch should be the absolute last thing that disconnects from the truck. After the hitch fails. After the chains fail. Only when the trailer is completely on it's own.

Function is to stop the runaway, not save the trailer.

-- Chuck

[campers302]

Originally Posted by Chuck_S

The break-away switch should be the absolute last thing that disconnects from the truck. After the hitch fails. After the chains fail. Only when the trailer is completely on it's own.

Function is to stop the runaway, not save the trailer.

-- Chuck

That's interesting because I thought the purpose of the break-away switch was to pull the brakes before the trailer came loose from the chains.



See this video @ about 1:56 in.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eubR3ssLiOM

[Chuck_S]

The guy is peddling bad advice. Yeah I saw a random video on YouTube.

The breakaway cable should be longer than the safety chains according to RVIA Recreational Vehicle Industry Association. This will activate the brakes in the event you lose the trailer connection and the safety chains fail. Obviously if the hitch and chains fail the breakaway system ain't there to save the trailer -- it's gone!

-- Chuck

[5picker]

Originally Posted by Bama Rambler

As said a couple times above, it's fine to lengthen the wiring. Just make sure to make good water resistant connections. I'd probably use solder seal connectors. Makes good connections and seals them with heat shrink tubing.

X2

[campers302]

Originally Posted by Chuck_S

The guy is peddling bad advice. Yeah I saw a random video on YouTube.

The breakaway cable should be longer than the safety chains according to RVIA Recreational Vehicle Industry Association. This will activate the brakes in the event you lose the trailer connection and the safety chains fail. Obviously if the hitch and chains fail the breakaway system ain't there to save the trailer -- it's gone!

-- Chuck

To each his own. Make sense to me that you would want to brake the trailer the moment it came off the ball, the hitch came loose from the receiver or however it became detached from the tow vehicle. Thus dragging down to a safe and secure stop. Seems crazy to have the trailer completely free from the tow vehicle running down the road all by itself with the brakes on.



Guess this will be like TO ANTIFREEZE OR NOT TO ANTIFREEZE THAT IS THE QUESTION.


Have a great day!

[5picker]

Originally Posted by campers302

To each his own. Make sense to me that you would want to brake the trailer the moment it came off the ball, the hitch came loose from the receiver or however it became detached from the tow vehicle. Thus dragging down to a safe and secure stop. Seems crazy to have the trailer completely free from the tow vehicle running down the road all by itself with the brakes on.



Guess this will be like TO ANTIFREEZE OR NOT TO ANTIFREEZE THAT IS THE QUESTION.


Have a great day!

I want the regular braking action from the brake controller regulating my trailer brakes should it come off the ball. I DO NOT want full on brakes trying to jerk me all over the highway if the trailer simply is riding on the chains. I want the ability to regulate the braking action with the controller and you can't do that if the pin has pulled. This of course depends on the 7 pin plug remains in tact. I always leave enough slack to hopefully allow it to stay connected.

If it completely breaks free from the tow vehicle (chains and all) I want the the pin to pull and apply full on brakes as I have no control of the trailer at that point. (and watch how wicked it reacts... might even flip!)

[campers302]

Originally Posted by 5picker

I want the regular braking action from the brake controller regulating my trailer brakes should it come off the ball. I DO NOT want full on brakes trying to jerk me all over the highway if the trailer simply is riding on the chains. I want the ability to regulate the braking action with the controller and you can't do that if the pin has pulled. This of course depends on the 7 pin plug remains in tact. I always leave enough slack to hopefully allow it to stay connected.

If it completely breaks free from the tow vehicle (chains and all) I want the the pin to pull and apply full on brakes as I have no control of the trailer at that point. (and watch how wicked it reacts... might even flip!)

Thank you so much. That makes perfect sense. If only off the hitch and on chains it would be best to still have control of the trailer braking. If completely off the hitch and the chains then

Let er rip tater chip.



Whats you feelings on crossing the chains. I have always done it as I feel it will cradle the tongue should it come off the hitch. You agree or disagree?

[5picker]

Originally Posted by campers302

Thank you so much. That makes perfect sense. If only off the hitch and on chains it would be best to still have control of the trailer braking. If completely off the hitch and the chains then

Let er rip tater chip.



Whats you feelings on crossing the chains. I have always done it as I feel it will cradle the tongue should it come off the hitch. You agree or disagree?

Depends on how the chains attach at BOTH ends. It also depends on state laws. PA requires them to be crossed but doesn't designate how they attach.

Yes, if the chains are attached at each end so that when crossed they truly form an X, then that certainly cradles the trailer tongue and keeps it from digging into the road.

Unfortunately, many safety chains are attached to the trailer so both chains are at/near the center of the tongue and when stretched, simply do not make an X.

I also have seen some folks clip the safety chains to some creative areas of the receiver, also not allowing an X to be made. I've even seen them with the ends clipped together and simply draped around the ball.

I spent a lot of time hauling race cars. There would be lots of guys who trailered their cars that would unhitch and raise the front of the trailer to load/unload their race cars. It was not uncommon for them to 'forget' to lock the ball back on the trailer (once loaded) in the haste of getting out of the track at the end of the night.

We often seen several trailers that had come loose from the tow vehicle a mile or two down the road. Even seen a couple break completely free... hence my statement of that not being something I want while still attached by chains. A trailer at 45-50 MPH that has the trailer brakes applied full on is a wild horse out of control.

[campers302]

Originally Posted by 5picker

Depends on how the chains attach at BOTH ends. It also depends on state laws. PA requires them to be crossed but doesn't designate how they attach.

Yes, if the chains are attached at each end so that when crossed they truly form an X, then that certainly cradles the trailer tongue and keeps it from digging into the road.

Unfortunately, many safety chains are attached to the trailer so both chains are at/near the center of the tongue and when stretched, simply do not make an X.

I also have seen some folks clip the safety chains to some creative areas of the receiver, also not allowing an X to be made. I've even seen them with the ends clipped together and simply draped around the ball.

I spent a lot of time hauling race cars. There would be lots of guys who trailered their cars that would unhitch and raise the front of the trailer to load/unload their race cars. It was not uncommon for them to 'forget' to lock the ball back on the trailer (once loaded) in the haste of getting out of the track at the end of the night.

We often seen several trailers that had come loose from the tow vehicle a mile or two down the road. Even seen a couple break completely free... hence my statement of that not being something I want while still attached by chains. A trailer at 45-50 MPH that has the trailer brakes applied full on is a wild horse out of control.

Thanks for the information.

[pmsherman]

If you extend the wires with splices, make sure you use weatherproof sealing ones. That's a very exposed location for the breakaway switch and it's one location where you don't want internal corrosion in a splice.

Phil