Problem with brake controller

[RPAspey]

A friend and I just installed a Kurt 7 pin adapter with LED lights and a Kurt brake controller in his 2003 Dodge Dakota Sport. He's going to be pulling an older popup with electric brakes (we're still trying to figure that one out..it's gvwr is like #3700) Anyway, I've installed controllers and 7 pins before but never had one act like this. Once the lights were hooked up, they work properly and the LEDs on the 7 pin light up to confirm what we're seeing. Now we wire up the brake controller, power it up and set the level calibration. All seems ok, but the brake controller is saying a trailer is attached although none is. Not a biggie but now the controller won't go into sleep mode as it still thinks a trailer is attached. So, on the 7 pin lights, it show there is voltage on the brake circuit. I measured something like 2 volts, but no current. Ok, I figured that the controller must be applying voltage across the brake circuit to check for the existence of a trailer. The whole thing is annoying as the controller doesn't shut down and the LEDs are obvious at night. Another issue is if we applied trailer brakes manually, his trucks brakes lights come on. We plugged my TT into his newly installed 7 pin and everything worked. Brakes, lights, even the goofy LEDs on the 7 pin were right. But the brake lights come on when the manual brake is applied.

So, my questions, has anyone used a Kurt 7 pin with LEDs and have this issue? If so whatta we do to correct if it is a problem?

My father in law's and my brake lights don't come on when manually applying the trailer brakes..but my buddy's do. Is that normal?

[Scotty]

Originally Posted by RPAspey

A friend and I just installed a Kurt 7 pin adapter with LED lights and a Kurt brake controller in his 2003 Dodge Dakota Sport. He's going to be pulling an older popup with electric brakes (we're still trying to figure that one out..it's gvwr is like #3700) Anyway, I've installed controllers and 7 pins before but never had one act like this. Once the lights were hooked up, they work properly and the LEDs on the 7 pin light up to confirm what we're seeing. Now we wire up the brake controller, power it up and set the level calibration. All seems ok, but the brake controller is saying a trailer is attached although none is. Not a biggie but now the controller won't go into sleep mode as it still thinks a trailer is attached. So, on the 7 pin lights, it show there is voltage on the brake circuit. I measured something like 2 volts, but no current. Ok, I figured that the controller must be applying voltage across the brake circuit to check for the existence of a trailer. The whole thing is annoying as the controller doesn't shut down and the LEDs are obvious at night. Another issue is if we applied trailer brakes manually, his trucks brakes lights come on. We plugged my TT into his newly installed 7 pin and everything worked. Brakes, lights, even the goofy LEDs on the 7 pin were right. But the brake lights come on when the manual brake is applied.

So, my questions, has anyone used a Kurt 7 pin with LEDs and have this issue? If so whatta we do to correct if it is a problem?

My father in law's and my brake lights don't come on when manually applying the trailer brakes..but my buddy's do. Is that normal?

I know with the Prodigy P3, when TT is connected and brakes applied by the manual lever the TT brakes lights illuminate. Not sure that the TV lights illuminate though.

[RPAspey]

My p3 doesn't illuminate the TT lights though. But my truck was already wired for towing. On my buddy's truck, we had to use the t adapters near each tail light to get the turns/brakes for the 7 pin.

[R Whitlow]

Did you pigtail into the wiring harnesses to connect the brake controllor or did you purchase the pigtail kit that plugs into the relay panel. If you spliced you could have back feeds

[RPAspey]

Originally Posted by R Whitlow

Did you pigtail into the wiring harnesses to connect the brake controllor or did you purchase the pigtail kit that plugs into the relay panel. If you spliced you could have back feeds

We used a adapter kit with pigtails. I still think it's a quirk in the 7 pin LED lights.

[R Whitlow]

With you get rid of the leds. Does the wiring harness unplug from the 7 pin? If so maybe could swap with a friend's to see it it solves the issuse?

[RPAspey]

No, the working harness is integral to the 7 pin. I wanted to open up the back of the 7 pin to disconnect the LEDs but my buddy had to leave. Since, he said his brake controller does shut down, but after about 6 hours. So, he said he'll live with it for now.

[Hicks43]

Sounds like it's back feading. Check and make sure there are no bare wires touching in you 7pin. You have voltage coming back to your controler. Does the TV have red brake light and yellow turns? That may cause this also. There is a converter for yellow to red. For your trailer.

[RPAspey]

Originally Posted by Hicks43

Sounds like it's back feading. Check and make sure there are no bare wires touching in you 7pin. You have voltage coming back to your controler. Does the TV have red brake light and yellow turns? That may cause this also. There is a converter for yellow to red. For your trailer.

His truck has separate turns-brakes lights. Could you explain why the yellow turns might cause the problem? I agree about the backfeed, but thru the LEDs? Diodes are like "one way voltage blockers"

I just don't understand why then it all works properly when he hooks up to his TT.

[Hicks43]

The turns get power from the brake lights. Try pulling the bulbs from the turns. If that solves the problem. Then it's a ground in the lights. The other thing you can try is unplug the controller. And jumper wire each wire until your LEDs come on then that's the circuit. That's giving the feed back.

[Hicks43]

Plus try running your power through a switched circuit. Keyed power when the key is on. There should be a few empty spots on the fuse board that have power when the key is on. Hope this helps you. Hard to figure things out from a keyboard.

[RPAspey]

We may go the keyed route. I'd have to find a circuit that could handle the spec'd 30 amp though. As I said, this is a buddy's truck and the truck is not readily available.