What Voltage and Amperage Should Trailer Brake Magnets Have  

Typically if there's a large voltage drop like you mentioned the issue is the longer run of wire not being a heavy enough gauge of wire. You'll need to use 10 gauge wire like 10-1-1 to make the run from the front of the trailer back…

It should be getting close to 12 volts if the power output is set to the maximum on the brake controller. Some brake controllers will not work properly if they are titled or turned to the side or if it has a leveler knob that is not level. Check…

Its not uncommon for there to be slight voltage drop off over a certain distance but with the brake controller set to the maximum you should still be getting 12 volts at the brake magnets. We need to determine if the low voltage is coming from the…

Testing your trailer brakes for proper function on the test bench will require a multimeter that can display readings for both amps and ohms, such as part # PT89ZR. (Some brake controllers, such as the Tekonsha P3, have built-in test functions.) You…

That's a very good question, we tend to be extra cautious and say to use 10 gauge wire because that would be more than enough. When you get into longer trailers that will end up using a lot of wire the heavier gauge wire becomes more necessary.…

The first test you will want to do is to test the amperage of the trailer braking system with a multimeter, like #PT89ZR. First, you will connect the ammeter inline with the blue wire exiting the back of the brake controller. Check the amperage. If…

I do not recommend that you bypass the break away system because in many states it is a requirement to have a working break away system. Trailer brake magnets will have one power wire and one ground. The power output from a break away system will go…

If you are only getting 1.5 volts at your brakes then there is an issue, but there is not a fuse that controls the brakes. There are a number of possible issues so you will need to find out if the issue is on the brake controller, truck, or trailer.…

Yes. There should always be a very light power on your brake controller wire. However, it should be extremely minimal. As you increase in power using the manual override, you should see an incandescent circuit tester like #PTW2993 going from almost…

I believe you almost solved the problem when you swapped the wiring, but in reality you needed to use 10 gauge wire like part #10-1-1 (sold by the foot). You are experiencing a voltage drop due to the long distance of wire that's not thick…

We recommend using 10 gauge wire, #10-2-1 for wiring trailer brakes on your 28 foot tandem axle trailer. I have added a drawing I put together to show you how trailer brakes are normally wired on a tandem axle trailer, along with a video on trailer…

First, do a visual inspection. You should make sure that the front of the magnet is not worn to the point where the interior copper windings are visible. Also, check the armature surface (inside rear of brake drum where magnet rides) is free of…