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Hopkins Engager Push-To-Test Trailer Breakaway Kit with Built-In Battery Charger - Top Load

Hopkins Engager Push-To-Test Trailer Breakaway Kit with Built-In Battery Charger - Top Load

Item # 20400
Retail:$81.29
Our Price: $57.72
You Save: 29%
Trailer Breakaway Kit
Shipping Weight: 4 lbs
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20400 - Top Load Hopkins Kit with Charger
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Breakaway system with built-in charger is designed to bring a trailer safely to a stop by activating its electric brakes should it become disconnected while being towed. Push-button tester lets you know if the rechargeable battery is fully charged. Great Prices for the best trailer breakaway kit from Hopkins. Hopkins Engager Push-To-Test Trailer Breakaway Kit with Built-In Battery Charger - Top Load part number 20400 can be ordered online at etrailer.com or call 1-800-940-8924 for expert service.
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  • Reviews (619)
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Hopkins Trailer Breakaway Kit - 20400

  • Kit with Charger
  • Top Load
  • Hopkins

Breakaway system with built-in charger is designed to bring a trailer safely to a stop by activating its electric brakes should it become disconnected while being towed. Push-button tester lets you know if the rechargeable battery is fully charged.


Features:

  • Breakaway system activates your trailer's electric brakes if the trailer disconnects from the tow vehicle
  • Push-to-test battery feature offers fast and easy battery testing
    • Test button with LED lights clearly displays battery status
      • Green = charged
      • Yellow = charging
      • Red = low battery
  • Built-in charger automatically refuels battery while trailer is connected to tow vehicle
    • Charges at 1/2 volt below voltage supplied by tow vehicle to prevent over-charging
    • Shut-off feature activates when battery is fully charged
  • Top-loading case is easy to access from above
    • Weather-resistant construction protects battery from moisture and debris
    • Self-tapping screws included for simple mounting on your trailer's frame
  • Lockable lid deters theft (padlock sold separately)
  • Breakaway switch installs on your trailer's frame - drilling is required
  • Department of Transportation (DOT) compliant
  • 12-Volt rechargeable battery is included


Specs:

  • Application: single- and tandem-axle trailers with electric brakes
  • Case dimensions: 4" long x 8" wide x 6-1/4" tall
  • Battery capacity: 5 amp-hours
  • Mounting hole spacing:
    • 7" From center of hole to center of hole horizontally
    • 1-1/2" From center of hole to center of hole vertically
  • 16-Gauge wires
  • 90-Day warranty


Note: A breakaway system is required by law in most states for trailers that are equipped with electric brakes and have a GTW of at least 3,000 lbs.



20400 Hopkins Engager Push-To-Test Trailer Breakaway Kit with Built-In Charger - Top Load - 5 amp/hrs

Installation Details 20400 Installation instructions


California residents: click here


Customer Satisfaction Score:


Customer Reviews

Hopkins Engager Push-To-Test Trailer Breakaway Kit with Built-In Battery Charger - Top Load - 20400

Average Customer Rating:  4.8 out of 5 stars   (619 Customer Reviews)

Breakaway system with built-in charger is designed to bring a trailer safely to a stop by activating its electric brakes should it become disconnected while being towed. Push-button tester lets you know if the rechargeable battery is fully charged.

by:

Following the installation instructions made the work fairly straightforward. The hole pattern for the case was as-advertised, so it fit perfectly where the old kit was installed on the trailer rail.

Dan

4/8/2023

Cant tell you. I sold the trailer with the boat!



by:

Opened battery box and tabs that hold battery in place are broken

Etrailer Expert

Jenny N.

9/26/2023

Oh no! I will have our Customer Service team contact you.



by:

This unit replaced the crusty 30 year old battery on my car trailer.
Easy installation if you do what I usually don’t. That is, read the instructions!!
The status LED charge indicator is a great feature.



by:

Easy install if you read and pay attention to the directions. This was installed with a new 7 pin plug and there are different wiring configurations between utility trailers and larger rv type trailers; so pay attention to what you are reading and wire according to your project.



by:

Great product but wish it had better labeling and instructions for the wiring



by:

While it was an easy fix, the wire length on the battery box is pathetic. The breakaway switch had long enough wires. If you get this, just run new wiring from the circuit board like I did.



by:

i purchased this product to replace the same unit i purchased 5 years ago. The previous unit had sundamage and the top readout was no longer readable , the cover hinged were broken. easy replacement and works great



by:

My breakaway came very fast and at a good price. I use e trailer all the time because they have what I need and get it to me fast.



by:

Thankfully I haven’t had to have an operational use of this. It was a straightforward installation and is easy to check the battery status. I would order this again, if needed.



by:

Easily installed to replace the 13 year old unit



by:

Heavy Duty product best part battery all charged and ready to go thanks E Trailer your the Best .



by:

I bought these brake batteries when rewiring two old horse trailers. This is the third & fourth trailer I've rewired, so I'm pretty used to it by now. Everything about this product went together easily. Routing the wires on the trailer was another story, as usual.

I sold one trailer, but I've been using the other trailer infrequently for about a year now, and the brakes seem to be working quite well. I haven't had an occasion to test the breakaway battery out on the road, fortunately, but the little lights on the top indicate that it's maintaining a good charge, and the breakaway switch did lock up the brakes when I tested it in my shop.

BTW, I *love* pairing these with the Bargman coiled wiring plugs. They're so much nicer to use than straight wires.



by:

Kate F was awesome. She new exactly what I needed. They were out of stock on my ordered product but she understood the order details and had suggested one in stock. She knew I was trying to go away for the holiday and time was of the essence. She was very helpful and knowledgeable, polite and friendly. This is the 2nd time I ordered from E-trailer and have been very happy, delivery times were great to. Thank you Kate you made my day.



by:

I really wanted a 9 ah setup to insure ample power but I could not find one that also had a push button test feature so I decided I would just mount two and configure them to work together. It uses two, dpdt switches to switch the units on and off line either independently or together. This gives me assurance of ample power and a backup to each other..
One thing I'm going to do is run a diode isolated circuit to the cold side of the breakaway switch to the l.e.d. Break lights so if the trailer ever did come lose, it will also apply the break lights. The two diodes will keep the tow vehicles breaklight power from back feeding into the actuator's emergency stop circuit.



by:

Product works well
Applies power to
the electrical brakes if the cord is pulled
Easy to put the cord back into the switch
Used on a homemade trailer
That was made to carry bale barns
(hay feeder for horses)



by:

The product is good, but packing it with front hitch broke the casing for the disconnect switch. Don’t trust the shipper
Mahalo

Etrailer Expert

Jenny N.

1/28/2023

Oh my! I will have our Customer Service team reach out to you.



by:

Great product after 1 year it's still working as it should.



by:

Exceptional customer service. Got our products a day earlier than expected. I won’t go anywhere else now for all our trailer needs.



by:

I'm refitting a used boat and trailer, etrailer is the bomb! :-)



by:

A good value and great vendor!



by:

Great package. Came with a charged battery as well!



by:

It was as I had ordered. Fit my application. My only issue was it was slightly damaged in shipping.

Etrailer Expert

Jenny N.

1/13/2023

Oh my! I know the damage was minimal however I will have our Customer Service team contact you.



by:

Perfect match for the one that broke on my trailer



by:

Price was right, installation and wiring was easy ad expected

Mark

3/4/2023

Working great, no issues



by:

Fantastic service from E-Trailer on shipping and getting me this product. The quality of this breakaway is excellent!


25
619
Show More Reviews

See what our Experts say about this Hopkins Trailer Breakaway Kit

  • Breakaway Battery Continually Goes Dead
    The small breakaway battery shouldn't be going dead unless the breakaway switch is being pulled, there's a short in the system somewhere or the system has been incorrectly wired. The battery should be receiving a maintenance charge from the 12-volt power feed from the trailer connector on the tow vehicle. I would not recommend bypassing or altering the system at all. The breakaway system should have its own dedicated battery. I'll link you to an FAQ article that shows how the system should...
    view full answer...
  • Power Draw On Tow Vehicle Battery to Charge Hopkins Engager Push-To-Test Trailer Breakaway Battery
    The Hopkins Engager Push-To-Test Trailer Breakaway Kit with Built-In Battery Charger part # 20400 has a maximum power amp draw of 2 amps to charge the breakaway battery. The power draw is so low is will not drain the tow vehicle's battery. It will also only charge when the trailer is connected to the tow vehicle and the 12V circuit is active. On some vehicle's that does require the ignition to be turned on.
    view full answer...
  • Is Hopkins Engager Breakaway Kit Compatible with Over 30 Tandem Axle Trailer with 12 Gauge Wire
    I reached out to my contact at Hopkins and she said that the Hopkins Engager Push-To-Test Trailer Breakaway Kit # 20400 has been tested on a variety of trailer lengths and so it will be good to use on your tandem axle trailers. The heavier gauge wire that is shown in the chart you sent in will just help to ensure that as much power as possible is traveling as far as possible.
    view full answer...
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  • Installation of Breakaway Kit Switch for Electric Trailer Brakes on Gooseneck Trailer
    Hopkins Engager Push-To-Test Trailer Breakaway Kit with Built-In Battery Charger - Top Load # 20400 can have the pin mounted on the coupler. The angle should be as aligned as possible with the point you are connecting to and be slightly shorter distance than your safety chains. The pin will pull with force so the pin is designed to withstand that without breaking as is the cable. The length and angle are important because you want the trailer brakes to activate when the trailer becomes...
    view full answer...
    Image 1 for
  • How to Wire Break Away Switch on Hopkins Engager Break Away System
    The black wire from the break away switch will connect to the blue wire from the break away box, as shown in the provided diagram. By 'brake wires' I'm assuming you're speaking of the wires connected to the brake magnets on your brake assemblies. One wire exiting the brake magnet could connect to the brake output circuit, usually a blue wire and the other would ground to the trailer frame. It doesn't match which goes where.
    view full answer...
    Image 1 for
  • Is the Lid with Tester for Hopkins Engager Top Load Breakaway Kit Replaceable?
    The Hopkins Engager Push-To-Test Trailer Breakaway Kit with Built-In Battery Charger - Top Load # 20400 does not have a separate lid as a replacement part. The Breakaway switch is replaceable as is the battery, but to get that particular lid you need to replace the entire kit.
    view full answer...
  • How Many Charging Amps Does The Hopkins Engager Break Away Kit Draw When Charging The Battery?
    I spoke with Hopkins and their Engager Push-To-Test Trailer Breakaway Kit with Built-In Battery Charger # 20400 has a 2 amp charger. This will include a battery that has a 5 amp-hour capacity and has a built-in shut-off feature that activates when the battery is fully charged.
    view full answer...
  • Breakaway Battery Kit for Sundowner 2 Horse Trailer
    The Hopkins Engager Push-To-Test Trailer Breakaway Kit with Built-In Battery Charger - Top Load # 20400 will absolutely work with your Sundowner 2 horse trailer. I've attached some videos to assist and have also attached the diagram and an article to assist.
    view full answer...
    Image 1 for
  • Weight of Hopkins Engager Push-To-Test Trailer Breakaway Kit
    The Hopkins Engager Push-To-Test Trailer Breakaway Kit with Built-In Battery Charger # 20400 only weighs four pounds, so it won't affect the hitch weight much at all. In regards to the brakes, this kit should not be used in place of your RV battery as its only function is for an emergency stop and this will help ensure the kit's battery is always fully charged. I have added links below to a video install and help article for you to check out as well of the Hopkins Engager Push-To-Test...
    view full answer...
  • Wiring Diagram for Trailer Breakaway Kit
    On this page (typically below the product links) there is a helpful link section that will have the install instructions fo the Hopkins Breakaway kit part # 20400 that you referenced. I also attached an install video that shows the kit installed as well as a diagram for trailer breakaway wiring as well. The white wire is the ground wire.
    view full answer...
    Image 1 for
  • Troubleshooting Shorted Out Brake Controller Connected to Breakaway System
    I'm sorry that this happened to your brake controller. I am happy to do research to help get this issues resolved. If when testing the breakaway system and the pin was pulled with the battery connected backwards. This would compromise the brake controller. When reaching out to my contact at Tekonsha we agreed that there may be a wiring issue someplace in the breakaway system. The combination of the wiring issue, combined with pulling the pin would certainly cause frying of the brake controller. The...
    view full answer...
    Image 1 for
  • Trailer Breakaway System Operation And Troubleshooting
    The brakes shouldn't necessarily lock up, but the brakes should quickly bring the trailer to a safe stop. The weight of the trailer shouldn't matter if the breakaway kit and the trailer brakes are working properly. All trailer from utility to RV with a much larger weight capacity than the 5,000 lbs you mentioned use breakaways like the Hopkins # 20400. If it isn't functioning to a safe level, there is a need to fix something. It may be a ground, it may be a brake magnet, it may be...
    view full answer...
    Image 1 for
  • How To Wire Up Hopkins Engager Push-To-Test Trailer Breakaway Kit
    In regards to the Hopkins Engager Push-To-Test Trailer Breakaway Kit part # 20400, there are only two wires with the black being power so it should be run to the positive battery terminal and the blue being brake output so it should be run to the brake output circuit. I have attached a wiring diagram you should use below.
    view full answer...
    Image 1 for
  • Is There Max Distance that Hopkins Engager part # 20400 Has to Have Between Switch and Battery
    There isn't a set max distance that the switch of the Hopkins Engager part # 20400 can be from the battery. I would say basically any standard trailer setup is going to have a perfectly compatible distance.
    view full answer...
  • Why Does Amber Light Illuminate on Hopkins Engager Push-To-Test Trailer Breakaway Kit
    The amber charging light should not be always on so you are going to want to verify that the Hopkins Engager Push-To-Test Trailer Breakaway Kit with Built-In Battery Charger # 20400 is wired correctly. You will want to make particularly sure the ground wire is attached directly to your trailer frame. It may also be possible that somehow moisture got in the battery box and causing a short.
    view full answer...
  • Do I Need a Breakaway Battery Charger for My Trailer
    You need an electric breakaway when you have electric brakes on your trailer. A breakaway system is required by law in most states for trailers that are equipped with electric brakes and have a GTW of at least 3,000 lbs. Hopkins Engager Breakaway Kit with Built-In Battery Charger # 20400 would provide you with everything you need for a single or tandem-axle trailer. The battery and breakaway switch mount to the trailer. The battery is charged through the 7-way connection from your vehicle....
    view full answer...
  • Recommended Breakaway Kit for a 20K Deck Over Trailer
    I recommend going with the Hopkins Engager Push-To-Test Trailer Breakaway Kit with Built-In Battery Charger # 20400. This breakaway kit has a push to test feature which clearly displays the battery status, will work with single and tandem axle trailers, and includes a 12V rechargeable battery.
    view full answer...
  • How To Wire Hopkins Engager Trailer Breakaway Kit To Trailer
    Unfortunately you cannot wire the battery charger to battery of the Hopkins Engager Push-To-Test Trailer Breakaway Kit with Built-In Battery Charger # 20400 as it will not keep the battery charged. You will need to wire the battery charger to the constant 12v wire coming from the trailer harness. I included a video of the Hopkins Engager # 20400 being installed for you to take a look at.
    view full answer...
  • Why Is There No Light on Hopkins Engager Push-To-Test Trailer Breakaway Kit With Test Button
    There should be a light on the Hopkins Engager Push-To-Test Trailer Breakaway Kit part # 20400 when you press the test button no matter the battery status. If ones does not appear, check your connections but you'll likely need a new unit as this would point to an issue with the circuit board. I recommend plugging the trailer into the vehicle for 15 minutes as this is what is needed to charge the battery completely. If you don't get any lights after that you know there is an issue with...
    view full answer...
  • Will A Breakaway Kit Operate Properly Without An Auxiliary Battery
    It is possible to operate a breakaway switch from the trailer's main battery but it is not recommended. The breakaway kit may not function properly in emergency situations because the trailer's main battery has other accessories powered from it which may drain some of its power. The auxiliary battery that comes with breakaway kits such as part # 20400 will be kept at a full charge from the trailer wiring 12 volt power because it has a built in battery charger. Most states require by law...
    view full answer...
  • What is the Difference in Hopkins Engager Breakaway Systems 20099 and 20400
    Hopkins Engager breakaway systems # 20099 and # 20400 function the same way and have the same features. The main difference is in how they mount. Engager # 20099 is meant to be mounted on top of the frame with the LED indicator and test button facing up. Engager # 20400 was meant to be mounted to the side of the trailer frame so that its LED indicator and test button are also facing up. You will want to make sure the battery in the system you use is protected. That is why breakaway systems...
    view full answer...
  • Will Hopkins Engager Push-To-Test Trailer Breakaway Kit # 20400 Get Damaged from Sun Exposure
    We have not heard complaints from customers regarding Hopkins Engager Push-To-Test Trailer Breakaway Kit # 20400 like what happened with your old system. You could limit direct exposure to the sun somewhat by using # 20099 which is designed to mount with the panel facing to the side rather than up (though it doesn't have to be mounted that way).
    view full answer...
  • Can Breakaway Battery Box Be Mounted With Battery On Its Side on 2016 Haulmark Enclosed Trailer
    If you are using a breakaway kit like the Hopkins Engager Trailer BreakAway Kit # 20099 or # 20400 that features a sealed battery in an enclosure then you can mount it sideways if that is a better mounting solution on your trailer. We often see trailers with their breakaway battery installed in this way. If your kit does not use a sealed battery or if it does not have a protective case for the battery you might want to check the manufacturer's instructions for any cautions about how that...
    view full answer...
  • Troubleshooting Trailer Battery Draining with Brake Controller and Electric Trailer Jack Installed
    Thank you for reaching out! I'm not 100% certain what you have installed on your trailer but it sounds like you may have some things wired incorrectly on your trailer. Your brake controller should be going directly to your trailer brakes and the only other thing connected to that line would be one of the wires for the breakaway switch, like what comes with the Hopkins # 20400 (see first photo). Aside from that the 12V power wire is where you want to connect a battery for charging as well...
    view full answer...
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Info for this part was:

Employee Mike L
Expert Research:
Mike L
Employee Michael H
Expert Research:
Michael H
Employee Jameson C
Expert Research:
Jameson C
Employee Adam R
Expert Research:
Adam R
Employee Victoria B
Expert Research:
Victoria B
Employee Adele M
Updated by:
Adele M
Employee Laura H
Updated by:
Laura H
Employee Wilson B
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Wilson B
Employee Alexander C
Updated by:
Alexander C
Employee Brian T
Updated by:
Brian T
Employee Cole B
Installed by:
Cole B
Employee John A
Installed by:
John A
Employee Chris R
Video Edited:
Chris R

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