Could Trailer Brake Magnets Get Damaged After Trailer Short

Published 04/20/2015

Question:

My electric brakes are very weak. Checked adjustments - all good. All electrical connections appear to be OK. However, recently I had a major short circuit in my trailer wiring. Car battery positive connected to trailer negative causing trailer negative wire to overheat and short to brake wire if that makes sense?. I suspect the resulting high current passed to the brake wire and then traveled through the magnets to the trailer negative. Wiring has been repaired, bit if the magnet has been damaged by high current is it possible the magnet could still work but in a weakened state?

asked by: Mark T

Expert Reply:

With a short that severe it is very possible you could have shorted out your brake magnets. Your best option would be to check out the help article I attached that details how to troubleshoot and test trailer brake magnets.

expert reply by: Jameson C