Can 6 Volt Power be Used to Troubleshoot Trailer Brake Wiring on Trailer

Published 01/23/2020

Question:

I have a 12ft utility trailer that has a set of electric trailer brakes that are not working. The brake line at the connector end is open when continuity is checked between this line and ground. Both brakes are not working. The brake wire runs under the trailer and then connects to two wires, one to each brake. My question is this - can I hook 6 volts to this line and then use a meter to see where the voltage is lost? Will the 6V hurt anything? Thank You!

asked by: Nick M

Expert Reply:

Attaching 6 volts to the brake output circuit would not damage anything. Trailer brake magnets are designed to handle voltage between 12 and 0 volts since the varying voltages are what changes the intensity of the braking pressure.

I also attached a link on troubleshooting brake controller installs that should be helpful as well.

expert reply by: Jameson C