Will a Brake Controller Drain a Vehicle Battery if Left Plugged In
Updated 03/01/2010 | Published 02/26/2010
Question:
When I am not using the electronic brake module to tow....the on light is lit on the module. Will this put a drain on my truck battery-especially if the truck sits for any length of time? If so, how do I do a quick disconnect? Thanks
asked by: Darryl N
Expert Reply:
The brake controllers have a sleep or auto-shut off feature built-in. After some period of time, up to an hour, the brake controller will go into a sleep mode or shut-off. A brake controller is constantly checking to see if a trailer is connected and that all necessary circuits are connected. When you shut of the truck, a brake controller will continue to do this because a brake controller does not know that you shut off the truck.
During this period, the brake controller uses very little current, not near enough to drain a significant amount of power. The only time a brake controller uses any significant amount of power is when braking. When a brake controller has not sent power back to the brakes after a period of time, it shuts down until the next time you use it.
