My son has a tandem axle boat trailer which he tows with his Patrol (dirty word I know). As soon as I put it behind the Prado and touch the brakes it immediately blows the brake light fuse. It's only a 10amp fuse so I thought maybe not enough to run all those lights, magnets etc. Is it safe to go to say, a 20amp fuse and see if that fixes it or is this dnot recommended? I've searched all the threads for over an hour and can't see this issue anywhere? Any help or tips would be appreciated.
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Electric brakes blowing fuses - HELP ME PLS
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Re: Electric brakes blowing fuses - HELP ME PLS
I wouldn't put a higher amperage fuse in. The fuse is to protect the circuit if you put a bigger fuse in you might just burn out the wiring instead of blowing the fuse. The fuse is blowing due to a short some where in the brake circuit I suspect due to only happening when applying brakes. I assume it doesn't blow fuses in your sons car so possibly in your trailer harness wiring in the vehicle. You need to check for shorts to ground like rubbed through wiring to ground Etc. You should never put a higher amperage fuse in than recommended :!:
How many lights :?:
What do you mean magnets :?:2004 GXL V6 and loving it.
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Re: Electric brakes blowing fuses - HELP ME PLS
Thanks Seth. I'll keep digging. No, it doesn't blow the fuse on my sons car. Electro-magnets in the drums that get power when I apply the brakes. He just T'd a wire from his brake lights to the electric brake pin on his trailer plug and they work fine. I'll search for a short. Thanks again.08 GXL TD Auto Silver, sovereign bullbar, towbar, headlamp & bonnet protectors, rear dust visor, Light Force 240 Strikers, BFG A/T's, GME TX3440 UHF, Rola Vortex roofrack.
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Re: Electric brakes blowing fuses - HELP ME PLS
Hi,
Something strange going on with the trailer, normally if you were to put 12V on the magnets the brakes will simply lockup or they
should anyway and that is why brake controllers are needed.
With regards to your car, the 10A fuse is most likely only just able to supply the car stop lights, if you now add the trailers
lights plus the electric brakes then most likely the fuse will blow anyway which is why Toyota install the relay assembly when
the fit their tow bar.
I suspect the electric brakes are probably not working at all when the trailer is plugged into your sons car. I would be checking
that the trailer plug is wired correctly and install a brake controller in both vehicles.
Cheers
LeighWHKB Electronics, manufacturer of the Alternator Voltage Booster, Silver 2008 D4D,Lifted,Underbody protection, Alternator Voltage Booster, Tiger Z winch, Lightforce DL, Air Horns, Tanami Drawers, Drop down fridge slide, Outback cargo barriers, Rotronics dual Battery system, Polaris GPS, HF/UHF/VHF, Radio speaker combiner, Long ranger water tank, Diff breathers, Inverter, Snorkel and others
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Re: Electric brakes blowing fuses - HELP ME PLS
Not sure if what your son is doing there is legal, but the insurance company would probably have something to say if a claim was made. :wink:
When installed with an inertia brake controller unit, the "hot" wire for the electric brakes is specified as minimum 12 or 14 AWG with a 20 or 30 amp breaker.
If he's just bridged the brake lights line to activate the trailer brakes, it is sure going to blow a 10 amp fuse. Take this as a warning that your brake light wires are not heavy enough to take the current.
Secondly it's going to be "full on/off" braking, not proportional. I can't see how this would be safe.
You should maybe invest in a proper brake controller and put the trailer wiring back to standard - I got a top of the line Prodigy unit for $180 off e-bay. This can be swapped between vehicles if they are wired for it.Cheers, Wayne
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Re: Electric brakes blowing fuses - HELP ME PLS
Originally posted by BossHogMy son has a tandem axle boat trailer which he tows with his Patrol (dirty word I know). As soon as I put it behind the Prado and touch the brakes it immediately blows the brake light fuse. It's only a 10amp fuse so I thought maybe not enough to run all those lights, magnets etc. Is it safe to go to say, a 20amp fuse and see if that fixes it or is this dnot recommended? I've searched all the threads for over an hour and can't see this issue anywhere? Any help or tips would be appreciated.
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