Exhaust brake switch

[mccrob]

On my 02 Diplomat the brake lights come on with the exhaust brake, the exhaust brake switch has numerous wires but none marked brake or brake lights. On a long down grade my trailer brakes over heat unless I turn them down causing loss of braking power. So long story short does anyone have any ideas on how to disable the brake lights when using the exhaust brake?

[Skip426]

To make a long story shot , I've been caught out on the differences in Monaco and Freightliner wiring and exhaust brake wiring before.
But , I'll jump in any way.
Easiest way to fix this is to , get a feed for the trailer brake controller from the brake light switch and isolate that feed , from the rest of the system , with a diode.
I think , I have a copy of the diagram I sent out to the last member, I'll re-post when I find it.

DW, here , tapping her foot , wants me to take her out for dinner , anniversary , I'll do up a fresh diagram and post it in the morning.
BTW, Parker Dam CA., is my winter home .

[Skip426]

All right, here is a wiring diagram. I recommend the Roadmaster diode # 690, because it is sized to isolate, 20amp circuits, you could use any properly sized diode for this install.

[mccrob]

Thanks Skip but my problem is finding the wire that powers the stop lights from the exhaust brake switch, I can only find a wire marked stop in the fuse block in the electrical compartment on the front left of the motor home, at that point it is hot whenever the brakes or exhaust brake is on. As you know Monaco breaks the ground for the brake lights the switch on the pedal is hot with the brakes off and cold with them on, drove me crazy for a while so ran a wire from that fuse block back up to the controller to get power. Will keep looking for the relay you show but would be easer to disconnect the power wire from the exhaust brake switch if I could figure out which one it was nothing marked brake light. I must be the only one with this problem as only one reply

[Skip426]

Because the , exhaust brake control solenoid , gets an "on" signal from the switch and an "activate" signal from the engine control module, when the ECM sees zero throttle , the control solenoid also signals the brake light ( probably at the relay if there is one ) to turn on. So it should not be a direct feed from the exhaust brake " on " switch, to the brake lights. But like you say Monaco does things differently.
I'm thinking that some others may have gone to a high level brake controller for this, problem , one that only activates the trailer brakes when it notices significant deceleration from the coach, not just the brake lights on. In an old post there was mention of the brand and model number. I'll root around and see if I can find it.

[Richard Wold]

Here is the wiring diagram from Monaco that I used for my 03 Dip. OK, how do I attach a PDF? Attachment should be here

[Richard Wold]

Originally Posted by Richard Wold

Here is the wiring diagram from Monaco that I used for my 03 Dip. OK, how do I attach a PDF? Attachment should be here

Trying attachment again. Don't know why PDF is not showing up. PM me and I'll email it to you.

[Dr4Film]

I have a 2002 Monaco Windsor where I installed a Prodigy P2 brake controller for my cargo trailer and I personally did all of the wiring.

I would think that yours is not the same depending on who put it together initially and for the fact that your trailer brakes are on when there are not supposed to be.

However, I can describe what I did.

Usually the Brake Controller has four wires.

12 VDC positive - Black
12 VDC negative - White
Brake Signal - Red
Electric brakes for the trailer - Blue

Like you said the Brake signal comes from the Monaco Box #2 and it is a while Negative Signal wire. Therefore, I had to install a relay to change the negative signal to a positive signal that the brake controller required to work correctly.

Now, whenever I use the PacBrake Exhaust Brake when descending grades, etc. my brakes lights come on BUT the electric brakes do NOT. The only time my electric brakes come on is when I use the brake pedal.

It sounds to me like someone wired it wrong. I think the Exhaust brake uses a relay or two in the same Monaco Box #2.

If you would like to re-do the wiring, I can try to help you out.

Dr4Film ----- Richard

[mccrob]

Richard thanks for the reply you are right on all points brake controller is wired correctly but to find a hot wire I went o Monaco box 2 and ran the wire from there to the controller box 2 has 2 relays for the exhust brake. Sense the exhaust brake gets the power to activate the brake from the switch I belive the ecm feeds back to the switch to activate the stop lights. the 2 switches on the pedal i belive are for the brakes and the cruse control. this is hard to trace out without the couch moving as the exhaust brake will not activate at idle. There are 4 wires labled exhaust brake in box 2 one of them has to activate the stop lights

[Dr4Film]

Sorry, Your post has confused me but it really doesn't take much for that to happen.

I am using only ONE wire in Monaco Box #2. That is the white negative brake light wire that I believe was labeled #102 (not sure).

If your trailer electric brakes are coming on when your brake lights are coming on WITHOUT using the brake pedal, then the brake controller is wired wrong.

Good luck!

Dr4Film ----- Richard

[Radarman]

Brakeswitch, A better way to MANAGE your exhaust brake

Above is a link to the Brakeswitch.com web site that shows the Roadmaster Chassis Exhaust Brake front-run-bay wiring drawing. Note the 3 wires used in the brakeswitch install. One is Wire 62A (now 155 Brake Lamps) is shown. Hope this drawing helps in some way. 155 Brake Lamps will be embossed on the wire itself.

[bukzin]

Originally Posted by Radarman

Brakeswitch, A better way to MANAGE your exhaust brake

Above is a link to the Brakeswitch.com web site that shows the Roadmaster Chassis Exhaust Brake front-run-bay wiring drawing. Note the 3 wires used in the brakeswitch install. One is Wire 62A (now 155 Brake Lamps) is shown. Hope this drawing helps in some way. 155 Brake Lamps will be embossed on the wire itself.

I installed one of these on my '06 Diplomat. It is useful and worth my money.

The company owner (a one man outfit?) was very helpful sorting
out where I needed to wire it in.

[Gorlininc]

I can tell you exactly where the wire cone from

[Gorlininc]

I have a 2001 diplomat 38a. I just traced my brake wires since it's broken somewhere under my coach. So I ran a new one yesterday.



On the bottom right of the monaco box 2 there is a plug on the bottom right side. The white wire closet to you all the way to the right is the wire that goes back to your brake lights. It's the wire with the blue connector on it.
All the blinker, tail, backup, brake lights go to a 6 pin wide plug near the hitch. There they separate to the right and left sides.
I hope this helps
Rick