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Old 11-18-2012, 12:34 AM   #15
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Quote:
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The trailer brakes should ONLY be applied when you step on the foot brake, NOT when the exhaust brake is on.
Do you have a reason why?

When I'm slowing down or approaching a stop light with the engine brake on and before I apply the brakes, I want my trailer helping to slow the load it is creating, and I want to alert people behind me that I'm slowing down. Additionally, as I stated above, it won't hurt the trailer to have its brakes come on when the engine brake is applied on a downgrade due to the accelerometer. Even so, it is easy enough to spin the dial to reduce the applied trailer brake on a long downgrade.

It's dirt cheap to replace trailer brakes every couple years, so I see no downside to having the trailer brakes come on when the engine brake is applied. If I've been doing it wrong for the 5-10 thousand miles I've towed a large trailer, I'd appreciate knowing why. Thanks.
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Old 11-18-2012, 06:15 AM   #16
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An exhaust brake or engine brake is a completely different animal than service brakes or trailer brakes. I have been on grades where I have only needed my PacBrake to maintain a constant speed while descending the hill. I would NOT want my trailer brakes engaged that entire time while going down. Some of these grades have been miles long while others have been very steep short grades.

I only use my service/trailer brakes to keep my speed between 35-53 and in either 2nd or 3rd gear. The rest of the time, I let the PacBrake do its job.

Just my opinion.

Dr4Film ----- Richard
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Old 11-18-2012, 02:54 PM   #17
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The trailer brakes should ONLY be applied when you step on the foot brake, NOT when the exhaust brake is on.

To do this you need to use the Brake Sig wire which will come out of either Monaco 1 or Monaco 2 boxes in the front run bay.

First picture below shows both these boxes.

Second picture shows a blue tap on the brake sig wire.

Third picture shows the plug the wire goes into at the box.

It would be a good idea to use a diode so there is no reverse current flow into the brake sig wire from the trailer brake controller. Could also use a relay.
Thanks for the pics Rex.
One thing, on mine the brake signal wire is the first wire going from right to left. The one you tapped into is hot all the time on mine. If you haven't used it yet, you might want to test it. If you have and it works

I ran a wire to the rear for the brake wire (fun) and tapped into the brake wire in the Monaco box for the signal wire. The switched 12V and ground I picked up under the dash. All is good.

Thanks for all the help. I appreciate it!

Brian
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Old 11-18-2012, 05:17 PM   #18
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Brian, perhaps just different coach model or year. Mine was marked brake sig on the wire itself. I did this about 3 years or more ago and it works fine. Glad the pictures were of some help.
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Old 11-19-2012, 10:20 AM   #19
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Brian, perhaps just different coach model or year. Mine was marked brake sig on the wire itself. I did this about 3 years or more ago and it works fine. Glad the pictures were of some help.
I kinda figured that may be the case. Identical coaches aside from mine is a 2002.

I have another question for you. There is a fuse in the same box that says "exhaust brake". Do you know if that is the fuse for the exhaust brake itself, or the exhaust brake light signal. It is a 20 amp fuse. At this point the exhaust brake is activating the trailer brake controller. Not getting into the whole debate on if that is good or bad, I don't want that. I considered a diode, but not sure where the exhaust brake wire connects to the brake light circuit. If it is down the line from where I tied in (same as you), that would work.
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Old 11-19-2012, 03:13 PM   #20
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Would not recommend removing the fuse or in any way disabling the exhaust brake. My brake lights also come on when the exhaust brake is on and I think that is as it should be so folks behind me are aware I am slowing down.

The Brake Sig lead on my coach provides a ground when the service brake is applied. I used that to trigger a relay, and the relay then controls signaling to the trailer brake, or in my case to my aux brake in my car being towed.

Using a relay makes it easy to send either positive or negative signals to the brake controller your trailer uses or requires.

I have two brake lights on my tow car, one come on with the coach tail lights (exhaust brake action) and the other when the aux brake in the car is activated (coach service brake).
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Old 11-20-2012, 12:30 PM   #21
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I didn't want to disable the exhaust brake. Just the exhaust brake light signal so the controller doesn't activate the brakes on long downgrades when just maintaining speed.
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Old 11-20-2012, 08:21 PM   #22
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When I bought my current coach last summer, instead of looking for wires, I started using the Reese towpower wireless brake controller. No mounting or wiring needed. I couldn't get the link to load here, but it has worked well for many miles including some very hard stops
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Old 11-21-2012, 12:29 PM   #23
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When I bought my current coach last summer, instead of looking for wires, I started using the Reese towpower wireless brake controller. No mounting or wiring needed. I couldn't get the link to load here, but it has worked well for many miles including some very hard stops

But what fun is that???,,, LOL ,,,,
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Old 07-11-2013, 04:40 PM   #24
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Can someone tell me how many wires are typically hooked up on these brake controller modules? (Positive, ground and the blue (braking) wire???)


Also, on the wireless units, have they been proven to work well on RV's due to the greater length than say a p/u?
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Old 07-11-2013, 04:49 PM   #25
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There are usually 4 wires: Ground, 12v, Brake Light input, and the blue output. Some coaches are already pre-wired (mine was) so look around under the dash around the steering column, you might luck out...
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Old 07-11-2013, 11:19 PM   #26
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Anybody thought of using a t and pressure switch on the air brake line, that way there won't be any problem with the pac-brake
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Old 07-12-2013, 07:50 PM   #27
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Thanks Dennis!

I will look around under the dash tomorrow, if I can't find anything I might just pull the trigger on one of those wireless units!
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Old 07-13-2013, 09:45 AM   #28
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My 2006 was "pre-wired" BUT...
-The dash connector was a standard Monaco 6pin wire splice which will not connect to any brand controller
-The wires (all were white) were labled and sized for the requirement
-The connector was a PITA to locate. Finally found it laying/taped on top of the headlight switch.
-The Brake signal wire was not compatible with most controllers (it supplied 12vdc until you stepped on the service pedal then went to 0vdc).

Even pulling a new wire from the front run box was not sufficient. I had to install a relay and use the FRB wire to signal the relay. (Search on this site for my thread; "Recommendations for brake controller mounting location" in the Towing Forum. You will find specifics from Richard/Dr4Film that helped me).
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