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Old 11-15-2012, 09:20 AM   #1
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Installing a brake controller on a Monaco

Hi,

I have a 2002 Dyansty. I need to install my electric trailer brake controller.

Is there a wire loom pre-installed that I just need to hook up to the controller like my Chevy truck? If not, I don't anticipate finding the hot, ground, and brake signal too difficult. The real question would be if there is a pre-installed wire that runs to the rear of the coach with the (blue) activation wire, or do I need to run one.

I do know that there is a trailer plug by the hitch, but not the large round 7 pin one that is common.

Thank you

Brian
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Old 11-15-2012, 10:12 AM   #2
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My schematics show an extra harness front to rear with a six position plug at the dash. Four wires at the rear by the hitch area. Hopefully an 02 has that as well. Mine does exist because I used a pair of the wires. It also shows up at front run box, outside under driver seat. Good Luck
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Old 11-15-2012, 07:12 PM   #3
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Boatdoctor.....I just installed one on an 08 Diplomat. It took all day chasing wires. The 08 had a prewired loom designed for a Unified Tow Brake. It was pretty much useless. It only provided power and ground. The blue wire typicaly used for the signal from the controler to the trailer plug was dead. After reading some forum entries, I found that many said it wasn't connected. I'm thinking there is a relay or some other connection that has to be made, but Icouldn't find it and it was faster to just run a new wire. That's the good news.

The bad news.....there is no brake switch on a diesel like you would find on your Chevy. I had to go to the electrical run bay on the exterior of the coach under the driver's seat. The Diplomat has Monaco 1 and Monaco 2 boxes under the large electrical box. I had to go through all of the wiring to find the "brake sigal" wire. It was connected, on the 08, to a brown plug, plugged into the Monaco 1 box. I yapped into that wire and fed it back up to the interior of the coach.
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Old 11-16-2012, 04:43 AM   #4
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Just put a controller on my 1996 Signature Series. Ran 3 wires from the back (Blue - Brakes, Red - Positive, and a Black - Spare) Connected every thing up in the fuse bay at the front tire. My plug now has a 12 volt positve for the trailer interior lights (just like your chevy has) I even ran a wire over from the back up lights (again just like the chevy) in case I tow a trailer with a surge brake set up and it uses the reverse light wire to release the surge for backing up. Mounted the Tekonsha unit on the drivers left side control console and the job was done. Works great!
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Old 11-16-2012, 09:40 AM   #5
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Question along this line. I also want to run wires for a brake controller on my '98 Executive. It has a Jake brake and the tail light come on when it's used, which is all the time. I really don't want trailer brakes coming on when the Jake is on. Any work around this? Can you tie into the service brake and not the brake lights?
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Old 11-16-2012, 10:18 AM   #6
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The problem would be finding the proper wire to tap into. It might take some time but I am sure its doable. There has to be a trigger wire for the brake lights that just works off the service pedal. My Jake works without the brake lights and I have been told when running in a group that its not fun following me.
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Old 11-16-2012, 11:52 AM   #7
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Here's a look at the mount I put on the drivers console
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Old 11-16-2012, 12:20 PM   #8
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stitch...As I was installing the system for the neighbor, I had to do some research on what you're asking. One guy put in a toggle switch on his dash to switch off the power on the blue lead that runs to the trailer plug.

When I was searching for the trigger wire, the one I found said service brakes. It was hot when I stepped on the pedal. The neighbor hasn't tried it yet, so it's unknown if it will come on with the exhaust brake. It would be obvious because the controller would show activation. I think the lead I connected to, "service brakes" will only cause the controller to work with the service brakes and not the exhaust brakes.

One other poster stated that his did activate with the exhaust brake so he just turned down the adjustment on the controller when using the exhaust brake on long grades.
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Old 11-16-2012, 12:30 PM   #9
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Diplomat Don View Post
One other poster stated that his did activate with the exhaust brake so he just turned down the adjustment on the controller when using the exhaust brake on long grades.
I can do that but it kind of negates the reason for having trailer brakes if they don't activate when you need them. I only use my service brakes below 15mph (mostly) and ideally, that's when I would want my trailer brakes to activate. Certainly not on long grades where my Jake is on all the way. I'll have to research my electrical bay and see if there are wires for the service brake.
Sorry to the OP if I hijacked your thread but thought that this was in conjunction with your post.
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Old 11-16-2012, 07:31 PM   #10
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On my 05 Dynasty there is a fuse that can be removed in the front driver side outside fuse panel. This negates the brake lights when the jake is activated. The brake lights activate the trailer brakes on my trailer brake controller plus there is an inertia or deceleration function.

I have the Tekonsha RF brake controller that #1 eliminates extra wiring provided you have a 12 volt outlet at the trailer connector on the MH and #2, is readily transferable to other vehicles.

It has worked flawlessly.
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Old 11-16-2012, 10:09 PM   #11
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Diplomat Don View Post
One other poster stated that his did activate with the exhaust brake so he just turned down the adjustment on the controller when using the exhaust brake on long grades.
I tow a 24' trailer quite often, and this is what I do as well on very long grades just to be safe and not overheat the trailer brakes. But even if I don't turn it down, the engine brake applies minimal trailing braking due to my brake controller having a built in accelerometer. If the braking is constant and you are not really slowing down but just keeping a constant speed down a hill (as with the engine brake), the amount of brake applied to the trailer is generally between 0 and .5. Almost all controllers have an accelerometer, but if it doesn't, it will fry the trailer brakes.
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Old 11-17-2012, 10:18 AM   #12
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Thank you for all the responses. All good information. I will be installing it today and will let you know how it works.

I called Monaco and they told me that a 2002 would not have the blue brake wire run to the rear and I could tap into the brake light wire in the panel outside under the drivers area. He wasn't sure if the exhaust brake activated the brake lights on that year coach. I will look for the fuse as that is a simple switch and don't think it's a good idea anyway to have the brake lights on when the exhaust brake is on.

Thanks again
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Old 11-17-2012, 10:44 AM   #13
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Run a new wire for the brakes. Nothing going to the back will be heavy enough. AND it is a good idea to have your brake lights come on with your Jake. People complain to me about my Signature because it doesn't.

joe
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Old 11-17-2012, 12:28 PM   #14
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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.
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