Roadmaster Even Brake wiring

[Nodigg]

So is there any reason why the towed portable braking unit brake actuator wire that is instructed to be hooked near the towed brake light cannot be hooked to the towing vehicle's electric trailer braking wire at the 7 way?

[TonyMac]

Originally Posted by Nodigg

So is there any reason why the towed portable braking unit brake actuator wire that is instructed to be hooked near the towed brake light cannot be hooked to the towing vehicle's electric trailer braking wire at the 7 way?

Yes, it should be hooked to your towed vehicle brake light. The purpose of this wire is to tell the braking unit, and your monitor in the cab, that the towed vehicle's brake pedal is being pushed. If the unit is placed too far forward, or somehow moves itself forward so that it is always pushing the brake pedal, your monitor in the cab will alert you; it will sound an audible warning and display something like TOWED BRAKE IS STUCK (i don't remember the exact verbiage but I've seen it before). In this situation, your towed vehicle brakes are being overheated and you are towing a vehicle with its brakes on. Your tow vehicle only powers that pin on your 7 way when the tow vehicle brakes are activated, not something the Even Brake needs to know. The Even Brake wants to know that the towed brakes are on only when it depresses the pedal.

[Isaac-1]

For most vehicles the instructions are to tap into the output from the brake light switch, though you should be aware that on some newer vehicles a second brake light switch should be installed as tapping into the brake light switch can cause computer problems, etc.

[TonyMac]

I have an Even Brake -- love it. However, it gobbles towed vehicle battery power to run its compressor. You really need a towed vehicle battery charging circuit.

[Nodigg]

Ran the Electric brake wire to the interior of the towed vehicle and also a hot wire from the towing unit so there will not be an unexpected towed vehicle battery drain.

I did not get to test the system yet using the electronic brake wire but so far as I can imagine the brake system is actuated by a hot wire to the tail light so this SHOULD IMO only actuate the system ONLY when the Towing vehicle presses the brake pedal or hits the auxiliary braking switch so fingers crossed my hair brained thinking works out. Very surprised I cannot find any comments about trying this by others...

[Nodigg]

It's a 2005 Wrangler so not too new....

[Isaac-1]

I am not sure what you did there, but it sounds wrong in one way or another. If you have your Even Brake Powered by the line from the towing vehicle, it can't apply the brakes in the event of a break away situation. As to power doing to the brake sense connection, this should only be connected to the TOAD brake switch or a supplimentary pedal brake switch, as its purpose is to detect the pedal being pressed, not if the brake lights are on or not, that is secondary to its purpose.

[l1v3fr33ord1]

Nodigg-

What model of the EvenBrake do you have: 8300, 8400 or 8700? Each is wired a bit differently. Installation manuals are here.

I think what you are asking is if the trailer electric brake controller wire on the 7-pin hitch connector of your Newmar Mountain Aire carries a brake signal, and therefore can be used by the Even Brake wiring as "the brake signal." The answer to that is "No." In its default- the way it came from the factory- trailer electric brake controller wire has no signal on it at all. Without a trailer electric brake controller attached to it, it is just a wire from the dash to the hitch connector, i.e., no brake signal. Even with a trailer electric brake controller attached, that wire will not send the correct signal level (voltage) on braking that the towed vehicle braking unit would need.

You can test for a brake signal at that pin by using a voltmeter. Start the coach, and have someone press the coach brake pedal. The voltmeter should not show any voltage at the trailer electric brake controller pin, with the pedal up or down. Standard signal locations shown at this link ("7-Way RV Standard").

Now, it may be possible to send a brake signal from the coach to the Jeep using that wire. Better, though, to wire the unit using the coach brake signal input as Roadmaster intended.

Some folks use the trailer electric brake controller wire to send a brake activation signal from the towed vehicle braking unit to the front of the coach. Depending on which unit of the Even Brake you have, that may or may not be necessary.

By the way, what year is your Mountain Aire?

Finally, you should add a "signature" to your profile. It contains whatever info you want; most people put info about their coach there, so they don't have to type it into each message, or folks don't have to look up your coach information in your profile. Instructions for adding a signature are here.

[TonyMac]

"... I can imagine the brake system is actuated by a hot wire to the tail light so this SHOULD IMO only actuate the system ONLY when the Towing vehicle presses the brake pedal or hits the auxiliary braking switch..."

Not true. The Even Brake is an inertial sensing proportional braking system. It senses the inertia of the tow vehicle braking and applies towed vehicle brakes to match that inertia. The brake light wire has nothing to do with the application of the towed vehicle brakes. The brake light wire is there to tell the Even Brake that the towed vehicle brakes are applied. If the Even Brake is not applying those brakes, it will send a warning to the monitor in the cab that the towed vehicle brakes are dragging. This is a safety feature. If the Even Brake applies the towed vehicle brakes and does not see the brake light voltage, it will send a message to the monitor that the brake light wire is disconnected, however, braking function will continue. Power to operate the Even Brake comes from your cigarette lighter.