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Old 01-19-2016, 01:11 PM   #1
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Towed brake light solenoid

Im preparing to tow a 2000 Grand Cherokee behind my 01 Winnebago Journey. I am using the SMI AFO supplemental brakes and a combined wiring harness to use the lights on the GC for turn and brake. My question is, do I really need to wire in the solenoid to keep the GC brakes from interferring with the turn/brake signals from the coach. It seems like I could just pull the brake light fuse while Im towing and then once I arrive pop the fuse back in.
Im not really looking forward to crawling under the dash to install the solenoid.
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Old 01-19-2016, 03:18 PM   #2
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rshackleford-

I don't know whose "solenoid" you may have already, but etrailer sells a product by Roadmaster that is suggested for the same purpose. Here is a link to the product page. In the middle of that page (which also has installation instructions) is a section titled: "Is a Relay Required?" Answer the questions in that section and it should determine if a relay is necessary for your application.

In my installation, a brake light relay was not required, so I can't tell you I know how difficult it is to install. I do know I would not want to be pulling any of the little fuses under the Fit's dash every time I had to tow. For one thing, I've gotten too farsighted to see them clearly!
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Old 01-19-2016, 03:48 PM   #3
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We have a 2014, with LED brake lights, so ours is different.

I would make this suggestion as an alternate to pulling the fuse.

Install a switch in series with the wire that comes from your Toad brake light switch. I think in your vehicle, when the brake light switch closes, the brake lights come one. So putting a separate toggle switch in series with this, will prevent the circuit from completing when you tow the GC.

Now a relay is just an electrically controlled switch. In my case, I have a charge wire in my tow cable harness. I use this to control a relay instead of a switch that you must remember to activate. So when I hook up the toad, the relay is energized, and the toad brake lights are inhibited.

Regards,

Dan
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Old 01-19-2016, 04:11 PM   #4
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Quote:
Originally Posted by dpinvidic View Post
We have a 2014, with LED brake lights, so ours is different.

I would make this suggestion as an alternate to pulling the fuse.

Install a switch in series with the wire that comes from your Toad brake light switch. I think in your vehicle, when the brake light switch closes, the brake lights come one. So putting a separate toggle switch in series with this, will prevent the circuit from completing when you tow the GC.

Now a relay is just an electrically controlled switch. In my case, I have a charge wire in my tow cable harness. I use this to control a relay instead of a switch that you must remember to activate. So when I hook up the toad, the relay is energized, and the toad brake lights are inhibited.

Regards,

Dan
Dan that is a unique and smart way of controlling the brake light !!
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Old 01-19-2016, 04:36 PM   #5
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I meant to say relay not solenoid. Sorry for the confusion.

The issue is access to the wire for the brake light switch. IF I could get up under the dash and put a switch in series I could probably install the relay as well. Im trying to avoid having to crawl under the dash by just pulling the fuse.

I was hoping someone would be able to comment on that technigue.

Ill just give it a try in the next couple days and see if that works.

Thanks for the suggestions.
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Old 01-19-2016, 08:55 PM   #6
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Quote:
Originally Posted by rshackleford View Post
I meant to say relay not solenoid. Sorry for the confusion.

The issue is access to the wire for the brake light switch. IF I could get up under the dash and put a switch in series I could probably install the relay as well. Im trying to avoid having to crawl under the dash by just pulling the fuse.

I was hoping someone would be able to comment on that technigue.

Ill just give it a try in the next couple days and see if that works.

Thanks for the suggestions.
I agree, workingunder the dash is torture on these newer cars. Not at all like oldef cars.

They also sell switches that connect to the fuse block for the fuses that people need to pull when towing. You might be interested in one for this application.

Dan
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