Jackalopee and Brake Controller

[Nwcid]

For good, bad or otherwise I ended up going to the Prodigy P3 controller.  

I am getting ready to do my install over the next couple days.  

For the electric brake controller the red wire needs to be engaged from brake activation.  I know a source for this can typically be found under the dash. 

Since I have to run the blue wire to the Jackalopee is there a reason I should not also run the red wire to the Jackalopee?  I would then tie the red brake controller wire to the green brake light wire from the truck. 

 

 

[Moresmoke]

13 hours ago, Nwcid said:

For good, bad or otherwise I ended up going to the Prodigy P3 controller.  

I am getting ready to do my install over the next couple days.  

For the electric brake controller the red wire needs to be engaged from brake activation.  I know a source for this can typically be found under the dash. 

Since I have to run the blue wire to the Jackalopee is there a reason I should not also run the red wire to the Jackalopee?  I would then tie the red brake controller wire to the green brake light wire from the truck. 

 

 

The red wire serves two purposes, it tells the P3 when the brake lights come on (applying brakes), and it provides power to the brake light circuit when you use the manual slide bar on the controller.

Wiring the red wire to the Jackalopee will allow the trailer lights to work when using the manual slide bar. It will not turn on the truck brake lights. Now that said, it is the best option I could come up with when I did mine. If I remember right, there is only a pressure sensor on the brake circuit of the truck, not a snap switch. While you could add a switch for the red wire under the dash, it won’t give you the trailer brake lights if you trigger the trailer brakes manually.

[Nwcid]

I read what you wrote several times and did some googling. I understand what you are saying, but I am not sure how it is an issue.  Isn't that how it works on all vehicles?  It has been so long since I had a to wire in a truck controller I do not recall........

On any vehicle the red wire is hooked up to the "cold" side of the switch.  The only time it receives power is if the brakes are applied (no matter where you tap in).  So unless the controller has a way to back feed a vehicle system it would not engage the brake lights on any tow vehicle.  

I feel like I might be missing something. 

[Moresmoke]

49 minutes ago, Nwcid said:

I read what you wrote several times and did some googling. I understand what you are saying, but I am not sure how it is an issue.  Isn't that how it works on all vehicles?  It has been so long since I had a to wire in a truck controller I do not recall........

On any vehicle the red wire is hooked up to the "cold" side of the switch.  The only time it receives power is if the brakes are applied (no matter where you tap in).  So unless the controller has a way to back feed a vehicle system it would not engage the brake lights on any tow vehicle.  

I feel like I might be missing something. 

The controller does back feed when you manually apply the trailer brakes. Otherwise you would be braking and have no brake lights.

One of the reasons modern light trucks have that convenient plug in for the brake control (or integrated). Makes it harder to muss things up.

Anyways, if you hook to the brake lights at the Jackalopee it will work just fine.

[Nwcid]

Today I got all of my wiring done.  I did run into one oddity.

 

I did not wire 100% by the Jackalopee book.  I did buy a 7 round pin connector to plug into the truck, but I did not buy any "semi" wire so I used RV wire.  From the 7 round plug I ran the RV wire, but instead of following colors directly I went by wire gauge.  

Before powering everything up I did a continuity check.  Everything checked out correct except for one thing.  If I check from the ground on the semi plug to the ground on the RV receptacle I get continuity.  I also get continuity on the left and right turn signal pins.  Is this normal?

I did energize the system and checked from the RV receptacle ground to all other pins while signaling, braking, lights etc and they all showed proper voltage with no problem.  I have not connected a trailer yet.