Ok just paranoid maybe but after $1700 parts and labor, thought I'd run this by...

So I screwed up my breakaway switch on my trailer. I forgot to unconnect it and ripped it off. (Dumbass) So I go and replace it. All black wires from trailer to switch... Who knows what's +/- but since it's all black would it matter?!

Anyway it's a warm day so after fixing the switch, I fire up the rig, turn on the AC and hitch up. I get out and hook up my 7 pin. I jump back in the cab and note the air coming out of the vents is warm. Then I smell electrical smoke... Yikes!!!

I shut everything down. And pull the 7 pin. ***. Well I'm in a position I got to tow my trailer. So with the AC off I plug in my trailer and drive to my destination. Nothing else odd but without AC... It's sweaty!

Dealer says the compressor failed and the fan clutch blew. Cha-Ching.

So my questions...

2007.5 with over 100k

Electrical failure coincidence?

Or could the trailer breakaway wiring have fracked this up? Some electrical surge fry the clutch?

Or wouldn't compressor failure take a bit of time? (Days weeks?)

 

The breakaway for the trailer brakes should only have 2 wires to the trailer 7 pin plug. + and - to charge the battery. Other wires go to the trailer brakes. If you hooked that up backwards I'd expect it to blow a fuse or something but not mess up the ac.
Coincidence I think. Compressor froze up and that burned up the clutch likely. Have heard of Dodge ac problems before so not out of the question.

Why though would not disconnecting the breakaway cable case you to mess up the wiring? That part is supposed to pull out of the trailer "breaks" away from the truck.

 

The brake way switch does't hook up to ground (-), One wire goes to the + terminal on the brakeway battery (Mounted on trailer) the other goes to the blue wire going to the trailer brakes. Disconnect the 7 way from pu, pull the cable out of the brakeway switch and the trailer brakes are set. If this doesn't work you have it wired wrong. Go to etrailer.com and look up brake wiring.;;;;; And since you hooked up one wire to ground anything is possible.

 

Thanks Grit and GCSSR-

Only two original black wires from trailer to connect to the new twi black wires from the breakaway...and yes when I unhooked my 7 pin and pulled the breakaway, the trailer brakes activated. However I will visit the Etrailer site.

Ya, no fuses blew (which I would expect first) so I am leaning to my Irish luck and coincidence...