I need to wire an electric brake controller in semi (Internatinal 4900). The Truck has air brakes, the gooseneck trailer it pulls has electric brakes. I understand how to wire the lights. But how to get the controller wired.
Do I hook the brake wire from controller to the Brake lights?
Does this mean I have to run an inertia type controller?

Need to get this wired tomorrow?

Thanks in advance

 

What brand of controller?

 

^^^^ if you don't already have one, you can get a max brake...http://www.maxbrake.com/index.php but they aren't the cheapest....

or if memory serves me right, you can tap into the outgoing side of what ever switch operates your brake lights and do it that way... other than that, i "think" you'd have to go with the inertia brake controller

 

I dont think the brake max will work in this semi, it has air brakes, no hydraulic brake system to hook into.

I havnt got a controller yet, going to pick one up in the AM.

 

Yes, it just ties in the brake light circuit.
You won't have any problems at all, just follow the destructions and it will work just like it is supposed to. It doesn't care what type of brakes the tow vehicle has.

 

Go with a prodigy or P3 , like you say it is an inertia type system..they're both easy to hookup. If the trailer has electric / hydraulic brakes I recommend the P3 as it is compatible with more actuators..

 

If I recall, in the directions for Brakesmart it says it can be used with air brakes. The pressure/gain settings are just different. Might check and confirm.

The plug for the brake controller would have negative/ground, hot, wire from brake light switch, and the wire that connects to the RV plug in the back.

The brake controller would show how it is to be wired. There are also kits that come with appropriate size wire, fuse, and so on. I think I saw some for medium duty trucks somewhere...

Anyway, if you go with an inertia type, Technocia Prodegy or P3 would be on my short list.

 

Is that cornbinder 24 volts and what about the trailer? If so make sure the brake controller can handle 24 volts. Either that or wire separately to only one battery to get 12 volts if the trailer brakes are 12 volts.

 

MaxBrake does air over electric...

http://www.maxbrake.com/brake-controller.php

http://www.maxbrake.com/downloads/Installation.pdf

 

put one in 85 western star all i did was connect to the switch on the brake peddle that activates the lights. i believe it was a haynes controller had to adjust the trailer brakes since they would apply faster then the trucks. wasnt hard to do took about 30 min

 

I did this in my 97 International 4900 w/ air brakes. I couldn't find a brake light wire that didn't first go thru the directional light switch, meaning that both brake switch wires I found under the dash flashed when I turned on the directionals.

I installed an air activated switch on the outside of the firewall where the airline comes from the brake pedal and ran the brake controller off of that switch.

chaikwa.

 

As simple as it gets right here.

http://www.hayesbc.com/air%20actuated.html

 

forgot about that one too......need more

 

I didn't know hayes made an air actuated controller... Looks to me like that would be just the ticket.

 

I got it done. I didn know that hayes made one of those.
I got a pressure switch plumbed it in to the brake line,so when you pressed the brakes, it activated and applied power to the controller, etc. Works great.
Thanks

Im going to look in to the the Hayes air brake controller next time.

PS
When wiring a semi, or any truck for that matter, do not take the excess wire and wrap it around the steering shaft. it will rub the insulation off and short out and burn up alll the the wires and controller. That is why I had to rewire this truck, someone, some where wired it that way. I did it right.