Screwed up my wiring: 7 way, electric brakes lock on reverse.

[bbarthelt]

This is why we can't have nice things. I just bought a Stratos 200 Pro XL with a single axle trailer, electric breaks, retractable tongue. The prior owner did not need to retract the tongue to fit it in his garage: I do. They had run the wires under, which made retracting impossible. I rewired to run them over to allow retracting. I thought I reverse engineered the prior wiring, but apparently not. I blew it somehow.

The brakes now lock up hard whenever the truck goes in reverse. I've looked at lots of articles, diagrams, and not seeing what i'm doing wrong. I'm hoping there's someone here who can help me deduce the proper wiring.

From what I can tell from articles, the center pin (reverse lights), and 5 o'clock pin (12v power) are to be involved. Do they get merged, then run to the actuator and grounded?

Thanks in advance.

[CatFan]

I’d put my money on a blown fuse in your truck.

[bbarthelt]

It was working just before I rewired it. So I more suspect my lack of talent :-)

[CatFan]

Only the center pin on the 7-pin is involved in disabling the brake actuator for backing. Blue wire. Ground for the solenoid comes via the frame. The 12VDC line is not normally used on boat trailers.

[bbarthelt]

Thanks CatFan. That's helpful info.

[billnorman1]

Apparently you have only the round plug, not a flat 5 pin one. Anyhow, like Cat Fan says look for a loss of power, like a broken or open blue or purple wire depending on your harness type. Maybe it had or has a short and blew the fuse.

[Islands]

I just bought a Stratos 200 Pro XL with a single axle trailer, electric breaks, retractable tongue.

.

Do you have electric brakes or Hyd brakes with elect reverse lockout. I ask because it sounds like the trailer has been rewired for a 7 pin connector (required for elect brakes) and what you say is happening would be what could happen if the wiring for the different systems was used.

[billnorman1]

All new trucks have a 7 pin connector, one usually has to buy a 7 pin round to 4 or 5 pin flat connector to hook to the trailer UNLESS the boat trailer comes with a round connector. I haven't seen one but I suppose they exist.

[hydrasport185]

My 2019 PT 190 Tracker came with the round connector

[billnorman1]

My 2019 PT 190 Tracker came with the round connector

OK. One in a row!

[fishnfireman]

Mine makes two, lot of NEW boats are using them.
If they are " electric " brakes and were cross wired they should be locked up all the time not just in reverse. If there hydraulic surge brakes it sounds like you just need to figure out which one is your reverse light make sure it's hot and get it to the blue trailer wire

[Islands]

Mine makes two, lot of NEW boats are using them.
If they are " electric " brakes and were cross wired they should be locked up all the time not just in reverse. If there hydraulic surge brakes it sounds like you just need to figure out which one is your reverse light make sure it's hot and get it to the blue trailer wire

If you connect the wire that would connect to the "brake" solenoid of hyd system to the "brake" wire of an elect system brakes lock in reverse.

[fishnfireman]

How you figure that?

[Farmer99]

If this is an electric brake, as op indicated, the reverse and +12 are not used. The ground and blue wire from the brake controller are the only connections to the electric brakes on the trailer. If the brakes are locking up when shifting to reverse, I would suspect the reverse wire is cross connected to the blue brake wire. Completely different if hydraulic brakes are involved, as a +12 on the brake wire releases the brakes. If no voltage when backing, the tongue would compress the actuator and lock the brakes, unless backing downhill. Most hydraulic brake actuators hace a lockout pin in case no reverse signal is available when backing such as a 4 wire connection.

[wmitch2]

1. Check the fuse under the hood on the truck for back-up lights on the trailer plug
2. Us a test light or multi-meter to check for power at the truck end of the plug.
3. Check the trailer plug for correct wiring order. Brown=12v power, white=Gnd, Green=Right turn/stop, Yellow=Left turn/stop, and Blue or Purple=Reverse cut out solenoid.
4. Make sure the ground wire on the trailer plug is connected to the frame is clean.
5. Make sure ALL light functions are working properly

[bbarthelt]

I got it sorted out: The blue wire was in the right spot, but it was not fully grounded. The second I got the other ground wire tapped into the trailer ground it was all good. Thanks everybody for the help.

[berudd]

Mine makes two, lot of NEW boats are using them.
If they are " electric " brakes and were cross wired they should be locked up all the time not just in reverse. If there hydraulic surge brakes it sounds like you just need to figure out which one is your reverse light make sure it's hot and get it to the blue trailer wire

Make that three.

[fishnfireman]

I got it sorted out: The blue wire was in the right spot, but it was not fully grounded. The second I got the other ground wire tapped into the trailer ground it was all good. Thanks everybody for the help.

[billnorman1]

I got it sorted out: The blue wire was in the right spot, but it was not fully grounded. The second I got the other ground wire tapped into the trailer ground it was all good. Thanks everybody for the help.

What I think he said was, the trailer was not properly grounded at the point where the anti reverse solenoid was located. I think the solenoid is a case ground. Grounding the blue wire would rapidly interrupt the circuit.

[fishnfireman]

don't over think it.