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  1. #1
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    Brakerite wiring question with a lithium isolator (for disc brake install)

    I'm about to install a Kodiak disc brake kit on my Solitude. Hopefully someone has the same issue as me. I already have a lithium battery set up on my trailer. Given the trailer runs an average higher voltage than my truck, I installed a Victron Orion-Tr DC-DC 12/12-18 isolated converter to step up the voltage from the truck to charge the trailer. Without this, the trailer would back feed the truck when it wasn't running. This complicates matters for installing the Brakerite actuator.

    My Ram truck has a maximum trailer plug power current of 20 amps. The Brakerite is said to pull as much as 25-26 amps with a surge possibly higher for a split second. Obviously my 20 amps max power from the truck will not do. The simple solution is to attach the Brakerite to my lithium house batteries... but these are isolated from the truck via the Orion controller. Connecting the two will defeat my isolator and the whole purpose of it.

    My thought is to power the entire Brakerite controller from the trailer house batteries only. Only the trucks brake wire (blue) would go directly from the truck to the trailer (the charge wire would still go to the isolator providing 18 amps). I presume the Brakerite only uses the blue as a voltage reference so no back feeding should occur. While the truck may be a slightly lower voltage than the trailer the reference on the blue wire should be good enough since the truck and trailer will share a connected ground.

    Hope this makes some sort of sense! Thoughts?
    Trailer: 2019 Solitude S-Class 3740BH
    Old trailer: 2016 Outdoors RV Creekside 27DBHS (Sold)
    Old trailer: 2010 Heartland Sundance 3300RLB (always leaked, then rotted! Layout was good, but build was junk.)
    Old trailer: 1992 Prowler 5th 27.5N

    Truck: 2016 Ram 3500 Cummins Megacab 4x4 SRW Laramie Aisin
    Old truck: 2012 Ram 3500 Cummins Megacab 4x4 SRW Laramie 68RFE
    Old truck: 2003 Ram 3500 Cummins QuadCab 4x4 SRW Laramie 6spd

  2. #2
    Site Sponsor Jerryr's Avatar
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    Post the wire diagram you are using for the Brakerite pump.

    If it’s wired like this below my understanding is the Brakrerite has an internal trickle charger that supplies a very small charge current via violet wire when truck is connected. It’s not your truck positive battery connection that charges the trailer battery.

    I know when mine is connected when towing, my Trailer battery voltage only goes up maybe 0.1 volts. But when Truck brake pedal is applied trailer battery voltage jumps up significantly.

    Jerry & Linda
    Emma & Abby our Mini Golden Doodles & JR our Amazon Parrot
    2017 Reflection 337RLS, Build Date 01/2017, Titan Disk Brakes, Goodyear G614s 235/85/16 G Rated tires
    2022 F-450 King Ranch Ultimate, 4,868 lb Payload, Bedrug Bedliner, Andersen Ultimate II Aluminum 5th wheel hitch
    http://visitedstatesmap.com/image/FLGANCSCsm.jpg

  3. #3
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    I don't have a wiring diagram other than what came with the Brakerite controller. That diagram won't work for my situation. The trailer batteries will charge so long as the truck voltage is higher by natural flow of current to the lower voltage (thus the Orion isolator that I set higher, and this does work as confirmed by my experience last year). At this point charging is not my concern... simply the brake wiring is.
    Trailer: 2019 Solitude S-Class 3740BH
    Old trailer: 2016 Outdoors RV Creekside 27DBHS (Sold)
    Old trailer: 2010 Heartland Sundance 3300RLB (always leaked, then rotted! Layout was good, but build was junk.)
    Old trailer: 1992 Prowler 5th 27.5N

    Truck: 2016 Ram 3500 Cummins Megacab 4x4 SRW Laramie Aisin
    Old truck: 2012 Ram 3500 Cummins Megacab 4x4 SRW Laramie 68RFE
    Old truck: 2003 Ram 3500 Cummins QuadCab 4x4 SRW Laramie 6spd

  4. #4
    Site Sponsor Jerryr's Avatar
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    You should carefully read the installation manual https://www.championtrailers.com/con...ite-manual.pdf

    Look at 4.1, second paragraph. If you installed per the manual it’s not your truck battery voltage or the stepped up voltage from your converter that charges the trailer battery. It’s the internal charger built into the UHB that maintains trailer battery charge. I’m sure that’s only calibrated to maintain a lead acid battery.

    Then look at 4.4 which describes the Brakerite Electronic Control Board, ECB, battery protection system, that prevents draw from trailer battery to truck battery. If wired per diagram I don’t know if draw in the opposite way would occur.

    I’ve read where one person jumped black wire to violet to bypass the EHB battery protection circuit and use the truck’s output to charge the trailer battery. I’m not sure if this is what you are doing.

    Where and how is your Victron converter connected?

    Added: if installed per Brakerite manual, THERE IS NO DIRECT CONNECTION FROM PIN 4, AUX +12 VOLT CHARGING OUTPUT FROM TRUCK BATTERY TO TRAILER BATTERY. WITHOUT A DIRECT CONNECTION I DONT KNOW IF THE TRAILER WOULD BACK FEED THE TRUCK WHEN IT WASNT RUNNING
    Last edited by Jerryr; 06-15-2020 at 10:52 PM.
    Jerry & Linda
    Emma & Abby our Mini Golden Doodles & JR our Amazon Parrot
    2017 Reflection 337RLS, Build Date 01/2017, Titan Disk Brakes, Goodyear G614s 235/85/16 G Rated tires
    2022 F-450 King Ranch Ultimate, 4,868 lb Payload, Bedrug Bedliner, Andersen Ultimate II Aluminum 5th wheel hitch
    http://visitedstatesmap.com/image/FLGANCSCsm.jpg

  5. #5
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    I believe the Brakerite manual wiring diagrams are based on trailers (like boat trailers) that have a stand-alone trailer battery who’s only purpose is breakaway. With nothing else drawing on that battery it needs very little charge unlike rv house batteries always under use. I very much doubt the internal Brakerite charger is good for higher voltage lithium’s.

    Thanks, but as I said, I’ve got the charging of my lithium’s going good. I just need to verify my proposed brake control wiring will work.
    Trailer: 2019 Solitude S-Class 3740BH
    Old trailer: 2016 Outdoors RV Creekside 27DBHS (Sold)
    Old trailer: 2010 Heartland Sundance 3300RLB (always leaked, then rotted! Layout was good, but build was junk.)
    Old trailer: 1992 Prowler 5th 27.5N

    Truck: 2016 Ram 3500 Cummins Megacab 4x4 SRW Laramie Aisin
    Old truck: 2012 Ram 3500 Cummins Megacab 4x4 SRW Laramie 68RFE
    Old truck: 2003 Ram 3500 Cummins QuadCab 4x4 SRW Laramie 6spd

  6. #6
    Site Sponsor Scocciante's Avatar
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    I found this when looking for a way that served me best.
    Attached Thumbnails Attached Thumbnails Best Pump Wiring.png  
    Last edited by Scocciante; 06-16-2020 at 03:52 PM.
    2020 Grand Design Solitude 344GK
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  7. #7
    Site Sponsor Jerryr's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Scocciante View Post
    I found this when looking for way that served me best.
    Yep that’s Rob’s well thought out modified wiring. It connects the Black and Violet wires to bypass the Brakerite internal trickle charger and use the truck’s output to charge the trailer battery.

    He also added a 40 amp auto resetting breaker for additional protection.
    Last edited by Jerryr; 06-16-2020 at 09:20 AM.
    Jerry & Linda
    Emma & Abby our Mini Golden Doodles & JR our Amazon Parrot
    2017 Reflection 337RLS, Build Date 01/2017, Titan Disk Brakes, Goodyear G614s 235/85/16 G Rated tires
    2022 F-450 King Ranch Ultimate, 4,868 lb Payload, Bedrug Bedliner, Andersen Ultimate II Aluminum 5th wheel hitch
    http://visitedstatesmap.com/image/FLGANCSCsm.jpg

  8. #8
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    To answer my own question on my wiring idea... it worked. Brakerite is fully powered by the trailer which is isolated from the truck. Only the blue brake wire is a direct connection. Brake control works fine and the isolation has no ill effect.
    Trailer: 2019 Solitude S-Class 3740BH
    Old trailer: 2016 Outdoors RV Creekside 27DBHS (Sold)
    Old trailer: 2010 Heartland Sundance 3300RLB (always leaked, then rotted! Layout was good, but build was junk.)
    Old trailer: 1992 Prowler 5th 27.5N

    Truck: 2016 Ram 3500 Cummins Megacab 4x4 SRW Laramie Aisin
    Old truck: 2012 Ram 3500 Cummins Megacab 4x4 SRW Laramie 68RFE
    Old truck: 2003 Ram 3500 Cummins QuadCab 4x4 SRW Laramie 6spd

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