How do I wire in a brake controller?

[Goldfinger]

I just picked up a hayes energizer 3 controller. I just took a look behind my dash and got overwhelmed just trying to find whats what. does anyone have a photo of how to install one of these.

[Gregs71]

If I remember correctly when i did mine (7 way), the brake controller itself only needed two wires. a hot which i spliced off the fuse box in the cab and the blue brake wire. I don't remember but common sense tells me it would have a ground too.

The blue wire (along with another hot directly from the battery) i ran under the truck to the plug (7 way in my case).

Auto parts stores sell an adaptor for our trucks that splices into the turn / brake signals. The splice is very clean and located near the back bumper.

Then its just a matter of splicing the wires to the plug.

Hopefully somebody will chime in if i am off or left something out.

[hatzie]

The wire colors from your controller will be in the documentation included with the controller.
Hayes etc. don't include some very important parts.

• 1 30 amp self resetting automotive circuit breaker http://www.summitracing.com/parts/BSS-CBC30B for the main power feed.
• 1 40 amp self resetting automotive circuit breaker http://www.summitracing.com/parts/BSS-CBC40B for the Breakaway battery power feed.
• 1 ATC 25A fuse with an outdoor rated fuse holder that has a weathertight cap... example:McMaster PN 8110K4.
• 2 10" RED 12ga Jumper wires with 7/16" and #10 ring terminals for the circuit breakers.
• 8ft of 12ga Blue and 8' of 12ga Orange wire to run out the back.

You have 4 wires to hookup plus the jumper to install.

2 wires in the cab.

• Controller ground wire to a good ground point. In 1985 there was a buss bar for grounds under the dash that uses 1/4 female disconnects.
• Controller Stoplight wire through the inline fuse to the brake light switch on the pedals. On your 1985 the wires on the pedal switch are Orange and White. White is switched power for the brake lights. Properly... tap into the White switched wire. Do not use Scotchloks or T taps they improperly break the insulation without corrosion protection and they loosen up very quickly. IMPORTANT NOTE: IF YOU SCREW THE WHITE WIRE UP YOU WILL NOT HAVE BRAKE LIGHTS.

2 wires that run through the firewall.

• Controller Trailer brake engagement feed (Usually BLUE). Attach this to the BLUE 12ga wire you ran along the frame to the trailer connector out back.
• Controller Power feed. Mount the 30a circuit breaker close to the junction block on the firewall under the wiper motor. Attach the power feed for the brake controller to one side of the breaker with a #10 ring terminal.
• Run the 10" RED jumper wire that you made from the other side of the circuit breaker to the junction block.

The Orange wire is the breakaway battery charge wire. Mount the 40a circuit breaker next to the 30a controller breaker and hookup the same way. If you aren't going to use a breakaway battery don't install the 10" jumper to power this wire. It'll already be under there when you decide you need it.

BTW ACDelco TC189 is a plug-in WeatherPak lighting T connector. Hopkins makes a similar part. I've cleaned up so many U-Haul installed Scotchlok T-Tap butcher jobs over the years it's truly frightening.

[Goldfinger]

thank you very much