The OEM controller is smart it knows how fast the vehicle is going once the speed of the vehicle is below 11 mph the control no longer applies full power to the trailer brakes. On page 297 in the Ford Owners Manual, it states:
The trailer brake controller is equipped with a feature that reduces output at vehicle speeds below 11 mph (18 km/h) so trailer and vehicle braking is not jerky or harsh. This feature is only active when applying the brakes using your vehicle’s brake pedal, not the controller.
So testing the output while stopped in the parking lot will not work. I need a pass-thru plug that allows me to drive down the road and monitor the voltage and current going to the trailer. Do you know where I can find such an inline adapter ? To check the true output going thru the blue wire in the trailer wiring harness that feeds the brakes. I have a 7-pin trailer wiring harness to make the measurements while sitting still. I can plug that into the truck’s connector and push the truck brake pedal, but I don’t expect to see anything because the controller knows the truck is not moving.
Can you isolate the wire within the trailer harness? Then use a clamp meter or an accessory ammeter clamp clipped around the wire to measure current through it. Set the meter to peak measurement and zip tie it to the chassis. Do the test, pull over and read the captured value on the meter display. This would be the easiest method but requires some equipment.
If you want to save money, you can cut the brake wire in the harness and install your meter in line. When done, one of those hermetically sealed crimp connectors can restore the connection without risk of exposure to corrosion down the road- so to speak…
Braking is triggered by a positive voltage being applied to the brake light circuit. Once braking is triggered, Elecbrakes uses microprocessors and accelerometers to measure, calculate and adjust brake response over 1000 times per second with a regulation resolution of better than 0.005amps (i.e. 16amps / 4095 discrete steps). This response matches the driver’s braking action on the tow vehicle and can be adjusted using the in-car remote for a fine-tuned proportional brake controller experience.
Do you have a write up on the brake controller,
I think the output to the brakes in a pulse width modulation PWM and as the need for more braking action increase the pulse get wider, thus driving up the total current the brakes receive
When you see the grey background with a right offset and darker grey bar on the left of the paragraph, that is this forum’s way of indicating a quoted paragraph of text. I posted the link to the article and then the more relevant portion of the article directly below it as a convenience for those that do not want to follow the link and read the entire thing.
Even if I do all of this testing to find out what the max voltage and/or current output is thru the Ford OEM controller. Then what can I do, I can’t reprogram the brake controller to a different Max current limit. Currently, my new 2019 F-350 is talking to my WiFi connection inside the house and is updating the Ford Syn 3 system it will take over 2 hours to update the programing that was installed at the Factory in Feb 2019. We are talking about an update, they couldn’t tell how big the file update is because there may have been multiple updates I missed from 2019 thru 2022. These new trucks run on computers and data when you change a part you need to ensure the computer can talk to the new parts, steering pump, transmission, air condition compress, and front windshield wipers.
The front windshield wipers have adaptive speed control it monitors the rainfall and adjusts the speed of the wipers based on the amount of rain falling.
Went back to 2 different dealerships and ask if I purchased a brake controller test box for $500 and it proves that the Orange Warning Light is caused by the Higher than excepted brake current. And is repeatable will you carry this information to Ford and attempt to get them to rewrite the code, they said No. Which is crazy since they are having a massive recall on all Ford 150 Brake Controllers. I think I will call to find out why and what are the systems for this massive trailer brake recall. To see if it matches my problems.
You already have 6 trailer brake magnets, they are located in your trailer. Apply 12 volts to the trailer brake connection and measure the current load.
It’s easy to find just by googling it. Found it in 5 seconds. It’s for F-150 brake controllers and is due to non-application of trailer brake signal under certain conditions. Neither of which pertains to your truck or situation. If it did, you’d have been notified by now, this happened in May of last year.
It doesn’t.
This is simple. You need to verify your trailer is drawing under the specified current limit under conditions that generate the error message. If it is above the limit, then the problem is with the trailer and no amount of grousing to Ford or anyone else will change that…
That’s what the dealer said, I should limit the current going to the trailer. I said I can do that based on your recommendation. I could add a resistor to the to the blue wire. You realize that will limit braking effort and will increase braking distance, which may cause other problems, like not stopping fast enough. But I can do that or start eliminating Trailer Brake Magnets. Which will increase the resistance more ohms which will decrease the current thus the Orange Light will not come on.
He reverse his recommendation to limit the current going to the trailer.
E = I x R
If E increases and R doesn’t change
I has to increases for the Ohms Law to work
When towing the alternator will increase the DC voltage to 13.8 to 14.8
This truck came with 2 Alternators and 2 batteries from the factory
14.8/.5 = 29.6 Amps
Ford has not disclosed what the max Amps is set for before the Orange Light comes on at
I have see those statement the 3.2 amp rule is based on a 12 volt battery. When I tow my engine is running which means the 2 alternators are also running the battery voltage is no longer 12 volts. Etrailer example is 3.2 to 4.0 max amps at 12 to 13 volts on 10 and 12-inch brake magnets. The problem is when you parallel 6 Trailer Brake Magnets the load goes lower with each Magnet you add. A magnet is like a AC motor the inrush is really high until the magnet develops back EMF the current drops off as the magnet field is energized. Its that high inrush that looks like high current flow.
13/4 = 3.25 Ohms
14.8/3.25 = 4.55 Amps
4.55 x 6 = 27.3 Amps
If any one of those Magnets is a little lower that 3.25 Ohms is drops the average very quickly but if its higher it only looks for the lowest load.
That’s true, but I have to prove to Ford the Orange Light is cause by high current and not a short. And what is the current limit set on their controller for 25 or 26 or 27 that cause the Orange Light to come or is it only 22 Amps. Ford has not given me a number, I’m sure a lot of items effect what that number works out to be, it’s like a 15 Amp circuit breaker it does trip right at 15 amp.
What is that limit 22 Amps
Ford views this problem as a short in the trailer wiring system
If I apply the brakes lightly or with moderate pressure, increase just a little to much with the brake pressure and the Orange Light comes on
Are you interested in resolving the issue or just talking in circles about it? It’s not as simple as constant voltage applied and ohms law. This was discussed way back when in this thread.
Yes they have. It is already discussed earlier.
Go back and read the whole thread. It’s a PWM. That increase in voltage only results in a small increase in average power.
You’re completely lost in the weeds…
I mean this in the best way possible. Stop overthinking this and do the basic measurements. If you don’t have the equipment, find someone who does and understands the fundamental design approach.
I seem to recall you said in the beginning that the fault only occurs under heavy load and hard braking. I’m not going back to look.
Ford has designed the system using typical trailer brake loading including tolerance stack up and safety margin. Everything has tolerance. The current measurement scheme has a +/- tolerance but if you go back and look in this thread regarding the expected max amp draw for a 6 wheel brake system and the specified trip point, there is plenty of margin so as to avoid nuisance alarms.
My last comment and advice is to find someone who can understand and do the work to measure your trailer draw under the actual conditions that trip the light. I’m fairly confident it will exceed the specified trip point…
The dealer doesn’t know, I don’t know, the gals at Ford.com don’t know anything. 2 dealers are not willing to open a work order because they are graded on how long they are kept open. So when you have to wait for a part, the open work order is then closed, when the part arrives, a new one is opened. Looks good on the books.
Yes if you brake hard the orange light comes on.
The first time is was coming into town had to slow down to 35 from 60 I had the engine brake on but it wasn’t slowing down fast enough so I applied the brakes to slow down. It wasn’t hard or panic stop I just need to slow down to 35 mph and the orange light comes on. Ford.com will not get involved unless there is a open work order, the dealer want to close those work order as soon as possible.
Unless I hang a clamp on meter under the trailer on the blue wire and it reads and holds the highest reading. The next problem after the orange light comes on inside the cab will the compete stop, to crawl under the trailer and look at the meter, will the complete stop cause the meter to then record a new highest reading. Do you know what the controllers current is set too, that’s too high, what is the set point should be ?
The reason I repeat things is to answer new question that I answered in the past
The PWM is a square wave but as you need more braking the no and off pulses increases to the point the top of the pulse is wider or longer than the off duration. This long on cycle increases the average current quickly but the meter doesn’t respond that fast so its reading is also an average current reading
I seem to recall you said in the beginning that the fault only occurs under heavy load and hard braking. I’m not going back to look.
That was another responder that assumed that was the case
It doesn’t take hard braking to get the orange light
That Number I found is a fault code Ford DTC B148A:11 for Orange Warning Light the service manager did not know what the limit is set for and it’s not listed in limited information he has for the brake controller
So due you know what the limit is set for ?