Testing Mopar trailer brake controller?

[Alc]

Just installed my MOPAR trailer brake but haven’t hooked up a trailer. So mine has no light, nothing. No lights at night. I do hear a click when I press the button but that’s it. Is the assumption it’s working? Does anyone have it light up without a trailer at night? Any pics what it should look like at night without a trailer?

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[ShadowsPapa]

Just installed my MOPAR trailer brake but haven’t hooked up a trailer. So mine has no light, nothing. No lights at night. I do hear a click when I press the button but that’s it. Is the assumption it’s working? Does anyone have it light up without a trailer at night? Any pics what it should look like at night without a trailer?

No lights at all unless a trailer is connected......... so no need for a picture.

 

[Alc]

Cool…means I didn’t mess it up. It’s one of those installs that makes you question if you did it wrong or one of the mechanisms was faulty since it pretty much doesn’t do anything unless it’s in use with a trailer.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

Cool…means I didn’t mess it up. It’s one of those installs that makes you question if you did it wrong or one of the mechanisms was faulty since it pretty much doesn’t do anything unless it’s in use with a trailer.

The fact you get a click in the unit below is a good sign. You have to have power and ground, and the button needs to be connected properly for that.
My bet - you did fine.

 

[aprez27]

Every once in a while mine will light up upon startup and then turn off.

 

[Darel]

Every once in a while mine will light up upon startup and then turn off.

Mine does the same, but not all the time. Usually on a cold start the number will illuminate for a few seconds then go off.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

Every once in a while mine will light up upon startup and then turn off.

Come to think of it, I've noticed that as well. Probably don't think of it as I'm normally not looking right at it when I start my JT.
Likely a POST of some sort (Power On Self-Test)

 

[Darel]

Come to think of it, I've noticed that as well. Probably don't think of it as I'm normally not looking right at it when I start my JT.
Likely a POST of some sort (Power On Self-Test)

Yeah, thing that's odd is it's definitely not every start. If I had to generalize it's when the truck's been sitting a while. If it's only been shut off a couple minutes or something,. it seems like that's when I don't see it. Anyway, not really worth worrying about. Seems to work fine.

 

[Gristle]

Is a trailer plug testing tool enough to activate the brake controller? Testing tool on Amazon

 

[ShadowsPapa]

Is a trailer plug testing tool enough to activate the brake controller? Testing tool on Amazon

Doubtful. Looks like it's just a go/no go tester for lights and the 12volt line.
What do the details say?

 

[Gristle]

Looks like this one is specifically for testing brake controller, says it has load to simulate brakes. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01LZ88WVY?psc=1&smid=A3N8QSA4G1FAKC&ref_=chk_typ_imgToDp

I ordered it and will let ya'll know.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

Looks like this one is specifically for testing brake controller, says it has load to simulate brakes. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01LZ88WVY?psc=1&smid=A3N8QSA4G1FAKC&ref_=chk_typ_imgToDp

I ordered it and will let ya'll know.

That one puts a load on the trailer brake line so that will indeed simulate a trailer and allow testing of the controller in some respects.
So that one will for sure do things like cause the trailer brake controller LED to come on as if a trailer was connected, check for power to the brakes and light circuits and so on.
That's a much better one.

 

[Gristle]

I can confirm that the Tekonsha 6562 7-Way Blade Tester as linked above does activate the Mopar brake controller and the brake controller shows a green gain light when it is plugged in.

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