What Size Fuse or Circuit Breaker Should be Used for Brake Controller on a 2006 Chevrolet Silverado

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Question:

Is there any reason a 30 amp fuse should not be installed in a 4 brake application that calls for a 20 amp fuse? I would think not... but I am not sure. Thanks.

asked by: Danny

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Expert Reply:

The reason you would not want to install a 30 amp fuse or circuit breaker in a 4 brake magnet application, when installing a Prodigy P2 brake controller, # 90885, is that the extra amperage required to break the circuit could cause an issue with the wiring on the trailer or vehicle because it would take longer for the circuit to spike to 30 amps. In applications with 6 to 8 brake magnets or more, more amperage is required to activate the brakes properly so the time for the amperage spike is shorter to break the circuit in a 30 amp circuit breaker or fuse, and does not present an issue.

For brake controllers we do not recommended that fuses be installed in place of circuit breakers. One reason for this is that an auto reset circuit breaker will reset if there is an intermittent short, once the short is no longer present on the circuit, and braking performance would be restored. With a fuse, once blown, braking performance is terminated until the fuse is physically replaced.

On your 2006 Silverado, the installation uses fuses under the hood, see brake controller installation article. For factory tow package wiring installations, fused circuits are typical. Chevrolet typically installs a 30 amp fuse at the power stud where the brake controller power wire is attached. Installing a 20 amp fuse in that location will protect your brake controller better as long as your trailers only have one or two brake axles.

expert reply by: Robert G

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Answer 1

If all you want is to prevent the 12 volt power supply of your trailer battery wiring from backfeeding onto your vehicle wiring or vice versa what you need is a one-way diode like part #RM-690. This only allows current to flow in one direction so…

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Answer 2

That will depend on the amount of brake axles your trailer has. . The 20 amp breaker like #9506P is for 1 and 2 axle brakes, and the 30 amp like part #38630 is for 3 and 4 axle brakes

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Answer 3

Because the Complete Propane Tank Holder Mounting Kit for 20-lb Tanks, part #37220BL, is designed to work with three different sizes of tanks, I can't say what the distance between the two tanks you choose will be. However, I can tell you the…

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Answer 4

If you are looking for a power source for your brake controller, I do not recommend using a fuse tap. The brake controller's power needs to be ran through an appropriately sized circuit breaker and to the battery post. The installation…

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Answer 5

There are two trailer wiring harnesses available for your 2003 Chevrolet Express Van if it does not have a factory installed wiring harness. The Hopkins Plug-N-Tow Wiring Harness, #31345, that you referenced does require the red wire from the input…

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Answer 6

I think you are going in the right direction. I would definitely replace the 14 gauge wire going to the trailer brake magnets with 10 gauge wire or larger. Usually larger than 10 gauge is hard to get into the trailer connector though. I would also…

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Answer 7

It can be rather difficult to tell whether or not a fuse is blow which is why you need locate the exact one that is associated with the lighting circuit you are having issues with. If you were to just scan the entire fuse box then you would most…

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Answer 8

On GM vehicles of that vintage, the 12-V pin should be hot regardless of whether the ignition is on or not. If it isn't showing voltage even with the ignition on, you're almost certainly on the right track thinking it's a blown or…

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Answer 9

The yellow wire of the 7-way harness part #H20044 that you referenced goes to the center pin of the 7-way which is an aux circuit that is typically used for reverse lights if present on the trailer. Normally the red wire on a 7-way (RV standard…

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Answer 10

Yes, you can use a fuse tap like the part #F2526 to tap into the stoplight circuit of the vehicle for a dedicated brake signal for installing a brake controller. Any time the brake lights are turned on this circuit would have voltage on it.

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Answer 11

The 12V power circuit in an aftermarket 7-way connector like #37185 will usually be connected to the vehicle battery through a 40-amp circuit breaker like #PK54540. This installation provides for 12V power at the connector contact at all times, even…

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Answer 12

You'll need a 20 amp circuit breaker for the brake controller power and a 40 amp circuit breaker for the battery charge line circuit from the trailer connector for a total of two. We actually offer a kit with these circuit breakers as well as the…

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What Size Fuse or Circuit Breaker Should be Used for Brake Controller on a 2006 Chevrolet Silverado

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