My wife finally wants a horse trailer, so I'm trying to do my homework on required electrical for the job. I think I pretty well have figured out how to add the electronic brake controller, and how to tie into the existing trailer wiring harness in the truck. I've read a few places that I should electrically isolate the trailer from the truck with a series of relays so I don't run the risk of frying my truck if the trailer wiring if fubar.
Would this be done by running a power line from the battery, to a relay bank (for a power supply) then using the trailer connector in the truck as power to switch relays on and off? Any experience or advice would be greatly appreciated! Thanks!

 

http://www.hopkinstowingsolutions.co...lid_state.html

Ive used these before and they seem to hold up rather well, Basically works just like you were saying without the hassle of relays

 

Is there any reason to use the powered converter vs. the non-power converter?

 

The powered one is just going take the power directly from the battery so theres no extra load on the factory harness. The unpowered pulls the electric from the factory wiring. Either one will be fine unless you have a ton of lights on the trailer then I would go with the powered unit, if your trailer just has the standard amount of lights (stop,tail,turn,and a few markers) youll be fine.

 

Thanks Brian!

 

If it were me, I'd opt for the powered converter, in case I decide to get a trailer with lots of lights or need to pull someone else's trailer. My $.00003756

 

I would pay to have it done.

 

Installing 7pin trailer wiring and brake controller isn't that bad really. I've done it to both of our Disco's.
Plus I wouldn't trust anyone to do as good a job as I did.

 

I agree with Tom again. Pay someone else to do it and not watch, you may not get a very good job. Check it out good, do it yourself with diligence, you got a good job and you know exactly what you do have in the event of a future problem with it. The money you would spend paying someone else to do it could be spent on a better quality overall equipment.

Unless you have no experience at all with wiring and no confidence in your own work, then pay someone else.