2024 Brake controller Problems

Chadw90 · August 29, 2024

On 8/15/2024 at 2:41 PM, UWSkier said:

You install the diode between the truck and that wire junction. Those other wires are coming from your charge controller, your solar, etc. They all meet there to push charge to your battery. I put in a diode last year, and with the 2023 controller TSB fix, haven't had a singe brake issue since over 6000+ miles.

Same…diode is the answer. BUT, lets get crafty and put it on the back side of the connector and then its a fix for every trailer rather than just the ones you own.
I pull fleet trailers from work often and we rotate them out of the fleet as early as every week or two(pending the salesmen are kicking a$$).
Just need to find the time to put the truck up on the lift and get it done.
should we the consumers have to do this though, hard no. GM should utilize some AI and gather information from these forums to come up with a fix.
if it weren’t for people like all of you, there would be very little solutions out there.
Hats off to the wealth of knowledge on this forum.

bruceb58 · August 29, 2024

Diodes may prevent the problem but you are drastically reducing the charge to your trailer battery because of the 0.7V forward voltage drop that the diode has across it. If that is acceptable...go for it.

Chadw90 · August 29, 2024

13 minutes ago, bruceb58 said:

Diodes may prevent the problem but you are drastically reducing the charge to your trailer battery because of the 0.7V forward voltage drop that the diode has across it. If that is acceptable...go for it.

That would leave you with essentially like a .65 to 9.5 gain setting in relation to the voltage drop?
That would work fine with me.
Im now on gain setting 6 for my camper. Will just need to bump it up a half or so to be relatable to what it was before.

Doug Chi · August 29, 2024

To cloud dodger: You state on August 14th that after your brake module replacement part #23306694, your brake problem is fixed?? We had ours replace with the claimed upgraded part #85073615 and it still is not fixed. Maybe this upgrade is NOT the correct fix.

lineman1234 · August 29, 2024

A quick search shows the roadmaster 690 diode lets up to 85 amps flow, so charging the rv batteries shouldnt be a problem from the tow vehicle installing it.

If,,, that is a problem, lots of other one way diodes rated for bigger loads for things like solar installation are also an option.

bruceb58 · August 29, 2024

13 hours ago, Chadw90 said:

That would leave you with essentially like a .65 to 9.5 gain setting in relation to the voltage drop?
That would work fine with me.
Im now on gain setting 6 for my camper. Will just need to bump it up a half or so to be relatable to what it was before.

I would hope you are actually putting the diode in the 12V charge wire and not the blue wire that controls your brakes. Putting it on the blue wire accomplishes nothing other than reducing your gain. All that blue wire does is go to your brake magnets. There is no reverse voltage.

bruceb58 · August 29, 2024

6 minutes ago, lineman1234 said:

A quick search shows the roadmaster 690 diode lets up to 85 amps flow, so charging the rv batteries shouldnt be a problem from the tow vehicle installing it.

If,,, that is a problem, lots of other one way diodes rated for bigger loads for things like solar installation are also an option.

Has nothing to do with the amount of current the diode can flow. Because of the battery's internal resistance, the larger voltage delta between the present battery voltage and the charge voltage will determine the current. If your alternator is putting out 14.0V at the 7 pin connector and you lower it by 0.7V to 13.3V, you are giving the battery basically a float voltage...not a voltage sufficient to actually charge a battery. Measure the current going to the battery with a clamp meter...it's easy to confirm.

BTW, diodes are rated for max current...it doesn't mean the diode limits the current to that number. If you exceed that number, the diode will blow.

Edited August 29, 2024 by bruceb58

lineman1234 · August 29, 2024

Im not sure what the larger delta is on DC.

I went to school for my electric lineman career, but delta is a connection, in my job.

Edited August 29, 2024 by lineman1234

bruceb58 · August 29, 2024

41 minutes ago, lineman1234 said:

Im not sure what the larger delta is on DC.

I went to school for my electric lineman career, but delta is a connection, in my job.

I am an electrical engineer..."delta" is the difference between two numbers

BuckWallace · August 29, 2024

2 hours ago, bruceb58 said:

I am an electrical engineer..."delta" is the difference between two numbers

As a former 7th-grade math student, I can confirm this.

lineman1234 · August 30, 2024

Thats great. You 2 stick with your term delta.

My lineman term ill stick with, that is a delta primary or secondary connection, AC. Phase to phase connection/s.

Not to be confused with a Y connection/s, phase to ground, also used in primary and secondary AC.

Both have a different voltage/number.

brad bill · August 30, 2024

6 hours ago, BuckWallace said:

As a former 7th-grade math student, I can confirm this.

Likewise!

Also used the term in my calculus class in high school.

Edited August 30, 2024 by brad bill

Capt Bob · August 30, 2024

Both are correct in their various use. In the case of three phase electrical transformers, the term delta is used to describe the shape of the connections (in a Delta type) which in this case resembles a triangle (the shape of the letter D in Greek). The WYE type transformer connections resemble the shape of a Y. These are often used where single phase power resides, like in residential subdivisions.

I’m an old Land Surveyor.

brad bill · August 30, 2024

Getting back on track.

If you lower the voltage to the battery you are charging, you will source less current.

Adding a diode is not a great solution if you really want to charge a battery. Way better off installing a DC to DC converter on the trailer side. If the DC to DC converter is anything greater than 15A. you will likely need a bigger wire than what is in the 7 pin.

lineman1234 · August 30, 2024

( for those of you that love to trollllll, and argue about anything. ) This post isnt about arguing, just sharing what i have first hand information on the/my problem so far.

I dont even have the recall. Yet, or maybe i wont get it. But i do seem to have the check connection message on this 5ver, the only thing i have towed so far.

My simple pig, has towed 3 times, but will be heading south from the very north of MN in 1.5ish months. The first tow picking up this new to me 5ver, the camper was in storage in the sellers pole barn, not plugged in. I towed about 65 miles, no problem without the dash giving any warning.

Second tow, after the camper being plugged in. As i am retired and full time rv it till i get sick of travel. The camper was plugged in for months. I took it for a 120 mile trip, the dash lit up with the warning almost right away, and intermittent till tow was done.

3rd tow about 160 mile trip, dash lit up right away, same intermittent. I had cleaned connections and did a little dielectric grease before connecting. As well as tightened up the connections on the plug, that seemed a little sloppy.

I installed the diode on the camper side in the pin box. If it works, ill post back and say so on my 1,600 mile trip south. If not, ill post back and say so.

A friend has a gmc 3500 gasser, also a 2024, tows another brand 5ver 1 battery in camper, i had 2 at the time of tow, now 3. No solar on either camper. He tows often and has not had the dash light up, also keeps the camper plugged in at home. He did get a recall and did get, said recall done. Still no problem.