Warner Electric Safety Sentry Electronic Breakaway Switch - Manual (Page 7)

7 Warner Electric • 800-825-9050 P-616 • 819-0454
Operation
Your Safety Sentry Breakaway Switch should now
be ready for use. Always test the system before
using it to assure that it is in proper working
condition.
Use the following procedure to test the brake
system:
1. Put the towing vehicle in “Park”. Set the
emergency brake if the vehicle has manual
transmission.
2. Couple the plug and socket together.
3. Pull the disengagement pin from the switch.
The green light on the switch will illuminate for
at least 10 seconds if the system is connected
and the battery is functioning properly.
4. If the green light does not illuminate, use the
following procedure to check the system and
locate the cause of the problem:
a. Check your wiring to ensure all connections
have been made properly. Refer to Figure 4.
Check all connections to be sure they are
tight. Check ground connections to be sure
they are attached to rust-free areas of the
trailer frame. They must be connected to bare
metal surfaces.
Correct any errors which have been made. If
the green light does not illuminate, proceed
with the next step.
b. Use a voltmeter to check the trailer battery for
proper output. The battery must supply at
least 10 volts, with the switch pin pulled (trailer
brakes on), for the green light to illuminate.
If the voltage is low, the battery should be
charged to a minimum of 10 volts and
checked again with the pin pulled before the
trailer is towed.
The battery will be charged directly from the
towing vehicle while the engine is running. To
accomplish this the pin must be inserted in the
switch.
If the battery does not charge to 10 volts, it
must be replaced.
The green light should now illuminate, or the
trailer brakes must be checked.
c. Check the trailer brake wiring. All brake
magnets should be connected with good
quality connectors and taped to avoid a
possible short circuit.
d. The green light should now illuminate, or the
Safety Sentry should be replaced.
e. As a final check, pull the disengagement pin
on the Safety Sentry and try to pull the trailer
forward with the towing vehicle. If the trailer
brakes are engaged, it will be difficult for the
towing vehicle to move the trailer.
If the trailer and towing vehicle
are connected while parked, prolonged use
of the trailer battery for lights or other
purposes will also drain the towing vehicle
battery. The problem can be avoided by
disconnecting the plug from the socket.
DO NOT USE AS A PARKING BRAKE (pin
removed). Prolonged activation will discharge
the battery and cause the brakes to release.