by mary and bob » Fri Jan 05, 2024 7:14 pm
In some states a breakaway system may be required, and may be based on trailer size. If a trailer does come off the ball the chains should hold it but with a breakaway the brakes would apply and better hold the trailer in line and make for a safer stop without the trailer hitting the tow vehicle. The breakaway system relies on battery power to activate the trailer brakes, so you need a battery on the trailer. The problem I see with a breakaway switch is the cable to the tow vehicle has to be the correct length to pull the pin on the switch, too long and the trailer tongue can be hanging on the chains and the pin won't get pulled. Our Casita camper has a breakaway switch, but because of the cable length and routing I certainly wouldn't count on it to actually apply the brakes. If your camper doesn't have a battery there are small rechargeable batteries available just for a breakaway system.