![]() ![]() Another circuit from the switch runs to activate the caravan’s brake lights.īreakaway brake regulations are uniform across states and territories - although that wasn’t always the case. If vehicle and van were to separate, the cable pulls the pin out of the switch body, the contacts in the switch close the circuit and power is fed from the battery to the brakes. The switch is very simple: it contains two spring-loaded contacts that are held apart by a removable pin that is attached to a steel cable that is attached to the tow vehicle. Meanwhile, the typical Aussie breakaway brake system has a switch fitted to the A frame that is fed 12-volt power from either the house battery (or its own 7amp, 12V battery via a control unit such as the Breaksafe unit) and linked to the caravan’s electric brake circuit. In Europe, there is no requirement for safety chains instead the Europeans rely on a coupling that is difficult to not positively engage - so it’s unlikely that the coupling would come off the towball- and if it did, the breakaway brake system is very simple - a cable linked from the tow vehicle to the caravan handbrake. ![]() If either the safety chains or shackles break, or the towbar unit disengages completely from the tow vehicle, then with a correctly operating breakaway brake system at least the caravan will come to a stop as soon as possible (on its wheels at least). Better that the van is independently slowing rather than moving around on the safety chain(s). What’s the point of safety chains then, you ask? If the cable that activates the breakaway brakes is looped in a way that it is short enough to activate the brakes while the chains are attached (but the coupling has come off the towball) then at least you’re likely to have better control of the caravan as you come to a stop. ![]()
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