WIRED LEADER

No. A 1.5 m Wired Leader is included with every VM1 and is used during installation.

You only need to purchase another Wired Leader if you want a spare, need a replacement or are setting up a second tow vehicle. For EB2 and ELBC2000-PS installations, the Wired Leader is sold separately.

Yes. A Wired Leader provides a permanent alternative to a plug-and-play adaptor by connecting directly to the trailer's wiring rather than sitting between the existing trailer plug and vehicle socket.

Match the wire colours to the trailer plug using the wiring guide above, and refer to the pin numbers in the EB2 Technical Manual. Inside the trailer plug that connects to the tow vehicle socket, the service brake wire (blue) must be joined to create a closed circuit between the brake controller and the brake magnets.

The leader carries five colour coded wires:

• Black: auxiliary DC voltage supply
• Red: brake light circuit
• Brown: tail light circuit (not used on a VM1)
• White: DC negative, or earth
• Blue: service brake output

The wiring guide on this page shows what each one does on a trailer-side and a vehicle-side install. Always check it against the EB2 or VM1 Technical Manual for your setup.

Connect the black wire to a 12V to 24V DC supply, ideally from an ignition triggered fuse block rather than straight off the battery.

On a 7-pin plug or socket the auxiliary circuit runs through Pin 2, suitable for up to 15 amps once the combined lighting circuit draw is taken into account. A 25A rated circuit is recommended. On a 12-pin, use Pin 8 or Pin 9. Always fit a 20A inline fuse when routing an auxiliary supply to the vehicle socket.

An auxiliary feed is what unlocks the controller's full 28A output, so it is worth adding on tri-axle trailers.

Some vehicles use Pin 5 as an ignition power feed rather than a service brake output. When that happens the brake controller sees a signal it should not, and behaves unpredictably.

Disconnect Pin 5 from the service brake output and keep the service brake circuit separate from it. This is the most common fault on a hardwired install, and it is worth checking first.

Only if the existing in-car brake controller is isolated. In most cases, setting its output to 0 will prevent conflicting signals from reaching the trailer brakes.

For an EB2 or ELBC2000-PS installation using a Wired Leader, connect the leader directly to the trailer's service brake circuit and keep this circuit separate from Pin 5 so the in-car controller cannot influence it. For a VM1 installation, remove and safely terminate any existing brake controller wiring connected to Pin 5 at the vehicle socket. This ensures the Elecbrakes controller is the only source of output on Pin 5.

It can be extended, but do it carefully. Every extra metre adds voltage drop, and Elecbrakes brake controllers need a minimum of 10V to operate correctly.

Use cable of at least the same gauge, keep the joins sealed against water, and check for at least 10V at the controller end once the run is finished. If you are unsure, have an auto electrician size the cable for you.

Yes. The Wired Leader is pre-wired with a Deutsch plug that suits both the ELBC2000-PS and the EB2, so the same part covers an older controller and a current one.