12-inch Off-Road Electric Brake Magnet

12-inch Off-Road Electric Brake Magnet

Caravan off-road 12-inch electric brake magnets are suitable for all-electric brake systems except older round magnet brake systems.

Fits AL-KO and all 12-inch backing plates except Dexter.

Brake Magnets and the difference between 10-inch and 12-inch

• 10-inch brake magnets have Green leads, except for Dexter Magnets, which have black leads.
• 12-inch brake magnets have white leads, except for Dexter Magnets, which have black leads.
• 12-inch magnets sold with green leads are 10-inch magnets with less copper wire and lower braking capacity.

12-inch electric brake magnets are used to actuate the brakes on trailers. A typical setup consists of two electromagnets attached to the backing plate of the brake assembly. When the brake controller is activated, it sends an electric current to the magnets, which causes them to attract. This pulls the brake shoes against the brake drum, stopping the trailer.

How to check magnet wear

• Check the four small holes on top of the magnet.
• These holes are warning indicators that display magnet wear.
• Extreme magnets wear if there are no holes or fewer than four holes.
• When the magnet holes on the face have worn, it is time to replace the magnet.

Electric Brake Magnet in our Range of Products

• 10-inch Electric Brake Magnet
• 10-inch Off-Road Brake Magnet
• 12-inch Standard Electric Brake Magnet
• 12 inch Off Road Electric Brake Magnet
• 10-inch Dexter Electric Brake Magnet
• 12-inch Dexter Electric Brake Magnet

Magnet Wear Key Features

• Wear holes are at 3 pm, 6 pm, 9 pm, and 12.
• Magnets draw approximately 3.2 amps each.
• Wires can be connected either positively or negatively.

Once connected, magnets have polarity. The face is either the north or south pole. If the positive and negative writes are transposed, there is little difference in the braking efficiency.

Once worn, copper becomes exposed. Subsequently, an open electric circuit will render the brakes inoperable.

Braking Tips

• Bed new magnets into position to achieve 100% braking efficiency.
• The magnet face has a shiny finish.
• This finish must be scuffed up during the initial stages of breaking before your magnets become 100% effective.

Why can’t I run the electric cable across my axle?

The voltage drop increases exponentially with cable length. Larger or shorter cable lengths defeat the voltage drop.

• Rundown each chassis rail = 6mtr @ 6.4 Amps per pair of magnets = 5.62mm cable size
• Run down the chassis trailer (inside) = 6 meter + 2 mete (8mtr) @ 6.4 Amps per pair of magnets = 7.5mm cable size

To escape voltage drop, run the cabling down the chassis rail.

What is the best Electric Brake Controller?

We recommend using a Tekonsha Primus, Prodigy, or a Chassis Mounted brake controller (Queensland and NT Only).

Do not power electric brakes from the brake light circuit for chassis-mounted brake systems.

Incandescent brake light circuits provide only 21 watts of power and serve as control circuits for chassis-mounted controllers. If you have purchased a caravan or camper with brakes wired into the brake lights, the braking system works at less than 25% of its efficiency.

Wire all brake controllers to the battery. In most cases, the brake controller is powered by the brake lights.

Brake Controllers use Brake Lights to Power Brakes.

If brake lights power brake controllers, significant voltage losses occur, resulting in brakes operating at less than 25% capacity.

Brake magnets need 3.2A each. The manufacturer wires no vehicle to supply this load through the rear tail lights.

It is permissible to wire chassis controllers to the caravan’s onboard battery

Why do off-road magnets last longer?

• The steel magnet arm on a standard highway magnet causes the steel magnet to rattle, leading to wear.
• The plastic insert on the off-road magnet prevents the same wear under the same conditions.

It is durable, reliable, and will not disappoint even in the most challenging terrain.

Difference between Highway and Off-road Magnets

• The Electric Highway brake kit uses a magnet-retaining clip to hold the magnet in place on the magnet arm.
• The off-road electric brake magnet uses a RUBBER BAND to hold the magnet in position on the magnet arm.

The rubber band breaks on first use and relies on the return spring to hold the magnet.

The left-side and right-side magnets are not interchangeable.

• The left-hand side is the passenger’s side
• The right-hand side is the driver’s side

The rubber band holds the magnet in place to allow the drum to be installed onto the axle profile, then tightens.

If the magnet needs replacing or upgrading from a standard magnet, then replacing the whole backing plate may be wise. 

Electric Brake Magnet Comparison

12-inch Electric Backing Plate prices here.

The magnet in the third image was a standard magnet used on corrugated.

All 12-inch OffRoad Electric Brake Magnets feature a plastic insert that prevents the magnet arm from damaging the magnet due to corrugated road vibrations. (Image 2).

As a result, offroad magnets continue to show no wear tens of thousands of miles on corrugated roads.

Safety Chain Checks

Necessary safety checks for tandem wheel caravans. With the chains attached to your vehicle, push your trailer back to the extremity of the chains.

Finally, did the pin on your breakaway kit disengage?

Caravan Electric Brake Magnets