First your trailer would have to be equipped with electric brakes.
If your trailer seperates from the towing vehicle, the lanyard pulls the plastic pin out, closing the electrical circuit to automatically set the trailer brakes.
A trailer breakaway device is required by law in some states. It is for emergency use only, not to be used to lock brakes when parked or stored.
Each state sets weight requirements for electric brakes and breakaway systems -- most are 3000 lbs. If your trailer was originally sold in the state you live in, and it's under that weight, it should be legal.
Depending on your tow vehicle and the weight of the PUP, though, you could be pushing it. Our last PUP was a 2007 Flagstaff that weighed about 2400 lbs. loaded. PA calls for brakes over 3000 lbs., so it was well within the law. But, our tow vehicle was a mid-size truck and from the start I wasn't comfortable with it. One of our favorite parks is at the top of a three-mile hill and I'd feel the truck's brakes fading badly by the time we'd reach the bottom on the way home. And from that point we'd still have 100 miles of turnpike and interstate driving to go.
I installed brakes and a breakaway switch the first summer we owned the Flagstaff. Cost was less than $250 and it took about a day, working at a very easy pace.
Just an added note to an already long answer: If you have a breakaway switch, check it regularly! We bought a 2008 Fleetwood Niagara in October, an RV show trade in, so it was bought as-is. When I checked it over at home I found it needs a new breakaway switch. They can and do fail!
John
[quote author=WillowTree link=topic=1336.msg10183#msg10183 date=1325906232]
We don't have a breakaway switch on our popup but have seen them and I was trying to understand them and maybe install one? Can someone elaborate?
since you haven't posted what year/model popup you have, it's hard to say.
if it has electric brakes, it should have a breakaway switch. it would be very unusual for that to not be the case.
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