Electronic Brake Controllers
- Thread starter mitch92
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joe2006
Member
For my money the Tekonsha Prodogy P3 is the best. It is a proportional controller which varies the amount of power to the brakes, depending on how hard the pedal is depressed. It has quite a few diagnostic features too.
These can be has for quite a good price on ebay.
Some people like the Redarc unit because the main unit can be hidden behind the dash with only the switch visible however I understand it is not proportional.
Make sure that the controller is installed using an auto resetting circuit breaker.
I suggest you have a look at the comments on some of the caravan forums regarding brake controllers.
http://caravanersforum.com/index.php?sid=7e6a8eba936e5b83533b453c86e15fb2
http://www.candm.com.au/forum/
These can be has for quite a good price on ebay.
Some people like the Redarc unit because the main unit can be hidden behind the dash with only the switch visible however I understand it is not proportional.
Make sure that the controller is installed using an auto resetting circuit breaker.
I suggest you have a look at the comments on some of the caravan forums regarding brake controllers.
http://caravanersforum.com/index.php?sid=7e6a8eba936e5b83533b453c86e15fb2
http://www.candm.com.au/forum/
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Joe hit the nail on the head.
While I have a Tekonsha Voyager installed in mine, I would get the Prodigy P3 next time as well.
The Redarc unit that I had installed in my Commodore was about as proportional as a light switch and I'll never go that route again.
+1 on the auto resetting circuit breaker too (thermal reset). Get the next one up from what you need - each brake should draw about 6.5A, so 4 wheels * 6.5 = 26A, so don't get a 20A, get a 30A breaker.
Also make sure - be absolutely certain about this too - that the electrical cabling is 6 square millimetres and they run BOTH lines to the rear - do NOT rely on a chassis connection. If you rely on a chassis connection a twig could rip the cable off and no brakes. If you use substandard wiring you could be using the brakes and starting a fire.
While I have a Tekonsha Voyager installed in mine, I would get the Prodigy P3 next time as well.
The Redarc unit that I had installed in my Commodore was about as proportional as a light switch and I'll never go that route again.
+1 on the auto resetting circuit breaker too (thermal reset). Get the next one up from what you need - each brake should draw about 6.5A, so 4 wheels * 6.5 = 26A, so don't get a 20A, get a 30A breaker.
Also make sure - be absolutely certain about this too - that the electrical cabling is 6 square millimetres and they run BOTH lines to the rear - do NOT rely on a chassis connection. If you rely on a chassis connection a twig could rip the cable off and no brakes. If you use substandard wiring you could be using the brakes and starting a fire.
Mitch, I concur with the other guys. I recently purchased a Jayco Outback Camper and bought the Tekonsha Prodigy 3 off Ebay for about $155. Bought it from autoelecau, very fast and reliable delivery and I've been nothing but happy with the unit. Saved over $200 retail as well.
Cheers
Cheers
Absolutely. Don't rely on a chassis connection at the rear, run dedicated cabling to make sure the brakes never fail because of a poor connection.
joe2006
Member
I would happily take a picture of mine for you but it's a D40 so would not be of much use.
I put it in a recess in the dash. Maybe the spot for an ash tray in other markets?
In wifies car I took out the ash tray & mounted one there.
Great spot but in an emergency I would have to remember to reach for the manual overide lever. I fear wouuld be the same issue no matter where it was. Never had to try thank goodness.
I put it in a recess in the dash. Maybe the spot for an ash tray in other markets?
In wifies car I took out the ash tray & mounted one there.
Great spot but in an emergency I would have to remember to reach for the manual overide lever. I fear wouuld be the same issue no matter where it was. Never had to try thank goodness.
Here's where mine is:
Pros: it's right in front of my left knee, so it's within easy reach.
Cons: it's right in front of my left knee, so if I am tailgating and the guy in front of me performs a brake test, it becomes part of my left knee.
Pros: it's right in front of my left knee, so it's within easy reach.
Cons: it's right in front of my left knee, so if I am tailgating and the guy in front of me performs a brake test, it becomes part of my left knee.
I had a Redarc in my Commodore. $600 I paid for that bastard and it should have been proportional. The only thing proportional about that thing was the bullshit and price.
A proportional brake controller senses how much you are slowing down and applies an appropriate (and hopefully similar) amount of braking force to the trailer. The Redarc never did.
My Tekonsha Voyager IS a proportional brake controller and it behaves markedly differently. If I apply the brakes gently, the van does too. If I stomp on the brakes, the van can lock its wheels on loose ground (which is why I always back off the trailer brakes a tad on loose surfaces).
My issue with the Voyager - and the reason why I want a Prodigy P3 - is the setup. My Voyager needs a MANUAL inclination setup. This means that for every inclination I'm on, I have to reset the controller. What happens, unfortunately, is I'll go down a hill and lightly tap the brakes and the bugger slams the trailer brakes on. I'll go up a hill and it won't bring them on at all (which is less of an issue, of course).
Think of it like this (this is for everyone who doesn't know how they work). Imagine a glass of water is placed on your dash. As you accelerate, the water becomes higher at the rear side of the glass. As you brake, the water is higher at the front. This is representative of how the hall-effect sensor in the brake controller works - when it senses that "the water is higher at the front" it applies the brakes to the trailer proportional to how high the water has risen.
The problem with the Voyager is that the glass is stuck on the dash. When I'm going down a hill, the water climbs higher at the front, so the Voyager thinks I'm already braking (but doesn't do anything because my brake light isn't on). If I touch the brakes, it happily applies them. To adjust for the hill, I have to tilt the glass so that it's level with the planet (not with the ground outside).
The Prodigy is like that same glass of water but instead of having to tilt the glass myself, it does the work for me.
Hope that clears up why the Prodigy P3 is looking sooooo good to me.
A proportional brake controller senses how much you are slowing down and applies an appropriate (and hopefully similar) amount of braking force to the trailer. The Redarc never did.
My Tekonsha Voyager IS a proportional brake controller and it behaves markedly differently. If I apply the brakes gently, the van does too. If I stomp on the brakes, the van can lock its wheels on loose ground (which is why I always back off the trailer brakes a tad on loose surfaces).
My issue with the Voyager - and the reason why I want a Prodigy P3 - is the setup. My Voyager needs a MANUAL inclination setup. This means that for every inclination I'm on, I have to reset the controller. What happens, unfortunately, is I'll go down a hill and lightly tap the brakes and the bugger slams the trailer brakes on. I'll go up a hill and it won't bring them on at all (which is less of an issue, of course).
Think of it like this (this is for everyone who doesn't know how they work). Imagine a glass of water is placed on your dash. As you accelerate, the water becomes higher at the rear side of the glass. As you brake, the water is higher at the front. This is representative of how the hall-effect sensor in the brake controller works - when it senses that "the water is higher at the front" it applies the brakes to the trailer proportional to how high the water has risen.
The problem with the Voyager is that the glass is stuck on the dash. When I'm going down a hill, the water climbs higher at the front, so the Voyager thinks I'm already braking (but doesn't do anything because my brake light isn't on). If I touch the brakes, it happily applies them. To adjust for the hill, I have to tilt the glass so that it's level with the planet (not with the ground outside).
The Prodigy is like that same glass of water but instead of having to tilt the glass myself, it does the work for me.
Hope that clears up why the Prodigy P3 is looking sooooo good to me.
joe2006
Member
And the diagnostic features of the P3 are great!
Hey Tony i just asked you a question in another thread and you already answered it here............ lol
Maybe i should of just done a little more reading........ mmmmmm hahaha
I didn't actually say in this thread that I'd bought one though - just that it looked really good.
Now that I've bought it and used it, I can confirm that it's a brilliant piece of equipment.
And that should allow BOTH threads to remain with the answer intact!
Hatchy
Member
I just use EBRH redarc. Never had an issue.
ChrisD40Navara
Member
New
Hi guys searched through and found this thread, I just bought a voyager controller from repco, I'm new to the forums and would appreciate it if anyone could suggest where to have it fitted, or if anyone can do it, I'm in the West of Melbourne. I also bought a van a small Jayco swan that I need to pick up next week, or the week after so I'm in a small rush. Any help or advise or suggestions greatly appreciated.
Cheers Chris
Hi guys searched through and found this thread, I just bought a voyager controller from repco, I'm new to the forums and would appreciate it if anyone could suggest where to have it fitted, or if anyone can do it, I'm in the West of Melbourne. I also bought a van a small Jayco swan that I need to pick up next week, or the week after so I'm in a small rush. Any help or advise or suggestions greatly appreciated.
Cheers Chris
