I picked up a Prodigy P2 brake controller second hand the other day and got around to installing it today. I never knew what I was missing!!! All I did was take it around the block a couple times but it is a WORLD of difference. I can't beleive I've towed 5,000+ lbs. without one.

 

What did you use before the Prodigy?

 

No controller at all.

 

Haha, yes, that would be one heck of a difference... Plus, towing > 3k lbs is illegal in most states without trailer brakes.

 

This may be a dumb question but:

What makes the Prodigy so much better than the other brake controllers?

Please explain to me as I am looking at brake controllers. I have used many other brands in my towing days and would like to understand what makes the prodigy the item of choice.

Thanks

 

In my experience all of the high-end controllers operate in a seamless fashion so you never know they are working.

Older and cheaper timed controllers vary output based on how long you keep you foot on the brake pedal. They are called "timed" controllers. They work just fine, but are much jerkier in action. They are cheaper.

As you move up the food chain, controllers use what are called accelerometers. They sense the rate at which the truck is braking and match the trailer brakes to the truck. Nail the brakes hard and ther brakes snap to attention. Hit em easy and the trailer brakes in the same manner. In a timed test, the controller with the accelerometers will outbrake the the timed controller by a small bit.

At the top of the food chain the best controllers give as much diagnostic information as a multimeter and can provide voltage and amperage readings so troubleshooting is almost instantaneous. You simply get more bells and whistles in my opinion, not braking performance.

I think the Prodigy is a very good controller, but I would also bet in a blind test between high-end controllers, no one would be able to tell which brand is doing the braking. I use a Hayes G2 in one of my trucks and have an integrated controller from Ford in the other. Personally I would take the G2 any day of the week over the one Ford builds in. I also have used less expensive controllers with accelerometers that do just as well in braking and have a timed controller or two setting on the shelf.

In some states, by the way, anything towed over 1,500 pounds must have its own braking system.

My two cents worth,

Steve

 

Nice write up RV_Tech!

There are a couple of classes of brake controllers really.

Timed and proportional are covered nicely by RV tech.

The third class uses either a method to actually tap into the master cylinder hydraulic system (Brakesmart and MaxBrake come to mind) as well as the older style Jordan controllers that use a cable attached to your actual brake cable.

These third class of controllers use a different approach to sensing the deceleration of the truck to match the trailer braking. Those that have used these controllers SWEAR by them...but the frist two (Brakesmart and MaxBrake) come at a price in the $400 range!...I believe the Jordan is no longer made...but I have friends that have them and they also swear by them.

The big advantage as pointed out above with the accelerometer based controllers like the Prodigy and the Prodigy P2 (two different controllers) is the fact that once you set the "max" voltage to be put out each stopping event is unique based on the rate of deceleration of the truck the controller applies a "proportional" amount of voltage to the trailer brake magnets up to the maximum set in the controller.

The Prodigy is what I use and I have towed nearly 30,000 miles with it and it is a good controller for under $100. The Prodigy P2 added some whistles like current output display which IMO is a great feature for diagnostics. The Prodigy only shows voltage...and without monitoring current...you really have no idea how your brake magnets are truly working. Meaning if your "normal" current on a controlled stop from say 10mph is 8.0Amps for your trailer (I am using round numbers for this example)...that should mean that each of your 4 brakes is drawing 2.0Amps (assuming a tandem axle trailer). Now lets say a year down the road you are doing your "controlled" stop and you notice you are only drawing 6.0 or 7.0Amps...that is telling you that either one of your brakes is not operating properly or all of your brakes have an issue and you should investigate.

Under the "controlled" stop with the Prodigy...you would see maybe 6.0 VOLTS and unless you have a dead short which would "dip" the voltage...if there are 4 magnets drawing 2.0Amps or 1 magnet drawing 2.0Amps...the controller will still put out 6.0 VOLTS...

So to me...any of the controllers that display CURRENT output have a slight advantage.

Now from a user interface standpoint...the original Prodigy is a very simple controller to use. The P2 is somewhat more involved with all the menus/etc.

There are other controllers out there like the Hensley "Gold" which claims to have higher power output drive...which if a trailer brake magnet only draws 3.5Amps MAX...a controller only needs to source 4x3.5= 14.0 AMPS maximum...the Hensely advertises that it puts out 28.2Amps...well if you have a quad axle trailer you would need that much...however the Hensley used to be like $350 for an accelerometer based controller...IMO it was over priced.

To me one feature that is important to have is a 7 wire cable disconnect signal. The Hensley didn't have one...well it didn't alert you until you tried to brake!

The $100 Prodigy has a trailer cable disconnect signal as well as constant visual notification by looking at the display that the trailer cable is still connected...it saved my bacon once after I exited Ben and Jerry's in Vermont and had to make a really tight turn which loosened my trailer cable...1/2 mile down the road the Prodigy alerted me that the plug had fallen out...I was able to pull into a gas station prior to getting on the Interstate and tooling at 65mph with NO trailer brakes!!!

So...there are really three types of controllers...many that have used the hydraulic style will tell you there is no comparison...I just couldn't bring myself to drop $350-500 for a controller...since the Prodigy has been so effective in what I need it to do...not saying that the others are over priced...I just couldn't justify it to me...I'm sure they are incredible and I would have loved to have had one...

Then you have the proportional controllers of which there are many on the market...some great quality products in the $75 to $250 or more range...lots of options.

Then you have the "timed" based ones that most RV dealers will "Throw-in" with the RV...I'd recommend steering clear...they absolutely DO WORK...however they will tend to make for much more "jerky" stops and under panic conditions...may not apply sufficient trailer brake power when you need it.

I have used my Prodigy for 6 years now and have been completely satisfied...I actually tried a Hensley Silver for a short time...but the lack of cable disconnect was enough for me to sell that controller and return to my trusty Prodigy.

Sorry for the long winded response...hope it helps.

Joe.

 

Hi Joe,

I didn't think about including the hydraulics as I have never seen one in a rig, that is unless you count the ones that everyone used to use decades ago. As you likely will recall, the early controllers used to tee right off the master cylinder before the days of antilock brakes and they did work very well indeed (he says giving away a great deal about his age).

I would say this, however, I do not think they worked any better than the Prodigy you use now or the Hayes G2 I use. One thing for sure, technology has sure come a long ways.

Your point about making sure the controller should have a disconnect signal is a good one. Ditto too on the timed controllers. You can always tell when someone is running a timed controller as you can hear the jerk when someone is light on the brakes and the trailer brakes keep ramping up. Have used them a time or two and they drove me insane. Cheap though!

Stay well on the road,

Steve

 

Wow. That's a ton of great info. I don't have any experience with other controllers but I am very happy with my prodigy.