Do I need a new brake controller?
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More Turbo
Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 669
Likes: 7
From: Tennessee
Do I need a new brake controller?
I just bought an 31ft Airstream Trailer and I need some help figuring out the brake controller. Mine does not have a digital readout so I am sorta flying blind as to how much braking the trailer is getting. Does the slider control how much braking effort you get when you apply full brakes or does it change the onset slope?
It seems like I got no trailer braking unless the slider was almost all the way to the left. The problem is with that is, that I got all or nothing. It did not seem to be proportional at all. Without a digital readout it is hard to know what effect the slider has.
So do I need a new controller? How does the controller know if you have your foot on the brake or not? There are 4 or 5 wires coming out of it going somewhere.
Perry
It seems like I got no trailer braking unless the slider was almost all the way to the left. The problem is with that is, that I got all or nothing. It did not seem to be proportional at all. Without a digital readout it is hard to know what effect the slider has.
So do I need a new controller? How does the controller know if you have your foot on the brake or not? There are 4 or 5 wires coming out of it going somewhere.
Perry
Lead Driver
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 7,308
Likes: 250
From: Hartford, WI
If it is a cheapo unit that is worth say $2000, I wouldn't bother to put a high tech unit. OTOH, if I am hauling around something valuable, you bet I will make damn sure it is a good unit.
Logistics Pro
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 3,836
Likes: 106
From: Martinsburg, WV
This is what im running, not expensive but has everything you need, and will cover most anything you can tow, unless you get into the reaaally big stuff. One thing I like is the ability to show output voltage and amperage draw. Tekonsha P3 Electric Brake Control Controller RV Camper - $119.99..
Here is some more info on it.
http://www.tekonsha.com/content/prod...435&part=90195
Here is some more info on it.
http://www.tekonsha.com/content/prod...435&part=90195
Hotshot
Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 10,060
Likes: 491
From: Bristol, TN.
I just bought an 31ft Airstream Trailer and I need some help figuring out the brake controller. Mine does not have a digital readout so I am sorta flying blind as to how much braking the trailer is getting. Does the slider control how much braking effort you get when you apply full brakes or does it change the onset slope?
It seems like I got no trailer braking unless the slider was almost all the way to the left. The problem is with that is, that I got all or nothing. It did not seem to be proportional at all. Without a digital readout it is hard to know what effect the slider has.
So do I need a new controller? How does the controller know if you have your foot on the brake or not? There are 4 or 5 wires coming out of it going somewhere.
Perry
It seems like I got no trailer braking unless the slider was almost all the way to the left. The problem is with that is, that I got all or nothing. It did not seem to be proportional at all. Without a digital readout it is hard to know what effect the slider has.
So do I need a new controller? How does the controller know if you have your foot on the brake or not? There are 4 or 5 wires coming out of it going somewhere.
Perry
My opinion,
Steve
Lead Driver
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 7,308
Likes: 250
From: Hartford, WI
I always said that it is easier to earn money to pay for the necessary stuff like a good controller than it is to pay for damages and mend broken bones.
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Elder User
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 586
Likes: 1
What make and model controller do you have? Have you googled it to get the owner's manual with operating instructions?
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Thread Starter
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More Turbo
Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 669
Likes: 7
From: Tennessee
I am trying to understand how these things work. The old school brake controllers work off of the brake light switch? I assume that they are not proportional and they are just on and off. They attempt to be proportional by putting in a time delay but they don't really. They apply the same amount of braking no matter how much pedal you are using? I guess I was assuming that the brake controller got a signal that was a function of the brake pedal position and was not an on or off sorta thing. I know in the old days they hooked a hydraulic line to the brake controller and there was some sort of pressure sensor that provided a proportional signal to the brakes. The newer proportional controllers now use a g-sensor so they can mirror the braking effort to the trailer.
Perry
Perry
Hotshot
Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 10,060
Likes: 491
From: Bristol, TN.
I am trying to understand how these things work. The old school brake controllers work off of the brake light switch? I assume that they are not proportional and they are just on and off. They attempt to be proportional by putting in a time delay but they don't really. They apply the same amount of braking no matter how much pedal you are using? I guess I was assuming that the brake controller got a signal that was a function of the brake pedal position and was not an on or off sorta thing. I know in the old days they hooked a hydraulic line to the brake controller and there was some sort of pressure sensor that provided a proportional signal to the brakes. The newer proportional controllers now use a g-sensor so they can mirror the braking effort to the trailer.
Perry
Perry
That's about as confusing as I can say it.
There are many variables. Do you know anyone who currently is towing that might show you the ropes? And, as suggested, download the manual for your controller off the Internet. It will help.
Steve
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More Turbo
Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 669
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From: Tennessee
It sounds like I want a proportional controller. I thought the standard controllers were more sophisticated than they are. I guess it is no wonder I could feel the trailer lurch when I took foot off the brake. The standard controllers are full on or full off with some sort of ramp effect based on how long your foot has been on the brake. Sounds kinda crappy to me.
Perry
Perry
Postmaster
Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 2,565
Likes: 2
I have a Prodigy P3 and it's the closest I have found to the Ford factory controller. I also bought the harness from the dealer that I bought the controller at and it truly was plug and play. It took longer to decide where to mount the controller than it did to hook it up.
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