Allright, i just nabbed this brake controller out of a truck a friend of mine was parting out. It seems to work ( i wired it up with a battery charger and got it to output power and all) but I have a couple questions that a users guide would readily explain.

I'm just trying to figure out the function on this thing. It has a side to side slider on the front which i'm assuming is the manual brake apply. Then it has a front to back slider labled "gain". I'm figuring this is the strength of application.

There's also a wheel on the bottom at the back. this i have no clue about. anyone care to enlighten me on it or correct me on either of my other assumptions?

Justin

 

The wheel on the bottom is to set the level of the controller, I'm not for sure if the instructions to level it are the same as the other brake controller but I'd bet they are

http://www.tekonsha.com/instructions...J%2011x8-5.pdf

 

There should be a mark on the "level" **** that should be set to straight up/down.

Pull the trailer somewhere safe where there is no traffic behind you at about 20-25 mph. Engage the manual slide all the way. You should feel the trailer brakes engage. Repeat this process several times while increasing the gain until the brakes lock up, then back off until they don't. You should do this everytime you change the load, as a light trailer will lock up with less gain than a heavy one. You want the maximum braking power, just short of locking up the brakes.

Now, while driving, you can make the settings to be more or less agressive by adjusting the "level" control, but just a bit. You don't want the trailer pushing or pulling the truck around. Don't try to make "gain" adjustments to set the sensitivity.

 

So the gain is the general strength of application, the **** underneath is fine tuning and the slider is manual apply?

Justin

 

I was taught the other way around... the level was the main adjustment which takes into account the actual level-ness (angle) that the controller is mounted on. Then you use the gain to do fine tuning, and the level for rough tuning.

 

Try this out

http://f150online.com/forums/showthread.php?t=288979

 

Here's my understanding of how the settings work.

You're right, the initial setting for the level is to compensate for the installation angle of the controller. The gain sets the amount of power (amperage) that is sent to the brakes. Every brake system is different, and loads are variable, so the controller has to be adjustable. If you're braking hard and the brakes lock up, you risk having the trailer come around on you. Sliding tires have less friction than rotating tires (hence the anti-lock brake system).

If you set the gain right, just below "brake lock-up" for whatever load you're pulling, then there should be no need to adjust it again until you make a change on the trailer or road surface. Using the level adjustment for fine tuning "fools" the accelerometers into reacting quicker (more aggressive) or slower (less agressive) but still won't cause the brakes to lock up (a dangerous situation). I tend to leave the fine tuning alone after the initial settings because I pull up and down hills here in Kentucky. I want a predictable response and don't want any surprises if I'm trying to stop coming down a grade.

While it's important to adjust the gain after changing the load on the trailer, like after loading it at the lumber yard or dropping a load at the building site, you are still just adjusting the power that goes to the brakes, not the response time. If you "tweak" the gain while driving you also risk over doing it and having them lock up.

 

Could you tell me how you wired the battery charger? The terminals on my 7 terminal jack show no current for the battery charging ports.

Richard in Los Gatos