Trouble with my Prodigy.
Thread Starter
|
Fleet Owner
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 25,090
Likes: 1,112
From: Rio Rico, AZ.
Trouble with my Prodigy.
Hi folks.
It's been a while since I posted here in this section.
.
My wife and I were out on vacation last month and discovered that the Prodigy brake controller was not fully releasing the trailer brakes while underway.
We pulled over for a rest stop and I could hear the brakes humming.
Touching the lug nuts, they were too hot to touch. The entire rim was hot enough to cook eggs on, all four wheels.
I was standing outside of the truck, engine off and the wheels were still humming.
The display was acting strange also.
It normally just displays the two dots if your foot is off the brake.
This time it would display 0.0 as if it were on but not sending any current to the electric brakes.
What I ended up doing was to unplug the unit for a minute, the reconnect it. That restored normal operation, but I no longer trust it and plan on buying a new unit before I depart on another trip.
.
Has anyone else experienced this sort of behavior?
.
Is there any other units out there that are better than a Prodigy?
It's been a while since I posted here in this section.
.
My wife and I were out on vacation last month and discovered that the Prodigy brake controller was not fully releasing the trailer brakes while underway.
We pulled over for a rest stop and I could hear the brakes humming.
Touching the lug nuts, they were too hot to touch. The entire rim was hot enough to cook eggs on, all four wheels.
I was standing outside of the truck, engine off and the wheels were still humming.
The display was acting strange also.
It normally just displays the two dots if your foot is off the brake.
This time it would display 0.0 as if it were on but not sending any current to the electric brakes.
What I ended up doing was to unplug the unit for a minute, the reconnect it. That restored normal operation, but I no longer trust it and plan on buying a new unit before I depart on another trip.
.
Has anyone else experienced this sort of behavior?
.
Is there any other units out there that are better than a Prodigy?
Hotshot
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 12,237
Likes: 22
From: Florida
kwik,
According to the Prodigy manual
0.0 means you had no power setting on the Prodigy...i.e. the power setting was set to 0
Did you happen to bump the blue thumb wheel or did someone play with it by mistake (a child maybe?)...
As far as better than the Prodigy...well that is hotly debated...
Many swear by the Brakesmart which is connected to your hydraulic line at the master cylinder...it is pricey but people swear it is the SMOOTHEST out there...
The P3 has some nicer features...BUT...the new menus can be harder to operate (IMO)...
It really is hard to beat the Prodigy...
I'd check your power output first...perhaps it was trying to tell you something...and maybe not entirely bad?...
Good luck,
Joe.
According to the Prodigy manual
0.0 means you had no power setting on the Prodigy...i.e. the power setting was set to 0
Did you happen to bump the blue thumb wheel or did someone play with it by mistake (a child maybe?)...
As far as better than the Prodigy...well that is hotly debated...
Many swear by the Brakesmart which is connected to your hydraulic line at the master cylinder...it is pricey but people swear it is the SMOOTHEST out there...
The P3 has some nicer features...BUT...the new menus can be harder to operate (IMO)...
It really is hard to beat the Prodigy...
I'd check your power output first...perhaps it was trying to tell you something...and maybe not entirely bad?...
Good luck,
Joe.
FTE Legend
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 65,938
Likes: 1,432
From: Millersville, MD
I hardily agree with ^ about the Prodigy.... and I would first call them with your problem .... they come highly recommended for keeping their customers happy! Call them at (888) 785-5832.
Junior User
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 50
Likes: 0
From: Southeast Texas
Hi folks.
It's been a while since I posted here in this section.
.
My wife and I were out on vacation last month and discovered that the Prodigy brake controller was not fully releasing the trailer brakes while underway.
We pulled over for a rest stop and I could hear the brakes humming.
Touching the lug nuts, they were too hot to touch. The entire rim was hot enough to cook eggs on, all four wheels.
I was standing outside of the truck, engine off and the wheels were still humming.
The display was acting strange also.
It normally just displays the two dots if your foot is off the brake.
This time it would display 0.0 as if it were on but not sending any current to the electric brakes.
What I ended up doing was to unplug the unit for a minute, the reconnect it. That restored normal operation, but I no longer trust it and plan on buying a new unit before I depart on another trip.
.
Has anyone else experienced this sort of behavior?
.
Is there any other units out there that are better than a Prodigy?
It's been a while since I posted here in this section.
.
My wife and I were out on vacation last month and discovered that the Prodigy brake controller was not fully releasing the trailer brakes while underway.
We pulled over for a rest stop and I could hear the brakes humming.
Touching the lug nuts, they were too hot to touch. The entire rim was hot enough to cook eggs on, all four wheels.
I was standing outside of the truck, engine off and the wheels were still humming.
The display was acting strange also.
It normally just displays the two dots if your foot is off the brake.
This time it would display 0.0 as if it were on but not sending any current to the electric brakes.
What I ended up doing was to unplug the unit for a minute, the reconnect it. That restored normal operation, but I no longer trust it and plan on buying a new unit before I depart on another trip.
.
Has anyone else experienced this sort of behavior?
.
Is there any other units out there that are better than a Prodigy?
Thread Starter
|
Fleet Owner
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 25,090
Likes: 1,112
From: Rio Rico, AZ.
I have used the prodigy and it is a pretty good unit but the brakesmart is by far much better. It brakes acording to how much you apply the foot pedal. Much smoother and gives you what you need when you need it. With something as important as trailer brakes I think it is the only way to go.
Thank you.
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CO River Rat
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 3,209
Likes: 0
From: Lake Havasu City AZ
Until someone runs a comparison test that shows the BrakeSmart is 4X smoother and brakes the trailer 4X shorter than the Prodigy, I'll stick with the Prodigy. Plus, if you have a new vehicle under warranty do you really wanna start changing parts on the master cylinder?
Steve
Steve
Steve
Steve
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Senior User
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 246
Likes: 1
From: Westerville, Ohio
I have read alot about this controller at the link below, though I haven't used it. The parent company is widely known for the Hensley Arrow hitch and also takes great care of their customers.
http://www.brake-controller.com/index.html
Ex03Ak
http://www.brake-controller.com/index.html
Ex03Ak
Thread Starter
|
Fleet Owner
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 25,090
Likes: 1,112
From: Rio Rico, AZ.
I'm still leaning toward the Brakesmart.
I like the idea of it getting a pressure reading from the hydraulic system and using that data for calculations on how much trailer brake to apply.
I like the idea of it getting a pressure reading from the hydraulic system and using that data for calculations on how much trailer brake to apply.
CO River Rat
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 3,209
Likes: 0
From: Lake Havasu City AZ
I'm not convinced that using TV brake hydraulic pressure for modulating trailer brake power is superior to a decelerometer in the Prodigy. Again, if it's 4X the price it better be 4X as good and I don't think it is - JMHO. If you wanna see what amperage the brakes are pulling, get a P3 and still save lotsa $$$.
Steve
Steve