Brake controller mounting

[Mike Up]

Originally Posted by pi3yeargrad

someone in the dark here I dont even know what that is or what it does...can anyone help?

It's a brake controller for a camper/trailer's electric brakes. It modulates the voltage output, that goes to the magnetic wheel cylinders, that actuate the brake shoes out toward the brake drums.

The more voltage, the harder the brake shoes push (brake) against the drum. Same concept with standard automotive (Shoes and drums not rotors and calipers) hydralic brakes except their wheel cylinders use pressurized oil in actuating.

The Prodigy senses decelleration and uses a digital processor to calculate the correct voltage that the trailer requires for braking. More voltage for higher rate of decelleration or less voltage for lighter decelleration.

This is in opposition to my older Activator 2 Brake controller that was a time delay (ramp) controller that would start at a low voltage when the brake pedal was pressed and would count to roughly 1.5 seconds before applying full brake voltage. This was regardless whether you were coasting or braking hard. Many don't like these time delay controllers because as long as your foot is on the pedal, the brakes will go to maximum braking after a couple of seconds and will start to pull back on the tow vehicle if your coasting. Using a lower maximum voltage (adjustable) will keep the trailer from 'jerking' your tow vehicle when coasting and needing to let off the brakes, and then braking again.

I believe many, as I, use to high of a voltage on a time delay controller and cause brake damage. I glazed the brakes using a voltage of 3.5 Volts. I should had the voltage down to 1.5 Volts pulling my 2700 lbs Pop Up trailer.

With the Prodigy, setup is much simpler and braking will be as smooth as if you weren't towing at all.

With a time delay, you may need to make changes in maximum voltage output. You'll need less maximum voltage in town traffic since you'll be coasting a lot and you'll need more maximum voltage when expressway driving for more braking power. There's usually a setting that is in the middle that works for all driving. Like I said, for my campers 1.5 - 2 volts was that setting, not 3.5 Volts.

Also, the Prodigy has a max voltage adjustment also, this is to compliment your trailer as heavy trailers need more voltage and lighter trailers need less.

Probably more than you needed to know but there it is.

BTW, Nissan trucks have a harness that's made to be plugged into a brake controller so that wires don't need to be spliced or added. A very nice convenience to what could be a problematic venture.

Have a good one.