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  • Tekonsha Prodigy - Volts output level

    Hi all,

    Question for those who have a Tekonsha Prodigy brake controller.

    I have one installed in my Prado & I have done a couple of trips.
    When setting up it is suggested that you set the power outlet level to 6 volts & then move up from there until the manual lever will operate the brakes without locking up. When I did mine I had to go to at least 10/11volts - on my trips the brakes seem to work fine but on that level if I operate the manual lever it certainly operates the caravan brakes but would not pull up the van to a stop very quickly. I am towing a single axle van - weight all up around 1700kg.

    Is that setting normal? It has been suggested to me that the volts setting is very high. What have others experienced?

    Regards, Willy
    2007 Silver GXL 4L Petrol Auto :
    Sovereign Bull Bar : Tow Pack with Prodigy Controller : BF Goodrich AT tyres :
    Electronic Rust Prevention : Scangauge : GME UHF CB TX3420 : Thule Racks.

  • #2
    Willy

    They recommend to start from 6 volts... Mine is set to 12 (max)

    If you are towing a full van you also need to turn on a boost setting.
    There are 3 boost setting b1,b2 and b3. For 1700kg van I would go for b2 boost. - it will apply 25% of power to the trailer the moment you touch the brake pedal...

    http://www.tekonsha.com/instructions/Pr ... %20web.pdf
    [color=blue][url=http://www.pradopoint.com/showthread.php?12128-2004-120-GXL-V6-Petrol-Buildup-*Warning-Picture-Heavy!*&highlight=picture+heavy][b]My Prado Buildiup Since 2004[/b][/url][/color]
    [b]2004 120 GXL V6 4sp Auto D694 LTs and MTRs with Kevlar (best of both worlds )[/b]

    [url=http://www.fuelly.com/driver/lc120man/prado][img]http://www.fuelly.com/smallsig-metric/48063.png[/img][/url]

    Comment


    • #3
      Hi Willy,

      Mine behaves the same way as yours, and I'm sure it's not 100% right.

      You read all this stuff (and it is right) about using heavy cable to get the volts back to your van or camper battery to properly charge it.

      Surely the same principle must apply to get volts back to your van brakes - the cable run is very similar and it's the length of cable that drops the volts, especially if it's thin cable. Yet every installation I've seen uses crappy thin wire from the controller back to the van and also in the brake wiring within the van itself.

      Sure, the controller may be showing 12 volts because it's only a couple of metres from the battery. But the usual thin wire from the controller to the van's brakes (maybe 15 metres or more) will surely cause a voltage drop so that I'll bet there's much less at the van brakes than what is displayed on the controller.

      As I write I'm thinking more about this and becoming more convinced that I might be right.

      If anyone can convince me otherwise I'd be glad to hear from you because I really don't want to re-wire my car and van

      Meanwhile I'm going to get my van out of storage tomorrow and do some measurements.

      Cheers
      2007 D4D GXL.Suspension by Ultimate, Minto - modest lift.DIY shelf unit (help from ORS, Narellan).Polyairs.Dual batteries with RanOx smart DC-DC charger.Towing a Kimberley Karavan with another RanOx.

      Comment


      • #4
        4xx4 Driver,
        You are spot on. Most installations I've seen have far to small wiring.

        We tow an Odyssey C/T that comes in around 1200kg when fully loaded and our Prodigy is set at 7 and this is as high as you would want it set without trailer lock up.

        Geoff
        It's not the destination..... it's the journey!

        Comment


        • #5
          Brake controller wiring

          As I am sort of in the electrical game and have had a brake controller in a few vehicles there is a couple of things that I stress all of you do.

          1, Wire in an earth/negative in really heavy guage from the battery all the way to the socket outlet, something like a 4mm at least. Use a fuse or circuit breaker if you like.

          2, Change your socket to one of those heavy duty round outlets. The type you see on trucks. These are good for 20 amps at the pins and you can fit big guage wire into the terminals without cutting half the strands out.

          3, Use the same size cable for the brakes, from the controller to the socket. Feed the brake controller with the same cable.

          4, Rewire your brakes on the trailer with heavier cable including the earth. Rewire to the ancillaries while you are at it. You get the drift.

          This all seems like overkill but when you compare the price of a wrecked camper/Prado to a dozen meters of decent 12v cable it is cheap. Also you can travel with the knowledge that you wont have any electrical problems with your brakes/ trailer combo.

          Firstly, the auto electrician will tell you that the chassis earth is good enough. It usually isn't, they are just being lazy. Use it also but use the new earth wire as well.
          Secondly; when the brakes are applied the electromagnets use heaps of amps. As amps go up voltage drop increases. As volts go down the magnets need more amps to work. Vicious cycle. You need to completely eliminate voltage drop for efficient and safe braking. Usually the earth wire on the trailer is miniscule and it is trying to feed power that includes lights, batteries and brakes at the same time. It may also be relying on the hitch in contact with the ball. Eliminate this. It is like trying to fill a swimming pool with a garden hose, as opposed to ringing the local fireys, putting a carton on and filling it with two 6 inch fire hoses.
          Thirdly; all the other ancillaries that are running off that socket are not suffering any voltage loss at any time, eg fridge, batteries, tail lights. Cold fridge = cold beer.
          Fourth; but also as important, is that your mates are reluctant to borrow the box trailer as they wont have the right socket to make the taillights work !!
          150 Vx D4D, Deluxe Arb bar, winch, Hayman Reece Towbar, UBP, P3 Tekonsha, 'n stuff.
          "When cooking on a camp fire it must be cool enough to cook on so it needs to burn down to coals, at least in parts. It is customary to drink beer while waiting for the fire to cool down.
          I recommend starting with a very big fire"-Vince.

          Comment


          • #6
            Re: Brake controller wiring

            Originally posted by mumstruk
            Fourth; but also as important, is that your mates are reluctant to borrow the box trailer as they wont have the right socket to make the taillights work !!
            Bloody good idea Mumstruk ! :lol: :lol:

            ... and the rest of your reasoning makes pretty good sense too :lol: :lol:
            I'll have to pull mine to bits and have a look at what's been setup.

            Cheers
            Chippy

            Comment


            • #7
              Good advice Mumstruk :idea:
              I've been wondering if I should upgrade the brake wiring in the camper. I have decent cable in the car to the plug, but it is pretty small guage in the camper. You've made my mind up!
              AndrewH
              08 Prado VX D4D, ARB bullbar, Warn 9.5XP winch, Bilstein/Lovell suspension, Polyair's, ARB diff locker & air pump, Safari snorkel, Ausguard cargo barrier, Lightforce 170 HID driving lights, GME TX3440 CB, Brown Davis bashplate, Sandgrabba Mats, Scanguage II, Rotronics independent 3 battery management (3rd in camper), Kenwood DDX8039 with Nav, Reversing camera and sensors, Blaupunkt compact powered woofer, Custom drawers, Bushman fridge, Cooper ATRs onroad & STTs offroad, PressurePro 6 wheel TPMS, Steinbauer Module.

              Comment

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