Brake controller

[Steve M Addicted PP Member Find all posts View Profile Close Steve M]

Just wondering people's opinion on this brake controller, was going to get today but thought better ask the professionals on PP first to make sure I'm getting the write one.... Seems good value, have done a google search and seems to get great ratings mind you they were from the USA.... Cheers Steve [IMG][/IMG]

[dagree Member Find all posts View Profile Close dagree]

Primus IQ

Steve,
Had one previously with no major problems at all over 3 years and in 3 vehicles. Only fault I can give it is the van brakes "grabbed" slightly when slowing down to a stop (Maybe set a little high?).

Only upgraded to the P3 Prodigy after transferring the IQ to the prado and it got wired up incorrectly and burnt out some components... Making a mental note "Don't accept help from an apprentice baker when wiring anything up!!!!" or at least check before connecting the battery. Power and negative got mixed up. If wiring yourself remember the Black is the power wire!!!!!!

[Steve M Addicted PP Member Find all posts View Profile Close Steve M]

Yeah going to do myself. Just have to work out best place to mount in the 120 ?? Hopefully comes with correct wiring instructions. Sparky was telling me yesterday he runs twin core up to rear lights and gets brake light power from there. Said he doesn't like wiring to brake pedal switch ??? Not sure why my old man had it spliced into brake pedal switch.... Cheers Steve

[dagree Member Find all posts View Profile Close dagree]

Did the same with mine... Running to the rear lights as I was running other cables at the same time.
Instructions that come with it are good and easy to follow unless you are like my "Know It All" son in law!!!!!!!

Below is a pic of where I mounted mine. I am not tall with long legs but I am not short either .
Plenty of leg room for me.

[Bear63 Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Bear63]

The reason why you have to be careful where you pick up power from is because the electrical systems in our modern cars are all run by modules , if you wire up an extra load into the circuit incorrectly you may end up with all sorts of fault codes , most cars now have a pickup wire to tap into for these accessories , or you can pickup down the back after the module for the trailer lights

[Steve M Addicted PP Member Find all posts View Profile Close Steve M]

Cheers guys sounds like I have some more trim panels to pull off tomorrow and run some dual core wire down to pick up off lights. Don't mind the spot you have yours David, as I would like to be able to get to it if the wife is towing under emergency situations I can reach over and apply the over ride if need be if she panics. Might see if it fits in where the ashtray is.... Cheers Steve

[John Member Find all posts View Profile Close John]

Steve, I mounted my P2 in the ashtray compartment. Works for me, and no visible screw holes in the plastic trim for when I sell it

[wes Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close wes]

http://www.pradopoint.com/showthread...roller+ashtray

Have a look here Steve

Wes

[Pete t pops Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Pete t pops]

Steve grab some five or seven core and run that down the side, then you'll have plenty spare if you want to do anything else later. Panthers auto elec at emu plains have it, and they are great blokes.

[Steve M Addicted PP Member Find all posts View Profile Close Steve M]

The instructions say to use 12 to 14ga, which equals about 2 mm. I bought today some twin core it says on it ""2 x 5 mm / 5 mm TS auto, is this to thick and would it have any effect on the controller ?? Should have read instructions first eh, typical male I hear you females saying !!! Also I got a 30 amp breaker which i did read first but will having the thicker wire have any effect on the breaker doing its job ?? Or is the wire too thick for the breaker ?? I will get documented wire if need be. Other the this it seems to be fairly easy to install... Another thing i did see on my mates controller which is a different brand it has a 10 fuse connected on the back of it. There is no mention anywhere about me having to install a fuse ?? i thought this was the same thing the breaker did ?? Cheers Steve

[Steve M Addicted PP Member Find all posts View Profile Close Steve M]

Think I've just found my answer on google. I think this cable will be too thick going by this http://midsummerenergy.co.uk/solar-p...CablesAndFuses Looks like a trip back to battery world tomorrow and get thinner cable.... Cheers
steve

[Steve M Addicted PP Member Find all posts View Profile Close Steve M]

Thanks for the link Wes, great idea. May do a quick check around today and see if I find an ashtray if not doesn't really matter can use my one and get another one to replace mine at a later date.... Cheers Steve

[dagree Member Find all posts View Profile Close dagree]

Steve,
I'm not an electrician or auto electrician but did do some research prior to wiring things up on a previous 100 series.
14 Gauge wire is equivalent to approximately 2 mm squared which is approximately 1.6mm diameter (Which auto cables are usually referenced as). 12 Gauge is slightly thicker from memory.

It was recommended to me by an auto elec to use a minimum of 4mm so I went 6mm. The thicker the wire the less volt drop you get over longer distances. With the P3 Prodigy I can view the volts supplied to the unit and the volts sent to the trailer plug and I only lose .4V from the rear supply point to the trailer plug.

As for the auto reset breaker cable size won't matter unless you go too small then could cause problems if anything goes wrong!!!

Others more qualified than me may correct me if wrong or add more info if I missed anything.

Also as Pete said run more cables while you have the panels off as you never know what you might add in the future. Spoken by someone that has had to remove panels more than once

[Steve M Addicted PP Member Find all posts View Profile Close Steve M]

Hi David, isn't there an issue in regards to wire size and breaker/fuse eg you want the wire thinner then the matched breaker so the breaker will activate so the wire doesn't catch fire ?? Just some thing I remember reading.... Or have i got it around the wrong way lol.... Cheers Steve

[AJ120 Out of control poster! Find all posts View Profile Close AJ120]

Hi David, isn't there an issue in regards to wire size and breaker/fuse eg you want the wire thinner then the matched breaker so the breaker will activate so the wire doesn't catch fire ?? Just some thing I remember reading.... Or have i got it around the wrong way lol.... Cheers Steve

Yeah you have it the wrong way round :-D thicker cable with a smaller fuse is not a problem as the fuse is the weak point. Put a thin cable with a big fuse and the cable will fail before the fuse, not what you want.

Cheers Andrew