A Brake Controller Story

[Byron Kinnaman]

Originally Posted by Jann Todd

I've read the manual and my husband has read the manual(I know that seems strange) as I tried to do the adjustment but it never settles on one number even when stopped.

I don't think mine "settles on one number" unless I the panic button (the lever on the bottom). If I stop and hold my foot on the brake pedal there's a number but does it change, probably.

Did you mention the year and model of the tow vehicle and when Casita model you have?

[Borrego Dave]

The numbers change on my P2 also, at least the few times that I looked at it. I'm more concerned with how the trailer responds/feels and change it accordingly. Might be dating myself but I've been towing long before these fancy techie controllers hit the market. I'll probably be beat up for this but worrying about numbers on your controller means zip. Adjust it to what works for your TT and go, sure isn't rocket science .

[Raz]

Originally Posted by Borrego Dave

............. worrying about numbers on your controller means zip. Adjust it to what works for your TT and go, sure isn't rocket science .

There's a lot of "rocket science" in the controller" but not in it's use. Some one, Darrell perhaps? , suggested setting it until braking with the trailer feels the same as braking when the trailer is not there. Then you trailer brakes are compensating for the weight of the trailer.

[Alf S.]

Originally Posted by Jann Todd

I've read the manual and my husband has read the manual(I know that seems strange) as I tried to do the adjustment but it never settles on one number even when stopped.

Hi: Jann Todd... My wife suggested I need glasses, as I don't see things the way she does!!! Our controller numbers change but only with increasing pedal pressure.
Alf S. North shore of Lake Erie

[Jon in AZ]

I'll bet Prodigy has a help number. That's usually the best next step after the manual.

[gordon2]

Originally Posted by Jann Todd

We had a Tekonsha installed and we've never been able to get a set number. When hitting the brakes it jumps all over. Now I know what to do. It is only 14 months old. Thanks.

Yes, you do know what to do.. give Tekonsha a call and if they think the unit is defective I am sure they will replace it. And if not, they will help you understand what is going on. I have had two or three occasions to get help from Tekonsha and they always come through.

You might have a bad or intermittent connection. A bad ground (negative) connection to the trailer is the usual suspect. The P3 has troubleshooting displays (described in the manual) that can help diagnose these things but your model might have more limited troubleshooting capability.

Keep in mind a few points:

• The voltage will vary according to the braking force that the controller decides is needed, based on deacceleration, etc. It does this in real time, which means that as you slow down, the voltage will change.
• The voltage should be zero when the brake pedal is not depressed (i.e. the brake lights are not on).
• When stopped and the brake pedal is depressed, then after a short delay (2-3 seconds), the controller will apply a voltage to "hold" the trailer. At least this is true for my P3, which applies about 1.4 volts. This should go back to zero as soon as the brake pedal is released at a stop.

You could have a passenger video the controller display while stopped, pedal on, off, and underway, then post it here for feedback. Be sure to narrate what is being done at the time.

[Pat Thomson]

Yesterday we came back from Algonac and dropped our trailer off near the Wine Escape this weekend so we would not have to tow into and out of Toronto unnecessarily. We unhitched and went to pull the cord of the Tekonsha wireless brake controller out of the cigarette lighter socket, except we didn't notice that the collar had come almost entirely unscrewed. A little pressure and it came unscrewed, popping the collar, steel contact nipple, fuse, and spring all over the car in different directions.

We found the collar, the spring, and the contact, but the fuse went between the seat and the centre console. While trying to pry it out using the arm of my glasses, it flipped and vanished into the netherworld of the seat sliding rail top assembly (Not into the bottom track - that would have been too easy). After much un-parliamentary language, contortion, and useless effort, it became plain that we would never see the fuse again.

What to do? what fuse WAS it? I tried to call Tekonsha today to find out, and listened to 18 minutes of mediocre jazz on endless loop without any hint of live assistance. I despaired, and called our repair shop, Seaway Trailers in Welland. I cannot say enough about Diane, one of the owners. I explained the problem, and as she had Tekonsha wireless controllers in stock, very kindly took a handset out of the box, unscrewed the end of the plug, and advised me that I needed a 1 amp 250v glass fuse, a long one.

One quick trip to Canadian Tire and we were back in business, with four extra fuses should something as odd as this happen again.

The morals of this story are:

- Tekonsha makes great brake controllers but has awful 'hold' music
- Always carry a spare fuse for the handset plug, should it get lost or blow
- Make sure the collar is tight on the 12v plug
- Diane at Seaway is great!

[Raspy]

Next time that kind of thing happens, and there is no other apparent problem, just roll up some aluminum foil in the shape of a fuse and install it in place of the fuse, or snap in a paper clip, or a nail, or clip on a couple of alligator clips and a short piece of wire, or fold a bottle cap in half and stick it in, or some aluminum from a coke can, etc.

There is no danger in improvising because there was no short in the circuit to begin with. Once home, get the proper fuse and install it.

It has happened to me too, and it is amazing how things can disappear under the seat. Creating new words, in my experience, has little affect, but offers a bit of entertainment as you look.

One thing that really bothers me when I can't find something, is when I do find it, it's always in the last place I looked!! I hate that!! So, my solution is to keep looking for a while, after I've found it, so it wasn't in the last place I looked. Then, I feel like i'm being much more efficient.

[Pat Thomson]

I thought of just doing that kind of fixit, but as I has some time to find the right fuse, and as there was several hundred dollars' worth of hard to replace electronics at the end of the wire... managed to do it strictly according to Hoyle.