Need Help Hooking to Trailer Brakes - Solved!

[EdMat]

I have searched this site, and found several helpful items, but not an answer.

Backstory: Friday I ordered a Time Out Deluxe camper. Monday I think I will call back and have the brake package included. My 2 other trailers are light and I have not had any stopping issues. My Discovery runs about 250 with all my camping gear. The Time Out will probably be slightly over 400, hence the adding of brakes.

My problem is deciding on a brake controller and the location it should be mounted. While familiar with their use, I have never had to purchase, install, or specify the specs for one. I’m confused.

I would think this is one case where size does matter. Mounting location could be a problem as the units have to remain dry and have to be oriented correctly.
The only thing I am reasonably certain of is I want proportional and not time based.

I need help on the following 3 things 😊
1 What unit to get.
2 Where to mount it on a 2019 RTL.
3 Can I hook the units sensor wire straight to the brake wire prior to trailer electronic isolator or will that cause the CANBUS to go crazy.

Any help with any or all 3 is greatly appreciated…………..thanks………..ed

[BLUEKNIGHT911]

I have searched this site, and found several helpful items, but not an answer.

Backstory: Friday I ordered a Time Out Deluxe camper. Monday I think I will call back and have the brake package included. My 2 other trailers are light and I have not had any stopping issues. My Discovery runs about 250 with all my camping gear. The Time Out will probably be slightly over 400, hence the adding of brakes.

My problem is deciding on a brake controller and the location it should be mounted. While familiar with their use, I have never had to purchase, install, or specify the specs for one. I’m confused.

I would think this is one case where size does matter. Mounting location could be a problem as the units have to remain dry and have to be oriented correctly.
The only thing I am reasonably certain of is I want proportional and not time based.

I need help on the following 3 things ��
1 What unit to get.
2 Where to mount it on a 2019 RTL.
3 Can I hook the units sensor wire straight to the brake wire prior to trailer electronic isolator or will that cause the CANBUS to go crazy.

Any help with any or all 3 is greatly appreciated…………..thanks………..ed

They should come with instructions from TIME OUT , but contact them first and ask ..... Mike

[EdMat]

They should come with instructions from TIME OUT , but contact them first and ask ..... Mike

They don't offer brake controllers.

[K80Shooter]

Did you do a search on here? It seems like this was discussed a while back.

Anyhow in my opinion there is only one and that's a Tekonsha.
I personally like the Prodigy P3 but someone on here also had some good things to say about another model of theirs.

P3 https://www.tekonsha.com/product/901...l-proportional

Their other models, https://www.tekonsha.com/products/br...al-controllers

Come to think of it, I think this is the other one that was recommended but I honestly don't remember. https://www.tekonsha.com/product/909...l-proportional

Here's the thread that I was thinking of. It is older than I thought..
https://www.spyderlovers.com/forums/...light=Tekonsha

[EdMat]

Did you do a search on here? It seems like this was discussed a while back.

Thanks K80, yes, and it was very informative, but, it did nothing to answer questions 2 and 3.

I have looked at the Prodigy P2 and the P3. They are on my short list. Another high on the list is the Tow-Pro Elite and the Tow-Pro Liberty from the land down under.

https://www.redarcelectronics.com/us...roller/tow-pro

Hoping if I can't find out anything else, need the point where sensor wire to the brake light can be hooked without causing problems.

[K80Shooter]

Thanks K80, yes, and it was very informative, but, it did nothing to answer questions 2 and 3.

I have looked at the Prodigy P2 and the P3. They are on my short list. Another high on the list is the Tow-Pro Elite and the Tow-Pro Liberty from the land down under.

https://www.redarcelectronics.com/us...roller/tow-pro

Hoping if I can't find out anything else, need the point where sensor wire to the brake light can be hooked without causing problems.

As for where to mount it, on your year model I have zero experience, but on the 2020 plus there is room under the switch panel where it could go, or it could be mounted with velcro on the underside of the frunk lid or even in the trunk. Honestly, anywhere that there's room and it's dry would work. Is there room under the seat?

As for the brake wire, unless someone has done it & knows, then I think that'd be trial and error. The Red wire only senses when the brake is applied, so it might not matter; you could connect either at the brake light switch or at any of the brake lights themselves. There would be another wire (black) that runs to a dedicated power source.

P3.jpg

[Tango]

Also look into a wireless brake controller. Second using velcro as it doesn't need to be there all the time. Good luck. Tom

[EdMat]

Well, got a pleasant surprise when I talked with Blake at Time Out Trailers this morning, he will include the controller with the brake package. Guess that's one way to make sure it works together and more importantly has been tested to work. So Mike, you were closer to it than I thought. Wish they listed it on their website.

It will be a few weeks before pick it up but I will update when I find out for sure where to hook into the brake light system without any problems. Thanks everyone for their help.

[BLUEKNIGHT911]

Well, got a pleasant surprise when I talked with Blake at Time Out Trailers this morning, he will include the controller with the brake package. Guess that's one way to make sure it works together and more importantly has been tested to work. So Mike, you were closer to it than I thought. Wish they listed it on their website.

It will be a few weeks before pick it up but I will update when I find out for sure where to hook into the brake light system without any problems. Thanks everyone for their help.

.... You're welcome ..... Mike

[EdMat]

What did I wind up with? Maybe this little adventure will help someone in the future.

A Tekonsha Voyager brake control came with the Time Out Deluxe. It’s your bare bones, no frills, just get it done type unit. Mounted it on the right side floor of the trunk on my 2019 RTL. The trunk floor slopes somewhat, but is within the mounting limits of the controller. Mounted with 3M industrial grade Velcro.

Used ½” ribbed flexible plastic conduit to run the power and ground leads to the battery entering the trunk behind the right taillight thru a ½” drilled hole. Drilled another for the 2 leads going to the trailer. It wound up being a force fit for the conduit, so I don’t expect any leaks.

Hooked up the brake sensor wire by tapping into the wiring for the right taillight. This seems to be working fine with no codes so far. Will be watching on the first long trip. This is the part that worried me the most during this process.

Had a new trailer wiring kit laying around so I used it for my wiring and shortened the trailer end hooking it to the back of the controller. This way it will be easy to remove the controller if needed by unplugging one connection. Building a protective cover out of coroplast for the controller to keep odds and ends from bumping into it.

Still working on getting the calibration setting right. One step is to push the manual slider on the controller while doing about 25 MPH so the maximum braking can be set. Hard to do when it’s in the bottom of the trunk. I did it trial and error style, hitting the brakes hard, seeing what happened and then making small adjustments. I still may have max setting set too high.

Can you tell the brakes work? YES! Took several adjustments to keep the trailer brakes from locking up at every stop. Luckily, I had a great test area with no traffic. Do I think this project was worthwhile as far as effort and expense… definitely.

What would I do differently if I started fresh knowing what I know now? Probably go with the REDARC Liberty controller for two reasons. Can be mounted at any angle so it could be placed vertically taking up less room plus its physically smaller. For adjustments, it has a knob on the end of a cable meant to be mounted in the dash of the vehicle so it’s the only thing showing. Can’t mount it on the Spyder as its not weather resistant, but it would be easy to bring the cable out of the trunk, use it to make the adjustments needed and then return it.

The pic below shows the controller mounted in the trunk.
IMG_2152[990].jpg

[WRCLVR]

If the Redarc brake controller adjustmet knob is a simple 2-3 wire rheostat, then maybe you can source a IP69 rated weather resistant one from Mouser or Digikey? Then wire it in on the dash in a convenient place

I reached out To REDARC to see if they have a weather resistant adjustment switch/knob suitable to mount on the dash for the Spyder. Lets see what they say...

[EdMat]

If the Redarc brake controller adjustmet knob is a simple 2-3 wire rheostat, then maybe you can source a IP69 rated weather resistant one from Mouser or Digikey? Then wire it in on the dash in a convenient place

I reached out To REDARC to see if they have a weather resistant adjustment switch/knob suitable to mount on the dash for the Spyder. Lets see what they say...

It appears to be a rheostat with the added twist of having a push in knob to manually activate the trailer brakes.

I hope you will post he reply when you get it.