So You Have a Caravan With Electric Brakes. What Now?

The caravan brakes will not work unless you have a control module in your car. Commonly called an Electric Brake Controller this device is attached under the dash of your vehicle. It is wired to the car’s battery, the stop light circuit and also to the seven-point socket into which the caravan plug connects. Its installation is virtually independent of the vehicle’s electrical circuit and has no conflict with car computers or ABS Braking Systems. Installation usually takes Hardings one and a half to two hours depending upon the vehicle.

A wide range of Electric Brake Controllers is available but they all operate on similar principles. Power is fed from the vehicles stoplights into the controller then back to the caravan through the seven-point plug and socket. This allows the caravan brakes to come on automatically when you apply the vehicle brakes. The characteristics of the power flow will vary from unit to unit. Hardings recommend a pendulum based brake controller. Why? Because a pendulum sensor sends a variable amount of power to the caravan brakes in proportion to the stopping motion of the motor vehicle. This will deliver smoother and more responsive braking in all situations. Most controllers also have a manual device which allows the user to apply the caravan brakes independent of the car brakes. This is a helpful feature to minimise caravan sway or instability.

Following is a brief description of the most popular Electric Brake Controllers and a comparison chart for thorough analysis. We invite you to call us with any questions that you may have or to make a booking for installation.

Tekonsha Prodigy
The Prodigy is the most technologically advanced controller available. Even with its pendulum based output it requires no levelling and is equipped with a self-adjusting sensing device to compensate for varying terrain. Its digital display illustrates the voltage level delivered to the caravan brakes whilst driving and also reports any electrical fault conditions such as power loss, short circuits and more. It has a plug in wiring harness for easy removal and a unique pocket mounting for flexible options. This Unit has a variable power level that is further complimented by a “boost” feature for incremental power. In summary, The Prodigy has a number of features, some are not important, but others particularly the self-levelling and digital displays make it an outstanding electric brake controller.

Hayes Lemmerz Energize III
The Energize III unit is a simple to use pendulum-based controller. It has a manual pendulum level which is highly visible and easy to set. A roller gain wheel allows easy tuning of braking quantity and the manual-braking slide overrides gain settings for full emergency braking. An LED indicator light intensifies as braking power increases, which is a useful control feature. It is simple, reliable and provides smooth brakes.

Tekonsha Voyager
The popular Voyager unit is a pendulum-based controller with an indicator light to confirm that the caravan is connected and the circuit is complete. The indicator light also changes colour as an indication of the amount of power going to the caravan brakes. It is an attractive looking controller with a manual-braking slide lever and variable gain control. The Voyager provides smooth brakes but can be a bit fiddly to adjust.

Hayman Reese
Simple operation, slim design and unlimited mounting options are the main features of the Hayman Reese Controller. It is not pendulum based rather its power level is varied by adjusting the Sync and Output controls on the unit. The Sync relates to the timing of the brakes, these can be advanced or delayed and the Output Level Control adjusts the power. Because there is no internal pendulum sensor the Hayman Reese Controller will deliver the same braking performance every time you apply the vehicle brakes. The unit also has a manual control that allows variable independent application of the caravan brakes. The unlimited mounting position is a great feature but in Hardings opinion the lack of proportional braking capacity (pendulum) limits its ability to deliver smooth and effective braking in all stopping scenarios.
 

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