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Old 03-12-2015, 02:36 PM   #1
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How can I test electric brakes?

I picked up my pop up late last year and only camped about 25 miles away. I tried to get the brake controller adjusted to the new unit but could never really get it to feel like the camper was slowing down the TV. My old pop up would give a pulling sensation when I hit the brakes and I could feel it tugging the TV to help slow down. I do not get that at all with the new unit. I figured with an additional axle the braking would be even better.

Is there a way for me to check the brakes? is there a way to activate them using the battery? I am looking to simply jack up the trailer, activate the brakes and see if I can spin the tires.

I do not feel comfortable pulling the hubs off and looking at the actual brake pads for grease. I was hoping to see if this is all in my head or not.

Any thoughts?

Vin.
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Old 03-12-2015, 02:45 PM   #2
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Does the brake controller have an emergency slide on it? You should be able to jack up one side of the camper and have someone activate the emergency slide which should prevent you from being able to spin the tire.

Or just have someone in the TV step on the brake pedal.

Other option would be to pull the emergency break-away switch. I've heard of people manually pulling the cable as an emergency brake when jacking up their camper (but don't know enough about how to reset it to advise doing it).
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Old 03-12-2015, 02:48 PM   #3
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You should be able to use the manual brake slide on the controller and hear the brakes make up. If the trailer is hooked to the TV then start down the road and use only the hand controller and adjust until you get the desired braking. Also, if you use the break-away switch it has to be hooked up to the battery on trailer to work.
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Old 03-12-2015, 03:31 PM   #4
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Originally Posted by Flash_h View Post
You should be able to use the manual brake slide on the controller and hear the brakes make up. If the trailer is hooked to the TV then start down the road and use only the hand controller and adjust until you get the desired braking. Also, if you use the break-away switch it has to be hooked up to the battery on trailer to work.
That's what I always did. I got in an empty parking lot or on a desolate stretch of road and got my speed up to about 15 mph and hit the button on the hand controller to apply the trailer brakes......adjusted as necessary.
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Old 03-12-2015, 03:42 PM   #5
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You could just pull the pin on the break-away switch, but it's probably easiest just to have someone step on the brake petal. I do have to say though that it is not very desirable to have your trailer brakes overpowered and 'jerking' on your TV. Trailer brakes just weren't made for that kind of braking and can cause premature wearing and failure... not to mention the stress to your hitch.

Ideally, you should feel no slop (pulling or pushing) from your trailer when braking.
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Old 03-12-2015, 04:00 PM   #6
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That's what I always did. I got in an empty parking lot or on a desolate stretch of road and got my speed up to about 15 mph and hit the button on the hand controller to apply the trailer brakes......adjusted as necessary.
Thanks everyone. I quoted the above but realize others have said similar things.

That seems like a nice simple idea. I will find a remote road that I can drive slowly on and then begin to dial up the number on the prodigy brake controller to have the brakes applied. If nothing happens that I know I need to bring the camper in for checking.

Thanks,

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Old 03-12-2015, 04:03 PM   #7
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You could just pull the pin on the break-away switch, but it's probably easiest just to have someone step on the brake petal. I do have to say though that it is not very desirable to have your trailer brakes overpowered and 'jerking' on your TV. Trailer brakes just weren't made for that kind of braking and can cause premature wearing and failure... not to mention the stress to your hitch.

Ideally, you should feel no slop (pulling or pushing) from your trailer when braking.
You are most likely right. The trailer brakes may have been too tight or something. All I can say is that was the sensation I got. The new camper might be fine but it is just that it was different from my very first camper. I have no other experience to go by. This was different and has me thinking.

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Old 03-12-2015, 04:32 PM   #8
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Please don't pull your emergency brake pin!! You can fry a prodigy control that way. Do use the override lever and turn the dial up until you feel it slowing you.
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Old 03-12-2015, 04:38 PM   #9
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Please don't pull your emergency brake pin!! You can fry a prodigy control that way. Do use the override lever and turn the dial up until you feel it slowing you.
Ok. That sounds like a plan. Thanks.
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Old 03-12-2015, 04:50 PM   #10
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Please don't pull your emergency brake pin!! You can fry a prodigy control that way.
Oops. I've never had any problem doing that with my P3. It just faults out and shows a brake error.
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Old 03-13-2015, 12:01 PM   #11
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the break-away pin just pushs back in. it's just a wedge to keep two contacts apart.
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Old 03-13-2015, 12:20 PM   #12
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I set my integrated Ford brake controller on the highest setting and still could not lock up my electric brakes on my new A Frame trailer. The dealer service manager asked me to pull the emergency brake switch on the tongue (as a test) which DID lock up the trailer wheels. He said that many newer integrated brake controllers will not allow locking up of the trailer brakes, as they are designed to work that way in conjunction with the truck's braking system.
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Old 03-13-2015, 01:03 PM   #13
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I set my integrated Ford brake controller on the highest setting and still could not lock up my electric brakes on my new A Frame trailer. The dealer service manager asked me to pull the emergency brake switch on the tongue (as a test) which DID lock up the trailer wheels. He said that many newer integrated brake controllers will not allow locking up of the trailer brakes, as they are designed to work that way in conjunction with the truck's braking system.
That's weird to me, Are you sure they are adjusted correctly? Pulling the Emergency brake is putting pure 12 volt to the magnet. That shows it working but I would check the adjustment of them. What if you had to lock them up to stop and not cause an accident?
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Old 03-13-2015, 01:26 PM   #14
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That's weird to me, Are you sure they are adjusted correctly? Pulling the Emergency brake is putting pure 12 volt to the magnet. That shows it working but I would check the adjustment of them. What if you had to lock them up to stop and not cause an accident?
One would have to know if the integrated controller was even capable of putting 12v-13.8v to the brakes. The ABS is a funny system, it is supposed to prevent locking brakes.
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Old 03-13-2015, 01:47 PM   #15
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One would have to know if the integrated controller was even capable of putting 12v-13.8v to the brakes. The ABS is a funny system, it is supposed to prevent locking brakes.
An ABS needs wheel sensors (magnetic pulse) to determine if the wheel is turning or not. How might a brake controller get that feedback from a TT that doesn't have those sensors. Seems like there might be feedback system between the truck's computer and it's integrated brake controller that tells the controller the truck isn't moving. This feed back may bias the controller output based on TV speed. Whatta ya think?
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Old 03-13-2015, 01:53 PM   #16
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You guys are all getting too deep for my head.

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Old 03-13-2015, 01:56 PM   #17
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Jacking up the RV and applying the foot brakes does not fully activate the brakes. The prodigy works on momentum and the harder you stop the TV the harder the RV works to stop. Or just use the manual lever on the brake controller if you do jack it up.
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Old 03-13-2015, 04:10 PM   #18
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Oops. I've never had any problem doing that with my P3. It just faults out and shows a brake error.
I hung the break away cable a couple of times and locked up the breaks when I was beginning. Couldn't figure out what was wrong for a while. Installed the pin back in with no damage.

The break away pins would only fit one way on my previous rigs.
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Old 03-13-2015, 04:21 PM   #19
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An ABS needs wheel sensors (magnetic pulse) to determine if the wheel is turning or not. How might a brake controller get that feedback from a TT that doesn't have those sensors. Seems like there might be feedback system between the truck's computer and it's integrated brake controller that tells the controller the truck isn't moving. This feed back may bias the controller output based on TV speed. Whatta ya think?
I am thinking you are correct about some type of feedback. My 2013 DA shows voltage output to the trailer when stepping on the brake. I have it set at 7.5 and usually will slide it over manually when I start moving in the morning as a way of warming the brakes up. I learned quickly not to mover it too far as it will put my head into the steering wheel. If I push the lever all the way over and not moving that trailer will not move when I step on the pedal but the front end of my truck will rise slightly tell me she's ready to hit the road.
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Old 03-13-2015, 04:23 PM   #20
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That's weird to me, Are you sure they are adjusted correctly? Pulling the Emergency brake is putting pure 12 volt to the magnet. That shows it working but I would check the adjustment of them. What if you had to lock them up to stop and not cause an accident?
Weird to me too. I would have someone else check things.
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