Thread: Electric Trailer Brakes

Silly question two: why do I want to control the amount of application - aren't the brakes in sync with the car?

It is about how hard you want the brakes to be applied in the trailer. That is the beauty of proportional braking. When you hit the brakes the trailer also brakes, how hard is dependant on youor setting and how hard your car is braking (proportional) The harder your car brakes the hardewr the trailer will brake.

Originally Posted by GEK064

Silly question two: why do I want to control the amount of application - aren't the brakes in sync with the car?

The only way the trailer brakes would know they need to work is by your brake lights coming on. This would give a fixed amount of braking only and wouldn't be right for both full and empty, or rapid or slow deceleration. Remember these are electric brakes not hydraulic over-ride brakes. Anyway the dash control is a useful tool.

Ahhhh me get it now....all I have to do is decide which one to get :-( and to find the time to put it together.....need another hour or two per day.

There are quite a few controllers to chose from. I have the Redarc remote head unit. Very simple to install and operate and not that expensive either. Better still, they're Aussie made! Works a treat with my O'briens offroader which weighs about 1100kg when fully loaded for a trip (including 2 jerries and a full water tank).

Originally Posted by GEK064

Silly question two: why do I want to control the amount of application - aren't the brakes in sync with the car?

It's been mentioned before, some basic controllers have only an on off capability with a control for how heavy the trailer currently is that is manually set. More advanced controllers use some form of deccelerometer that provides proportional braking. The best ones work at any angle where the basic ones may actually apply the trailer brakes going down a steep incline (these are the ones that you have to level once installed in the car - it is best to avoid these if you can, but they are still better than no trailer brakes)

The reason is that is if you're scooting along at 110KPH and crest a hill only to find a truck stopped in front of you, having maximum braking may save your life, however if you are in a traffic jam at 5KPH you don't want or need maximum braking, this is what proportional braking achieves.

Well I'm going for a Redarc remote head unit. Now need to find one and install it...hope it ain't too complicated?

Originally Posted by GEK064

Well I'm going for a Redarc remote head unit. Now need to find one and install it...hope it ain't too complicated?

When you get it installed make sure the main fuse that goes in the main power line from the battery is a slow blow/auto reset fuse - that way if some sort of electrical overload/intermittent short happens it will reset and you will still have trailer brakes - unless of course if there is a dead short where the fuse will stay off.

Garry