Where have you put your brake controller

**dullbird** · 26th September 2009, 08:18 PM

Originally Posted by dm_td5

Lou on the D1 sikaflex it to the inside of the kick panel under the steering wheel. In the Puma... we'll I've promised Ian some pic's tomorrow. Believe me that unit is easy to hide. Actually there are pic's of my D2 installation on the forum somewhere (and in my Flickr album)

Now as to the connection. I was under the impression your brakes would be via the 20A trailer plug and only the trailer charging would be via the 50A anderson plug.

No like I said above he has set it up with Anderson plugs..

The trailer charging is via an Anderson plug as is the trailer brakes

**muddymech** · 26th September 2009, 08:20 PM

you did show us but can not remember, thats why pics will be helpfull

some one else mentioned doing it though trailor plug but i really can not work that one out so just going to go striaght off battery.

ian

**alien** · 26th September 2009, 08:53 PM

Originally Posted by dullbird

No like I said above he has set it up with Anderson plugs..

The trailer charging is via an Anderson plug as is the trailer brakes

Proberly a silly question but if the trailer batt. power feed is on side of the anderson plug and the brake is on the outher where is the trailer batt. getting it's earth from?
Would there be enough current flow the lighting plug and the hitch?

Just tring to work out your set up or are there 2 anderson plugs?

Cheers.

**muddymech** · 26th September 2009, 09:10 PM

good point not sure were trailor battery is earthed. at teh moment there is no connection between car and trailor. once the bits arrive will an sc80 with cable to anderson plug to back of car this plugs into trailor anderson plug to charge trailor battery.

the blue wire off the redarc will run to back of the car and plug into anderson plug on trailor that connects to electric brakes.

this is were all my confusion has come from as the electric brakes have a small wire coming out of them and then are spliced into battery cable which go to a 50amp anderson plug.

the redarc has a small cable out of it which needs extending, im going to go 8g cable as this will fit a 50amp andsrson plug allowing me to connect to the trailor and hopefully not suffer volts drop, if thats too big i really dont know as electric brakes are new to me, so im trying to get as much info as i can from everyone and the internet.

another question is everyone says need a 25amp fuse in line, one web site recommends a self resetting fuse, the best i can get is a 20amp one from jaycar, can this be used or is it too small.

ian

**dullbird** · 26th September 2009, 09:22 PM

Originally Posted by alien d2

Proberly a silly question but if the trailer batt. power feed is on side of the anderson plug and the brake is on the outher where is the trailer batt. getting it's earth from?
Would there be enough current flow the lighting plug and the hitch?

Just tring to work out your set up or are there 2 anderson plugs?

Cheers.

Originally Posted by dullbird

No like I said above he has set it up with Anderson plugs..

one Anderson plug is on the battery charger....the other is on the brakes yes there are two plugs

**Pedro_The_Swift** · 26th September 2009, 10:32 PM

not sure why the two plugs,,

certainly one for charging,,

but my electric brakes are actuated off the normal trailer plug,,,

**alien** · 26th September 2009, 11:33 PM

For whats it's worth this is what I think I'll end up with.
Round 7 pin plug (metal) with..
The std 5 wires,
Brake wire (from Redarc dash unit Blue wire),
Reverse light.

Anderson plug wired to Redarc solinoid.

Originally Posted by Pedro_The_Swift

not sure why the two plugs,,

certainly one for charging,,

but my electric brakes are actuated off the normal trailer plug,,,

Two andersons are fine but limited interchange ability if needed (some one uses it, it's towed for you,borrow a caravan ect.).

Fuses...
25amp recomended for brake unit per their site (Tech tips), I'd go resetting type at the batt. supply (Auto elec., wreckers[head lamps?],repco,ect.?).
You could try the 20amp one. Don't know what the draw of trailer magnets is at full application when at highest draw.
Aux batt....
Inline fuse at batt. pick up point of tow car.(30amp).
Inline fuse at batt. input in trailer. (30amp).

I'd like my brakes to reset not just stop working.
Reason for second fuse on aux. is to stop back feed from camper/caravan if cable rubs on tow unit.

Ree the wire size, I think what your thinking is fine as the unit is an adjust and leave by driver type. Any voltage drop is constant.

Hope this helps, cheers.

**alien** · 26th September 2009, 11:46 PM

Different brand same wireing set up (not sure on wire colors).

**dmdigital** · 27th September 2009, 07:25 AM

Ian, SC80 will handle trailer and second battery, that's what I have (and what Tim sent you for me... you should have kept it

)

I suggest calling Tim regarding the trailer charging. There's a few things you may need to check on the way the trailer is wired.

I'm a little concerned about the brakes, I'm thinking this is a magnetic/drum unit unit on the wheels but the way it's wired up should be total overkill and only need to go through the trailer socket. Unless it requires more than 20A in which case I can understand the Anderson plug, but that then means the RedArc EBC may not handle the current load.

**Grumndriva** · 27th September 2009, 08:31 AM

Lou,

There is a bit of misinformation in this thread, so I have attempted to clarify a couple of issues below. We have used electric brakes for some years on a 2.5 tonne caravan and before that on a camper trailer, both using a Disco 2 as tug.

The most important siting requirement for the brake controller is that you can reach it immediately without having to hunt for it in an emergency, and which is not obstructed in any way by other items. Don't forget things like coffe mugs or other drinks which might block access to the controller on a trip. If things go pear-shaped behind you, you have very little time to reach and apply the manual brake, which you may need to do to avoid an accident, especially if for some reason you are forced to swerve sufficiently to set up a sway in the CT. Oscillations can build up very fast after a sudden upset.

As I understand it you have a Defender, so you need to find a place which
meets that requirement.

In my experience the best place for a brake controller in a D2 is screwed to the underside of the ash tray or coin holder. By putting it there, your hand just naturally falls to it in an emergency where you need to use the manual braking function. With a bit of excess length in the wiring, you can still use the slide out tray. It also means that if you subsequently remove the brake controller, there are no holes showing.

You do not need an Anderson plug for the brakes. They will operate off a standard 7 pin flat plug with absolutely no problems. In all our travels I have never noticed anyone using an Anderson plug for their van brakes, and it is certainly a non-standard arrangement.

Someone mentioned a separate brake battery in the van. This only applies to tandem (or tri-axle) vans and trailers which would become projectiles in the event of a complete breakaway of the towing connection (tow bar or A-frame hitch and safety chains). Hence the name, breakaway brakes. In that unlikely event, a lanyard removes a plug from the breakaway switch on the A frame, which applies full braking to the trailer brakes to bring the van to a stop. It has nothing to do with normal braking. With these systems, it is now compulsory to have a caravan/trailer battery charge monitor in the tow vehicle, and for that you need another pair of wires. Consequently you run out of pins with a 7 pin plug, so the standard plug now for larger (multi-axle) vans is a 12 pin flat plug, A 7 pin plug will still fit a 12 pin receptacle, as the hole sizes and locations are the same. However the 12 pin plug also has 5 larger pins in parallel. You do not need breakaway brakes with your CT.

Both my brother and my son bought Redarc controllers about 12 months ago, and both binned them in favour of a Tekonsha Prodigy, due to their inablity to get true proportional braking from them, which meant that if they were set with enough power at speed, they would apply excessive braking at slow speed. There may be a better model out now, but if you find the braking at slow speed uncomfortably harsh when set properly for other speeds, replace it with a Prodigy ior Prodigy P3. These are what most of the caravan fraternity use, because they are easy to set up and work. The Tekonsha Voyager works well when set up properly, but is difficult to set up properly, which is why I binned ours and replaced it with a Prodigy.

Hope this has been useful Enjoy the camper.
Cheers,
Terry

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