Hi Guys,

I'm a new member fom Brisbane as we have just bought our first caravan. We are being called GNiTs by our friends..... ""Grey Nomads in Training".

I have a question about our electric brake setup.... We are more and more getting intermittant drop outs were our Prodigy controller in registering that we have nothing attached.

I have been through the wiring connections and all seems good... Is it true that failing magnets can cause this sympton??

Cheers

Welcome to the forum 4x4xfar.
Can't answer your question, just wanted to say hi.
There are wise heads here that will assist you.
Will be interesting to see the answer.

Hi GNits,
I can’t imagine failing magnets would cause this problem unless all of the magnets (two or four) have all failed at once. More like a connection failing and the most likely point would be your plug and socket between the vehicle and van.

Some plugs have a habit of loosing contact and usually a quick clean and open the pins a little to increase the spring tension can help.
Also the clamping screws inside the plug sometime come loose.

JR

Hi Guys and thanks..

JR, I did originally think that..checked the plug on the car, a new setup anyway. However when I pulled the caravan plug apart.... 'twas ugly to say the least so trimmed back to clean wire and attached a new plug.

As the problem is intermittent it's a pain to find

The plug on the back of the Prodigy isn’t loose is it?

Intermittent is a real pain, if you haven’t already done it, try having someone hold the brake on while watching the Prodigy and you go around and start pulling at things.

JR

Thanks Tar Trekka,

Come to think of it... makes sense seeing that the plug end was corroded that maybe the other ends will be the same.

looks like I'll be double checking here....

Hi
Welome to the forum

The only think I could add is maybe the wire going from the controller to the rear of the vehicle is to thin and maybe overheating causing a drop out????

Cheers

This is probly a bit off track of the topick, i fitted a 12 pin plug and socket to my prado and van the other day,the extra five big terminals made it easer to fit the bigger earth wire and auxiliarie wire,s in each terminal being able to fit full wire in terminal has give me better braking, i had to turn down the power wheel on the prodgy brake controller i cant believe the difference, gather i must have a better earth, brakes were good before but twice as good now,i dont know if that could be your problem, it may help.


Lance C

2000 prado
2002 jayco freedom

My relatives have a Jayco Eagle which had intermittent brakes. The brakes cables underneath the van were joined in two places with Utilux connectors. Unfortunately connectors too large (yellow) had been used for the diameter of wire used. When the installer pushed the stripped wire into the connectors, he/she pushed the wire in too far resulting in the plastic insulation being crimped and not the bare copper. Intermittent contact was made between the copper casually touching the male/female part of the connector.

Glenn