I just installed my prodigy brake controller. I put it under the dash to the left and attached it to the metal bracket there. Fits perfectly and very easy to install with the harness I bought.

Question #1: will this thing drain my battery? It seems like it never shuts off.

Question #2: I never checked if I had the relays installed in the fuse box but since it powers up is it safe to assume the relays are there? Seems liek a dumb question but I want to make sure.

 

#1 yes it can if you don't start your truck or charge the battery for say.....10-12 months. LCD's (the display) pulls so little power that the reading is not even in hundredths of amps on a meter.

#2 yes, and there are no dumb questions.

 

pics please!

 

alright I'll go down and take a picture. Check back in about 20 minutes. My truck is DIRTY though.

 

 

sweet thanks, that is where im putting mine!

 

the screws that come with it self tap into the sheet metal bracket. That bracket seems like it was made for mounting a brake controller.

 

Looks nice, that is a great location.

 

If your trailer ever starts to fish tail the only way to calm it down is to manually depress just the trailer brakes. There are a couple of other emergency conditions as well that could require you to depress the manual over-ride on the brake controller.

You need to be able to easily reach it while still being able to see through your mirrors to monitor the trailer. Mounting the brake controller that low makes driving difficult and close if not impossible to monitor the trailer while manually activating the trailer brakes.

I see lots of brake controllers installed that low and after informing customers and showing them that mounting higher gives them more control (driving and visual), most move them or have them mounted higher on their next trucks.

 

I can reach it and still see out the mirrors. I sat in there and tried it. I like it being tucked away from view. Plus I do not plan on towing anything huge. I am renting a travel trailer that is only 3800lbs. Not too bad.

 

question #1 it should turn off after 15 min.

question #2 the relay is for trailer battery charging. If you don't have a battery you won't need it.

 

ALL travel trailers with electric brakes have a battery. It is needed in case of break away. The cable will pull the pin out and lock up the trailer brakes so it doesn't go cruising down the road by itself.

To the OP.... The Prodigy will shut off after 15 min of not being used. When you get back in the truck, as soon as you touch the brake pedal, it will come back on.

Colorado Osprey, I couldn't agree more with your post about emergency maneuvers and being able to reach the controller without having to bend over and reach it. This is the reason I placed mine on the right hand side up higher on the dash within reach. A couple of little holes in the dash are better than no holes in the dash and your truck and trailer mangled and twisted on the road. Those holes will seem like nothing compared to that

 

The #5 relay is for battery charging just because the brake controller powers up doesn't mean that the relay is installed.

 

I did not doubt you about the relay. YES it is needed. BUT, if you go and re-read my post you will see that ALL trailers with electric brakes have batteries. It is needed in case of break away, to activate the brake system on the trailer. Why did you quote something that I wrote and try to fix something that wasn't said?

 

500 miles and a successful trip. The 24 ft trailer pulled flawlessly. I had it at 85mph briefly with zero wobble. I stayed at about 65-70 the whole way.