So You Have a Caravan or boat trailer with Electric Brakes. What Now?
These brakes will not work unless you have a suitable control module in your car. Commonly called an Electric Brake Controller, this device is attached under the dash of your vehicle. It is wired to the car’s battery, the stop light circuit and also to the seven-pin socket into which the caravan plug connects. Its installation is virtually independent of the vehicle’s electrical circuit and has no conflict with car computers or ABS braking systems. Installation usually takes one and a half to two hours depending upon the vehicle.
A wide range of Electric Brake Controllers are available but they all operate on similar principles. Power is fed from the vehicle’s stoplights into the controller then back to the caravan through the seven-pin plug and socket. This allows the brakes to come on automatically when you apply the vehicle brakes. The characteristics of the power flow will vary from unit to unit. We recommend a pendulum based brake controller. Why? Because a pendulum sensor sends a variable amount of power to the caravan brakes in proportion to the stopping motion of the motor vehicle. This will deliver smoother and more responsive braking in all situations. Controllers also have a manual device which allows the user to apply the caravan brakes independent of the car brakes. This is an essential feature to minimise sway or instability.
REDARC has released the next generation of its award-winning Tow-Pro Elite electronic brake controller.
This is the 3rd generation of REDARC’s Tow-Pro brake controller with the original released in June 2014 and the acclaimed Tow-Pro Elite released in September 2015.
This next-generation Tow-Pro Elite retains the same name as its predecessor and continues to set the benchmark in trailer brake control technology which has seen it become Australia’s favourite and most trusted brake controller.
Like previous generations, the new Tow-Pro Elite provides users with the ability to swap between Proportional mode (inertia sensing) for highway driving conditions and User-Controlled mode for off-road driving.
Compatible with all modern vehicles
The next-generation Tow-Pro Elite ensures compatibility with all new vehicle technology and also still features Active Calibration, works with Electric and Electric/Hydraulic trailer brakes, supports 12 or 24 volt vehicle systems and ensures an ADR approved installation. It has also been approved by AL-KO for use with their ESC and DSC system