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This website is no longer actively updated.
It has been left as a reference point only.
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Installing an Electric Brake Controller |
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| Before we start this project a little bit of research.
Unless you have a very lightly laden Sportliner the law requires you to have
a brake controller fitted to your towing vehicle. In Queensland at least if
you have normal size number plates you MUST have brakes. If
unsure check with your state RTA. Your vehicle handbook also states the
MAXIMUM LADEN TRAILER weight you can tow without brakes. The brakes on your A'liner
are really excellent - the best in the business in fact in our view! Alko, the German manufacturers of the excellent axle and suspension system found on EVERY Australian made A'van, clearly indicate that you will void your axle warranty unless you use their recommended brake controllers. This narrows the possibilities down quite a bit as they only recommend Hayes or Tekonsha pendulum types. You will also find this same advice if you browse through old editions of the A'van Club of Australia's newsletters. Page 2 Alko Warranty and Manual Watch out though, as many A'van dealers seem to be blissfully unaware of this, as not all fit the recommended types. Our first unit came from a really good dealer yet they were totally unaware of the pitfalls. When this problem came to light thanks to the excellent efforts of the A'van Club of Australia the dealer gave us our money back 100% on the "wrong" unit. Typical of the top service you get from most A'van dealers. So all you newbies out there - INSIST on Hayes or Tekonsha when getting your brake controller fitted. Sounds like an ad! From our
own personal experience the advice from Alko is absolutely spot on, as when
we initially
used an electronic only controller we achieved some quite nasty results with
regard to stability and wheels locking. We have come
across a number of fellow A'vanners who rather oddly love the electronic unit though. On
delving deeper ALL had very heavy 4WD's and in fact what was
happening was the vehicle was doing the lion's share of the braking. On our
little Forester it felt like it was going to pull the rear end out of the
vehicle no matter what settings one used. The other problem continually
encountered was you couldn't set and forget the gadget, as a setting that
worked well on the highway at high speed, tended to lock the wheels at
traffic lights as soon as you encountered city traffic. |
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| The Alko recommended types are both PENDULUM type. It is a
tried and true principle that has been around for ages and it works
beautifully. It actually "mirrors" what you are doing with the towing
vehicles brakes. If you ease off slightly it will also ease off with no
delays or jerkiness etc. When I first got involved with electric brakes and
read up on this subject (prior to the internet!) I visualised a gadget as
big as a Grand Father clock! It's not like that at all, as the pendulum
controllers are EXACTLY the same size as the electronic types
and the "pendulum" is a very small moving part not unlike the mechanism used
to wind the now extinct self winding watches - now that shows your age! The
pendulum moves through an electrical field - known as a Hall Effect
device - more on this below. The main difference with pendulum types
is in the number of mounting options. Electronic types can be mounted in any
position as long as you can reach the controls. With the pendulum types they
MUST be mounted parallel with the vehicle axis and within a
fairly broad degree of tilt. The Tekonsha Sentinel can be mounted vertically
if so desired - hard to source in Australia though. CABLE SIZE Collyn Rivers the author of Motorhome Electrics and Caravans Too, has sent us the following advice on calculating cable size, as this STILL seems to be a very misunderstood requirement. Most people (even auto-electricians) hugely under-estimate the cable size required to minimise voltage drop. A simple formula to calculate this is: Drop in volts = (L x I x 0.017) divided by A. L = cable length in metres, I = current (in amps), A - cross sectional area of cable in mm.sq. The maximum acceptable voltage drop is 5% - but 3% is the target to go for. Most caravans and their towing vehicles have totally inadequate cable sizing. There may also be large losses unless earth return connections are clean and secure. This can be avoided by using a second cable instead of an earth return - but this requires extremely large diameter cable (as the cable length is doubled). Whilst there is a case for using dual cable (instead of earth return) to minimise electrolytic reactions between dissimilar metals, it’s a matter of weighing up the possible consequences of that (and the need for really sound earth connections) against the need for even heavier cable. NOTE: All A'vans use a double wire system and everything is ABOVE EARTH. If you haven't got a lot of electrical knowledge this is not a good project to start on as it involves safety, but it is well within the abilities of most advanced DIY A'vanners, and of course if you get into trouble simply post a message on A-Forum or send Around Oz an email. We do have a couple of very knowledgeable people to call upon if needed - Collyn Rivers in Broome and Gordon Boon in Brisbane - for whom we thank for checking out this article for accuracy. It is suggested that if you don't install the unit yourself, reading and understanding this project will help to ensure that you can effectively check up on the technician that does it for you. If you think this is overkill just scroll down to the bottom of this page and note the MELTING INSULATION on Siggy Nowak's Forester - this was done PROFESSIONALLY and caused many other problems not related to braking. |
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The giant no no of brake electrics! |
| The main thing to check above all else is that at least 6mm cable runs from the battery to the controller. Particularly watch for smaller sized wire coming away from the usually supplied 20 amp fuse. (fairly common sadly) The photo above is on a RAV-4 installed by a trailer chain who frankly should know better. The reason I do these things myself is to be in control of my equipment and know exactly what to do if it ever stops in the bush. It's DEFINITELY not to save money. |
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Two types of fuses and the fuse itself |
| The photos above show two different fuse types used to protect the unit itself. Note that you MUST have both forms of protection for brakes - fuse and self reset overload. Every manufacturer we checked out on the internet recommends this. One further caution. The mainstream caravan magazines have quite recently run stories on brake controllers and have FAILED to mention the limitations mentioned here on using electronic only controllers. Remember your A'van is usually much lighter than normal vans, so the last thing you want is the wheels locking up. |
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Typical crimp terminals used on this job |
| So how does the pendulum unit work? There is a wealth of information on the internet on this - in fact it tells you everything except one vital point - cable size. (some sites do mention 14 gauge as a minimum) More on that later. The units rely on the Hall Effect, for those of you who paid attention in Physics at school. This is sort of similar to the way old pick ups used to work on your stereo. A tiny pendulum induces a small current as it passes through a coil. As you apply the vehicle brakes this causes the pendulum to move. The faster and further it moves the more voltage that is sent to the van brakes - as long as the brake lights are on. The beauty of this system is that it almost exactly mimics how hard you press the brake pedal yet the two systems are not physically connected in any way. |
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The pendulum operates this way:- During braking when the tow vehicle stop lamps come on, the controller electronic circuit is activated by power on the red stop light wire connected to the tow vehicle stop lamp switch. As the tow vehicles decelerates, due to increased brake pedal effort the pendulum magnet pulls away from the pendulum hall device and sends an electrical signal for the controller to increase amperage to the trailer brakes. When the tow vehicle pedal is released, the controller and red indicator light will be turned off. No manufacturer actually states the amperage? |
| You don't have to know how, or why, this works to get the most out of your controller. You will hear all sorts of stories about how "funny" things happen in hilly country. This is all hog wash in our extensive towing experience, as going up and down hills has zero effect on them, as circuit initiation can only take place with the brake lights on and I certainly don't drive UP hills with the brakes on! Do you? Even really shaky corrugations seem to have no effect, but we are sensible drivers and respect machinery so in all honesty we can't comment on this one! Users with cruise control fitted should pay particular attention to the brake controller instructions. Our Forester had cruise control and we had no problems. There are also reported problems with emergency flashers doing odd things in isolated cases. We have never had this problem either. Please email us though of anything weird that happens with your installation no matter how minor, so that we can share the knowledge. |
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| Because the pendulum is a mechanical device the unit has mounting limitations and these are clearly explained in the instructions and the sketch above for the Hayes unit. Basically you MUST have the unit running in the same direction as the vehicle with the back of the unit towards the front of the tow vehicle. There is a fair amount of latitude available though. We have installed a few of these and these minor limitations have never caused us any problems whatsoever. |
We need to buy the following:-
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| Just a quick word on the crimping tool mentioned above. You
can use the ones you get in a hardware store for under $20.00. We feel
however that buying the correct tool and a huge pile of terminals from your
local auto electrical wholesaler (look under Auto Electricians in the Yellow
Pages - look for Trade Suppliers) is really the most economical way to go. It is something that will
last your lifetime and you will be able to help others - something we really
enjoy doing! Our motivation actually for this site! We have had two emails
from professionals suggesting that we advise the use of more expensive
crimping tools - Dick Smiths ratchet type around $67.00
(impossible to find on the Internet!) and Haymans (no internet
presence) up to $112.00. We use the ones on the left above
BUT use two hands and test all joints with a strong pull. It
is very true that joints can fail if you don't apply sufficient force using
the el-cheapo ones (orange handles). You can buy controllers at larger
auto electricians, tow bar fitting shops and from Carac and Caravan
Accessories. Prices vary a lot, so it pays to shop around. Ours came from
Wynnum Towbars in Brisbane, (contact details below) OVERVIEW So what we have to do is install the controller in the cabin, run wires from the battery, incorporate a self resetting overload and 20 amp fuse, and finally run wires to the trailer socket. All controllers come with a plug and socket on the back. Luckily these are mostly interchangeable between different brands and most use the same colour coding as follows. The Black wire is marked BATTERY, the White wire is marked GROUND, the Red wire is marked STOPLIGHT, and the Blue wire is marked BRAKES. Locate a spot near the driver. We mounted ours on the left of the steering wheel. Our reasoning was less chance of being bumped by a "stray" leg, the vital pendulum adjustment cannot possibly be bumped or fiddled with by grand children and most importantly in an emergency the passenger can work the brakes manually. |
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Circuit diagram supplied with Hayes Energise III Controllers |
| Now why would you want to do this? Well if your A'van starts to sway (rare thank heavens!) a quick touch on the trailer ONLY brakes will cause it to snatch and straighten. A great job for the passenger, as the drivers eyes then never need leave the road in an emergency. At a recent caravan seminar we were all advised to apply the trailer brakes manually whilst be overtaken by a road train to reduce sway. Two screws are all that is needed to mount the bracket. In the case of the Forester we had to bend it slightly as the dash underside had a tiny slope. There are two Forester controller photos. This clearly shows why we chose the left hand position. |
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Out of the way of everything - note curved top |
No chance of disturbing the settings |
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Tekonsha Voyager Brake controller - fitted on right side in another club member's Subaru Forester - slight chance of hitting with your knees on entering/alighting if you are tall and it CANNOT be operated by the passenger in an emergency - in our view not a perfect location but this was installed "professionally". (not an A'van dealer though) |
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| Next we need to mount the self resetting overload as close to the battery as possible. It is VITALLY IMPORTANT to keep this device away from hot areas such as exhaust manifolds otherwise you will get false triggering and NO BRAKES! Under no circumstances change the manufacturers recommended value of the self resetting overload (usually 15/20/25 amps). NEVER USE A FUSE IN THE MAIN 6MM SUPPLY FROM THE BATTERY. Most controllers come with an in line cartridge type fuse for the power supply to the unit. This is the wire used to power the electronics only - not the brakes. The photos show two overloads fitted. At this point you need to gaze into your crystal ball and decide if you will be running your fridge on 12 volt in the future. Our best advice is to do both of these jobs on the same day as they link together beautifully and you will save hours. If you would like to learn more about overloads this page gives information overload! www.colehersee.com. Cole Hersee are the market leaders and the Australian importer is Britax Queensland, if you have any queries. They suggest using 20 amp self resetting overload circuit breakers 30055-20B if using either controller mentioned here. (Hayes suggest 25 amp) Britax also have an excellent page with heaps of info as well on relays etc. www.britaxae.com.au. We find it is good practice to read all the information on the websites mentioned for projects as it gives you a far better understanding of what you are doing. Good excuse for sneaking on the Net as well if you get into strife for ignoring the shared household chores! Be careful if doing the fridge and brake jobs together as it is easy to mix up the overloads as different sizes come in the SAME SIZE case. |
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A combined brake and fridge overload |
Neat and safe spot on a Forester |
| Run a red wire from the positive battery post to the overload. (do not connect to battery yet). The next bit is the only tricky bit in this whole job. You need to find a spot to poke a wire through the firewall. Look for rubber grommets with wires or cables in them. You MAY need to poke a screwdriver with a sharpened point through the hole as often there is carpeting or insulation behind it. Refer to the controller instructions and wire up to the plug. We cannot stress enough that you need to follow the manufacturers exact instructions as all we are trying to do in this article is to give you an overview of the functions, as models may change in the future. The black 6mm wire should be connected to the earth pole on the battery and take the same path as the red cable. Some manufacturers supply a fuse to protect the controller. Hayes show one in their circuit diagrams, but Tekonsha do not. We have come across several professional installations where the fuse has been located in the engine bay in the same line as the self resetting overload - probably to make it easier to replace but not exactly what the manufacturer had in mind. Best to stick with the diagram supplied with your controller. Neaten up your work using cable ties and clamps as needed. Use split conduit if any wiring is exposed. We feel this looks the neatest and tend to always use it. Chances are there is already a half mile of it in your car!! It's in your A'van as Jeff does a top job on the wiring. |
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| Run the red and black 6mm cables to the socket at the back. Avoid going near any sharp edges. Use split conduit if they can't be avoided. Take your time with this as you don't want anything rubbing etc. On some vehicles it is a real intelligence test removing the trim - the Forester is a classic example, but once done once is a breeze the second time! TIP: You can learn heaps about removing trim by just standing in the background of a Saturday afternoon where people such as Autobarn install car stereos. These guys are fast and rarely break anything! |
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| Connect the black wire to the earth pin on the socket.
Connect the red wire to the brake pin on the socket. Best to double check
this with the sketch that came with the socket. (usually pin 5 - BUT
CHECK IT PLEASE!!) Connect the positive red lead to the battery and
you are now ready to start the fun and games of setting it up! Best to
follow the instructions provided with the unit. This can be tricky if you
have never used electric brakes before. Remember that the aim is to get the
maximum trailer braking WITHOUT lock up. Trailer lock up could
cause loss of control of the tow vehicle and trailer. Some instruction
suggest adjusting the controller for different loads. With the A'van we have
found this unnecessary as your load cannot vary very much. You will quickly become an
expert so please do what we do and help your friends! Allow half a day for
this project. It is much easier with a "helper" for jobs like threading the
cable through the firewall. Women are better at this than us! TIP:- Once you have set the controller kill anyone that fiddles with it! - just joking! TEKONSHA and other LINKS Tekonsha Voyager Wiring Diagram Tekonsha Voyager Specifications Motorhome Magazine Trouble Shooting Mounting near a Mobile Phone - Dangers |
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| Before buying a Voyager you could be well advised to read this very detailed page on the effects of heat on a Voyager controller by Andrew Corwall. The photo above is of a demonstration model to illustrate the problem. We were VERY impressed with the thoroughness and arguments. Please note that NO Australian owners have complained of this as yet. More info at:- www.geocities.com/cornwaab/voyager_test.html |
| This is an extremely popular page and receives over 600
views a week for some odd reason - mainly from the USA. We have received dozens of emails on who
we recommend in Brisbane for fitting electric brakes, from those interested
in the technical side, but not yet confident to tackle the job themselves.
Being a bit strapped for time we have decided to put the guys name up, as he
truly does do a fantastic job and has certainly looked after us, BUT
don't judge his work by his workshop! The good news is he opens at 7:30AM so
you can be in and out by 9:30AM. We strongly suggest you use Leo if the
above seems too hard for you. It is also very economical to get your fridge
wiring done at the same time.
Leo Hite
and Son's UPDATE 14th September 2002 G'day Bob Thanks for that info on the Electric Brakes I contacted Wynnum Towbars and their quote was $75 below any I have received so far. Thanks again Cheers |
| WARNING:- Under no
circumstances use LESS THAN 6MM cable. The photos below show a Forester
wired with 4MM cable. Note how the cable is getting so hot that it is
melting the bituminous sound sealing! With heavy use it could short circuit
causing the trailer brakes to completely fail. At worse it could cause a
fire if no self resetting relay is present. This really worries us as
theoretically you should be able to use 4mm cable as stated on some boards,
but the photos below show very clearly what happens. We tend to believe our
eyes more than the printed word! PLEASE DO NOT ATTEMPT THIS PROJECT IF YOU ARE AT ALL UNCERTAIN ABOUT YOUR ABILITIES AS SAFETY IS INVOLVED. DON'T ASSUME THAT WE ARE 100% CORRECT - CHECK ELSEWHERE BEFORE STARTING AND READ YOUR CONTROLLER INSTRUCTIONS. |
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Refrigerators I suspect that you will get a swag of messages advising John Ludviksen not to run his fridge on gas while travelling. At best it will almost certainly go out, and his food will spoil. At worst, of course, he risks blowing himself up! (I’m sure I recall a fairly recent report of an explosion caused by a camper-trailer owner pulling into a service station with his gas fridge running.) The gas supply should always be turned off at the bottle while travelling. I recently wired my VX Berlina with a brake controller and 12 V hotline with relay. It is a bit fiddly, but well within the capabilities of the average handyperson(!). I was guided by the comprehensive instructions (fridge and brakes) and illustrations given on the A-vanners’ website, Around Oz. This is an excellent site, and well worth visiting, even for non-A'van owners. |
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Last updated:
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