BrakeSmart and CB Radios

[klenger]

Heads Up.



There is a guy at work here who has a Chevy 2500 with a BrakeSmart controller who was having problems with the brakes going to full lock at times when he was applying light brake force. Turns out that the BrakeSmart pressure sensor wiring is susceptible to RF interference from CB radios and puts the controller into "panic mode". This only happens if you are transmitting on the CB while braking. BrakeSmart has confirmed the problem, and is working on a fix.

 

[Old Man]

Ken, thanks for the heads up. Was in the purchase mode for the BrakeSmart but I'm going to hold off until they come up with a fix.

 

[Gary - K7GLD]

Not too uncommon in various braking systems when mobile radio is present - gets worse as radio power levels increase - often affects engine computer controlls as well. Possibly easily corrected with use of RF bypassing and ferrite chokes at various points...

 

[EB]

I was wondering if he was running power with his CB also. I drove about 460 miles today and keyed my mike a number of times trying to get it to go into the "panic mode", and was never able to get it to do it. Tried it with light peddle pressure, medium and heavy pressure. I do have a heavy coax cable on my CB, it's made for running power, but I don't.

 

[bmoeller]

Are both the controller and radio using either the same fuse for power or the same ground screw? If they are, I would seperate them from each other.

 

[Philip]

I was wondering if he was running power with his CB also.

I am wondering this also. I have a kicker on my CB. If I turn it on and key up. It turns on my windshield wipers. It will cause interference in my stereo.



I have not towed anything sense I installed it. So I am not sure if it would cause problems on trailer brake controllers. But I think it might.

 

[MMiller]

Holly smokes phillip. Do the headlights dim at night when you key up too??? Does the tip of your antenna get warm and glow if you talk on it too long?





Mine is tuned, and my buddies say when we go on a trip, my brother and I radios are really loud and everybody else is much quiter.



Michael

 

[Gary - K7GLD]

Up at higher altitude, I get about 6 inches of corona off the tip of my mobile antenna, and anyone close to the truck can actually hear the modulation coming from that corona - I've burned/melted down 2 antennas so far...



Mine will also trigger the windshield wipers, and on some bands causes my overhead compass and temp to act weird...



AHHhh - the joys of high-powered mobile radio...