e-brake and prodigy/jordan controller?

[smartineau]

Yet another brake controller question, sorry!



I have been trying to figure out which to get and everyone seems to say that both are great and you won't be disappointed.



My question is, if the Jordan is connected to the brake pedal when the e-brake activates do I have the trailer brakes activate also,(I'm not pushing in on the brake pedal)?



If the trailer brakes activate, going down a long hill (e-brake on) will my trailer brakes overheat? (using a tandem axle utility trailer usually less than 5,000 pounds).



With the Prodigy it 'senses' the slow down inertia of the vehicle and activates the brakes. Will this overheat the trailer brakes.



It is sad that we have to learn so much about new toys, but at least we are in a place that we have new toys.



TIA



Steve

 

[klenger]

No, only pushing on the brake pedel will activate the trailer brakes with the Jordan, and only in proportion to the distance you press the brake pedel.



You can find a copy of the installation manual here



http://www.klenger.net/dodge/jordan-installation/index.html

 

[Ron Bissett]

The Exhaust brake will activate when you let off the accelerator provided the exhaust brake switch is in on position . The trailer brakes with a pendulum type actuator will sense the declaration and attempt to apply but if the brake peddle is not pressed the brakes will not apply unless the gain is set to high on most controllers. Prodigy is of this type ,. I have one on my truck now . But I have a Jordan that I have not had the time to install yet . I haven't had any problems with prodigy except it needs adjustment from time to time . Jordan gives real time control of the brakes in proportion to truck . will see how this works out later this month after the switch . Remember the systems work independent of each other or together your choise . E-brakes saves service brakes and keeps the truck under control on steep inclines without truck brakes or trailer brakes but you can apply trailer brakes manual or all three to gather . Hope this helps . Ron Bissett in Metro Louisville KY:-{}

 

[Joe G.]

I don't believe the Prodigy will activate just on deceleration. It has to have a signal from the brake lights to engage. The amount of braking is controlled by deceleration. I have experimented with haveing my exhaust brake turn on the brake lights. A few test runs with my 32' TT have worked great, especially the test using the cruise control to regulate speed. The test route included a long steep hill. I set my speed at 55. Everytime the throttle position moved to idle the exhaust brake came on. This turned on the brake lights and the Prodigy. That was the best test run of the runs I made. It worked great without the cruise control too.

 

[clem]

Originally posted by smartineau

Yet another brake controller question, sorry!



I have been trying to figure out which to get and everyone seems to say that both are great and you won't be disappointed.



My question is, if the Jordan is connected to the brake pedal when the e-brake activates do I have the trailer brakes activate also,(I'm not pushing in on the brake pedal)?



If the trailer brakes activate, going down a long hill (e-brake on) will my trailer brakes overheat? (using a tandem axle utility trailer usually less than 5,000 pounds).



With the Prodigy it 'senses' the slow down inertia of the vehicle and activates the brakes. Will this overheat the trailer brakes.



It is sad that we have to learn so much about new toys, but at least we are in a place that we have new toys.



TIA



Steve

Have a Prodigy it is the best one I have used. Works well with my E-brake. There is some thing about cables and pullies that bind. The Prodigy is a vast improvement in brake controllers. The Prodigy will not come on with your Ex- brake,the brake pedal turns the brake lights on thats one way the controller finds out you want to stop the other is the over ride lever

 

[RustyJC]

I've had ramped time-based (Reese Brakeman I), inertial (Tekonsha Sentinel) and true proportional (Jordan Ultima 2020) controllers. The Jordan is far and away the best controller I've used.



Properly installed, none of these will actuate until the brake pedal is depressed, regardless of whether or not the e-brake is on. The only "glitch" in the first two designs I mentioned would be if the e-brake were wired to activate the brake lights when the e-brake was functioning and the brake light circuit backfed the controller, making the controller think the brake pedal had been depressed. Since the Jordan doesn't use the brake light circuit to tell it that the brake pedal has been depressed (the cable attachment to the brake pedal arm serves this function), it would not be affected by this potential problem.



Rusty

 

[Joe G.]

I used a relay to isolate the e-brake circuit from the brake lights. The reason for a relay instead of a diode is that the coil on the relay only draws . 1 amp so adding the relay will not affect the e-brake circuit. If I have any trouble it is no problem just to pull the connector off the relay signal terminal. So far, it is really working great.

 

[clem]

Originally posted by Ron Bissett

The Exhaust brake will activate when you let off the accelerator provided the exhaust brake switch is in on position . The trailer brakes with a pendulum type actuator will sense the declaration and attempt to apply but if the brake peddle is not pressed the brakes will not apply unless the gain is set to high on most controllers. Prodigy is of this type ,. I have one on my truck now . But I have a Jordan that I have not had the time to install yet . I haven't had any problems with prodigy except it needs adjustment from time to time . Jordan gives real time control of the brakes in proportion to truck . will see how this works out later this month after the switch . Remember the systems work independent of each other or together your choise . E-brakes saves service brakes and keeps the truck under control on steep inclines without truck brakes or trailer brakes but you can apply trailer brakes manual or all three to gather . Hope this helps . Ron Bissett in Metro Louisville KY:-{}

Don't know who installed your brake controler,but there is no way the E-Brake should affect the brake controler. how can you come off a big hill using your E-Brake you will burn up your trailer brakes :--) Mine was installed by D/COo.

 

[clem]

Originally posted by smartineau

Yet another brake controller question, sorry!



I have been trying to figure out which to get and everyone seems to say that both are great and you won't be disappointed.



My question is, if the Jordan is connected to the brake pedal when the e-brake activates do I have the trailer brakes activate also,(I'm not pushing in on the brake pedal)?



If the trailer brakes activate, going down a long hill (e-brake on) will my trailer brakes overheat? (using a tandem axle utility trailer usually less than 5,000 pounds).



With the Prodigy it 'senses' the slow down inertia of the vehicle and activates the brakes. Will this overheat the trailer brakes.



It is sad that we have to learn so much about new toys, but at least we are in a place that we have new toys.



TIA



Steve

Someone has been blowing smoke up your tail pipe. I have a PRODIGY CONTROLLER and a D/C E-Brake. The E-Brake does not affect the trailer brake Controller. Been running mine for over 70KOo. Oo.

 

[Eric_77]

I would think by appying the trailer brakes you are defeating a lot of the purpose of a exhaust brake you are now using the "service brakes" instead of allowing them to remain cool for use in emergency or added braking. And by having trailer brakes hot you increase the likelihood of a jackknife by having less trailer brakes (and get resulting trailer "push" that is common cause) when hard braking may be needed.

 

[Joe G.]

Eric,



I was thinking about that but my tests have shown that does not happen. My test hill is pretty long and steep. When I used my setup with cruise control the result was that the brakes were not on that much. When the truck became fast enough to engage the e-brake the additional help from the trailer brakes slowed it below the cruise control setting quickly so the brakes let go. It was a very smooth action. If it had been an abrupt slow down followed by acceleration I would have decided to remove the connection. I have read that in slick conditions an e-brake may cause problems because there is no braking on the trailer so chances of a jack knife increase. I don't know that for sure, because I have not towed on a very slick road nor do I intend to. I would think that on a hill so steep that the e-brake plus the trailer brakes would not slow below the cruise control setting the service brakes would be in constant use anyway. We are going on a vacation trip next month so I will get more experience with this setup. I suspect that the Buckhorn hill on SR299 between US101 and I5 will decide the issue for slow speed. Donner Summit on I80 will be a good test of freeway speed.

 

[DHawthorne]

I just arrived in Harvard Mass, after departing from Duluth, MN. via Canada.

I have a prodigy in the truck along with a Jake. I did not notice any activation of the Prodigy when the Jake was active. When ever the Prodigy activates, the LED read out tells you how much force is being applied to the trailer, which is determined by you initial set up. If you don't see any indications on the LED read out, the Prodigy is not working.



I did not notice if the Prodigy remained active when I used the brake with the jake in operation. I don't think it was. Will check that out when I leave here.



Will be departing here on Thursday headed back to Melbourne, Florida via 84 thru Scranton PA. , and Route 81 south to RT17 and 95.

 

[Joe G.]

If you have the Prodigy wired according to the instructions it will come on whenever there is 12 volts to the brake light circuit regardless if the e-brake is on or not.

 

[DHawthorne]

JOE G, If you are replying to my post, the Prodigy is wired correctly and does come on when ever 12 volts is applied to the breaking system. (Normal, no new news there)



The exhaust brake question as related to the the prodigy staying egaged after the vehicle brakes are engaged is one that I'm not sure about and will find out this week. I'm almost sure it does not, but since I've never really looked at it after the truck brake is engaged with the jake, I'll reserve that until I've seen it.



As far as sliding the rear tires as the Jake brake engages on wet surfaces, its very possible when not towing, especially with a dually. . The Jake op manual tells you that. The Jake works much better in lower gears at high RPM's than in the higher gear ranges with RPM's below 2500. With 2100lbs on the hitch, I don't think you have to worry about it. If you're running in traffic at the posted limit, and have get on the brakes, chances are the rear will lock up and the trailer will go around anyway unless your prodigy is leading the truck brakes correctly. In any case this means one was going to fast for the traffic conditions.



Its like anything else, you have to known how your stuff works and apply it accordingly.



Dave

 

[Joe G.]

My reply was in regard to the Prodigy staying engaged when the exhaust brake comes on. The Prodigy should stay on as long as your foot is on the brake pedal regardless of what the exhaust brake is doing. It should release if you take your foot off the brake pedal.

 

[Fireman]

Steve,



I have a nearly identical rig to yours.



The e-brake activates when I get off the gas and does an excellent job of slowing the truck and trailer on grades.



The Prodigy doesn't activate the trailer brakes untill I hit the brake pedal.



Under normal conditions I let the e-brake do most of the work and then use truck and trailer brakes to bring the rig to a stop.



Fireman