I choose the Prodigy!

[Tagalong]

You may recall my saga of the Ultima 2020(see TDR post, "First run with the Ultima 2020"). I ended up purchasing the Prodigy brake controller… and I like it!

I ordered it and paid for two-day delivery. Our trip to PA was Sunday, just a couple of days away. The Prodigy was installed in (literally) minutes. I hooked up the 5er and did the preliminary adjustment without towing the 5er. Early Sunday morning I made my final adjustments as we headed out for a for an 800+ mile round trip vacation. By the time I edged onto the main street from our house (about 500') the Prodigy was adjusted. It felt just like the Jordan Ultima in its operation. Some miles later I touched the boost button on the Prodigy (b1 for those of you who own this controller) and noticed a much better "feel" when stopping with our GCVW. (I may try b2 on our next trip, which is the suggested boost setting for our GCVW. ) We returned home and the only adjustment I made to the Prodigy was to increase the power another volt.



There are several notable comments I'd like to make seeing as I've had the opportunity to experience both the Ultima and the Prodigy brake controllers. First, the technology behind the "accelerometer" is well tested. It's been used in air bags for some time. Second, I like the Prodigy stopping "feel" when I have to stop quicker than I like to. With the Ultima it felt like I had to really make some movement on the brake pedal to get the same "feel" of stopping than with the Prodigy. Third, because I had to make so many "tweaks" to get the Ultima to release the trailer brakes (due to my particular installation, NOT the unit), I just felt that I didn't have to worry about the Prodigy and that's just what happened throughout our trip. After all the cable and brake pedal module adjustments I had to make with the Ultima, I began to get leery of the mechanical aspect of the way the Ultima deploys the current to the trailer brakes. I began to think that eventually I'd wind up replacing or adjusting some part of the cable assembly and/or brake pedal module on a regular basis.

In conclusion, I started out with an inertia type brake controller in 1983… it was a POS! It never stayed in adjustment and I consequently ruined a front brake rotor. My next controller was a time-based unit that… well, you all know the fun time those are, going from highway to side road driving. I'd like to end by saying the Ultima and the Prodigy are outstanding brake controllers. If you choose either one of these units you will be very satisfied with the braking and installation they offer (hint, just keep the Ultima cable installation as short and as straight as possible). With the Ultima you get one more thing… you get to deal directly with the person who makes the product and owns the company, and he is terrific to deal with! But then, the Prodigy gives you something else to consider… (under certain situations) a lifetime warranty! Oh, by the way Jordan returned my money without a question!

 

[C Schomer]

Thanks for the report and comparison. I hope my prodigy works that good! Craig

 

[BGDUMMY]

I second that!

Don't have any hands on knowledge of the Jordan, but

I just put the Prodigy on the week before last,

right before first camping trip.

It was amazing how much better it was than

my old controller (the old one worked fine).

I just got tired of the "brake" grab when slowing down at stop lights, etc.

and when traveling on gravel roads, you would lock the brakes and slide in the gravel at slow speeds.

Only one trip with it though, but it sure was nice.

I also liked the idea of the Lifetime warranty.

 

[Believer]

Where does one find more info on the Prodigy, e. g. , a web page?

 

[jdiebold]

Believer,



For everything RV go to http://www.rvnetlinx.com



If you can't find it here it can't be found.



JD

 

[GGates]

Can't get that link to open up. Is it right or do I have a problem here?

 

[jdiebold]

It worked just fine for me. Both from the post and from my favorites list. Try typing it into your browser yourself.



JD

 

[Tagalong]

Prodigy information

Folks,

If you go to the Tekonsha web (www.tekonsha.com)

site all you get for information is the published blurb you'll find in advertizements. The best info will come from the users of the Prodigy. If you have a vehicle that is wired from the factory for an electric brake, most of the work is done. The wires are color coded as well as labeled for the correct connection for the brake controller wiring. Simply match the wires and secure them together. You also can (for under $10. 00) purchase a plug in wire harness that goes to the vehicle wire harness and plugs into the back of the Prodigy. The adjustment of the Prodigy is really simple. The directions are very easy to understand and it's easy to make adjustments "on the road. " The Prodigy can be placed anywhere from 0' to 70' in relation to the dash. If you live in a very hilly area try to set the position somewhere in the middle. I'd be happy to answer any questions you may have about either the Prodigy or the Ultima 2020. I'll check the posts daily.

 

[dseabaugh]

Do I understand that there is a compensating controler for electric brakes that adjusts for speed?? I have a Tekonsha voyager that I have used for 10(?) yrs. and really get tired of turning the knob back when I am creeping from stoplight to stoplight and cranking it up tight when I am running 70 mph. How much? easy adjust for load within hands reach? I pull several different trailers from 1700# empty to 23K loaded.

 

[Tagalong]

Adjusting the Prodigy

dseabaugh,

The Prodigy "senses" deceleration and also adjusts to "level. " There is no level adjustment on the unit or that you have to set. The only setup adjustments you'll make is the baseline power you set prior to actually towing your RV and then the towing test that you make up to 20+ mph to set the unit to the weight of your RV.

The Prodigy uses 3 boost settings to select an increase in % of pedal "touch" braking to match the weight of your RV. i. e. our 5er (see Sig. ) is over 12K, our first trip I set the boost at 1. Our next time out I'm going to set it at 2. There is a button on the top right of the unit that you press to increase the boost. When you begin to brake the unit starts out at a higher % of power being sent to the towed vehicles brakes. On the top left of the unit is a dial to increase the voltage output to the trailer brakes. As I said in my first post, I increased the output while driving and never touched it again. If you're towing trailers of various weights simply remember (or write down) the most comfortable setting for the specific trailer and it's all adjusted. Some people are buying multiple Tekonsha wiring kits for multiple trucks and additional Prodigy mounts. They just unclip the cable from the back of the unit, "plug" it into another truck with the mount already in position. Dial in your settings (power and boost) and drive! The only thing of real importance is the angle of the base and the unit must be positioned "square" front to rear of the vehicle.

Another good thing the Prodigy does is, after you slow down and come to a stop, the unit drops the amount of power being sent to the trailer brakes so the magnets get a rest. There is NO grabbing or jerky releases when touching or releasing the brake pedal.

Both the Jordan Ultima (except for the cable installation release problem I had)and the Prodigy

were a 180' improvement from the older brake controllers out there. These two controllers actually do "feel" just like the older hydraulic over electric brakes of a few years ago.

I hope this is the answer you were looking for.

Tagalong

 

[HEYBOSS]

Tagalong

Thanks for reporting back and glad to hear you're satisfied with your brake controller. I've heard/read good remarks about the prodigy. As you know from the previous post, I had just installed the Jordan Ultima and just returned from Indiana where I towed my 5er for 900 miles. (will be picking it up in a week or so)



I must admit I didn't even know I was towing a 12k gross trailer between the Cummins and the brake controller. Absolutely smooth trailer braking on any road conditions and speeds, none of the jerking you get with other electric brake controllers.

Yes the Jordan is a little PIA to set up and adjust the cable and also the cable should be kept as in line as possible with the brake pedal. After that the only adjustment is the amount of current reading to trailer brakes and you're done. Another nice feature of the Jordan controller is if you have one or more magnets or electrical brake problems it will give you different readings therefore you'll be able to spot problems easily.



dseabaugh;

since you tow different trailers you may want to check into the Jordan because once you adjust the amp reading to each trailer, all you have to do when you switch trailers is just dial up the recorded reading on the controller for each trailer and your done. I don't know how the prodigy would work when using different trailers as I'm not familiar with it.



Fred.

 

[Tagalong]

The Prodigy and changing trailers

HeyBoss,

Thanks for the follow-up. You're correct you really can feel a tremendous improvement in smooth breaking... with both of the controllers (Ultima or Prodigy. ) The Ultima gives you amerage output readings which DO help diagnose magnet problems. The Prodigy reads volts.

I do feel the Prodigy "swaps" from vehicle to vehicle easier. The Ultima will "swap" well as long as you install additional brake pedal clamps and have them positioned the same for each truck. If you go from a Ram to a F _ _ _ or C _ _ _ :--)

you'll need to readjust the cable settings at the brake module.

OOPS!! Sorry HeyBoss, you meant swapping trailers not tow vehicles To think we'd even think of swapping to a F_ _ _ or C_ _ _

As you can read from my above post, just adjust the Prodigy the first time you tow with a different trailer and remember (or write down) the power and boost settings and the controller does the rest.

Good luck!

 

[BGDUMMY]

The Prodigy can be easily switched between vehicles, because it come with an optional quick release mounting bracket.

This way you can take out very easily when not in use

for anti-theft (just like the removable face plates on stereos) or to use in another vehicle. Only thing you would have to adjust is the voltage for each

corresponding trailer. Once you knew what that is, just jot it down somewhere and as you hook up different trailers or put in a different truck, you would just "dial" in the particular voltage and you are done.