Timed vs inertia brake controllers
Our TV has a Reese sumthin sumthin timed brake controller, for use on up to 4 axle trailers. Are we destined to crash and burn due to not having the other style?
Forum Discussion
Since BrakeSmart, Jordan and MaxBrake are out of business, there doesn't seem like many good choices are left.
I do think the best choice is now the Prodigy - which one (original, P2 or P3) doesn't matter too much as they all work on the same principle of the bending bar in a capacitive field. Seems the P2 is still a good choice.
One of the points made by most Prodigy owners is the association of the Prodigy actions and ABS braking of tow vehicles. I'm not yet convinced that a trailer/5th wheel can operate at the rate of speed of an ABS system.
I still believe the BrakeSmart and MaxBrake link (hydraulic sensing) is the most direct coupling method for determining when and how much braking is needed. The pressure is increased/decreased instantly with the movement of the brake pedal.
It is my understanding that the tow vehicle's ABS system works on each wheel independently based on rotation and slip factors and at very high rates of sensing.
My question becomes "Can a device like the Prodigy (electro-mechanical device) sense and react fast enough to alter output to feed the electro-mechanical braking of an RV at a rate which will affect the braking characteristics of the RV?" The operation of the electro-mechanical brakes of an RV would apply to any type of electric braking so the timing improvements/losses would only be affected by the tow vehicle and brake controller.
I am not an engineer, but I'd like to see some real data rather than seat-of-the-pants assessments of the controllers operational characteristics in a severe stop situation.
I do think the best choice is now the Prodigy - which one (original, P2 or P3) doesn't matter too much as they all work on the same principle of the bending bar in a capacitive field. Seems the P2 is still a good choice.
One of the points made by most Prodigy owners is the association of the Prodigy actions and ABS braking of tow vehicles. I'm not yet convinced that a trailer/5th wheel can operate at the rate of speed of an ABS system.
I still believe the BrakeSmart and MaxBrake link (hydraulic sensing) is the most direct coupling method for determining when and how much braking is needed. The pressure is increased/decreased instantly with the movement of the brake pedal.
It is my understanding that the tow vehicle's ABS system works on each wheel independently based on rotation and slip factors and at very high rates of sensing.
My question becomes "Can a device like the Prodigy (electro-mechanical device) sense and react fast enough to alter output to feed the electro-mechanical braking of an RV at a rate which will affect the braking characteristics of the RV?" The operation of the electro-mechanical brakes of an RV would apply to any type of electric braking so the timing improvements/losses would only be affected by the tow vehicle and brake controller.
I am not an engineer, but I'd like to see some real data rather than seat-of-the-pants assessments of the controllers operational characteristics in a severe stop situation.
