Invisibrake by Roadmaster

[cochise49]

I'm not the sharpest tool in the box so I experience frustration when things go wrong. I was congratulating myself on my choice of an invisibrake system for towing our new CRV. First trip out and all went well for the first day. On the second we stopped for lunch early in the day. When returning to the rig, I decided to run through the daily pre-tow routine just for practice. The CRV was dead. No battery. The invisibrake has a charge line to the toad to prevent this. I decided to tow to the next larger trucks top where I might buy appropriate glass fuses etc if needed. The brakes wouldn't activate on the toad. I called for a jump start and also contacted Camping World in San Berdo where the system was installed. Apparently, I missed a couple of important points in the operation of the device. First point....the charge line is operated from the headlight switch in the RV. I had assumed the daytime running lights sufficed. Second.....the invisibrake is powered from the toad battery. I headed out with a freshly charged battery in the CRV and kept headlights on in the DP. All is well again. Hope this saves someone else from making the same error. Happy travels.

[view2a_thrill]

If all else fails, one could just read the instructions.

From InvisiBrake Owners Manual, page 2:

Preparations for towing
1. Connect the monitor wire patch cord
2. Connect the break away cable
3. Turn the motorhome park lights on
4. Enjoy your travels.

[JR45]

cochise49
Thanks for the info, I will be getting my invisibrake system installed next week on a 98 Honda Accord. Will ask how the charge system works before we leave and if they say, keep your light on that will be the wifes job to tell me. (turn on the lights)
JR

[GWK]

You can run with your parking lights on if you don't want your headlights on. I have this system and it works well.

[Off_Pavement]

That's their (Roadmasters) design. Works just great until you forget to turn on your lights.

[vic46]

I would be having a conversation with the install shop. That configuration seems weird to me.
Vic

[Popsie]

I don't know why they connected the charge line to the headlights? You need to keep your battery charged to activate your toad braking system. Do they have some crusade to make RVers drive with their lights on? In any case, it seems like it's a bad practice to require you to do one thing that has nothing else to do with the other thing just to make it work.

You might look into the Toad-Charge which is a no brainer way of keeping your CRV battery charged.