Re: [A/S] Brake Controlers

["Dr. Gerald N. Johnson, electrical engineer" <geraldj@xxxxxxxx>]

If it mounts anywhere its the timed brake application design. Those
detect the application of the tow vehicle brakes by the brake light
switch and apply increasing current to the trailer brakes as time goes
on. It isn't a bad approximation to braking control for ordinary traffic
full stops. Its a terrible approximation for going down a long hill with
gentle braking because the trailer brakes are applied harder the longer
they are on so the driver has to get off the brake pedal to start the
sequence all over. And a terrible approximation for a panic stop. Then
is when you reach for the control (if you can find it) and punch the
button for more trailer brakes.

The other modern brake controller works on sensing braking from the
brake light switch and then controlling the strength through sensing a
pendulum that detects the vehicle slowing from the vehicle brakes. I
bought a Kelsey-Hays version of that from Northern last spring. While
some don't like manual application of trailer brakes only, it encourages
it to the point of making a corded remote control available. I bought
the remote but was able to mount the control just to the right of the
steering column in my F-150 (manual transmission with shifter lever on
the floor). I've not yet found a happy medium in adjusting the gain and
the aggressiveness of the controller. If I make it work for a city stop
from 30, it makes the trailer brakes lock up when I have to stop just a
tad quicker, or if I make the trailer brakes have the right action on a
quicker stop, it doesn't turn them on at all for gentle stops. At least
that's the way it seems. I was happier with the old hydraulic control in
my last truck that wasn't hooked to the hydraulics and I just pushed on
the lever for trailer brakes and modulated them secondary to the truck
brakes. Maybe I have to do that with this controller too except for the
panic stops... I'll be tweaking the next time out in about a week, I'm
sure. 

Best I can detect the Hayes controller from Northern was the most
expensive of the pendulum controls.

A neighbor of mine pulled a 28' SOB to Washington state and back last
summer with a Tekonsah pendulum type control and noticed a lot of brake
show powder on his truck's front wheels when he got home. He's wondering
if the controller used the trailer brakes or if his truck did all the
stopping work.

Gerald J.