brake controller install questions

[Redneck Archer]

Im installing my brake controller for my trailer.

its a prodigy p2 I think. anyway. the instructions and other stuff I am seeing says run it straight off the battery through a circuit breaker. (20 or 30 amp).

ok, fine. I get it.

BUT, does your controller stay on ALL THE TIME!? if its not connected to the ignition the controller is going to be on.

My truck sits for a week or two at a time. I dont want a parasitic draw on my truck that is going to give me a dead battery every few days...

So, how is yours setup? come on with the key? or always on?

the problem is I cant find a good heavy enough (12 gauge or better) ignition hook up. but I do have aux 12v battery posts with nuts ready for such a setup. But, again. Im afraid of having dead battery's all the time.

[Redneck Archer]

NEVERMIND...

did some more reading on the teknosha boards, and it looks like they go to sleep on there own after 15 min of inactivity.

good to know.

[expressfish]

good to know, I didnt know that.

[thegrouse]

Hope you got it installed ok. On mine it was plug and play with a harness into the truck.. Works like a champ.

[Redneck Archer]

Hope you got it installed ok. On mine it was plug and play with a harness into the truck.. Works like a champ.

yeah, that is what people keep saying about my truck. BUT. Looks like it is "pre-wired"... rear frame rail to fire wall (engine bay) near brake booster. two 10 awg wires. but they are just looped back into the harness.

cut them out, and wired the 12v aux wire (orange) to the fuse panel in engine bay. blue one goes into cab wired to brake controller.

then there was supposed to be a "nat" connection that the brake signal wire plugs into on my "convenience panel". well. the NAT port is there, but it is empty. no connector or prong or conducter in it. just plastic.

So, I chased down the brake signal wire and tapped into that. then ran 12 gauge wire from power wire to the same place a got 12v for the trailer on fuse panel...

its done. controller is on and all is wired up completely. have to tie up some wires under the dash, but I am done for now. lunch time! (hungry). Ill post some pics up.

[Redneck Archer]

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[Redneck Archer]

excuse my truck... its dirty, and not vacuumed and a mess.

my wife says that this thing gets neglected... the truck gets maintained well like all our vehicles. it just doesnt get cleaned.

only time its really driven is if we go hunting or working... and usually that involves drinking. so there are shells and cans left in it (which drives her nuts).

last time it was washed was when we took it to michigan back in august.