My new P3 brake controller has worked great early this summer,
I usually set it at 5-7 depending on what I'm hauling.

The last 2 times, when I hit the brakes the controller goes to full power.
ie. if i have it set on 3, it goes to full 3 amps, there is no proportional braking.
I had to back it down to about 2 to atleast make the trip with some braking.


Is the brake controller shot? Or something wrong in the magnets? Where should I start looking first.

Thanks.

 

If you've got allot of miles on the trailer the magnets may be worn to the point they're grounding out due to wear.

 

If it were a short in the system the controller would sense it and display a message. You haven't changed the boost to 3 have you?

I'd call Tekonsha and ask them. It sounds like it could be a bad controller.

 

I'm pretty sure I have boost off, will check it tonite.

If it was grounded like you said, it should show up on the screen. I checked the brakes in spring, and everything looked fine.

I'll go into the troubleshooting screen next time I tow to see what voltage and current output is.

I found a .pdf manual on etrailer.com, will go thru it also.

 

I had my P3 give me the overload fault warning last June, the problem turned out to be a shorted magnet wire. It had worn through and was making contact with the brake shoes. Taped up the wire and no more fault.

Tony

 

Unfortunately I'm getting no errors or warnings on the screen, it acts like theres nothing wrong.

I just hit the brakes and the meter on the left goes to max, and what ever number i have it set on it goes to that immediately.

 

Hooked up trailer in the driveway, put a jack under each side of the trailer to spin the tires, each worked ok, and make sure they are engaging, checked the controller, no boost, showed the numbers correctly when manually engaging or just putting the foot on the brake as it puts some braking when stopping. Never could get it to mess up.

I don't know whats going on, guess this weekend, I'll put a load on the trailer and head out. After that, will pull the wheels/drums and check each magnet.

 

John, do you have a dedicated ground wire or are you grounding through the hitch?

 

I'm pretty sure its grounded thru the RV 7 pin plug.

I'll check the wiring junction box on the trailer to make sure the ground isn't going bad.

 

Check to see if your trailer brake wires cross to the other side through the axles. (If so, they can short out. If they are, it is easy to rewire them and ty-wrap them to the outside of te axle.

 

I found someone else having the same issue with the P3 while googling.

I called Tekonsha to get a warranty replacement going, apparently its a known issue in the early batches.

I think I'm going back to a Prodigy.