Low Power at Brakes with Brake Controller on High

Question:

Hello when brakes are fully applied and controller is at max power I have 8.7 volts at wheels seems like its not enough. Thanks

asked by: Perry

Helpful Expert Reply:

What type of brake controller do you have, time-delayed or proportional? Also, if you have a proportional brake controller are you testing the output with the manual override applied or the brake pedal? If you are testing with the brake pedal then I would not be concerned as the brake controller will not put out full power unless it senses deceleration on the tow vehicle. However, if you are testing with the manual override applied then 8.7 volts at the braking assemblies does seem low.

In order to correct this I would first start off my checking the brake controller. To do this you will first need a multimeter. Once you have this you will then need to sever the blue brake output wire about 6" from behind the controller and test for power with the manual override applied and the brake controller at max power. You should be seeing a full 12 volts here but if not it will need to be replaced for which I recommend using the Tekonsha Prodigy P2 Trailer Brake Controller part # 90885.

If you do have 12 volts on the blue brake output wire directly behind the brake controller then there is most likely a short in this wire that leads from the brake controller to the braking assembles so you will need to trace this and check for breaks. Be sure to pay special attention to the trailer connectors.

expert reply by: Conner L