Draw-Tite Activator Brake Controller Review
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Review of the Draw-Tite Activator Elrctronic Brake Controller
Today we are gong to show you part number 5100 from Draw-Tite. This is their Activator electronic brake controller. The 5100 is a solid state brake controller, which means it has no moving parts in it whatsoever. So you can actually mount this controller in any orientation that you would like: upside down, rightside up, sideways - it does not matter, because it has a time delay device, which makes it really easy to use, also. There are only three simple controls on this unit. Again, that makes it easy to use. First off, you have got the manual override right here, and that controls the trailer brakes just by themselves. And then you have got the output here. This output button - a slide switch, actually - it basically goes from no power up to full power. Depending on the trailer load you have, it can be anywhere in between these two settings right here. And then lastly there is a synch switch on the side here, farther away. The faster the brake controller reacts and closer to you, the slower the brake controller will react.
All right, we can demonstrate the time delay with this red dot right here - this little LED, actually. We have got the power set to full power, and then we will set the synch switch, which is on the side here, all the way toward the rear, and you can see the dot comes on slowly. And then if we ramp up the time delay, to where it is fast, do it again, and you can see the brake controller reacted rather fast. And also, you can do it anywhere in between the two. Since this is a slide switch, you can fine-tune it to where you want it. I will put it in the middle, actually. And again, with the manual override, it will actually show you the output, too. And this output is what is total of what is allowed by the brake controller right here. So, for instance, if you need manual override, and you slide it all the way over, it is only going to go to this limit that is set on the output. The only way you will get full blast out of the slide switch is if you set the output all the way over to the full.
And we will show you what you get with the box. First off, obviously, the brake controller itself. And inside you have instructions - it comes with vehicle-specific instructions. You get a lifetime warranty card. And you get a mounting bracket for it, screws to attach to the brake controller and the to the dash. And one Scotch lock that comes with it - Im sorry, to make your connection to the brake switch, the cold side of the brake switch, actually, that will actually turn on the brake controller when you hit your foot brake. For vehicles that have tow packages on them, what is separately available are wiring harnesses that plug underneath the dash and that you would hardwire onto the brake controller wires here. In that case they are actually going to be color for color. It will not be confusing, such as with a factory supplied harness, where the wires could be any different color and the descriptions are crude, at best. With the Draw-Tite and Tow Ready, you can actually just go color for color, plug it in and get ready to tow.
And one nice detail about this brake controller, and you do not really see this too often, is that yes, the wires are labeled, but it is actually printed on the wire itself, so it is kind of hard to mess up during the install. The red one will say it will go to the stoplight switch, again to the cold side of the stoplight switch, so it will only come on, basically, when you hit your foot brake. This one is listed for ground, so you are going to run that to the negative terminal on your battery. And then you have black, which is listed for your 12 volt power supply it also has a tag that will verify that, too, and that will go to the positive side of your battery. And the last one is listed brake output, and that one actually goes to the connector going out to your trailer. All right, and there you have it for part number 5100 from Draw-Tite, the Activator electronic brake controller.
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Brake Controller InformationBrake Controller Installation from ScratchInstallation Guide - 2008 Chevy Silverado and GMC SierraInstallation Guide - 97-06 Ford F-150, 99-04 F-250/F-350 Super DutyInstallation Guide - 05-06 Ford Super DutyInstallation Guide - Dodge PickupsInstallation Guide - Chevrolet / GMC 1999-2006 PickupsBrake Control Wiring for 2007 and 2008 GM TruckQuestions and Answers
