Troubleshooting Weak Trailer Brakes with Prodigy P2 Brake Controller

Updated 11/26/2015 | Published 11/25/2015

Question:

I recently purchased new brakes from you and am very happy with them. The old brakes had the magnets broken off as well as all four wheels had seals that failed. My question is about how my brake controller should work. I have a Prodigy 2 and what is supposed to be the correct wire harness from them for my 02 Dodge diesel. Should I get voltage readings with no trailer plugged in at the back of the truck? when the brakes are applied? I have pulled the breakaway switch and all four wheels lock like they should but when applying the brakes with the trailer plugged in I get maybe 10 braking and that is with the controller set as high as it will go as well as the boost on max. The voltage readings at the brake drum, obviously when sitting still, is about two to three volts. Bad controller? or wrong wiring harness? I thought I had this fixed with new brakes but no deal, I have other troubles. Any ideas?

asked by: Mark D

Expert Reply:

The correct brake controller install harness to use with your P2 is the part # 3020-P.

Since this is a proportional controller it will be difficult to see voltage at the output pin when the brakes are applied since the controller is designed sense inertia and apply the correct voltage based on that. If you have a boost setting applied you will see more voltage there when brakes are applied but you will never see full voltage with just the pedal.

Since the breakaway system locks the tires up that would indicate that the problem is on the brake controller. Which makes me first think that the problem is how the controller is orientated in the truck. It will need to be positioned like in the pictures I attached.

Do the brakes lock up when the manual override lever is fully applied. If so, that would indicate that the problem is the position like I mentioned.

expert reply by: Jameson C