Should I Put Vehicle in Park to Prevent Hydrastar Actuator From Overheating While Stopped

Updated 03/20/2023 | Published 03/18/2023

Question:

I recently converted my utility trailer from electric drums to a disc setup with this Hydrastar actuator. The install was quite straightforward with the resources provided by etrailer. I have noticed a very very slight delay when using the brakes but it builds brake pressure quickly and stops much stronger than the previous setup. My question regards when coming to an extended stop at a traffic light. While stationary and holding the brakes the controller runs continuously. This may be normal, but hearing that pump run for a straight minute or more concerns me. Is this normal? If it is normal is it harmful long term? If coming to a stop for an extended period of time ie sitting at a long stop light should I be putting the vehicle in park to take pressure off the pump? Thanks,

asked by: Josh L

Expert Reply:

The delay from an electric over hydraulic actuator could be caused by a few different things, one being the brake controller but it usually comes from the plumbing of the actuator down to the tee. It's recommended that a hard line be used for this with as straight a path as possible.

In regards to overcooking the brakes, if you have a proportional controller, make sure you have it adjusted properly as there should not be a ton of power sent to the actuator while stationary with the pedal. That said, according to Hydrastar, "When stopped for extended periods (i.e. such as at railroad crossings and traffic jams), apply the park brake on the towing vehicle and release the service brake pedal so that the HydraStar™ actuator does not run continuously. Failure to follow this guideline will cause the HydraStar unit to overheat and will damage the HydraStar unit.".

expert reply by: Conner L