Tekonsha or Red Arc?

I have had good experience with the Prodigy.

Fitted it in my Prado, in the Ashtray and it looks like this



No nothing of the Redarc, but the Prodigy has my vote


Pedro

Hi Pedro

Was there any other equipment needed to fit your Prodigy?
Like a wiring loom that connects into to the Prado wiring loom/plug.
Can you text your phone number to me so I can talk tp you about your unit?
My mob is 0417 272 576

Troutlips

Text message sent

Pedro

Totally agree.

I initially had a Redarc controller fitted and was told by the auto elec that it is a pendulum type - which it isn't. The amount of braking force for the trailer depends only on the setting of the knob. It gradually increases the force to that which you set every time you set the brakes.

Problem is that every time you put the brakes on it is different, different road conditions, wet, dry, dirt, etc; different braking, hard, gentle etc etc and different traffic conditions, open road, city etc etc.

With the Redarc you are constantly changing the knob and predicting what braking will be required next!!!!!

I gave up on it and think it is dangerous.

Got a Prodegy P3. Now I just put the brakes on and the P3 looks at how hard I am braking and applies that to the van.

Simpler, more accurate and much safer.

Hello all
Thanks for your information, initially I was looking at the Red Arc because of the remote head, looking at the way Pedro has fitted his Prodigy in the ash tray this will solve my problem of having the controller at my knees.
My decision now is, do i get the prodigy or the prodigy P3?
They both seem to be more than capable controllers & exactly the same dimensions.

Thanks Trout

Prodigy P3

I have never adjusted my Redarc after the initial set up.

Hi AJ

Mate, thanks for your help, I really want to go for the pendulum type controller due to the weight of what I will be towing. This is not to say the Red Arc is perfect for your combo, you are the only one who has to be convinced of what you have. If it works do not change it, even better, if it looks great you are on a winner.
All the best & thanks.

Trout

I fit brake controllers for a living and over the past 3 months I have removed 1 p3 and 1 redarc and swapped them both over for prodigy`s , both customers could not be happier.
Redarc is a great looking unit but I dont believe it is suitable for heavy loads going by feed back from my customers.
The P3 did not always recognise a van was connected and continually gave error codes that did not exist, I have lost count of the amount of Prodigy`s I have fitted and never had a complaint.

Col.

Hi Col

(Sorry been away)
I am now faced with this decision, Prodigy or Prodigy P3?"
Other than some cosmetic differences I can not find too many differences.
The Tekonsha website has some excellent video clips with these units.
Do you think the P3 you removed was just one lemon or poor compatiblity or is there something more sinister I should be worried about?
I am leaning towards the P3 only because it seems to be the top of their range of the Prodigy's.

Trout

Gents,

The newer model controllers are fitted with accelerometers (electronic) as oppossed to pendulums which are mechanical devices.

Hence the set and forget with the prodigy and the P3.

Some brake controllers are not compatible with the braking systems used on vans.

Point in case being the electro-hydraulic unit on my Kimberley Karavan. When used with a Prodigy controller error codes were produced. I had to revert to the older Tekonsha Voyager.

That particular incompatability issue has now been rectified by Hydrostar the manufacturer of the electro-hydraulic unit.

So if compatability is not an issue then the Tekonsha Prodigy or P3 are the way to go.

Cheers
Garth

Trout,
the faulty P3 could have been bad luck but until I have 100% confidence in products I sell and fit I will stick with the Prodigy, to me it`s not worth having to return to the customer to rework my job or if the customer is interstate it can create unwanted issues, I think the performance of both controllers is identical regardless of what you tow, I have a Prodigy in my cruiser , and I have had hayman reese, redarc, energiser, accutrak,voyager and primus controllers in my car at different stages to test the operation of these units for customers and I still rate the Prodigy no 1.

Col

If your Prodigy is crook go for warranty. Tekonsha are good with warranty. They will still replace the Voyagers if you still have one from the bad batch that came out earlier this decade.

PeterD

Hello all

Your assistance for my orginal question has helped me narrow my search down to both the Tekonsha Prodigy units.

Both the Prodigy & Prodigy P3 are proportional controllers.
The Prodigy uses "new motion sensor technology" (this must be the pendulum?)
I am still perplexed to identify the difference between these 2 units, other than looks.

This link to the Tekonsha web site details everything on all their units.

http://www.tekonsha.com/product/accessory.asp?cat=1435&titulo=Proportional Controllers

One bad experience by Col with 1 P3 (compatibility issue) & nothing bad to say about the Prodigy by anyone.

Can anyone tell me the difference between the two units?

Trout

Well, I have purchased the P3 model & intend on fitting it in the ash tray, it looks a bloody great fit.
Will keep you posted how it operates, I expect no problems.

Over for now Troutlips.