Installing Tecknosha P3

Submitted: Monday, Jan 16, 2012 at 12:19

ThreadID: 91237 Views:1966 Replies:3 FollowUps:6

This Thread has been Archived

Justahobby

Hi everyone,

Just finished instal of a Teknocha P3 brake controller. It states t wire it directly to the battery through a circuit breaker. I have done this, but now the dam thing just stay on. Its going to flatten my battery. Has anyone had this problem? What did you do? I was thinking about puttng a heavy duty switch on the dash.

Any thnoughs

Cheers Sean

Back Expand Un-Read 0 Moderator Share

Reply By: bushpig51 - Monday, Jan 16, 2012 at 12:36

Reply By: al - Monday, Jan 16, 2012 at 13:05

Reply By: Member - Phil G (SA) - Monday, Jan 16, 2012 at 13:24

Monday, Jan 16, 2012 at 13:24

Mine powers down ater 15 minutes too. But on the odd occasion it forgets to so so - I just reset it by pulling the circuit breaker and then it works normally again.

AnswerID: 475083

Follow Up By: Justahobby- Monday, Jan 16, 2012 at 17:44

Monday, Jan 16, 2012 at 17:44

ok sounds good. will have to see if i does turn off then.

Phil G what do you mean when you say pull the circuit breaker has does one do that? I have a auto reset breaker.

Cheers Sean

FollowupID: 750055

Follow Up By: Member - Phil G (SA) - Monday, Jan 16, 2012 at 17:50

Monday, Jan 16, 2012 at 17:50

Depends on your auto resetting circuit breaker.Mine is a blade fuse holder and the 30A self-resetting circuit breaker slots into the holder. So you simply pull it out. I'm guessing yours is is more common one which surface mounts and has two terminals on top. Easiest way for you is to unplug the and replug the 4 pin plug at the back of your P3.

FollowupID: 750057

Follow Up By: CSeaJay - Monday, Jan 16, 2012 at 18:27

Monday, Jan 16, 2012 at 18:27

Phil,

Does your TVan brakes work well? I have 285/70/17's on the van to match the cruiser. The brakes do not lock up in gravel. Maybe it is the bigger tires?

Cheers
CJ

FollowupID: 750061

Follow Up By: Sand Man (SA) - Monday, Jan 16, 2012 at 18:47

Monday, Jan 16, 2012 at 18:47

I am not familiar with the Tekonsha Prodigy and therefore also not familiar with the way it is wired.
Sounds like a strange method though, relying on some internal timer on the controller.

My Redarc controller has a direct fused connection to the battery, but also has a brake sensing wire. Therefore, the unit only activates when the brake circuit is energised. This to me, is a much more practical and safer way to connect the controller, as far as battery life is concerned.

Bill

I'm diagonally parked in a parallel Universe!

Member
My Profile My Blog My Position Send Message

FollowupID: 750063

Follow Up By: Member - Phil G (SA) - Monday, Jan 16, 2012 at 18:59

Monday, Jan 16, 2012 at 18:59

Gday Bill,
The Prodigy is wired the same as your Redarc. It draws 110mA while it remains powered for 15 minutes after you turn off the ignition, so the power consumed is bugger all. But like many electronic gadgets, they sometimes get too clever for their own good! I like it though.

FollowupID: 750066

Follow Up By: Member - Phil G (SA) - Monday, Jan 16, 2012 at 19:07

Monday, Jan 16, 2012 at 19:07

Gday CJ,
The brakes didn't work at all when I bought the Tvan!
The wiring at the backing plate were both broken and in addition the wires were broken where they entered the magnets.

So I bought new offroad magnets (that also had better. softer wires) relined the shoes, and fitted new 5 stud drums that I bought from Track. After bedding them in they were still average, so I upgraded the wiring. I now have 12Ga tinned marine wiring going all the way from the battery to controller to the rear socket and through the TVan. Nothing else left to fix now!

So it now locks the wheels up on gravel. But to do so I need the P3 to be set on "B2" and the max amps are set at 8. I'm happy with that now, but it took me a while to get them working.

Cheers
phil

FollowupID: 750067