Prodigy Contoller Settings - Hi-Lo camper travel trailer forum

RichR · 04-28-2011, 06:36 PM

About what settings do you have on your Prodigy P2 Controller when all set up? I adjusted mine up and down the scale and could not get one sliding tire when applying the manual lever. It says to start at 6.0 and then adjust up or down to just short of locking the brakes. I have the 2310H with dual axles which is the equivalent of the 2209T but a maybe bit heavier.

retiredcamper47 · 04-28-2011, 06:59 PM

Have you tried the other button on the controller? It gives you 3 settings for "power boost". I have my controller set on 8.0 with the #2 power boost setting.

Bob

PopRichie77 · 04-28-2011, 07:35 PM

When you push the manual lever do you get any trailer braking at all?
That size trailer should not require a power boost setting. My 2209T is at 6, I think and I have good braking, with no boost. A boost setting causes a very abrupt stop. My 2195T was about the same setting.
You may have a ground problem between the trailer and the TV.

RichR · 04-28-2011, 10:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PopRichie77

When you push the manual lever do you get any trailer braking at all?
That size trailer should not require a power boost setting. My 2209T is at 6, I think and I have good braking, with no boost. A boost setting causes a very abrupt stop. My 2195T was about the same setting.
You may have a ground problem between the trailer and the TV.

I think that I have a ground or connection problem like you say. Winter may have take its toll on the truck's socket. I had better get to work on it. I had plenty of braking before with my old controller, and the Prodigy appears to functioning OK. I do get some breaking, but it is on the weak side.

desert trailer · 12-02-2014, 03:04 AM

Hi Rich, I am going thru the posts for brake adjustment. We have the same Hi Lo trailer and brake controller as you have. What settings did you end up with for the controller . I through I had mine set up right, but when I am just moving 2-5 mph and touch the brakes, one side of the brakes lock up. Maybe another problem going on? Hope you had a good thanksgiving. Terry

RichR · 12-02-2014, 08:03 AM

When I first posted about the Prodigy I had an 07 Tacoma, since that time I upgraded to an F150 with the built in controller. As I recall there were a couple of problems that may have contributed to the adjustment problem. Along the way we found one of the brake magnets had gone bad and needed replacement, also there was a broken brake wire rendering one axle left without brakes. There was one brake that would lock up occasionally on a hard stop which we couldn't entirely resolve. All the components were in place and in good shape. Eventually that went away. So I believe the Prodigy was not the problem. I think it is a very fine controller. The controller on the F150 works very well and I have had no braking problems.

Luckydog671 · 12-02-2014, 09:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by desert trailer

Hi Rich, I am going thru the posts for brake adjustment. We have the same Hi Lo trailer and brake controller as you have. What settings did you end up with for the controller . I through I had mine set up right, but when I am just moving 2-5 mph and touch the brakes, one side of the brakes lock up. Maybe another problem going on? Hope you had a good thanksgiving. Terry

Hi Terry,

I have the Prodigy P3 as well. While my towing experience is limited (this was our first year), I've found that I needed to use different settings depending on the type of driving. Just normal highway driving, the default of 6.0 seems to work fine. Driving down the steep road from our house to the valley below (about 1200 feet in 3 miles), I've cranked the power up to 7.5. I'm still experimenting with the settings though trying to find a happy medium so I don't smoke the Tahoe or the trailer brakes.

JackandJanet · 12-02-2014, 10:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Luckydog671

Hi Terry,

I have the Prodigy P3 as well. While my towing experience is limited (this was our first year), I've found that I needed to use different settings depending on the type of driving. Just normal highway driving, the default of 6.0 seems to work fine. Driving down the steep road from our house to the valley below (about 1200 feet in 3 miles), I've cranked the power up to 7.5. I'm still experimenting with the settings though trying to find a happy medium so I don't smoke the Tahoe or the trailer brakes.

Greg, rather than use and change the trailer brake settings when you tow downhill, I suggest you shift your tow vehicle down to a lower gear and let engine braking control the speed. I do this anytime I'm on a steep enough hill that the speed would go higher than what I consider to be safe. Usually, I can complete the drive with minimal or no braking at all. If the hill is super steep, I'll put it in 1st gear, but normally 2nd gear is sufficient and sometimes just taking the truck out of overdrive works.

Engine braking will not hurt your engine or transmission, and if you have to apply the brakes, the assist by the engine will minimize the amount of braking you have to apply.

- Jack

desert trailer · 12-02-2014, 11:19 AM

Thanks Rich and everyone for the tips. This is our 1st year towing. I have a dodge 2500 automatic trans. I will try down shifting to the next lower gear on our next time out. Its a 2003, so I don't have a tow haul mode. Trailer tows great. I will check the wiring and the look over all the brake parts just to make sure all is working like it should. Thanks again for all your help. Terry

renoites · 12-02-2014, 11:35 AM

I agree with all statements.
OD should only be used on near level surfaces.
Your gear selection is the most important part of the equation.
As you would down shift to go up a steeper hill , you should also down shift to go down the same hill.
Automatic or standard, it doesn't matter.
Never let the vehicle out run your comfort level.

I have driven VW bus to 30 ton semi's. Use the engine and your intelligence as the first defense, braking comes next.

Garry · 12-02-2014, 12:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RichR

When I first posted about the Prodigy I had an 07 Tacoma, since that time I upgraded to an F150 with the built in controller. As I recall there were a couple of problems that may have contributed to the adjustment problem. Along the way we found one of the brake magnets had gone bad and needed replacement, also there was a broken brake wire rendering one axle left without brakes. There was one brake that would lock up occasionally on a hard stop which we couldn't entirely resolve. All the components were in place and in good shape. Eventually that went away. So I believe the Prodigy was not the problem. I think it is a very fine controller. The controller on the F150 works very well and I have had no braking problems.

Rich, I have to agree with you. Last April we left the house with the fresh water tank full and on the 28 mile drive to the camp ground I had problems with sensitive braking. Last month we went to the same campground, and again with a full tank of fresh water, and did not have any problems at all. We did a 3000 mile trip in September without any problems, but at no time did we have water in the fresh water tank.

specter1000 · 12-08-2014, 12:02 PM

Rich, I would be interested to find out how your F150 controller is working. I also use the F150 controller, and, the few times I towed the hi-lo (empty), i had the gain set to 4.5. Seemed to be ok, but I also wonder if it will need to be adjusted when we tow with it full...? (2508 Classic)

JackandJanet · 12-08-2014, 12:45 PM

I may be wrong, but wear on the trailer brakes may well effect braking sensitivity. If it loses sensitivity over time, I'd suspect that was normal.

Adding water to the fresh water tanks adds about 300#. This doesn't seem like it would have a significant effect on braking, but does change the hitch loading.

- Jack

RichR · 12-08-2014, 01:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by specter1000

Rich, I would be interested to find out how your F150 controller is working. I also use the F150 controller, and, the few times I towed the hi-lo (empty), i had the gain set to 4.5. Seemed to be ok, but I also wonder if it will need to be adjusted when we tow with it full...? (2508 Classic)

The controller on the F150 works very well, the nice thing is that it works directly proportionately with the F150 brakes. Yes, a full trailer will probably require a higher setting. I believe I have the setting at 5.5 and it seems to work well with the loaded trailer. I could set it up a notch higher maybe but the brakes sometimes lockup on harder but non-panic stops.