Changing electric brake controllers

[terravista]

We purchased a Falcon ute for a tower of a horse float, but it has a Hayman Reece controller fitted, and it one of the stupid ones that comes on full strength after a couple of seconds and locks the float brakes, which scares and upsets the horses.
I will be changing over to a style that relies on the wobbly doohicky to brake less suddenly.
Is it safe to assume that the same basic wiring would be fine? I am thinking it would have a fused power supply, an earth, a wire from the brake lights and power to the trailer plug.
Does this sound right, or would a new controller require new complete wiring?
Cheers
Ian

[Goose]

Ideally a brake controller should be wired to the brake pedal switch, not the brake light circuit.

The problem with brake lights is that if your bulb(s) or fuse blows on that circuit you'll probably loose the brake signal too but the car brake keep working. On an older car there may be no dashboard signal that the brake lights aren't lighting up even the the brakes themselves work.

You're other assumptions are probably OK given the current controller works for the brakes on that trailer (in fact works well enough to lock the brakes), but i'd check for sure that its fused and wired to the pedal.

[Diesel Power]

Basically they use the same wiring diagram. Sounds like you need a proportional controller such as a Redarc Towpro.
The power from the battery should be a resettable circuit breaker and not a fuse.
Prodigy is another top quality unit but in my mind a bit bulky.
Regards
Angus.

[terravista]

Thanks guys
I haven't tracked the source of the brake wire. The installation looks pretty tidy so hopefully done by a pro or someone skilled, so it may well be from the brake pedal switch but easy enough to check and change if necessary.
As for the re-settable circuit breaker, sound like a decent idea.
Cheers

[muzza01]

You can get the Tekonsha proportioned controlled with the whole wiring kit and circuit breaker delivered for $110. I reckon they are great, had mine for a few years now.

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/TEKONSHA-PRIMUS-IQ-ELECTRIC-BRAKE-CONTROLLER-TRAILER-CARAVAN-WIRING-KIT-NEW-/400587341629?hash=item5d44ddbf3d:g:GJ0AAOSwFnFWCLBi

Here is a step by step on how to fit it.

http://www.myswag.org/index.php?topic=29167.0

[Troopy_03]

Ideally a brake controller should be wired to the brake pedal switch, not the brake light circuit.

The problem with brake lights is that if your bulb(s) or fuse blows on that circuit you'll probably loose the brake signal too but the car brake keep working. On an older car there may be no dashboard signal that the brake lights aren't lighting up even the the brakes themselves work.

You're other assumptions are probably OK given the current controller works for the brakes on that trailer (in fact works well enough to lock the brakes), but i'd check for sure that its fused and wired to the pedal.

The reason many installers use the brake light circuit is that in some modern vehicles, the pedal switch actually applies a ground to the BCM or lighting control unit when the pedal is depressed. The the BCM or lighting controller then operates a relay to apply voltage to the brake light.
Blown globes won't cause you to lose the brake activated input to the brake controller, a blown fuse will however.