Yeah, toss that brake buddy in the garbage, and get you a simple braking system that does not involve any electronic boxes that will one day quit working on you like this. Order you a Ready Brake system and be done with it.
Sorry, I'm not much help, I know. Hopefully someone that knows a thing or two about Brakebuddy will post something a bit more helpful. I couldnt resist the ReadyBrake suggestion, though, 'cause failures like yours are precisely the reason I chose a simple cable-operated surge braking system for our towed vehicle.
Will & Angela
2 children that love camping, Stephen & Allison
2012 FR Georgetown 351DS on F53 (V10) Chassis Our Rig
I had an older style Brake Buddy that had a problem with the plug. The spring loaded metal piece on the end (cigarette plug) lost the spring and had trouble making contact inside the receptacle. Might be worth looking at it and see if it has the spring tension.
NHclassC wrote: I had an older style Brake Buddy that had a problem with the plug. The spring loaded metal piece on the end (cigarette plug) lost the spring and had trouble making contact inside the receptacle. Might be worth looking at it and see if it has the spring tension.
YUP! mine broke on a brand new Brake Buddy second day out with it.
I ended up having it cut off and a brand new plug spliced by a mobile RV repair while I was on the road.
Interesting to hear it's happened to others.
"We must be willing to get rid of the life we've planned,
so as to have the life that is waiting for us".
Just to make sure, you know there is a fuse in the BB power plug.
willald wrote: Yeah, toss that brake buddy in the garbage, and get you a simple braking system that does not involve any electronic boxes that will one day quit working on you like this.
Glad you have an opinion but that was not the question.
2000 Sea Breeze F53 V10 - CR-V Toad
Some RV batteries live a long and useful life, some are murdered. Get a Digital Multimeter and Learn How to Use It
I have used the Brake Buddy (BB) for 3 years and am very happy. I've had the same problem with cigarette plug early on. The positive contact can heat up, softening the spring, ultimately causing the BB to turn off (fear not: you get a warning light on your remote so you are not left in the dark). I am sure the BB folks are aware of the problem and will offer a fix. I just bought a new 25A plug, soldered it on and have never looked back.
Since someone else brought it up, I would be cautious with simple, mechanical devices like the Ready Brake. First of all, they are not simple. You need to physically run a wire through your toad's grill and engine firewall to hook it up. With a BB, you simply place it front of your driver seat, press the autostart button, and in a few seconds you are ready to go.
My biggest concern with the Ready Brake: No reliable feedback mechanism telling you your toad brakes have been triggered. Your toad brakes may have be activated by the Ready Brake cable - but you simply do not know. Modern inertial units, send a wireless signal that tell you the toad brakes are active.
The breakaway switch on the Ready Brake is somewhat questionable. When triggered, it slows the toad only until the safety chains snap or the tow hitch itself disconnects. After that, your toad is freewheeling! I doubt this breakaway system is actually legal in most states - no matter what the manufacturer suggests. When the BB breakaway switch is triggered, your toad brakes remain engaged until the BB is turned off - and you get a dashboard alarm.
To be fair: Ready Brake does offer a 'wired' indicator dash light. You can fish a wire throughout the length of your coach. Once connected, this light will illuminate, telling you the mechanical arm on your hitch has moved forward. It can't tell you when toad brakes are not working (for example, when cable tension has slackened) or when toad brakes have locked up (for example, when cable tension is too high). More importantly: The indicator light does not come on in the event of a total breakaway. There is no alarm. Just a light that says the hitch arm has moved.
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Happy Ford F-53 Class A Owner (2008 Gulf Stream)
2010 Ford Fusion Toad (with 6 speed manual transmission - the only way to tow)
Brake Buddy Vantage, Blue Ox Aladdin Tow Bar,
TST RV 507 TPMS, Power Master Voltage Controller
I had to change the plug on mine, the little threaded retaining ring that holds the center pin came off and the pin popped out. I didn't notice until I went to plug it in again and found it didn't work.
Eric
2009 Holiday Rambler Admiral 33SFS (34' 3")
2008 Jeep Liberty - North Edition (4x4 auto)
FQCC/Camping Quebec, KOA, Good Sam, Coach-Net
PackerBacker wrote: I had to change the plug on mine, the little threaded retaining ring that holds the center pin came off and the pin popped out. I didn't notice until I went to plug it in again and found it didn't work.
Same here. I called BB and they sent me the parts.
I upgraded my old BB a few years ago from the early model to newer one. Cost was just about half.
Tom & Bonnie
Crossville, TN.
Aspect 29H 2008 Type C
Ford Flex SEL 2010 There is no B+
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