There seems to be as many electric trailer brake controllers on the market as there are caravans on the roads these days. I’ve fitted quite a few and they can be a bit sensitive in use as well as difficult to mount without obstructing the driver.
REDARC has set out to change all that with the Tow-Pro Elite V3. This electric trailer brake controller is designed to suit most common trailer braking applications and offers selectable Proportional or User Controlled trailer braking modes.
This clever unit can operate both electric and electric/hydraulic trailer brakes and will operate from either 12V or 24V vehicle systems. The unit is also ADR compliant when installed as per the instructions and is approved for use with AL-KO ESC and Dexter sway control systems.
The Tow-Pro Elite unit can be mounted in any orientation; vertical, horizontal or at an angle but it is essential that the unit is mounted securely in a fixed location as the Tow-Pro Elite features Active Calibration which constantly monitors the direction of travel. It will even calibrate with no trailer attached, however if it isn’t mounted securely the calibration and braking force will be affected.
The unit is compact and what really stands out is the dash mounted control knob which allows the compact unit to be mounted anywhere, even under the dash, which is great compared to other larger brake controllers that must be mounted in reach of the driver to be manually adjusted generally near the driver’s legs.
For this tool test the unit was mounted to a reinforcing bracket behind the centre console trim as there wasn’t a lot of free space under the dash. The unit mounted neatly and was well away from the driver’s legs. The dash mounted control knob is a small push button dial that can be either mounted onto the dash. This will require drilling a 10mm hole through the dash or REDARC has a selection of vehicle specific switch inserts to suit most popular SUV and LCVs. For this test I used the Universal switch mount TPSI-001.
Wiring up the Tow-Pro Elite is a simple process. REDARC takes the guess work and hassle out of wiring up the Tow-Pro Elite with a range of vehicle specific wiring kits available. Just check out www.redarc.com.au/tow-pro-wiring-kits for availability. If your vehicle isn’t listed, a universal kit is also available.
I can say these are quality kits that include everything you need from cables and switch inserts to heat shrink and grommets. No need to find the correct gauge wire, terminals or even wrap the wiring up in conduit. It is all done for you and really speeds up the installation process. Like other REDARC products the Tow-Pro Elite comes with a clear well laid out colour wiring diagram.
Once installed, operating the Tow-Pro Elite is as easy as selecting your operating mode at the push of a button. The status indication LED on the control knob will illuminate blue for Proportional Mode or green for the User-controlled mode. The Tow-Pro Elite also incorporates a troubleshooting feature which uses the control knob LED to flash different colours when a fault is detected and using the troubleshooting guide you can isolate the problem.
The REDARC Tow-Pro Elite V3 is another great Australian product built to suit Australian conditions. Installation requires minimal effort and braking is available with the push of a button. The Tow-Pro Elite V3 is simply another outstanding product from REDARC.