Electric Brakes Wireless Brakes?

C

Chuckwagon

Junior Ranger
We just got a new tow vehicle and need to install a hitch and wiring and are considering using wireless brakes. Camp-Inn can install Autowbrake brand brakes. Do you think these brakes work as well as traditionally wired brakes? Being able to use different tow vehicles without all the wiring fuss seems to make sense. But only if the brakes are reliable, safe, and glitch free. If we use Autowbrake and don't like it for some reason, is it hard to switch back to the fully wired? I just read that if you hook up to a tow vehicle that has wired brakes, the Autowbrake will automatically turn off and the wired brakes will be used.
 
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Chuckwagon said:
We just got a new tow vehicle and need to install a hitch and wiring and are considering using wireless brakes. Camp-Inn can install Autowbrake brand brakes. Do you think these brakes work as well as traditionally wired brakes? Being able to use different tow vehicles without all the wiring fuss seems to make sense. But only if the brakes are reliable, safe, and glitch free. If we use Autowbrake and don't like it for some reason, is it hard to switch back to the fully wired?
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we've used the Curt Echo for almost 6 years now and really like it. No wiring and no device to take up space in your galley storage.

Echo: A Wireless Brake Controller for Your Smartphone

Echo is a first-of-its-kind Bluetooth® brake controller that wirelessly syncs with your smartphone. Its compact, portable design allows for easy, app-enabled access and easy transfer from one vehicle to another. This wireless trailer brake controller is also convenient to store when not in use.
www.curtmfg.com www.curtmfg.com
 
I'm using the Autobrake, no problems. Nice to be able to control it from a fob vs go thru another device like iphone. Murphys Law of Technology is it will fail you when you need it most, including the phone and BT connection. KISS.

Just my $0.02 and YMMV.
 
TheDogHouse said:
I'm using the Autobrake, no problems. Nice to be able to control it from a fob vs go thru another device like iphone. Murphys Law of Technology is it will fail you when you need it most, including the phone and BT connection. KISS.

Just my $0.02 and YMMV.
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the Echo maintains the last setting when BT connection is lost. Yep, BT can be dicey but thankfully this device's functionality doesn't depend on it.
 
Chuckwagon said:
We just got a new tow vehicle and need to install a hitch and wiring and are considering using wireless brakes. Camp-Inn can install Autowbrake brand brakes. Do you think these brakes work as well as traditionally wired brakes? Being able to use different tow vehicles without all the wiring fuss seems to make sense. But only if the brakes are reliable, safe, and glitch free. If we use Autowbrake and don't like it for some reason, is it hard to switch back to the fully wired?
Click to expand...

May Autowbrake has worked flawlessly. The only 'problem' is that it does have parasitic draw, so if you 're going to park for a while its a good idea to pull the fuse out of it. Its great that I don' have to think about it -- whatever vehicle I plug into, it just works. And while no one has had a problem with it, its wired in -- so it isn't theivable when parked at a grocery store or something. Its just there and it works.

I tow with 4 vehicles. A 2012 Outback, 1998 Jeep Cherokee, 2018 Chevy Van, and in desperate times a 2021 Toyota RAV4 (its just too lightweight to tow with) I consider it to to be my brake controller of choice at this point. It might be different if I had multiple trailers, though.
 
My experience echoes Sweeney's: the Autowbrake is unobtrusive and reliable. Due to the parasitic current draw I remove the fuse whenever I'm without shore power for more than 3-4 days (though a fully charged trailer battery should be able to handle the draw for multiple weeks comfortably). The pre-drive safety check has kept me from forgetting to reinstall the fuse prior to setting out.

The Echo appears to be a good product as well. I wonder how the Echo gracefully handle multiple drivers with more than one smartphone that might be connected to the controller. I'm worried about the time and/or trouble required to switch/re-establish connections when changing drivers (smartphones). If it's a well-designed product this shouldn't be a concern. Those of you with Echos may be able to comment further.
 
Turnip936 said:
My experience echoes Sweeney's: the Autowbrake is unobtrusive and reliable. Due to the parasitic current draw I remove the fuse whenever I'm without shore power for more than 3-4 days (though a fully charged trailer battery should be able to handle the draw for multiple weeks comfortably). The pre-drive safety check has kept me from forgetting to reinstall the fuse prior to setting out.

The Echo appears to be a good product as well. I wonder how the Echo gracefully handle multiple drivers with more than one smartphone that might be connected to the controller. I'm worried about the time and/or trouble required to switch/re-establish connections when changing drivers (smartphones). If it's a well-designed product this shouldn't be a concern. Those of you with Echos may be able to comment further.
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Could you just unplug the camper from the tow vehicle to prevent the parasitic current draw? And wouldn't the battery isolater remove that need? I thought the Autowbrake uses the tow vehicle battery if it's wired properly. Maybe I've got that wrong?
 
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Chuckwagon said:
Could you just un

Could you just unplug the camper from the tow vehicle to prevent the parasitic current draw? And wouldn't the battery isolater remove that need? I thought the Autowbrake uses the tow vehicle battery if it's wired properly. Maybe I've got that wrong?
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The Autowbrake uses the camper's battery. It will drain the camper's battery if left powered up when not in use.

Cary
 
What about if the DC Shutoff is used?
Is the AutoW isolated or not?

(Mine is 2010 vintage a year or two before those were added, so I dunno)

Side note: I got my CI out to visit a victron shop with my Bat-tree removed and even in the Communist Republic of Cali I was still legit as electric brakes are only required over 1500#.

I would not normally drive far without the AutoW ...its saved me more than once...

But thats another story...
 
Normally, the Autowbrake is wired directly to the trailer battery, bypassing the DC switch that controls power to the rest of the trailer.

I think that it should be straightforward to insert a simple on-off switch in the Autowbrake power supply wire.
I did not do this (since the fuse removal accomplishes the same purpose).

I did suggest that including such a switch in a future model of the Autobrake might be helpful. They seemed receptive.
 
Chuckwagon said:
Thanks everyone. Seems like this issue should have been resolved long ago.
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It's not really a big issue....frankly, if you are a weekend warrior or keep your camper plugged in when it is in storage (as you should), then it's not a big deal. Its more of a problem if you are trying to squeeze every watt/amp/volt from the battery.
 
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