Redarc help

Got a redarc brake controller. When I plug it in light turns blue, good. When start driving starts blinking red??? All the lights on trailer work, if i hold redarc button in brakes are applied. But won't work when normal braking. Stop, shut off ignition, unplug trailer and same thing. Got new vehicle plug, same thing. Buuuuuut, if I shut off vehicle, wait till truck turns off in minute or so(time for lights to turn off etc) then plug in and start truck it worked fine. Then stop for gas, start truck and blinking again. WTF??? Going to ck all connections on trailer side like grounds . Any other ideas?

 

I am following this. I have a Redarc and the first year it kept losing power. Unplug and plug back in and it worked again. Redarc asked if I was using a breaker. They suggested I swap it out for a 25 amp fuse. I did that and in the 3 thousand miles since I only had it happen again once. I checked all wiring and ground is good. I’ve been from VA to Nova Scotia now with no problem.

 

Mine worked great on a recent 6 or 7 state whirlwind trailer roadtrip. I saw the same kind of thing at first, red then blue or vice-versa. I noticed it had to do with how much braking was being applied to the trailer so by turning the dial and testing the brakes I eventually got it dialed in. I found there was a slight delay between applying the brake and feeling the trailer and when I removed my foot a second or two later the trailer would "bump" and start shaking a little. I determined that was due to having too much braking applied and turned the dial left a bit. I also found that the weight of the trailer (water tank filled or empty) made that sweet spot on the dial change a lot. You have to play with it a little to get it right.

Also read this: https://www.redarcelectronics.com/n...rs-faqs/how-to-test-tow-pro-when-flashing-red

 

Is the control box securely mounted to a solid surface?
Did you use the Tacoma specific harness with the factory plug or did you buy the generic kit and splice?

The red flashing indicates a ground issue. double-check all grounding points on the trailer and truck plug ground. Each trailer drum probably has its own ground.

 

Yes got tacoma plug. Think I wiretied box under dash, will dbl ck it. Does it have to be unable to move at all under dash? Thanks about the drum grounds

 

Yes, it must be tight and unmovable. At vehicle startup it self-levels. Mine is up underneath the dash at a weird vertical-diagonal spot with tons of zip-ties keeping it secured.

 

It has accelerometers built into it and self-calibrates while driving. It has to mount so it can't move otherwise it will not work properly.

 

Ahhhhh, thanks

 

You cannot wire tie the box under the dash, the installation instructions clearly state that the controller must be mounted to a solid surface. I mounted mine to one of the ECU mounts up under the driver's dash using 3M mounting tape (the same stuff they use for GoPro mounts). If this is indeed where you mounted your controller, regardless if it is the root cause of this issue, you need to mount it elsewhere. Wires move under braking and extreme cornering. Your RedArc controller's accelerometers will get false readings because of this movement which is why it needs to be mounted to something solid that will not move like wires will.

Edit:

Sorry for the dead horse beating read 3/4 of the thread then responded. Duder covered it here: