Community Forums

Sbrownstein · 10-21-2018, 01:09 PM

Interesting, the charge line diode will prevent any voltage from reaching the 6 pin receptacle on the toad. The left and right turn wires are tightly packed in the receptacle and there is no connection to the MH when unplugged so any salt or moisture could easily all the lines to "float up" to the 8 volts that the invisibrake is looking for

Sbrownstein · 11-11-2018, 08:06 AM

Invisibrake update. After towing my Buick Enclave for 1500 miles with the Invisibrake, I am totally happy with the unit and its performance. Literally nothing to do when hooking up or unhooking and flawless brake application performance. I did notice that due to my habit of being easy on the brakes and pumping them a little when approaching a dead stop, the 20 second audible alert does occasionally go off since while the pedal is pumped, the TOAD pedal may stay depressed enough during this operation and the Invisibrake 15 second brake limit can occasionally be surpassed. No harm and totally reproducible.

I used Bosch 12 volt relays on each of the RV left and right turn/brake feeds to eliminate any possibility of errant braking due to diode leakage on the signal lights. I did purchase a diode for the 12 volt charge line as well, but it is really not necessary for the Invisibrake. I will install it to eliminate the worry of the TOAD being discharged by backfeeding the coach starting battery.

Skywagon · 03-22-2019, 08:49 AM

FWIW(?), after 15 months of problems Invisibrake paid for two hours of diagnosis. It was a sixth visit to another camping world and revealed I needed a proximity switch on my brake pedal arm to properly illuminate the red light on my dash indicating the brake system was operating correctly. Switch sent by Roadmaster and installed. Not all applications require that switch but my car did.

Sbrownstein · 03-23-2019, 03:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Skywagon

FWIW(?)... I needed a proximity switch on my brake pedal arm to properly illuminate the red light on my dash indicating the brake system was operating correctly...

There are multiple situations where such a switch is necessary. (1) battery disconnected in TOAD so there is no voltage to light the brake lights when the pedal is depressed. Normally my Enclave would require that but I instead use a charge line from the coach and leave everything on the TOAD in place. This also makes it easy to run the engine every 200 miles or so in order to circulate the transmission oil as is indicated for my vehicle by GM. (2) there is no signal on the pedal switch that can be routed to coach to light the led.

On my Enclave I merely tapped the 7 way connector on the car that powers the trailer brake lights and routed it to the coach and indicator led. 10 more feed of wire but a lot less work.

Mule Skinner · 01-19-2020, 09:36 PM

I know this thread goes back several years.
I had Camping World install invisabrake on my 2018 Jeep GC yesterday. They showed me how to adjust the air pressure for braking but have not tried it yet. They still tmy mh for other maintenance.
I did notice the brake peddle in the Jeep seems firm, or ?. I think the unit is tapped into the vacuum brake booster? (I haven’t looked at it yet).
I have a bulb kit from Blue Ox, sounds like that’s a good way to go? I will need to check to see if theres a diode in the charge line that was added.
Also, the comments from roadmaster about shorting in the plug socket on the toad was across the floor of the socket where the pins protrude, not voltage jumping from pin to pin. I was a little confused by that at first.
I do have a question for those of you that had the brakes lock up, if I understand the way the system works it will only brake as hard as you set it too.
50 psi. Vs 80 psi. Setting? Is this correct?

SuperGewl · 01-20-2020, 06:04 AM

You don't have your Signature filled out with your MH and Toad info.
So, just to let you know, it's not just a Roadmaster issue. It's actually a, installing diodes issue. Depending on your Toad you can get a :"Designed for your Toad" wiring harness that does not cut into the Toads wiring harness. Look at the Hopkins Manufacturing Towed wiring harness setups.

Sbrownstein · 01-20-2020, 06:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mule Skinner

I know this thread goes back several years.
I had Camping World install invisabrake on my 2018 Jeep GC yesterday. They showed me how to adjust the air pressure for braking but have not tried it yet. They still tmy mh for other maintenance.
I did notice the brake peddle in the Jeep seems firm, or ?. I think the unit is tapped into the vacuum brake booster? (I haven’t looked at it yet).
I have a bulb kit from Blue Ox, sounds like that’s a good way to go? I will need to check to see if theres a diode in the charge line that was added.
Also, the comments from roadmaster about shorting in the plug socket on the toad was across the floor of the socket where the pins protrude, not voltage jumping from pin to pin. I was a little confused by that at first.
I do have a question for those of you that had the brakes lock up, if I understand the way the system works it will only brake as hard as you set it too.
50 psi. Vs 80 psi. Setting? Is this correct?

Yes the Invisibrake taps into the vacuum system, but only pulls a vacuum when the unit is running. It has far less vacuum that the TOAD does when running, which sets a limit on the brake vacuum assist. There should be a check valve between the invisibrake vacuum "T" and the engine since without it the Invisibrake would be unable to pull a vacuum with the engine off since nobody normally cares about vacuum when the engine is off. Lack of this check valve would not cause a hard pedal when the engine is running since the Invisibrake has its own check valve. When you say "hard" you mean hard to push for braking? The Invisibrake cable pulls the pedal down and if your brake lights are off without pressing on the pedal, all should be well there.

Look under the hood for a wire going to your battery and the blocking diode for the charge line should be somewhere nearby.

Yes, there have been issues when the RV was not attached and there was electrical leakage between the pins of the empty 6-way male connector on the TOAD. Keep it clean and you should be OK. In addition, if using diodes on the TOAD stop, turn and running lights, apparently there have been some poor diodes (or poor installations) that caused leakage to the Invisibrake circuits, which monitor both brake/turn signals. A separate set of bulbs for towing eliminates this issue totally, although sometimes there isn't room for the lamps.

Mule Skinner · 01-20-2020, 04:08 PM

[QUOTE=Sbrownstein;5116865]Yes the Invisibrake taps into the vacuum system, but only pulls a vacuum when the unit is running. It has far less vacuum that the TOAD does when running, which sets a limit on the brake vacuum assist. There should be a check valve between the invisibrake vacuum "T" and the engine since without it the Invisibrake would be unable to pull a vacuum with the engine off since nobody normally cares about vacuum when the engine is off. Lack of this check valve would not cause a hard pedal when the engine is running since the Invisibrake has its own check valve. When you say "hard" you mean hard to push for braking? The Invisibrake cable pulls the pedal down and if your brake lights are off without pressing on the pedal, all should be well there.

Look under the hood for a wire going to your battery and the blocking diode for the charge line should be somewhere nearby.

Yes, there have been issues when the RV was not attached and there was electrical leakage between the pins of the empty 6-way male connector on the TOAD. Keep it clean and you should be OK. In addition, if using diodes on the TOAD stop, turn and running lights, apparently there have been some poor diodes (or poor installations) that caused leakage to the Invisibrake circuits, which monitor both brake/turn signals. A separate set of bulbs for towing eliminates this issue totally, although sometimes there isn't room for the lamps.[/

When you say "hard" you mean hard to push for braking?

I mean the peddle is all the way up, the peddle did not depress enough to allow the car to start. I had to press the brake pedal and release It a couple of times before the pedal went down far enough to allow the car to start. Now I have been driven the car a few times and it seems ok?

Sbrownstein · 01-20-2020, 04:56 PM

[QUOTE=Mule Skinner;5117578]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sbrownstein

Yes the Invisibrake taps into the vacuum system, but only pulls a vacuum when the unit is running. It has far less vacuum that the TOAD does when running, which sets a limit on the brake vacuum assist. There should be a check valve between the invisibrake vacuum "T" and the engine since without it the Invisibrake would be unable to pull a vacuum with the engine off since nobody normally cares about vacuum when the engine is off. Lack of this check valve would not cause a hard pedal when the engine is running since the Invisibrake has its own check valve. When you say "hard" you mean hard to push for braking? The Invisibrake cable pulls the pedal down and if your brake lights are off without pressing on the pedal, all should be well there.

Look under the hood for a wire going to your battery and the blocking diode for the charge line should be somewhere nearby.

Yes, there have been issues when the RV was not attached and there was electrical leakage between the pins of the empty 6-way male connector on the TOAD. Keep it clean and you should be OK. In addition, if using diodes on the TOAD stop, turn and running lights, apparently there have been some poor diodes (or poor installations) that caused leakage to the Invisibrake circuits, which monitor both brake/turn signals. A separate set of bulbs for towing eliminates this issue totally, although sometimes there isn't room for the lamps.[/

When you say "hard" you mean hard to push for braking?

I mean the peddle is all the way up, the peddle did not depress enough to allow the car to start. I had to press the brake pedal and release It a couple of times before the pedal went down far enough to allow the car to start. Now I have been driven the car a few times and it seems ok?

Invisibrake couldn't do that since it can only pull the pedal down. One thing that I wonder about is whether Jeep designed the car assuming that the reservoir vacuum would have bled off enough for the pedal to go down enough to engage the start switch. The added vacuum check valve that Invisibrake adds could be preventing the vacuum to bleed enough.

Again, Invisibrake cannot hold the pedal up. The cable that pulls the pedal down only works in the downward direction. When you push on the pedal the cable comes out of the attachment freely.

Bet it's the check valve but I can't figure out how to eliminate it.

Sbrownstein · 01-21-2020, 07:57 AM

did a little checking and a "hard pedal" can also be a problem in Jeeps that don't have Invisibrake. Sounds like a vacuum issue. In addition...if Invisibrake check valve was holding more vacuum it would generate a softer pedal and not a harder one.

Could be a leak in the Invisibrake vacuum line. You could remove it from the Tee in the engine compartment and plug the port and find out pretty easily.

CWSWine · 01-21-2020, 09:44 AM

We ended up removing the Invisibrake after we found that when the engine brake engaged the tail lights came on and the Invisibrake activated the brakes in the toad. Even on the highway and going small hill the engine would hold the speed and our toad brakes were active also.

Sbrownstein · 01-21-2020, 10:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sbrownstein

did a little checking and a "hard pedal" can also be a problem in Jeeps that don't have Invisibrake. Sounds like a vacuum issue. In addition...if Invisibrake check valve was holding more vacuum it would generate a softer pedal and not a harder one.

Could be a leak in the Invisibrake vacuum line. You could remove it from the Tee in the engine compartment and plug the port and find out pretty easily.

Some vehicles have the ability to not fire the brake lights when the engine brake is engaged. If that fails, you could have wired the Invisibrake to run off the cab brake controller line on the 7 way. That way when the pedal is depressed the Invibrake will fire...but not under other circumstances.

CWSWine · 01-21-2020, 11:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sbrownstein

Some vehicles have the ability to not fire the brake lights when the engine brake is engaged. If that fails, you could have wired the Invisibrake to run off the cab brake controller line on the 7 way. That way when the pedal is depressed the Invibrake will fire...but not under other circumstances.

Since our coach fires that tail lights when the engine brake come on we thought about doing what you suggested. The problem is if you are going down the highway with State Patrol behind you and see the coach brakes lights coming on and the toad lights not he going to pull you over for your tail lights being not working. I still have the Invisibrake in box out in storage.

Sbrownstein · 01-21-2020, 11:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CWSWine

Since our coach fires that tail lights when the engine brake come on we thought about doing what you suggested. The problem is if you are going down the highway with State Patrol behind you and see the coach brakes lights coming on and the toad lights not he going to pull you over for your tail lights being not working. I still have the Invisibrake in box out in storage.

The TOAD lights will come on as they are wired from the Coach and mimic what the coach brake lights do. Invisibrake is separate.