Mopar factory trailer brake controller - my impressions and review

[Gren71]

@Gren71 what about direct wiring a bigger inverter and placing it under the seat?

i know/understand just enough to be dangerous and feel like doing that would be way out of my depth.

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[Gren71]

^^^^ This. Why in the world would you be using an inverter... just to plug an AC>DC power supply into it for tablet charging. Stuff like this makes me sad.

https://www.amazon.com/Inverter-Adapter-Converter-Charger-Computer/dp/B08YTH66FN/ref=sr_1_5?keywords=12v+power+inverter+for+car&qid=1669477157&sprefix=12v+power+in,aps,199&sr=8-5

?‍

different strokes for different folks I guess. This thing works great for charging both of their tablets, or Nintendo, or whatever, while I drive. Im aware I COULD just do a mess of other options. But I have this already and it costs me $0 extra to use what I have instead of just buying more crap.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

No issues or weird brake surging with the double axle?

Why would there be? I tow a double-axle trailer, 5,000 pounds, smooth as silk. The MOPAR brake controller works great. I do have to set the gain down to about 1 when the trailer is empty, though - or it slides the tires on sand and gravel.

I moved the 12v outlet over to the right side of the console, it's just sticking up in the air right now, not mounted to anything. With the wire extension I may move it elsewhere but it's not really in the way, it just looks shade-tree.

Most tablets I've owned use the USB port for charging........... so plug it into one of the USB ports, or a USB adapter in a 12v outlet, or whatever. My laptop requires 110 and some older stuff must use 110 but it's been a few years since I've seen any tablet that couldn't charge via USB.

A lot of GPS devices required a 12v outlet or a 110 charger to keep charged up. GPS was that way for years. No 12v outlet, the GPS died after a while. No way to charge many earlier Garmins from USB - not possible.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

^^^^ This. Why in the world would you be using an inverter... just to plug an AC>DC power supply into it for tablet charging.

Maybe for faster charging than the built in USB ports? But you could easy wire in some higher powered USB ports/hub. But then again, you can only use a very small inverter on the 12V socket, so I don't you're gaining much with that.

Doesn't your JT have the 110v AC in the back of the center console?

Some camera battery chargers do seem to need AC power, so that could be a use case.

The USB ports in these are CRAP. It's that simple. You take hours to charge just a phone - add a tablet and it's going to take 2xhours to charge.
It's really not that "simple" to replace the existing USB ports with something with more power. Requires a lot of tearing apart.

You can get some really fast charging USB adapters that plug into a 12v outlet.

 

[Gren71]

Why would there be? I tow a double-axle trailer, 5,000 pounds, smooth as silk. The MOPAR brake controller works great. I do have to set the gain down to about 1 when the trailer is empty, though - or it slides the tires on sand and gravel.

I moved the 12v outlet over to the right side of the console, it's just sticking up in the air right now, not mounted to anything. With the wire extension I may move it elsewhere but it's not really in the way, it just looks shade-tree.

Most tablets I've owned use the USB port for charging........... so plug it into one of the USB ports, or a USB adapter in a 12v outlet, or whatever. My laptop requires 110 and some older stuff must use 110 but it's been a few years since I've seen any tablet that couldn't charge via USB.

A lot of GPS devices required a 12v outlet or a 110 charger to keep charged up. GPS was that way for years. No 12v outlet, the GPS died after a while. No way to charge many earlier Garmins from USB - not possible.

I ask about the double axle piece just because I was looking at the prodigy ID and it specifies that it works with double or single axle. Which made me wonder if others are only meant for single. Just a curiosity is all.
*EDIT*
Interesting enough I just saw on the MOPAR controller that it specifices its good for up to three axles.
https://www.moparsupply.com/oem-par...zGRf-QpE8D3zybeXy_84iejV_UbWOccsaAixrEALw_wcB

As for the tablets...never thought this would be what forum members latched onto as the firing squad topic of the day. But so it goes.

I dont use the dash USB plugs for them because my wife and I are usually on them, and I HATE a mess of cables flopping around the cabin. The kids dont exactly stay still the entire drive...and will quickly turn anything plugged into the dash outlets into a game of jump rope.

We all know tablets dont require 110v...but yall still plug them into your house right? They have a plug that is set for what ever they need and that piece plugs into my little invertor and works seamlessly. I can plug that one device into a plug that is away from everything esle and run the cable along the side of the center console so its out of the way during travel and the kids have two plugs to do with what they will. Plug...unplug...switch...lick...what ever.

 

[briscoelab]

I would not suggest rewriting the factory ports. That would be a pita! But it’s very simple to add some additional, or as you stated use an adapter in the 12v socket.

That would be much preferred to using something like the linked 150w inverter.

If you really need AC for charging a laptop, then you should be looking at a hard wired inverter. Luckily, I have a usb-c port that’s PD capable and can easily charge my MacBook Pro. Nintendo switch and tablets are super quick to top up.

Even the standard usb c ports in the back are more than adequate to keep my sons table topped up on road trips.

 

[Gren71]

Doesn't your JT have the 110v AC in the back of the center console?

unfortunately no I dont have the plug in the center consol. I got a very early 2020 model in September 2019 and it wasn't an option I could get on my model at that time. I have a plane jane center consol...I really wish I could have though.

 

[briscoelab]

unfortunately no I dont have the plug in the center consol. I got a very early 2020 model in September 2019 and it wasn't an option I could get on my model at that time. I really wish I could have though.

Dang, that's a total drag. It comes in really handy. The built in inverter is 400W, so it can actually handle nearly all battery charging duties.

The center console is pretty easy to work with though. If you've got some kiddos in the back seats, it's worth it to wire in some higher powered USB ports yourself. You could have them hidden inside the consul or rear-facing toward the back seats. Then you wouldn't have cables running up front and making a mess. I know how that goes man!

Sorry for the slight thread derailment But hopefully we can all help you come up with a bit better and even less cluttered solution.

 

[Gren71]

Dang, that's a total drag. It comes in really handy. The built in inverter is 400W, so it can actually handle nearly all battery charging duties.

The center console is pretty easy to work with though. If you've got some kiddos in the back seats, it's worth it to wire in some higher powered USB ports yourself. You could have them hidden inside the consul or rear-facing toward the back seats. Then you wouldn't have cables running up front and making a mess. I know how that goes man!

Sorry for the slight thread derailment But hopefully we can all help you come up with a bit better and even less cluttered solution.

what are you doing Thursday? I can offer good beer and venison steaks if you come wire them up for me haha

 

[briscoelab]

If you weren't half the country away I'd take you up on that!

 

[ShadowsPapa]

Even the standard usb c ports in the back are more than adequate to keep my sons table topped up on road trips.

Using active GPS like Waze, etc. I have found that the stock USB ports fall behind after a couple of hours. If you start at say 90% charged, after hours of travel, you are under 90% charged - sometimes down to 80%. They just are wimpy.

 

[Gren71]

https://www.moparsupply.com/oem-parts/mopar-trailer-brake-controller-82215652ad

Here is the mopar controller Im likely to pull the trigger on.

$256.54
$8.99 Shipping

has anyone seen one cheaper?

@AllMoparParts.com can you do better?

 

[briscoelab]

Using active GPS like Waze, etc. I have found that the stock USB ports fall behind after a couple of hours. If you start at say 90% charged, after hours of travel, you are under 90% charged - sometimes down to 80%. They just are wimpy.

Weird, I have used my iPhone 13 Pro and iPad right off those ports for 12-14 hour stints on road trips. Usually running Waze, sometimes Google Maps and Apple Music. Haven't had issues with keeping them topped up.

A Nintendo Switch will exceed the USB-C power delivery capability when actively being used though. But, it will prolong the fun and slow the drain at least.

 

[Escape.idiocracy]

https://www.amazon.com/Inverter-Adapter-Converter-Charger-Computer/dp/B08YTH66FN/ref=sr_1_5?keywords=12v+power+inverter+for+car&qid=1669477157&sprefix=12v+power+in,aps,199&sr=8-5

?‍

different strokes for different folks I guess. This thing works great for charging both of their tablets, or Nintendo, or whatever, while I drive. Im aware I COULD just do a mess of other options. But I have this already and it costs me $0 extra to use what I have instead of just buying more crap.

Have you looked into the USB-C options out there.

the original reply of AC>DC has to do with efficiency loss…. Converting dc to ac and then back to DC is kinda ? but you are right….you do you.

they make high watt USB-C plugins that I think would streamline what you are doing- but that’s just my opinion.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

Weird, I have used my iPhone 13 Pro and iPad right off those ports for 12-14 hour stints on road trips. Usually running Waze, sometimes Google Maps and Apple Music. Haven't had issues with keeping them topped up.

A Nintendo Switch will exceed the USB-C power delivery capability when actively being used though. But, it will prolong the fun and slow the drain at least.

I'm sure some of that has to do with the battery age, battery capacity, charging circuit and other fun stuff. Different processors have different power draws and so on. You know the drill.
My wife's new phone will do a lot better on a full battery charge than her prior phone. Mine holds up not as well as it did 3 years ago.

Some of the USB "adapters" you can find now that plug into 12v outlets state right on them that they'll fast charge Samsung, Apple, whatever - at the current highest rates. IMO, that's a decent way to go. The charging port I installed in the bed of my JT for when I'm tent camping in the back of the truck charge at a decent rate - not the fastest, but not as bad as some.

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