Will Prodigy Brake Controller Drain Truck Battery In a Few Days

Question:

When I turn off the ignition, one of the red “dot” lights on the unit stays on. Is it supposed to and for how long? I don’t drive the truck every day. I have a newer battery that goes dead after a couple days. Could this be the drain causing that?

asked by: James

Helpful Expert Reply:

Brake controllers like the Tekonsha Prodigy P2 Trailer Brake Controller # 90885 have a sleep mode so they will "hibernate" after 15 minutes of the vehicle being still. There is a very small amount of power the P2 draws while in power saving mode and it could eventually drain your battery but only after a long period of the vehicle being still. If your battery is dying after a couple of days then your brake controller would likely not be the culprit.

You can test this theory out though by unplugging the controller at the back next time you plan on the truck sitting for a few days. If you come back and the battery is dead then you can definitely rule out the controller but if you come back and your battery is fine then you need to check all of the wiring connections related to the controller circuit to make sure you don't have power jumping circuits and causing a greater draw.

expert reply by: Jon G