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Elecbrakes EB2 brake controller review

Australian-made Elecbrakes EB2 brake controller mounts on the trailer, not in the car

29 Jan 2025

VEHICLE usage by motoring journalists is the very definition of an edge case. While we endeavour to frame our assessments in the interest of aiding the real-world purchasing decisions of individuals, families, sole traders, small businesses, fleet managers and more, the routine we adopt to reach our conclusions can seem quite alien (and in some cases, perhaps extreme) to those signing on the dotted line.

 

Towing tests are a case in point. Not all vehicles made available to review include towing hardware, and, of those that do, not all have an electronic brake controller fitted, which is necessary for using braked trailers (mandatory if the gross trailer mass is above 750kg).

 

In these scenarios, which can occur despite attempts to double-check the equipment fitted to test vehicles, an electronic brake controller that is fitted on the trailer rather than hard-wired to the vehicle would be more convenient. Even better if the controller can be easily set up and moved from trailer to trailer if required.

 

Other use cases include multiple-vehicle families or operators that might not have, want or afford several dedicated tow vehicles that have been equipped with hard-wired brake controllers.

 

Another scenario we have encountered is trailers that are lent or rented to others. A trailer-mounted brake controller ensures the necessary equipment is present and correct regardless of the tow vehicle that shows up.

 

While GoAuto was encountering some of these scenarios, Australian company Elecbrakes contacted us, ironically with a press release about its new VM1 vehicle-mounted brake controller.

 

After a little back-and-forth, it was agreed that we would review the latest version of the Elecbrakes trailer-mounted brake controller, the EB2.

 

Like other controllers in the Elecbrakes line-up, the EB2 is designed and manufactured in Australia.

 

With a retail price of $699 the EB2 looks expensive next to the ubiquitous Redarc Tow-Pro Elite V3 ($425 RRP) and needs to be coupled with an adaptor that is compatible with the trailer’s plug and vehicle’s socket, adding between $90 and $129 to the overall cost.

 

Then again, with a vehicle-mounted product such as the Redarc unit, the need for (ideally) professional installation, plus the likelihood that a suitable switch insert and wiring loom need to be purchased at additional cost, starts to level the playing field.

 

As a ballpark guide, the Redarc Tow-Pro can cost around $950 when sold as a dealer-fit accessory on a new vehicle.

 

In April 2024, Elecbrakes became the world’s first trailer brake controller manufacturer to offer a smartphone app compatible with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay mirroring systems. In addition to the usual app updates, the EB2 unit can also receive over-the-air firmware updates.

 

The app can be used to set up and calibrate the controller initially (provided the phone is in a cradle), keep tabs on the EB2’s status and activate an override feature to help quell trailer sway. The company also sells a remote control for $180 to people who cannot (or prefer not to) use an app.

 

We towed a 1.8-tonne (GTM) camper trailer with two Nissan Patrols – a 2023 model fitted with Redarc Tow Pro Elite V3 and a 2024 model with no onboard controller but an Elecbrakes EB2 installed on the trailer.

 

The newer Patrol has Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, meaning we could also test the app functionality on our phone in the cradle and via the Nissan’s in-dash multimedia screen.

 

Our setup required a $90 Elecbrakes ‘plug and play’ adaptor to connect the Patrol’s seven-pin socket to the trailer’s 12-pin plug, with an integrated Deutsch plug that goes into the EB2 unit.

 

DIY installation was straightforward. The EB2 unit mounts on the drawbar (self-tapping screws are provided). It feels weighty and solid and has a rubbery-feeling backing, which we assume to be the ‘potting’ compound that protects the electronics inside from water, dust and vibration (given it must be externally mounted, the EB2 has IP67-certified sealing).

 

Once the three connectors are plugged in, the app download is accessed by tapping the phone on the EB2 itself (using NFC technology). Once the app is installed, another tap of the phone on the EB2 pairs the devices (or it can be done manually). This use of NFC to ease and speed up the process is pretty impressive.

 

Powering up the EB2 requires that the tow vehicle’s headlights are on (good practice while towing anyway) unless the vehicle socket is already wired for auxiliary power (which the Elecbrakes app can help identify if the owner is unsure).

 

If relying on energy borrowed from the taillight circuit and the headlights are turned off, the EB2 still provides trailer braking but its response is jerkier (and the app issues a reminder).

 

The app takes the user through a three-stage calibration procedure (best conducted on quiet roads) and is barely needed afterwards unless the trailer's weight is dramatically changed. Numerous presets can be programmed, such as for various trailer load levels.

 

Adjustments and manual override (for trailer sway situations) can be done on the fly, either via the phone app (provided the phone is in a cradle) but we preferred the simple Apple CarPlay/Android Auto integration.

 

During our initial journey with the EB2, we made a few additional manual tweaks to the calibration to get a level of braking feel we were comfortable with, as we had arrived at quite a conservative setting during the first run-through.

 

With the Patrol nowhere near its 3.5-tonne towing capacity, there was no tail-wagging-the-dog or much drama with the relatively low-slung trailer during crosswinds, so we were able to concentrate on how the EB2 was performing.

 

Compared to an almost identical setup with a Redarc Tow-Pro, making adjustments using the app felt more intuitive to us than using the tiny rotary controller of the de facto industry standard Redarc and we felt more easily able to get a confidence-inspiring calibration from the EB2.

 

However, many motorists will still find the time-honoured, more analogue and quick-to-access design of the Redarc knob less ‘fiddly’.

 

We racked up several hundred kilometres of towing with the EB2 in environments as diverse as suburbia, motorways, country roads (sealed and various gravel surfaces), creek crossings, beaches (both hard and soft sand) and chopped-up sandy tracks.

 

Although we could sense the EB2 doing its job, its performance remained consistent across all these environments.

 

There was one instance, with the Patrol and trailer both heavily loaded, on a busy stretch of beach, when the queue of vehicles up ahead braked suddenly due to a creek that opened up and blocked the way.

 

Pulling up the combination safely but without ploughing ourselves into deep sand required some firm, accurate braking and the EB2 did a fine job of delivering a balanced load across trailer and tow vehicle despite the challenging surface and the most weight we had yet tested it under.

 

Granted, we never replicated this scenario with the Redarc unit and we know the Adelaide-made brake controller is popular for good reason.

 

But the New South Wales central coast home of Elecbrakes is churning out some compelling alternatives to that little dashboard-mounted knob so many of us know and trust, with Aussie ingenuity meeting hi-tech solutions in a way that impressed us during testing.

 


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