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RVi3 brake system / turn signals

Bob125

By Bob125
in General Motorhome Discussion

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Rocketman3

Rocketman3

Posted
Posted

I have the RVi2 (older unit- so it may not be the same).

I have a connection plug that I plug into the MotorHome’s 7-wire trailer connect and 6 wire (or 4-wire) that plugs into my Jeep. That wires goes back to the Jeeps driver rear tail light where I have a Hopkins’s(???) brand connector that was plug -n-play. It delivers turn signals, running lights, and brake signals (but not 3rd brake light) to the Jeep tail lights.   I got them from e-trailer. 
 

if the RVI2 brake engages the petal, then I get the 3rd brake light. 
 

My front display controller is dying (but it’s still running), when it completely dies I am planning on replacing it with Demco Air Force One instead of the RVi3.

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JDCrow

JDCrow

Posted
Posted
41 minutes ago, Rocketman3 said:

I have the RVi2 (older unit- so it may not be the same).

I have a connection plug that I plug into the MotorHome’s 7-wire trailer connect and 6 wire (or 4-wire) that plugs into my Jeep. That wires goes back to the Jeeps driver rear tail light where I have a Hopkins’s(???) brand connector that was plug -n-play. It delivers turn signals, running lights, and brake signals (but not 3rd brake light) to the Jeep tail lights.   I got them from e-trailer. 
 

if the RVI2 brake engages the petal, then I get the 3rd brake light. 
 

My front display controller is dying (but it’s still running), when it completely dies I am planning on replacing it with Demco Air Force One instead of the RVi3.

I bought my 2 with no display, and works fine 

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Poppa G

Poppa G

Posted
Posted

ROADMASTER kit to wire into rear tail lights and wire harness to front of your vehicle to a separate plug that you install,which you plug into your motor home.Goto YOU-TUBE search RVI-3 brake install,and roadmaster brake and turn signal kit.If you are a DIY about 2hr wiring hook-up.

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Dr4Film

Dr4Film

Posted
Posted (edited)

The RViBrake 3 is a braking system to help slow or stop the vehicle you are towing.

It does not need any umbilical electrical cord between your RV and the vehicle you are towing.

However, you DO need to have an umbilical electrical cord between the RV & the vehicle you are towing that activates a set of lights on the vehicle you are towing for directionals, parking and brake lights. Unless you decide to have one of the wireless electrical devices available on the market that accomplishes the same task.

https://tinyurl.com/ycyaswrw

The photo below has a RED coiled umbilical electrical cable that goes from the RV to the Car. That is required to activate the brake, turn and running lights on your car that you are towing. It has no connection to the RViBrake 3. This is required no matter what brand of vehicle braking system you install.

The orange coiled cable is the RViBrake 3 Breakaway cable that will stop the vehicle in case the tow bar fails and the car is no longer attached to the RV.

The RViBrake 3 is sitting on the floor in front of the driver's seat and is attached to the vehicles brake pedal. Second photo.

The only two wires going to the RViBrake 3 are the power cable which plugs into your 12 VDC receptacle and the breakaway cable that comes from the front of the vehicle through the firewall to the RViBrake 3 sitting on the floor.

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773_6156046533_a6f3c099_c7b1_429d_8a2c_a

Edited by Dr4Film
Added Photos from RViBrake 3 Web Site
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Tom Cherry

Tom Cherry

Posted
Posted
1 hour ago, JDCrow said:

Ok now I’m intrigued. How are they wired to RVI3? I might want to upgrade 

I googled the RVI3 installation and use and setup.  Like Richard says in the write and pictures.  Two cords.  One is 12VDC from the car. The other is the emergency stop or pull out the plunger switch from the front of the Toad.  No connection to the Toad’s wiring or to park & turn/brake & brake lights.

seems pretty clear….this is the same concept as the old brake buddy.  Plug in the cars’ type or weight…then drain down the vacuum booster….and the internal air compressor and regulator do the work.  That assumes, as you probably well know, that the battery does not run down…so an umbilical with a charging circuit may be required.

NOTE…SOME CARS, like Ivan’s Hummer or the Coronado or Chevy equivalent, do have an electric braking system.  Opps, there is no vacuum to bleed off.  Now the RUB.  The H3 was actually on the Coronado or the smaller GM PICKUP Chassis.  From year to year, the “engineer” CHANGED the braking circuit.  I know this the hard way.  If the electric motor, which was attached or part of the ABS system was FULL TIME POWERED….AS in, the key did NOT have to be on, then the brakes would’ve been way too sensitive.  Many Hummer owners flat spotted their tires.  Brake Buddy finally put a disclaimer that vehicles with no vacuum assist and electric motor powered brakes would NOT work.  The engineer at brake buddy said the could not regulate, even with an external regulator, the air pressure low enough.

BUT, the Hummers varied from year to year.  You had to tap into the circuit to the motor at the ABS.  THEN, apply the brakes.  If the motor lead had 12 VDC when sitting….then you would immediately get full power (as in vacuum assisted) brakes.  Then….it got really tricky.  If you hit or moved the brake with your foot or the brake lights came on….you most likely had a switch off…brake system powered vehicle.  But, if nothing happened and then you turned on the switch and you had power to the motor and the brakes lights were on….it was an “ignition controlled” system.

The late HOTROD, RIP (Bill Groves) had an older (mine was 2008) Hummer and was adamant that mine worked exactly like his 2006.  I actually had the Hummer dealer pull the prints on his and mine….and he did not believe it…we got along well, though and he was a great resource.

I used a US Gear Unified Tow Brake system and provided Hummer info to the tech support.  I had to put a diode on the motor lead as the only way the system would work was to supply power to the ABS.  It did NOT like voltage (current) coming IN…and blew a fuse.  The diode prevented that.  The system used a Solenoid which moved a cable.  So, when the US Gear supplied power to Solenoid, there was a power line going to a Vaccum pump that kept a normal system “powered”. They were designed NOT to bleed down the system.  I used that line to the ABS motor and protected the normal circuit with a diode.

YES…you do learn a lot driving and wiring and installing stuff on these beasts…

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Bob125

Bob125

Posted
  • Author
Posted

Thanks everyone for the info.  I decided to go with a 3rd M&G brake system.  The past two M&G systems have been very reliable.  I really like the RVi3 and feel it’s a good system.  I wish they had an option for brake notification other than the command center.  I already have a lot of devices hanging around the dash and didn’t want another 7” screen to deal with.  I called RVi3 and asked if there was a simple brake activation light or an electrical tap I could connect to and they said no, that the RVi3 must be used with their 7” command center.  I like a brake activation light as it gives me conform to know the toad brakes are working and/or if a breakaway happens.  By the way all this is to setup towing for a new to us 2020 Jeep Wrangler. Thx, Bob…

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Dr4Film

Dr4Film

Posted
Posted (edited)

Bob,

The command center is not needed to have the RViBrake 3 operate correctly.

The one big advantage of the RViBrake 3 is its Brake Lock Protection but you have to have the Command Center for that to work.

The RViBrake 3 does not have a provision on their display for a brake light signal on the vehicle you are towing other than the Command Center. However, it can easily be added exactly like the ones used on other braking systems.

All that is needed is a wire from the vehicle you are towing to an indictor lamp on driver's dash to the left of the driver's seat. It would be wired such that when the vehicles brake pedal has been pushed by the RViBrake 3 it lights up the indicator lamp at the driver's dash. This lamp could be used also for Brake Lock Protection.

Edited by Dr4Film
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Tom Cherry

Tom Cherry

Posted
Posted
51 minutes ago, Bob125 said:

Thanks everyone for the info.  I decided to go with a 3rd M&G brake system.  The past two M&G systems have been very reliable.  I really like the RVi3 and feel it’s a good system.  I wish they had an option for brake notification other than the command center.  I already have a lot of devices hanging around the dash and didn’t want another 7” screen to deal with.  I called RVi3 and asked if there was a simple brake activation light or an electrical tap I could connect to and they said no, that the RVi3 must be used with their 7” command center.  I like a brake activation light as it gives me conform to know the toad brakes are working and/or if a breakaway happens.  By the way all this is to setup towing for a new to us 2020 Jeep Wrangler. Thx, Bob…

I’m on my third brake system.  Brake Buddy wireless was the pits…even on a shorter MH.  The U S Gear was great.  Did not room for the Solenoid….a big one…under the Yukon carpet or seat.  
 

bought the M&G and safety kit.  Love it.  Good choice

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