It’s essential to have a safe, responsive trailer brake system, whether you’ve got a horse float trailer, boat trailer, caravan or work trailer.

The most popular option for trailer brakes in New Zealand is electric brakes, which require an electric brake controller to operate.

We’re confident that Elecbrakes is the best electric brake controller in New Zealand. Elecbrakes can tow weights up to 4,500kg. Its smooth proportional brake response, 10 minute ‘Plug & Play’ installation and multi-tow vehicle accessibility makes Elecbrakes unbeatable in terms of safety, performance and flexibility.

This article will explain the top 10 benefits of Elecbrakes:

1. Trailer mounted brake controller for multi tow vehicle flexibility.
2. Easy 10 minute electric brake controller installation.
3. Keep saving money over the lifetime of your trailer.
4. Customisable preset programs for easy user calibration.
5. Smartphone app for easy program modification and device monitoring.
6. Wireless in-car remote.
7. Powered entirely from standard trailer wiring.
8. Best electric over hydraulic brake controller.
9. Created for New Zealand conditions with rugged, durable design.
10. Owned, designed and manufactured in Australia.

1. Trailer mounted brake controller for multi tow vehicle flexibility

Traditional electric brake controllers are mounted in the dash of the towing vehicle. This means that only the vehicle that has the brake controller installed is able to tow the trailer – which is seriously frustrating for hire companies, tradies or anyone that needs more than one car for towing.

To combat this frustration, Elecbrakes developed a trailer mounted brake controller. With Elecbrakes, any vehicle is able to tow the trailer, as long it has the correct towing capacity. The car is connected to the brake controller through the trailer connection and the driver can manually operate controls with an in-car remote. The trailer is set up and ready to go in a matter of minutes.

2. Easy 10 minute electric brake controller installation

With the ‘Plug and Play’ installation option, an Elecbrakes unit can be easily set up in 10 minutes! It requires no wiring into the trailer and no tow-vehicle modifications. Instead, it’s mounted onto the trailer and plugged into the standard trailer connection. It comes with custom adapter configurations for a range of standard trailer plugs and vehicle sockets.

3. Keep saving money over the lifetime of your trailer

Traditional electric brake controllers have to be hard wired into the dash of the tow vehicle, which is often completed by auto electrician. This kind of installation can cost upwards of $500 per vehicle.

With Elecbrakes, customers only need one unit per trailer. The trailer is then able to be towed by any vehicle with the correct towing capacity using a wireless controller. This flexibility has great benefits for hire companies, tradesmen, even individual caravan users.

Individual users have an average of three tow vehicles over the lifetime of their trailer. Having an Elecbrakes controller means you only pay once – you don’t need a new controller for every new vehicle. You can read more about the cost-saving benefit of Elecbrakes in our post, Are You Paying Too Much To Tow Your Trailer?

4. Customisable preset programs for easy user calibration

Elecbrakes users can customise five preset programs for future use. Users can program brake controls for different situations, store these functions on the device and easily use at any time at the touch of a button.

That means, horse owners can program brake controls for towing an empty horse float and towing a horse float with two or three animals.

Boat enthusiasts can program the brake controls for driving a fully loaded trailer along the highway, reversing an empty boat trailer in a parking space or driving a fully loaded trailer up a wet ramp.

These programs are stored on the Elecbrakes device, not on the remote or a smartphone app. So each person that uses the trailer will have access to the custom programs.

5. Smartphone app for easy program modification and device monitoring

Elecbrakes has a free smartphone app that provides all the functionality of the in-car remote, plus a range of other handy features.

You can configure the five preset programs, manually alter the brake response on the go, monitor the live status of the brake controller, view voltage readings and indicators for brake light and accelerometer readings.

The app allows you to view the status of the Elecbrakes device and how it’s performing at a glance. The app is free to download, for both apple and android users.

6. Wireless in-car remote

The wireless in-car remote allows you to conveniently alter the break response at the push of a button. The button on the remote is pressure sensitive, allowing you to vary the degree of braking based on the amount of pressure on the button.

The in-car remote provides a wireless, easy to use and set up alternative to old-fashioned, hard-wired brake controls.

7. Powered entirely from standard trailer wiring

Elecbrakes have achieved a revolutionary way of powering the electric brake controller, from the existing trailer circuits.

Elecbrakes provides sufficient amperage to the brakes without needing to hard wire into the tow vehicle. All the power is drawn from existing trailer circuits. Read more about this in our post can standard trailer wiring power electric brakes?

8. Best electric over hydraulic brake controller for towing boats

Complete electric systems aren’t viable in marine environments, electric over hydraulic brake controllers are the most effective. Electric over hydraulic systems require a control signal from an electric brake controller. Elecbrakes has the best functionality in this system.

Elecbrakes customisable presets allow you to program brake responses for towing an empty trailer, reversing and unloading the trailer on a boat ramp.

9. Created for New Zealand conditions with rugged, durable design

The Elecbrakes system is made out of urethan resin, creating a waterproof, shock proof device. Specifically designed to withstand New Zealand conditions such as rain, hail, snow, wind and frost. You can be sure that your electric brake controls will continue to work perfectly, no matter what the weather conditions are.

10. Owned, designed and manufactured in Australia

Elecbrakes is 100% Aussie owned, designed and manufactured. This means, when you purchase Elecbrakes, you’re supporting our friends from over the ditch. Elecbrakes ensure your trailer is safe and reliable.

Whether it’s the proportional braking, 10 minute ‘plug and play’ installation or multi-tow vehicle flexibility, you’ll find something you love about Elecbrakes. Find out for yourself how easy it is to tow, join the towing revolution today.

Please note, the looms and remote are not included in the base price. You will require at least the loom for the unit to work.