mentaliss Posted May 18, 2014 Share Posted May 18, 2014 asked this question on MHF but poor response, so here goes; Has anyone fitted these and found them satisfactory ? reason I ask is it appears that normal car type ones loose the power when the harness is over 6 metres long therefore the dash display/ buzzer produces a erratic operation...?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sshortcircuit Posted May 18, 2014 Share Posted May 18, 2014 A bit confused " dash display/ buzzer"???? I just have a buzzer so what is the dash display? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mentaliss Posted May 18, 2014 Author Share Posted May 18, 2014 sshortcircuit - 2014-05-18 8:43 PM A bit confused " dash display/ buzzer"???? I just have a buzzer so what is the dash display? just Google the above and view them, all in their glory :-D .....so back to my topic (?) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sshortcircuit Posted May 19, 2014 Share Posted May 19, 2014 I assume? you are extending the harness and that, understandably, is when the problems occur? Can't help but find audible only is OK. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mentaliss Posted May 19, 2014 Author Share Posted May 19, 2014 Yes I was about to, shame that 'Steelmate' use computer micro wires for their buzzer/ display harness As its very difficult to solder plus I doubt if the micro cable strands are capable of carrying the voltage up a 8 mtr length cable... hence my topic about Wireless system, after all that have you got wireless or not? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sshortcircuit Posted May 19, 2014 Share Posted May 19, 2014 I can only assume the sensors detect using wireless and are hard wired back to a module which is located at the rear of the motorhome as is the buzzer and no display. Power is taken from reversing light supply. Works OK and the different buzzer rates indicate how near you are getting to an obstical. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek Uzzell Posted May 19, 2014 Share Posted May 19, 2014 A 'wired' system would have a control-unit that takes its power-supply from a reversing-light, with a warning buzzer and/or display (preferably) towards the front of the vehicle where the driver can easily hear/see it and connected to the control-unit via a cable. A 'wireless' system would have a control-unit that takes its power-supply from a reversing-light, with a warning buzzer and/or display towards the front of the vehicle, but the control-unit would pass information wirelesly to the buzzer/display. An example of the latter type of system is advertised/described here http://tinyurl.com/mzooucw http://www.aandetrading.com/hid/cisbomanual.pdf The effectiveness of 'wireless'-type systems (or cheap systems at least!) within a motorhome is generally recognised as being unpredictable (which is presumably why mentaliss asked about them) and there's no guarantee that a system that works well on one motorhome will work equally well on all motorhomes. Obviously, if a parking-aid system proves to be untrustworthy, it's better not to find this out the hard way. The question has ben raised before on this forum http://www.outandaboutlive.co.uk/forums/Motorhomes/Motorhome-Matters/wireless-parking-sensors/16793/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Iain Strachan Posted May 19, 2014 Share Posted May 19, 2014 Hi, I have wired sensors from Maplin, just fit the unit at the rear of the van, and extend the display wire to reach the dash. On previous 6mtr van and present 7.35mtr van works well. http://www.maplin.co.uk/p/nikkai-4-sensor-wired-reversing-kit-a61jj Cheers Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek Uzzell Posted May 20, 2014 Share Posted May 20, 2014 Provided that a 'wired' kit is chosen that is purpose-designed for larger vehicles (eg. trucks and motorhomes) and comes from a manufacturer with a good reputation, the kit's wiring harness should normally not need to be extended, nor should the lengthy distance between a display-unit in the cab and the sensors at the vehicle's rear degrade the system's accuracy. For example, Waeco's MagicWatch MWE-650 system comes as standard with a 15-metre cable to connect the in-cab display-unit/beeper to the control-unit (plus extension cables for the display-unit and sensors as accessories if the standard cable-lengths do prove to be too short.) Waeco's stuff isn't cheap though, and an MWE-650 costs over £200. Plainly, if one chooses a wired system designed for a car and attempts to install it in a long motorhome, there's a good chance that the wiring-harness will need to be extended and, if the system uses 'funny' cable (as mentaliss says is the case with "Steelmate" products) this task may be challenging. I notice that there is a "Steelmate" system that has a wireless buzzer http://www.steel-mate.co.uk/acatalog/PTS400W1-C-Matt-Black-Sensors-249.html#SID=21 that's said to be suitable for commercial vehicles. This would avoid the need to run a cable from the front to the rear of a long motorhome, but I've no idea about its accuracy or reliability within a motorhome. "AutoExpress" has tested reversing aids over the years and I think this 2010 review is the most recent. http://www.autoexpress.co.uk/accessories-tyres/36160/reversing-aids-tested Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alf Posted May 20, 2014 Share Posted May 20, 2014 Hi I have wireless sensors fitted to our van they are very accurate and work fine but with any type of reverse sensors they should be classed as a revere sing Aid only care still needs to be taken with any form of reverse aid things can slip by any aid including cameras. I went for the type that includes a shaped spacer to fit behind the sensor to allow adjustment of the sensor beam. Alf Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mentaliss Posted May 20, 2014 Author Share Posted May 20, 2014 Hi alf thanks for your experience did you email me on this subject? I would be interested to know whose system did you fit? :-D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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