baden87 Posted May 18, 2017 Share Posted May 18, 2017 Hi all I have 2008 auto trail on fiat Ducato and replacing the standard radio,the yellow and red are both connected to a permanently live wire behind dash,is there not an option on Ducato wiring to have ignition switched live for the red wire ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alanb Posted May 18, 2017 Share Posted May 18, 2017 Hi, I know that wiring details change with vehicle versions, but if it is any help the option exists in my x244 2006 Ducato. However if you choose to use the ignition controlled supply, you will not be able to operate the radio, unless the ignition is switched ON. Alan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
baden87 Posted May 18, 2017 Author Share Posted May 18, 2017 thanks i realise that but i think its draining the cab battery ?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keithl Posted May 18, 2017 Share Posted May 18, 2017 Hi Paul, According to the Sargent Electrical wiring diagrams for all Auto Trails from circa 2007 onwards the radio is fed from Connector 'A' of the PSU by a Brown/Yellow (N/Y) wire. So unless yours has been rewired by a previous owner it should not be running off your starter battery. https://sargentltd.co.uk/tech-support/article/Auto-Trail-Schematics/26 Have you tried watching your voltage readings on the control panel and turning the radio on and off? You should see a voltage change on the battery powering it. If you are suffering from a battery drain then try unplugging the radio and see if that cures it. All the best, Keith. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aandncaravan Posted May 18, 2017 Share Posted May 18, 2017 In some vehicles, with some Radios, especially aftermarket 'Car' models, the power drain can be quite significant from whichever battery it is connected to, the Starter or habitation battery. Not saying this applies in your case. The standard radio may not be the best, but it is designed to be ultra low power consumption as it is expected the Motorhome may be parked up over a longer time. Radios in cars don't need to be ultra low power consumption because 'the car gets used every day' so usually no issue drawing 12v power to store the tuned stations, audio settings, etc. Therefore if you wire most car radio via the ignition (both cables), you are likely to lose all the settings each time you turn it off. If you have an after market 'car intended' unit that also has a remote control function, the power draw can be even greater as it is constantly 'listening' for a remote signal to activate and this also draws power. This £69 Kenwood Stereo has non volatile memory so you could cut all 12v (like put a switch in the power supply cable) with out losing the stations : http://www.kenwood-electronics.co.uk/car/rec/usb/KDC-100UB/?view=details Probably won't help you in this case but worth a mention for other readers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
baden87 Posted May 19, 2017 Author Share Posted May 19, 2017 I could do with it running from habitation battery as I have a solar panel connected to this Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alanb Posted May 21, 2017 Share Posted May 21, 2017 The difficult bit is running the cable. Along with that I added a C/O relay into the accessories connection to the radio. The relay is operated by the original supply from the ignition switch. Common contact to the radio, Normally Open (NO) contact to the new supply, and the Normally Closed (NC) contact to the new supply via a remote timer. (The radio fitted to my vehicle by the concertor did not have a timer function.) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
baden87 Posted May 22, 2017 Author Share Posted May 22, 2017 Where's the split charge relay ? Could I pick a leisure battery feed from here ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aandncaravan Posted May 22, 2017 Share Posted May 22, 2017 Suggest you are careful about taking a feed directly from the battery as many of the modern Power controllers are designed to control all power. For example the Sargent EC325/EC328 can charge the habitation battery at up to 18v. The manual specifically advises that anything connected direct to the battery may not only prevent the Sargent box from working correctly, but it might receive 18v and suffer damage. This may not apply to your set-up, but the advice might be useful for others? We keep finding Alarms wired from the battery, Satellite systems, etc. Suggest everyone who has this type of work carried out ensures the fitter understands the importance of wiring it from the Power Controller, not the battery. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
baden87 Posted May 22, 2017 Author Share Posted May 22, 2017 Thanks aandncaravan so what's the best route to wire radio to habitation battery ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aandncaravan Posted May 23, 2017 Share Posted May 23, 2017 What model of Autotrail do you have and what Sargent Box is installed, an EC200? If so, as Keith says above you should find a Brown/Yellow Positive wire out of the 15 way connector on the left of the box. Fuse it with a 5 amp fuse if it the standard stereo, but if it is an aftermarket item, maybe 50 watts per 4 channel stereo, then use a 15 - 20 amp as appropriate. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
baden87 Posted May 23, 2017 Author Share Posted May 23, 2017 Hi it's a apache 634L 2008 with a ec225 Once again thank you Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robinhood Posted May 23, 2017 Share Posted May 23, 2017 It's pin 3 of the 12V connector on the EC225.. It is documented as sharing the fuse with the fridge, though as it states 5 amps, I suspect this is the fridge's control circuits only. I'd be wary of increasing the fuse rating too far without knowing the capacity of the wiring loom (and the Sargent instructions warn against it). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
baden87 Posted May 23, 2017 Author Share Posted May 23, 2017 Hi Yes I think pin 3 is the best option , I guess the fridge feed is only to energise the relay 5 amp should be enough for the radio don't you think Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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