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4 sensor backup for £20 - Never


Terrytraveller

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This parking sensor for cars was on sale at last years NEC show for £20

 

http://www.parking-sensor.co.uk/order/4004-reversing-sensors-with-digital-display.htm

 

If you also buy the Maplins 3.5mm Stereo Plug to Plug Lead 5m extension cable found on link

 

http://www.maplin.co.uk/Search.aspx?criteria=ext%20cable%203.5mm&source=15&SD=Y

 

You can then install the 4 sensors to the rear of the MH, connecting the controlbox power supply to the reversing lights and extending the display LEDs, the LED display can be stuck to the top of the inside rear view mirror and you have a saving of £140 at least on the usual cost at some suppliers.

 

Regards Terry

 

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I bought a four sensor version in Aldi last year. 41€ I think it was. It's designed to be used as 2 front and 2 rear, but I put all four in the rear bumper.

 

I have the control box in the MH's garage where I wired it up to garage's 12v lighting cable.

 

I didn't bother to wire it into the reversing light, I just switch it on when I reverse.

 

The cable for the VDU runs under the chassis in flexible trunking and comes up through the driver's stairwell and then on to the dash.

 

The brand is 'Blue Tinium'

 

 

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Hi Michele and Derek,

 

Sorry to hear of your accident Michele.

 

The coverage is extremely comprehensive, no blindspots at all, even the corners are covered for up to 12" either side. To get the sensors to work accurately, I had to mount them on brackets I made up, below the rear bumper valance, so no holes in the body work that you can see.

 

I still don't trust them implicitly, spent too many years repairing faulty electronic devices and machines, but they are a good back up to your own normal senses. They do seem to be failsafe, if the sensors are at all dirty, it will give false readings, that is closer than you really are from an obstacle. I feel that the display needs to be placed on the rear view mirror, so your head is not pointing down at the dashboard when looking at the distance display, and you can then see everything in a view.

 

Derek asks the brand, I know its the same one as is shown in the link, the box it came in is very solid and of high quality with a nice little magnetic catch. So I covered it in Blue velvet on the outside, red velvet on the inside, so can't see the makers name, and gave it as a christmas present to the wife. If you are interested I am giving a handiwork demonstration of its construction, to the WI in the local Synagogue in Swindon on Saturday, as soon as it is light enough to see.

 

Regards Terry

 

 

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Just a small quibble Terry but as they are now asking £89.99 then I guess your subject line is correct... "Never"

 

I bought my reverse sensor from Makro (can't remember how much but was cheap) This is audio (bleeping gets faster as object gets nearer) and an LED display. I dispensed with the display by putting the unit inside a rear cupboard where I can still hear it when I reverse and thus saved wiring to the front of the van.

 

Of course the ultimate in cheap reversing aids is to get wife / husband (see how PC I'm being?) to stand behind and guide but at least with my bleeper I know when I'm about to run her over :-D

 

By the way Terry, congratulations on the threads that you've posted of this type (alarm etc.) I love to read practical things like this, keep 'em coming.

 

 

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Terrytraveller - 2007-02-06 7:37 PM

 

So I covered it in Blue velvet on the outside, red velvet on the inside, so can't see the makers name, and gave it as a christmas present to the wife. If you are interested I am giving a handiwork demonstration of its construction, to the WI in the local Synagogue in Swindon on Saturday, as soon as it is light enough to see.

 

 

As it was for her christmas present I hope you gave her a discount on the fitting charge? 10% would seem appropriate.

 

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Hi Ralph,

 

Thanks for your kind posting, pleased you enjoy the content, I enjoy the fruits of making and using the modifications, as well as helping others, seems to be the motto of a good forum such as this.

 

Yes – my wife has been excellent at assisting with reversing the MH, but I found it difficult sometimes to understand the hand signals given! On some occasions we use a pair of walkie talkies as a reversing aid, verbal instructions are better than hand signals, as my mirrors can’t see round corners as some chapesses may sometimes think! (I bet I get my bottom smacked for that remark).

 

Regarding the Christmas present – didn’t even think to make any charge for it, do you think I might have got away with charging for a Christmas present?

 

Regarding cost of the reversing unit, I cheated a little bit in my calculation as the £140 cost would have included fitting, around an hours work for about £50 perhaps.

 

Regards Terry

 

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Tiny hijack, on the point about people giving hand signal directions to a driver whwen reversing I always try to see thedriver in his mirror on the basis of if I can see him then he should be able to see me. It never ceases to amaze me how some people will stand right behind the vehicle and wave their arms about like an albatross struggling to get airborne while all the time the poor driver can't see them! An ex work colleague of mine used to stand where I could see him in the mirror but then wave his arm over his head where I couldn't see it, his excuse was he was used to doing this for truck drivers!

 

Hijack over.

 

D.

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