Recently bought a motorhome based on the 2.8D Ducato - great to drive and use..... BUT when I'm sitting relaxing in the evening, the radio turns off after 20 mins (presumably to stop me flattening the battery).

Spoke to the builders of the motorhome (IH Motorcampers) recently at the NEC, and they want to charge me £100 to fit an override switch, which I think is a bit excessive. I'm quite capable of doing it myself (as an experienced electronic constructor) The manual I have doesn't include a "delay module" for me to bypass - has anybody out there done this little operation? The radio is only a simple standard unit, no clever GPS, mobile phone stuff, and I'd be very grateful for any advice.

I think you can bypass the deay of the radio via the menu,i think it allows you to set fifferent times or turn it off completely just have a play through the menu

Roger,

There was an article in Practical Motorhome some months ago, can't remember when by Dave Newall. He uses Motorhome today forum. If you can hold on for a few days I will try to dig it out (I am sure I will still have it) It was very simple using componants from maplins. I did on my Autosleeper and it has worked fine since.
Regards

Stewart

I recently had a faulty radio changed at Wellsbridge MHs.

A comment from the fitter whilst fitting the new radio,.....'That's not right! I need to connect it to a live so it doesn't switch itself off'
He swapped one of the connectors and all is OK.

HTH.

Thanks, guys, for your advice - I'll keep watching the forum

Roger,

You have a new PM

Regards
Stewart

Why PM? its a forum for all to see & help each another thats the whole point:bang:

T14086 said:

Why PM? its a forum for all to see & help each another thats the whole point:bang:

Click to expand...

Yes, I'd like to know the answer to this for my 2006 Peugeot Boxer assuming it is the same as the Fiat: my radio has 'Fiat' on the label........ I have seen instructions elsewhere for a 2004 Boxer but the connectors mentioned are completely different from mine.

Harvey

well stewartkingswood would you like to help out a fellow FF member

Hi,
Sorry for not replying earlier been away, however this is the method I have used in the past on my Peugeot Boxer Motorhome to alter the radio settings.

THIS METHOD SHOULD NOT BE USED ON THE LATEST VERSION OF THE BOXER OR DUCATO

To simply eliminate the 20 minute cutoff but retain the ignition on switching feed is quite simple. You need a couple of feet of twin core wire (speaker wire is ideal as the current carried is very low) a diode and a switch. mount the switch in a convenient place and connect one of each of the two cores to either side of the switch. Remove the radio and with a multi meter or test lamp establish which wires are the permanent live and ignition switched feeds.

On Fiats the permanent live should be the thick red wire, the ignition switched feed is a thin yellow/blue wire. Once you have established the ignition switched feed cut it through about 50 mm from the socket and insert the diode into it (check it's the right way round by switching the ignition on, if the radio comes on then it's the right way round, if not reverse the diode).

Connect one of the two cores from your new switch to the permanent live and the other to the radio side of the diode. Now your radio will still switch on and off with the ignition but by operating the switch you can have it on for as long as you like without the ignition on.

To power your radio from the leisure battery run a new wire from your leisure battery (with a 10 Amp fuse as near to the battery as is possible) and cut the red from the original feed (again about 50mm from the socket). Connect the new wire to the red tail to the radio socket.

DO NOT USE INSULATION DISPLACEMENT CONNECTORS (SCOTCHLOCKS) FOR ANY OF THE CONNECTIONS. EITHER SOLDER AND INSULATE OR USE PROPER CRIMP TERMINALS AND CONNECTORS.

Parts needed (all from Maplins)
Diode Maplins Part number N72CA
Bell cable length to suite wher you are fitting the extra switch
Switch Maplins Part number NOOAR
10amp power wire and in line fuse for the leisure battery wiring (from local Car Accesories shop)

Thanks to Dave Newell for publishing the article in Practical Motorhome Magazine

I hope you will visit me in prison if I have broken any copyright laws!!!
Regards
Stewart

stewartkingswood said:

I hope you will visit me in prison if I have broken any copyright laws!!!
Regards
Stewart

Click to expand...

PMSL .......dont worry about it,i'm quite sure things have been quoted from this site

Anyway, cheers for getting back to us....anyone fancy trying this, even making it into a guide?

Just a minor comment. The function of the wires to the radio are detailed in the Owners Manual for the Ducato - well they are for my 2006 2.8 JTD .

Peter

stewartkingswood said:

Hi,
Sorry for not replying earlier been away, however this is the method I have used in the past on my Peugeot Boxer Motorhome to alter the radio settings.
Stewart

Click to expand...

Thanks for that Stewart,

I'll be 'looking into it' soon.

Harvey

Rogerduc said:

Recently bought a motorhome based on the 2.8D Ducato - great to drive and use..... BUT when I'm sitting relaxing in the evening, the radio turns off after 20 mins (presumably to stop me flattening the battery).

Spoke to the builders of the motorhome (IH Motorcampers) recently at the NEC, and they want to charge me £100 to fit an override switch, which I think is a bit excessive. I'm quite capable of doing it myself (as an experienced electronic constructor) The manual I have doesn't include a "delay module" for me to bypass - has anybody out there done this little operation? The radio is only a simple standard unit, no clever GPS, mobile phone stuff, and I'd be very grateful for any advice.

Click to expand...

hi there ignore all this seperate switch crap all you have to do is connect the constant feed wire and the blue and yellow wire on the puegeot boxer could be the same.

The separate switch 'crap' is to enable you to switch the radio on and off from the rear of a motorhome.

This makes a lot of sense in a large motorhome, if he wanted a simple solution perhaps he would have asked!!

Stewart

stewartkingswood said:

The separate switch 'crap' is to enable you to switch the radio on and off from the rear of a motorhome.


Stewart

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Ah! I see Stewart .......... you didn't make that clear in your detail instruction ... I did wonder why .........

Harvey

tez9381 said:

............ all you have to do is connect the constant feed wire and the blue and yellow wire on the puegeot boxer could be the same.

Click to expand...

Hi all,

I have now done this: chopped the yellow / blue ( or blue / yellow; forget now ) switched feed from the 'ignition' switch and connected it to the red permanent feed. All now well, *except* the radio 'on' pushbutton is permanently illuminated. It wasn't before.

I am sure that the current flow will be minimal but I am now monitoring the 'starter' battery voltage just in case .............. any useful comments welcome.

btw this *is* a Peugeot Boxer 2006 ( pre X250 ), not a Fiat but am sure it is the same as a similar year Boxer: the radio has a Fiat label on it.

Harvey

Nice one Stew,

ingram said:

Hi all,

I have now done this: chopped the yellow / blue ( or blue / yellow; forget now ) switched feed from the 'ignition' switch and connected it to the red permanent feed. All now well, *except* the radio 'on' pushbutton is permanently illuminated. It wasn't before.

I am sure that the current flow will be minimal but I am now monitoring the 'starter' battery voltage just in case .............. any useful comments welcome.

btw this *is* a Peugeot Boxer 2006 ( pre X250 ), not a Fiat but am sure it is the same as a similar year Boxer: the radio has a Fiat label on it.

Harvey

Click to expand...

Another update: so, yes, it flattens the battery! ... and on removing the radio it was warm, so in effect the radio is permanently on! I have now fitted a separate switch into this circuit and all is well. It does mean that the switch has to be on to override a 20 min. cut off, even when driving but that is no problem for me.

I hope that is helpful to anyone else contemplating this, or a similar mod. to override the radio cut off feature.

Harvey

Hi,

If you had followed the ideas from Dave Newell the radio would not have been live all the time and all would be great. Mine has been working correctly for the past 2 years.

Regards
Stewart