Lenny's Modding the new Mini Gin Palace 2

[Lenny HB]

Where's it being done?

I'm in SAP on the 6th Jan

Rosmia, they are less than 20 miles from us and have been doing it longer than SAP.

 

[MichaelT]

It's very good at flattening your starter battery.

But mine runs off leisure battery as I see the load on the shunt when I turn it on?

 

[MichaelT]

Rosmia, they are less than 20 miles from us and have been doing it longer than SAP.

Yep SAP not very nice to deal with now, we're great first time I used them but not so nice 2nd time.

 

[Lenny HB]

But mine runs off leisure battery as I see the load on the shunt when I turn it on?

Have you changed the wiring then?

 

[MichaelT]

Have you changed the wiring then?

No, I asked dealer to fit 3 way switch like dethleffs do but the technician said no need as it runs off leisure when media button is on and I see the load but maybe it's just the TV? I'll try with just radio at some point and let you know.

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[Lenny HB]

No, I asked dealer to fit 3 way switch like dethleffs do but the technician said no need as it runs off leisure when media button is on and I see the load but maybe it's just the TV? I'll try with just radio at some point and let you know.

I'll have a play with my mates one he has the 9" Pioneer.

 

[MichaelT]

I'll have a play with my mates one he has the 9" Pioneer.

Ooh er matron don't think mines a 9 incher

Cheapo pioneer with the media kit.

 

[AdrianChen]

Rosmia, they are less than 20 miles from us and have been doing it longer than SAP.

I like the guys at Rosmia, very helpful and did a very neat job on the previous van. Would have gone there out of choice because they're much closer - but they can't do vans over 3m high.

Don't understand why SAP put the pump unit in ours where they did, under the water pump......

 

[Russell's Dad]

No, I asked dealer to fit 3 way switch like dethleffs do but the technician said no need as it runs off leisure when media button is on and I see the load but maybe it's just the TV? I'll try with just radio at some point and let you know.

My TV runs off leisure battery but the head unit off the starter, even when Media switch is on. I switch off the Pioneer head unit and use a Bluetooth speaker sat below the TV instead of the van's speakers. Saves the starter battery and means the sound is coming from the right place. Compactline i138 2021.

 

[Lenny HB]

My TV runs off leisure battery but the head unit off the starter, even when Media switch is on. I switch off the Pioneer head unit and use a Bluetooth speaker sat below the TV instead of the van's speakers. Saves the starter battery and means the sound is comung from the right place. Compactline i138 2021.

That's standard Carthago wiring unless you have the Fiat infotainment system.

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[AdrianChen]

That's standard Carthago wiring unless you have the Fiat infotainment system.

Yes both ours have been that way - can't see the logic in it. They seem to have stopped saying the vans are good for offgrid, which is as well with this wiring, because it will only be "safe" for the starter battery if you are on EHU!

We have the Pioneer jobby, so far the Ablemail has kept up overnight....

 

[Vansflyer]

Standard wiring for Carthago is a dual feed for the "switched live", one from leisure and the other from ign acc with diodes fitted to prevent reverse feed. Constant 12v feed comes from cab battery which is fine for memory function but when the Pioneer jobbie fires up it splits the current draw between the constant 12V and switched 12V... hence the flat cab battery. Not sure about the Fiat infotainment system but regular Pioneer etc units can have the constant 12v feed changed to the hab circuit and then no more issues draining the engine battery.

 

[Bustup15]

6th Jan, being Lenny I got a deal.

When they saw the switches they were talking about putting a panel with the gauges on the side of the seat base or in passenger footwell, not very useable there.
Then MichaelT sent me a pic of where SAP moved his switches (charged him £75).

VB have a remote control for the Fiat chassis but not for the Al-Ko, I was trying to hang on for it but now they are saying end of March so that probably means Aug/Sept.

Confused Lenny HB - I had full air fitted by SAP to the Al-ko and there is a 'remote'. At least a wired handset on a curly lead that can be mounted anywhere within reach?

 

[Lenny HB]

Confused Lenny HB - I had full air fitted by SAP to the Al-ko and there is a 'remote'. At least a wired handset on a curly lead that can be mounted anywhere within reach?

I had full air on the last van this just semi air on the rear, no remote avalible for the Al-Ko, they have it for the Fiat. On the Al-Ko the remote will only take the air to 3.5 bar not the full 4.5 bar. You would think just a software mod but appantly not that easy.

 

[MichaelT]

I had full air on the last van this just semi air on the rear, no remote avalible for the Al-Ko, they have it for the Fiat. On the Al-Ko the remote will only take the air to 3.5 bar not the full 4.5 bar. You would think just a software mod but appantly not that easy.

I run at 2 bar

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[Lenny HB]

I run at 2 bar

That's ilrelavant you need the 4.5 bar to lift the tail for steep ramps can't get enough lift at 3.5 bar.

 

[MichaelT]

My TV runs off leisure battery but the head unit off the starter, even when Media switch is on. I switch off the Pioneer head unit and use a Bluetooth speaker sat below the TV instead of the van's speakers. Saves the starter battery and means the sound is coming from the right place. Compactline i138 2021.

So just did a test, with media button off about 0.71a going into leisure battery, turn media button on with just radio and a draw on leisure battery of 0.29a which leads me to believe my head unit runs off leisure battery when using media button

 

[MichaelT]

My TV runs off leisure battery but the head unit off the starter, even when Media switch is on. I switch off the Pioneer head unit and use a Bluetooth speaker sat below the TV instead of the van's speakers. Saves the starter battery and means the sound is coming from the right place. Compactline i138 2021.

I can't turn my head unit off it just turns the screen off.

 

[Lenny HB]

I would say it's running from the starter battery.

 

[daveclare]

Don't know whether you'd be interested in one of these electric valves. They come with seven wires to enable connection to a switch with leds on the dash. Green for open, red for closed. They were £12 on Ali express, so I bought 2. I just removed it from the 20mm valve body fitted and it went straight onto my existing large valve. Which is still working fine

I'll fit the new one, once the wiring has been changed to accommodate the leds. Don't forget to get one with the manual override knob.

I agree with you on the waste camera. Works a treat.

Sorry Al. We'll sort yours out soon.

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[Lenny HB]

Don't know whether you'd be interested in one of these electric valves. They come with seven wires to enable connection to a switch with leds on the dash. Green for open, red for closed. They were £12 on Ali express, so I bought 2. I just removed it from the 20mm valve body fitted and it went straight onto my existing large valve. Which is still working fine

I'll fit the new one, once the wiring has been changed to accommodate the leds. Don't forget to get one with the manual override knob.
View attachment 994713
I agree with you on the waste camera. Works a treat.
View attachment 994714
View attachment 994715
Sorry Al. We'll sort yours out soon.

That's interesting at that price I'll get one to play with.

Edit:
The one in your photo is 5v.

 

[Russell's Dad]

I can't turn my head unit off it just turns the screen off.

Press and hold the Off button. You should hear the fan stop ( if it's the same as mine).

So just did a test, with media button off about 0.71a going into leisure battery, turn media button on with just radio and a draw on leisure battery of 0.29a which leads me to believe my head unit runs off leisure battery when using media button

View attachment 994691View attachment 994693

The TV will go onto standby when the Media button is pressed. Thar will draw some power.

 

[PeteandCher]

On my 2024 Ducato Malibu with the 10" Fiat system, if you are parked with ignition off you can press the button below the screen and the display lights up, satnav, settings etc. Radio shows as on but no sound until media switch is pressed, then radio comes on, presumably from leisure battery. However it only stays on for about 15 mins, then you have to reboot it. Does anyone know how to make it stay on? Interestingly the TV only works when media switch is on, but stays on till switched off, not just 15 mins.

 

[dom_k]

Here's one I did eairler, actually did it while we were in Spain.

We always set the hot water on the timer so we have hot water when we get up.
A heating vent pipe runs along the side of of each bed and the head of the bed.
With just the hot water one the right hand bed was getting very hot.

It was just heat rising from the boiler which is under the fridge at the end of the bed so only a short pipe run from from boiler.
With the heating on it was like a sauna. Never had a German van with a hot bedroom before normally quite cool.

A crude simple easy fix.

Here is the the joint is where the pipe reduces to a smaller size before going along the side of the bed.

View attachment 989628

The fix.
View attachment 989627

A piece of aluminium foil with a few holes punched in it.
Works a treat restricts the flow now no noticeable heat with just the hot water on but allows enough warm air through to heat the bed area with the heating on.

Hi Lenny,
Did you find this makes the heat distribution any better? My right bed gets very warm and the left bed is cooler. I can certainly feel less air being delivered through the left vent holes in the perforated tube - does this even it out at all?

 

[dom_k]

Don't know why they don't wire it to the head unit.

If they did that you wouldn’t be able to use it as a permanent rear camera would you. I find mine quite useful on the screen with Apple CarPlay on the main head unit

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[MichaelT]

If they did that you wouldn’t be able to use it as a permanent rear camera would you. I find mine quite useful on the screen with Apple CarPlay on the main head unit

Could on my dethleffs and knaus if I wanted but I don't normally as its a distraction.

 

[WESTY66]

That's interesting at that price I'll get one to play with.

Edit:
The one in your photo is 5v.

Better get two

 

[AdrianChen]

Better get two

Your expertise and advice in electrical matters puts even Lenny HB to shame

 

[Al n Val]

Sorry Al. We'll sort yours out soon.

daveclare

No worries Dave

another year won’t hurt me