Is it normal that...

[W9TR]

Originally Posted by Urlauber

So to gently guide this back to my original questions...

Does anyone know if it is normal that the sound system is connected to the Chassis battery? It's a Kenwood DMX706S. I am pretty sure it should be connected to the House battery so one can entertain without the key in the ignition turned on. Right? Right.

Which leads to the question, is this something that can be fixed without a 8 hour round trip (and 3 month wait) to/at the dealer/repairer?

In our similar Thor Tellaro 20AT the sound system is connected to the chassis battery. It does not operate without the key in the ignition.

Some owners have added a switch in the 12V radio feed to allow it to run on the house battery. That has not been a panacea. The radio is also connected to a module that interfaces the vehicle CAN BUS (aka OBD port) and powering the radio and not that module causes some intermittent issues.

Also on our RAM Promaster chassis there is no ACC ignition switch position which makes it worse because everything is ON.

Our solution was to add a Bluetooth sound bar below the TV. We link our phones to it and it sounds quite nice.

[W9TR]

Originally Posted by mumkin

One problem with switching out the head unit in a Promaster is that you lose the ability to communicate with the Promaster computer for lots of adjustments that are normally done through the uConnect.. like setting date/time, locking options, headlights and such.

In our 2020 Promaster 3500 with a Pioneer NEX 1500 all the unconnect features are available via an interface that connects the chassis obd (CANBUS) with the radio. I believe this module is branded ‘Maestro’ .

[Urlauber]

Originally Posted by Timcd1st

On the solar charger Thor does wire it to the coach side of the cutoff switch. On my friends Sequence it was just a matter of accessing the back of the switch and moving the solar controller wire from the coach side of the switch to the battery side of the switch so that the controller would provide charging to the coach batteries all the time. Since that modification he has had no problems.

Thank you for confirming and suggesting a work-around. Need to ponder this a bit more. Maybe... there isn't a need for that. The fridge seems to draw very little, Truma too, water pump is rarely used, and fans not really that much in Winter, so overall the solar panel seems to keep the batteries charged pretty well. Need to keep monitoring the voltages a bit more.

[Urlauber]

Originally Posted by W9TR

Owner of a Thor Tellaro here.
1. Yes - sound system is wired to chassis battery.

2. IDK - our van has a Pioneer stereo and the 1/8” aux input does not work with my iPod.

3. The main on/off switch is in the (+) lead of the battery feed. If your GoPower Solar controller shows a voltage above 12V when the main switch is OFF then your solar controller is wired correctly on the battery side of the main switch.

To put it another way, if your GoPower solar controller appears to work normally with the main switch off, then it is wired correctly and will charge the batteries with the main switch off.

If the GoPower controller throws a fault code with the main switch off then it is wired incorrectly to the load side of the main switch.

Thank you, good to hear from other Thor owners.
You lost me somewhere at #3. That's ok, long day. The GoPower controller seems to work fine, no fault codes. Everyone/everywhere it says that with the switch off there is no solar charging, but I have a feeling that it does anyway, at least it looks like the coach batteries voltage goes up slowly even when the main switch is off. I really need to discharge that thing say down to 12V and then see if, while turned off, it goes back up.

[Urlauber]

Originally Posted by W9TR

In our similar Thor Tellaro 20AT the sound system is connected to the chassis battery. It does not operate without the key in the ignition.

Some owners have added a switch in the 12V radio feed to allow it to run on the house battery. That has not been a panacea. The radio is also connected to a module that interfaces the vehicle CAN BUS (aka OBD port) and powering the radio and not that module causes some intermittent issues.

Also on our RAM Promaster chassis there is no ACC ignition switch position which makes it worse because everything is ON.

Our solution was to add a Bluetooth sound bar below the TV. We link our phones to it and it sounds quite nice.

Thank you for confirming this. Too bad though, I'd really like to use the nice dash unit and pretty good speakers while camping. Oh well. I totally understand that one can bring extra BT speakers and soundbars and whatnot, but there is only so much space in an <18ft rig so I'd rather bring something else.

[Urlauber]

Originally Posted by W9TR

In our 2020 Promaster 3500 with a Pioneer NEX 1500 all the unconnect features are available via an interface that connects the chassis obd (CANBUS) with the radio. I believe this module is branded ‘Maestro’ .

The Kenwood DMX706S is also connected to the OBD port and SOME of the features are available - like a bunch of gauges. Have not found a way to access ALL the U-Connect settings though. Still digging so who knows.

[W9TR]

Originally Posted by Jon in AZ

Yes, but will it operate with the key in the ACC position?

OP indicates his will only operate with the key in the ON position, which means you have to have the engine running. I have never owned a vehicle that required that.

No ACC position on Promaster ignition switch. The radio feed does stay active for 10-15 minutes after engine shuts down, unless you open the driver’s side door, which turns it off immediately.

[W9TR]

To the OP - If the solar controller works fine with the main switch off then it will charge the batteries with the main switch off. It’s that simple.

[W9TR]

Originally Posted by Timcd1st

On the solar charger Thor does wire it to the coach side of the cutoff switch. On my friends Sequence it was just a matter of accessing the back of the switch and moving the solar controller wire from the coach side of the switch to the battery side of the switch so that the controller would provide charging to the coach batteries all the time. Since that modification he has had no problems.

This not always true. Most Thor B-van owners have found the solar controller correctly wired to the battery side. Ours was incorrectly wired as your friends was, an easy fix. But most come from the factory wired to the battery side.

[W9TR]

To the OP - I think I mentioned in an earlier post you can add a switch to power the radio off the coach batteries or the chassis batteries. You may have to also power the Maestro interface module as well, not sure. It’s been done before.

If you don’t want to take on the task yourself, a competent aftermarket stereo shop will be able to do it and make a pro job of it.

Another pro tip - the tweeters in the ‘A’ pillars are stock RAM OEM and sound like a bird being strangled to death as it drags its claws across a chalkboard. They’re easy to disconnect and the stereo sounds way better without them.

[Cesar Tavares]

Originally Posted by Urlauber

Brand-new Thor 18M owner here... trying to find the way. Many different questions, most of them probably pretty

So... with that out of the way... Is it normal that

• the sound system only operates with the ignition turned on?
• the AUX port isn't part of the sources that can be chosen on the sound system (Kenwood DMX706 or such)?
• the main switch has to be *on* for the solar panel to charge the coach battery?

Yes is normal that only works with the key in the ignition, I have a Sequence Ram promaster 2021 van and works that way, if you need music on the coach I recommend to install audio bar to the tv or portable unit, the batteries will charge with the master disconnect switch in off position.

[Jon in AZ]

Originally Posted by W9TR

No ACC position on Promaster ignition switch. The radio feed does stay active for 10-15 minutes after engine shuts down, unless you open the driver’s side door, which turns it off immediately.

After I posted I looked up a 2020 Promaster owner's manual. According to the manual the system can be set to a 0 or 20 minute radio delay.

Interesting. Guess they are protecting the chassis battery, which I have heard is prone to parasitic drawdowns. I was surprised to see a whole section on jumpstarting among the regular starting instructions, as if it's a common thing. Most manuals have that buried in a separate section for emergency procedures.

Oh well. There are numerous workarounds. I would be inclined NOT to hack into the stereo wiring to connect it to the coach batteries.

[Urlauber]

Originally Posted by W9TR

To the OP - I think I mentioned in an earlier post you can add a switch to power the radio off the coach batteries or the chassis batteries. You may have to also power the Maestro interface module as well, not sure. It’s been done before.

If you don’t want to take on the task yourself, a competent aftermarket stereo shop will be able to do it and make a pro job of it.

Another pro tip - the tweeters in the ‘A’ pillars are stock RAM OEM and sound like a bird being strangled to death as it drags its claws across a chalkboard. They’re easy to disconnect and the stereo sounds way better without them.

I'll check into that, a switch allowing either battery to power the dash radio would be great. Friend of mine has an older rig that has a switch like that. Don't want to mess up the electronics of course. I'll see if I get a complete manual for that Kenwood unit, maybe there are options for multiple power inputs haha.

Did not pay attention to the tweeters yet, but overall the sound is decent for a noisy RV... audiobooks come through clearly, music sounds pretty good.

[Urlauber]

Originally Posted by Jon in AZ

After I posted I looked up a 2020 Promaster owner's manual. According to the manual the system can be set to a 0 or 20 minute radio delay.

I think the problem is that all of this refers to the original Uconnect unit and it's touchscreen/functions. Since that one has been replaced, the ability to set these things is probably gone too, although there is a OBD connector present that pulls certain info into special screens of the Kenwood.

It's set to 20min delay, but that is still too short, and one can't open doors...

Originally Posted by Jon in AZ

Interesting. Guess they are protecting the chassis battery, which I have heard is prone to parasitic drawdowns. I was surprised to see a whole section on jumpstarting among the regular starting instructions, as if it's a common thing. Most manuals have that buried in a separate section for emergency procedures.

The cool thing is that there is a switch that allows starting the car if the chassis battery is dead, or starting the generator if the coach battery is dead. Should alleviate the need for jump starts in most cases. Another interesting tidbit is that the battery is under the drivers seat so to jump start you have to know where to connect the cables under the hood.

Originally Posted by Jon in AZ

Oh well. There are numerous workarounds. I would be inclined NOT to hack into the stereo wiring to connect it to the coach batteries.

[mumkin]

Originally Posted by Jon in AZ

Interesting. Guess they are protecting the chassis battery, which I have heard is prone to parasitic drawdowns. I was surprised to see a whole section on jumpstarting among the regular starting instructions, as if it's a common thing. Most manuals have that buried in a separate section for emergency procedures.

So common that the battery comes with a manual disconnect on the negative post on the battery - under the driver's feet. Park it for over about 10-14 days and you will need to jump it. AND... it locks the key in the ignition if the battery is dead when you try to start it.

Originally Posted by Urlauber

Another interesting tidbit is that the battery is under the drivers seat so to jump start you have to know where to connect the cables under the hood.

The location under the hood is easy and obvious. Most have learned to have one of those small jump packs/phone chargers on hand. The manual will explain all...

Because my rig has been my daily driver since 2015, I've never had to use mine.

[Urlauber]

Originally Posted by Urlauber

I'll check into that, a switch allowing either battery to power the dash radio would be great. Friend of mine has an older rig that has a switch like that. Don't want to mess up the electronics of course. I'll see if I get a complete manual for that Kenwood unit, maybe there are options for multiple power inputs haha.

Did not pay attention to the tweeters yet, but overall the sound is decent for a noisy RV... audiobooks come through clearly, music sounds pretty good.

So good news, sort of...
After trying to resolve an unrelated problem (how to control blind spot monitoring) with a few calls and manuals I again dove into the menus of my Kenwood unit, and hidden in the A/V menu there is an OEM menu, and somewhere in there one can control the "BS monitoring" AND I can set the radio to stay on for 60 minutes after removing the key which is just dandy. Can't open the drivers door but in a camper that isn't an issue.

Of course after resolving an issue five different ones crop up... I guess that's the never-ending fun.

For ex now I am trying to resolve issues with disconnecting Android Auto... super annoying! And getting that AUX port to cooperate would be very nice too.