# radio



## 106206 (Jul 31, 2007)

sorry f this is a daft question as I only bought motorhome (ford gendale) on Sunday and im still trying to get my head around how stuff works.
Can vans radio/cd player work off leisure/hook up?


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## chrisjrv (May 7, 2007)

Hi and welcome,
The short answer is no, not without modification. I take it that you have to have the keys in to have the radio on? This can be modified quite easily by a competent elestrician, having it working from the leisure battery is more difficilt and not worth the hassle,
Regards,
Chris V


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## 106206 (Jul 31, 2007)

Hi, Thanks for reply...radio dosent need keys to switch on...does that make a difference?


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## safariboy (May 1, 2005)

I don't agree. It is not that difficult to run a pair of wires from the leisure battery via a fuse and a switch to run the radio.(both essential)
Many radios are set to go off after about 20 min. This is to stop you leaving it on and flattening the cab battery. You can have it wired to "permanent live" which cuts out the 20 min switch off. 
Off the leisure battery when on site the leisure battery is being topped up anyway.


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## chrisjrv (May 7, 2007)

I'm afraid I can't agree, the thought of paying vast sums of money for a motorhome and then altering the wiring willy nilly as it were would probably invalidate your insurance. I'm afraid the days when such things were acceptable are long gone. If you are concerned that the starter battery could be flattened by using the radio a great deal then I suggest contacting some one like Strike back alarms who can fit a device called a battery master which charges your starter battery while on hook up.If you have access to a voltmeter it is simple to check if your vehicle has anything like this already,
Regards,
Chris V.
PS this is my second reply but my system crashed,if it reappears it may be confusing


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## 106206 (Jul 31, 2007)

Thanks for replies


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## sallytrafic (Jan 17, 2006)

1. I wouldn't run cables from the leisure battery to the van dash its too complicated in there.

2. I wouldn't have the radio system overridden to get rid of the 20min cut off. Its amazing how much these use on standby plus there is always the possiblity that you didn't turn it off just down and the current will be higher then.

3. What I did was buy a logitech speaker/amplifier for my iPod and mounted it in the rear. That way I can have all my music and I have an FM *receiver* plugged into my iPod for the radio if I don't want just to catch the news on the van radio.


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## chrisjrv (May 7, 2007)

Hi'
Me being a cheapo I have a Pure Evoke one digital radio which we sometimes take away with us and as it runs from a 12 volt transformer when on mains I made up a plug and socket to run it off the leisure battery sockets in the van. Does anyone know if there are any digital car radio/cd players available yet?
Regards,
Chris V


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## Rapide561 (Oct 1, 2005)

*Radio*

Hi

My in dash CD player will work when not on hook up but turns itself off after twenty minutes.

On hook up, the CD can be used indefinitely.

I do not know what, if anything, this proves!

Russell


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## sergeant (Jun 7, 2006)

Hi Montyhowhop, As you have a Glendale i will assume it is on either the early Ducato/Talbot Express or an Iveco & the leisure battery is under the front nearside seat. On both these vans it is very easy to run a fused supply from the leisure battery up to the radio & bypass the engine battery feed. When these vans were "common" (no disrespect) it was a very common thing to do, Steve


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## Grizzly (May 9, 2005)

Should anyone still wish it I have the step by step instructions plus photos from Practical Motorhome on how to rewire the cab radio to eliminate the 20 minute cut off. They have been followed by many people.

I will send by e-mail if you PM me your e-mail address.

G


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## 125402 (Jul 6, 2009)

Hi,

Could you send me the instructions and photos? I'm planning to change my radio shortly and this would be really helpful.

Thanks


Marty


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## 125402 (Jul 6, 2009)

Doh! Forgot my email!

Its [email protected]


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## TheBoombas (Aug 23, 2006)

I have a relay & switch that changes the unit over to the other rear battery.
I done it this way as my vehicle audio unit also includes the DVD player that can be viewed from the rear TV. 

Brian


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## erneboy (Feb 8, 2007)

I have recently had my dash radio/cd player power changed over to my leisure batteries as beforehand I had to have the ignition on to use it and there was a risk that if I was not on hook up I could flatten the engine battery sufficiently that it might not start. The job was done professionally. 

Following the comment on here about it possibly invalidating my insurance I rang my company to ask. They said it would be fine as long as it was carried out by a professional, as would other work on the habitation side, Alan.


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## clodhopper2006 (Aug 13, 2006)

It would appear not all are fed from the vehicle battery. Mine is fed from the leisure battery and was supplied new as such.


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