# Using the Radio when not on Electrics hook up



## bobandsue (Nov 12, 2013)

Sorry if this sound stupid but a Newbie learning the ropes. I am trying to work out how to have some music in my motorhome. The Dasboard radio is wired into the Engine battery so dont want to run this down if I am not on Electrics hook up for 3/4 days

Have noticed that many of the new DAB radios run from the mains but have a step down transformer to 6 or 9volts. Has anyone found a way to connect one of these to the 12v in their motorhome avoiding the use of a Power invertor.
Or
Should I simply rewire my Dashoard radio to the Motorhome 12V system ?........Bob


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## sideways (Jun 2, 2008)

in my last camper i wired the dash radio to the leisure batteries, in this one i have a radio cd installed in the rear lounge running of the luire batteries i have it wired through a bedside switch so i can switch it on and off while in bed.


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## Nethernut (Jun 4, 2008)

We either use the vehicle radio or iPhone etc plugged into a minirig speaker, both of which can be recharged from 12 volt. We rarely plug into mains, never had a problem with vehicle radio flattening the battery.


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## adonisito (Nov 6, 2009)

Interesting question. Mrs Adonisto often uses the vehicle CD player when we're parked up, about 3 - 4 hours a day I suppose. We've never had a problem with it running down the vehicle battery.


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## crusader (Jul 5, 2012)

bob , i had the same idea and already owned a sony dab radio as it ran on 6 volt i bought a 12 volt to 6 volt stepper unit of ebay and wired it to a plug and now have a 6 volt outlet in the van , jim


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## Webby1 (Mar 11, 2012)

*DAB radio*

There are many step down units available in the pound type shops that plug in to the cigarette lighter sockets and step down to a variety of voltages(assuming you have one that runs when off EHU)

However Jim your e bay link did not work and I am still looking for something more permanent to step down the voltage to have a 6v and a 4.5 v socket rather than using the cumbersome cig lighter adaptor every time.

Trouble is I don't know whether I'm looking for a resistor, a capacitor or a transformer..................that's because I did not choose the science options at school.......................BUT I can say those things in Latin..............oh caught out.........clearly there is not a Latin word for capacitor ????


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## peribro (Sep 6, 2009)

bobandsue said:


> Sorry if this sound stupid but a Newbie learning the ropes. I am trying to work out how to have some music in my motorhome. The Dasboard radio is wired into the Engine battery so dont want to run this down if I am not on Electrics hook up for 3/4 days
> 
> Have noticed that many of the new DAB radios run from the mains but have a step down transformer to 6 or 9volts. Has anyone found a way to connect one of these to the 12v in their motorhome avoiding the use of a Power invertor.
> Or
> Should I simply rewire my Dashoard radio to the Motorhome 12V system ?........Bob


Unless you particularly want a DAB radio (which I've always found are useless when on the move) then I would simply rewire your existing unit so that the permanent live is connected to the leisure battery. Assuming that you have a standard wiring harness then I believe that the yellow cable is the permanent live and it is this one that you will need to disconnect and replace with a connection to your leisure battery. Remember to disconnect the negative terminal on all the batteries before doing this and make sure you know your key code if the radio has one.


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## Easyriders (May 16, 2011)

The radio fitted in our van was rubbish, so we bought one from Aldi that does radio, CD, bluetooth, ipod etc.

Got a car electrics firm to put it in, they wired it to the vehicle battery but put a switch for it on the dash. So now we can use the radio without having the engine on, but when we're not using it there is no drain on the battery.


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## Scattycat (Mar 29, 2011)

check out your control panel. On our Rapido, there is an auxillary button and when this is pressed and then the radio turned on you can select auxillary via the multi function on / off button, by doing this the radio runs off the leisure battery.
May be you have some similar function on your set up.


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## fatbuddha (Aug 7, 2006)

if you want a separate DAB unit that runs off 12v the check out the Pure Harmony - http://www.pure.com/product/highway-vl-60905/#Overview

we have one in our m/h plugged straight into the 12v socket and it transmits a FM signal to the dashboard radio and plays through that. it does work on the go but reception can be a bit hit and miss (even with a better external aerial to the windscreen one supplied), and you need to retune the radio to a different FM channel at times which can be a pain. however, when we are laid , it works a treat if the DAB signal is fine.

I am however thinking of getting a dashboard radio with FM/DAB and bluetooth (to play from my iPhone) to tidy the system up but not sure on model yet


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## peedee (May 10, 2005)

I simply use the radio channels available via Freeview or Freesat since my TV system is powered from the leaisure battery. Only use the cab radio when on the move simply because it has a 20min time out with the ignition off to avoid discharging the engine battery.
peedee


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## drcotts (Feb 23, 2006)

I got one of these. Its portable and rechargeable from a USB port so i just use a *** lighter USB plug. Runs for 10 hrs. no batteries to buy.

Also capable of recording the show your listening to to an external card and even playing MP3 files

And its DAB

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Sansui-DB...udio_Radios&hash=item27d015d6d5#ht_2109wt_883

Phill


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## bobandsue (Nov 12, 2013)

Hi Guys, Thanks for the feedback I went into Maplins the Electronics shop and they had several types of 12v cigar plugs with adjustable transformers attached allowing, 12, 9, 6. 5, 4, 3, 1.5 Volt to be selected you also got 6 different ends to fit to the end of the lead to fit various different electric sockets on the unit you are looking to use.


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## Bigusdickus (Nov 6, 2012)

Hi.
Dab radios use much more energy than traditional sets so powering one off hookup has it's problems. 
I had the same dilema because I like radio, however after a suggestion on the forum I decided to get an aditional ignition key cut without a chip so now when parked up I leave the dummy key in the ignition on the first stop and always have the radio available.
Bd..


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