Electrical Need some advice on a couple of issues.

[Prm]

Gday,

Our 2014 17.56-2 OB is giving us a few problems and i am trying to avoid spending many hour trawling through the mountains of info on this forum. (I have got into trouble from the boss for this)

We have a 2.5 week trip planned at chrissy and looks like we are going to do a big run for around 7 weeks next year. NQ to Great ocean road and back. we want to sort the van out before the big trip.

1. When traveling we don't seem to be getting power to the fridge as the fridge warms up. I have the 12 pin hot wire set up on the car and was told that i should get power to the fridge. When travelling we leave battery turned on and switch fridge to dc. I am thinking i may need to go to an anderson plug set up from the car to the van. Car has dual batteries.
2. The cassette in the toilet has leaked. I am not really sure how it happened but below the cassette in the van we have a couple of catch trays? They don't have bungs or any way to remove for cleaning so when they caught the liquids they were a pain to clean. I am going to try olive oil on the rubber seals of the cassette but was looking for other thought's?
3. TV reception is crap. Stayed in Airlie Beach for the October long weekend and could not see the COWBOYS get up on my TV. (went to the camp kitchen) we get a lot of distortion and pixelation. We have a sphere tv and Wineguard antenna. I have seen other discussions on here about the signal booster being built into the van in different locations but cannot find anything?
4. Standard drawbar, toolbox for baby Q etc is a challenge when the tow tug is a prado. I am almost sorted on this one.
5. Drop down Spare wheel holder for the back bumper, i am poaching some of the designs seen on this forum.

Any advice is appreciated.

Thanks

 

[MDS69]

With item 1 do you chill the fridge down on 240V for a day or so before leaving home. Also try to avoid filling your fridge with room temp items when on 12V.
Are you sure the hot wire is wired correctly. I wired mine to the diagram on the packaging but Jayco changed it on hand over. Remove the vent cover on the outside of your van behind the fridge and with a multimeter measure for 12V at the terminal strip behind the fridge with the car connected. Warning make sure 240V is not connected to the van.
Leaving the van battery switch turned on won't do anything as the fridge is not connected to that battery.

Sorry can't help with the other items.

 

[Prm]

Thanks for the reply.

Yep we do pre chill the fridge. I originally had the 7 pin but changed to the 12 when we got the vanand had the hot wire done on the car by an auto electrician. I don't have a Multimeter but it is quickly making to the top of the 'things to get' list.

next trip to town i will get one and start checking from the car through to the van.

Thanks again.

 

[crackacoldie]

Olive oil will help the seals on the cassette, ours did the same thing. Also found that one of the kids was opening the loo prior to going, poor aim may not have helped with the leak either.

 

[Crusty181]

Gday,

Our 2014 17.56-2 OB is giving us a few problems and i am trying to avoid spending many hour trawling through the mountains of info on this forum. (I have got into trouble from the boss for this)

We have a 2.5 week trip planned at chrissy and looks like we are going to do a big run for around 7 weeks next year. NQ to Great ocean road and back. we want to sort the van out before the big trip.

1. When traveling we don't seem to be getting power to the fridge as the fridge warms up. I have the 12 pin hot wire set up on the car and was told that i should get power to the fridge. When travelling we leave battery turned on and switch fridge to dc. I am thinking i may need to go to an anderson plug set up from the car to the van. Car has dual batteries.
2. The cassette in the toilet has leaked. I am not really sure how it happened but below the cassette in the van we have a couple of catch trays? They don't have bungs or any way to remove for cleaning so when they caught the liquids they were a pain to clean. I am going to try olive oil on the rubber seals of the cassette but was looking for other thought's?
3. TV reception is crap. Stayed in Airlie Beach for the October long weekend and could not see the COWBOYS get up on my TV. (went to the camp kitchen) we get a lot of distortion and pixelation. We have a sphere tv and Wineguard antenna. I have seen other discussions on here about the signal booster being built into the van in different locations but cannot find anything?
4. Standard drawbar, toolbox for baby Q etc is a challenge when the tow tug is a prado. I am almost sorted on this one.
5. Drop down Spare wheel holder for the back bumper, i am poaching some of the designs seen on this forum.

Any advice is appreciated.

Thanks

Hi @Prm. As suggested by @MDS69, your fridge issues are likely the power supply which could included not larger enough gauge cable, but a multi meter will sort you out there. The toilet I cant help you with; we open our to use and can't imagine what position Id need to get into to bypass the tank.

If your not getting great TV via he Winegard, congratulations its installed correctly. Seriously, they are not a great aerial, but you should check your cables and connectors for shorting because Jayco are reknown for using poor quality smaller gauge coax and leaving the mesh hanging out all of the place shorting across to the core. The booster is the little black button on one of the white 12v/"F" connector TV wall plates ... if the red light is on, the booster is working

 

[mrhappi]

Stayed in Airlie Beach for the October long weekend and could not see the COWBOYS get up on my TV.

Nothing worth watching anyway...FN Cowboys :hurt-41:

 

[Bluey]

Gday,

Our 2014 17.56-2 OB is giving us a few problems and i am trying to avoid spending many hour trawling through the mountains of info on this forum. (I have got into trouble from the boss for this)

We have a 2.5 week trip planned at chrissy and looks like we are going to do a big run for around 7 weeks next year. NQ to Great ocean road and back. we want to sort the van out before the big trip.

1. When traveling we don't seem to be getting power to the fridge as the fridge warms up. I have the 12 pin hot wire set up on the car and was told that i should get power to the fridge. When travelling we leave battery turned on and switch fridge to dc. I am thinking i may need to go to an anderson plug set up from the car to the van. Car has dual batteries.
2. The cassette in the toilet has leaked. I am not really sure how it happened but below the cassette in the van we have a couple of catch trays? They don't have bungs or any way to remove for cleaning so when they caught the liquids they were a pain to clean. I am going to try olive oil on the rubber seals of the cassette but was looking for other thought's?
3. TV reception is crap. Stayed in Airlie Beach for the October long weekend and could not see the COWBOYS get up on my TV. (went to the camp kitchen) we get a lot of distortion and pixelation. We have a sphere tv and Wineguard antenna. I have seen other discussions on here about the signal booster being built into the van in different locations but cannot find anything?
4. Standard drawbar, toolbox for baby Q etc is a challenge when the tow tug is a prado. I am almost sorted on this one.
5. Drop down Spare wheel holder for the back bumper, i am poaching some of the designs seen on this forum.

Any advice is appreciated.

Thanks

As for the tv i got a voyager caravan antenna a bloke makes them in south aus he can mail to you then i can help you with fitting as i fitted one to my mast its great it can turn vertical or horizontal 5 stars

 

[Crusty181]

As for the tv i got a voyager caravan antenna a bloke makes them in south aus he can mail to you then i can help you with fitting as i fitted one to my mast its great it can turn vertical or horizontal 5 stars

View attachment 36778

We can the comparison at Beaufort

 

[Prm]

Gday again.

Well i have been out in the van and pulled the coax plug in the wall apart and as has been suggested it was very poorly wired with very little good clean contact so i sorted that out. Now after having searched for the booster switch a number of times without success i had another look today and found it. Its a very small button that is well hidden behind the extra coax / 12v point at the foot of the front bed on the side of the cupboard. As my lovely wife put it 'having a man look were we'?
Any way i am taking the van for 5 nights next week so we will see if it helps.
I have oiled up the seals on the cassette as well.
Now i need my multimeter and start on the fridge power problem.

I think i am also going to have a crack at making a rear bar mounted spare wheel carrier so i can get a toolbox on the front.

Thanks for the help guys.

 

[Meanderthals]

Gday again.

Well i have been out in the van and pulled the coax plug in the wall apart and as has been suggested it was very poorly wired with very little good clean contact so i sorted that out. Now after having searched for the booster switch a number of times without success i had another look today and found it. Its a very small button that is well hidden behind the extra coax / 12v point at the foot of the front bed on the side of the cupboard. As my lovely wife put it 'having a man look were we'?
Any way i am taking the van for 5 nights next week so we will see if it helps.
I have oiled up the seals on the cassette as well.
Now i need my multimeter and start on the fridge power problem.

I think i am also going to have a crack at making a rear bar mounted spare wheel carrier so i can get a toolbox on the front.

Thanks for the help guys.

You're not alone in having troubles with the TV reception. Our antenna was faulty from pickup and they hadn't tested it in pre-delivery as their roof was too low in that area. Two weeks before we could get it back to them. There is a coax point on the wall near the TV mount but it's un-boosted and useless even in a city. The booster socket and switch is in an overhead cupboard and mounted such that you can't see when the light is on if the internal van lights are on. To use it you have to have a 1&1/2 metre cord dangled across from the TV to this cupboard which luckily is on the same side of the van. A future mod/rectification/do it properly.

 

[Drover]

1. When traveling we don't seem to be getting power to the fridge as the fridge warms up. I have the 12 pin hot wire set up on the car and was told that i should get power to the fridge. When travelling we leave battery turned on and switch fridge to dc. I am thinking i may need to go to an anderson plug set up from the car to the van. Car has dual batteries.
2. The cassette in the toilet has leaked. I am not really sure how it happened but below the cassette in the van we have a couple of catch trays? They don't have bungs or any way to remove for cleaning so when they caught the liquids they were a pain to clean. I am going to try olive oil on the rubber seals of the cassette but was looking for other thought's?
3. TV reception is crap. Stayed in Airlie Beach for the October long weekend and could not see the COWBOYS get up on my TV. (went to the camp kitchen) we get a lot of distortion and pixelation. We have a sphere tv and Wineguard antenna. I have seen other discussions on here about the signal booster being built into the van in different locations but cannot find anything?
4. Standard drawbar, toolbox for baby Q etc is a challenge when the tow tug is a prado. I am almost sorted on this one.
5. Drop down Spare wheel holder for the back bumper, i am poaching some of the designs seen on this forum.

Any advice is appreciated.

Thanks

Playing catch up again..............
1. in addition to @MDS69 if you find no power at fridge then check the mess of wires under van, where they go from drawbar into van.
2. Toilet if it wasn't overfull then the seal is buggered, just buy new ones and replace, saves having to clean up stuff. If it's overfull it will vent into the little tanks underneath requiring gloves for hands, peg for nose and plenty of sweet smelly stuff.
3. TV reception problems, well you've discovered the usual problem, crap installation.
4. Sell Prado.
5. Slinging the spare under the back of van is far easier, cleaner and just less hassle..............been there done that.

 

[Smirke]

Hi @Prm . We had the same issue with our fridge, and discovered that it wasn't earthed properly in the plug. Seemed to be ok on the weekend when we went away after it got fixed of course.
Also found our tv reception was blurry on the weekend too. Probably because we only had analogue signal though.

 

[daznmel]

Hi Prm,
Can not help you with the toilet, I have the 17.56.1 (2013)

I have the WineGard antenna, and I rate it.. as stated the booster button is the little black button on the white panel with the cigarette point. You have found it so good job. Those panel end up everywhere.. Jayco do not seem to have a standard place to fit it.. Mine is located under the microwave next to the sink. You will find that some places work with the booster on, other places need the booster off (I will not bore you with the detail). If you still having trouble, check all the connections as suggested, I found my ones on the actual antenna were loose.

Your not the first I have heard to have issues with fridges on 12V. As stated previous a good chill on 240V prior to the trip sets it up nicely.. the 12V will maintain temperature, not chill down the fridge. Done this every time and works a treat.
The suggestion of checking on the back of the fridge with a multi-meter is a good one.. I read the previous posts and you mentioned you had a 7 pin on your tug and changed it to a 12 pin and the auto electrician wired the hot-wire. My expander has two hot-wires, as delivered from the factory. Did he fit two for you ? Being 2014 model I will assume it requires two hot-wires.
One for the Battery/Sectec, the other runs the Fridge in Transit, due to the high current draw.

Jayco put the Battery/Sectec on Pin 2, the Fridge is on Pin 9. Pin 3 and Pin 10 are both earth. If your van is standard from Jayco, the fridge is not connected to van battery. I ran my own second hot-wire on the tug for the Fridge, good grade of wire both +12v and Earth, and run through the 12 pin connection no problem at all. (My Tug came with hot-wire, so put this onto pin 2)
If no 12v at fridge, with the multi-meter check you have 12v at your hot wire pins on the Tugs trailer connection (you never know you may have blown a fuse and not know. This bothered me, so I installed a red LED connected to fridge 12v input so I know it is good to go)
I will stop now, so I do not continue to ramble on, may be telling you something you already know, I just wanted to confirm. We can chat about voltage drop another time.

Cheers

Daz

 

[Prm]

Thanks guys.

Daz i hadn't heard about the 2 hot-wires before so i will look into that one a bit more. When i got the tug wired i gave the guy the jayco book that had the wiring diagram in it but nothing was mentioned about the 2nd hotwire when he fit the 12pin and i only supplied enough gear for the one hotwire. Will defiantly check it out.

I am going for a 4 night trip today so will se how i go with the tv now. I have also checked the antenna on the rook and check all plugs and joins. hopefully it is sorted. When we get into town i will be heading straight in to get a multimeter.

Found a tool box too. I haven't worked out how to put up a pic yet. $420 with a side door on each end and full length top opening 2000x500x500. It should do the job of fitting gas bottles, webber, tools and the other bits and pieces. I know it will restrict the rear door opening on the prado but i will put up with that to get all the goodies locked away. I think i am going to copy some on here and make an angle iron frame and fill with a piece of 12mm marine ply and bolt the toolbox to the ply and existing gas bottle plates on the A frame. i am moving the spare to the back.

We are starting to plan a trip from here to Port Fairy Vic via dubbo in pretty much a straight line and then zig zag our way back to NQ from there seeing the sights on the way. We are looking to head off in early April 2016 for 6 to 8 weeks. hopefully the weather is good in the south around that time of year?

Cheers.

 

[Prm]

CRIKEY!!!!!

Just got a quote for a tool box custom made. $2280. I didn't think i was asking for anything too flash!

1850 x 500 x 500 with top and end doors and a couple of vents so gas bottles can go inside.

Looks like its back to the drawing board.

The minister for finance will castrate me if i spend that on a bloody tool box.

 

[Drover]

Try www.matesratestools.com.au I bought the canopy for the Colorado from them, well built and they have heaps of other alloy boxes at good prices.

 

[Prm]

Thanks Drover. Price and quality look good.

 

[Drover]

Thanks Drover. Price and quality look good.

Mate, I was actually surprised at the build quality, I was expecting a bit of roughness being Chinese stuff but the welding is good, they are square with good quality hinges and locks, the mount points for the rams are solid not just a bracket.........they are at Yatala and you can walk around and have a tyre kick as well, everything is displayed..
Once I get the new front suspension, tyres and light bar I'll be back there to get some side boxes.
(Not connected in any way or getting kick backs, just honest opinion)

 

[Prm]

I am going to be down that way at chrissy so i might head that way for a look if i haven't sorted it on the inter web by then. I want to have it in place and tested before our trip in April.

 

[Prm]

Ok,

Power to the fridge problem.

So i have checked the pins on the tow tug, pin9 has a stable 13+ volts. Pin 2 is for reverse lights according to the jayco book. Pin 8 has voltage all over the place but next to nothing.

Hooked up the car and got .6v at the fridge. might explain it! The only thing i can see with my very amateur eyes is beside the battery and setec unit below the dinette seat i have a tapped off pos and neg wire, the pos has a fuse and it is not hooked to anything but follows the other cables into the back of the kitchen cupboards.

I was thinking about running a hotwire from the vans pin 9 straight to the fridge?

Time to get some professional help i think.