Installing ‘DC Pigtail’ to Sunstar 29VE

[Morich]

Up on post 17, I did a snip of what the drawing give us as a drawing of the cabinet and what should be in there. It shows an outlet behind what I think you are seeing and then "some" of the wires that Winnebago has installed.
It shows an outlet for 110 AC and that may be a handy place to plug in a small power supply if that would work to use while you had AC power, like plugged in or running generator. I don't know if that situation fits for when and how you want to use this, so give it some thought.
OR it seems to show some wiring for the switcher which is 12 volt going to it.
so maybe time to look behind the BOMB? Box of many buttons!
I think there will be a label on the back of the box to spot the wire bringing 12VDC to it, but that is guessing!

I'm also guerssing that those other yellow and white wires that have the crinp connectors on them may have wire ID and "might" be useful power wires? Winnebago often uses hite as ground wires and yellow as power, but neeeds to be checked to confirm if you can find the last 2-3 letters in the long string stamped on the side.
Somewhat odd to see what looks like added connectors for wires that were too short?
Any chance of a previous owner having had some gizmo tied in there and removed it before passing onto you? That type connector is not one I see as original Winnebago wiring???
Maybe somebody already had the same setup and those would be the good wires to find battery and ground?

Sometimes we get hints instead of real answers!

[marudnick]

Originally Posted by Morich

so maybe time to look behind the BOMB? Box of many buttons!
I think there will be a label on the back of the box to spot the wire bringing 12VDC to it, but that is guessing!

I'm also guerssing that those other yellow and white wires that have the crinp connectors on them may have wire ID and "might" be useful power wires? Winnebago often uses hite as ground wires and yellow as power, but neeeds to be checked to confirm if you can find the last 2-3 letters in the long string stamped on the side.

If I’m going to do this project, it will be with 12 volt. That’s what the pigtail is expecting and it would give me flexibility to use even when boondocking.

Regarding previous owner, we did purchase it used. Someone had it for 6 months before trading it in. I don’t know what they might have had connected.

Should I now document all the wires behind the ‘bomb’, getting the 3 letters on each wire? I can do that, if that’s the next step.

Thanks.

[Morich]

Yes, understand the need for it to be connected to 12VDc direct, not using AC!
So if we could find out what those two wires with the "different "crimp connectors might do, we might find them exactly what you need.

Two ways might work to find out what they do.
One is to find the labels and look them up on the chart.
OR if you have the meter, pushing something metal, like a pin or thin wire down into the end of those crimp connectors will often let you contact the metal and you can use the meter to test for voltage, without having to get insulation off!

Another trick is to push a pin through the insulation to make contact with the wire so you can use the meter! The small hole doesn't hurt things when we are on low voltage like 12 volts and it is easier/quicker than scraping off insulation and then repairing it!

Either will let you get contact without cutting things open!

It kind of looks like somebody has done this before but that may just be a hope??

[marudnick]

Originally Posted by Morich

Two ways might work to find out what they do.
One is to find the labels and look them up on the chart.
OR if you have the meter, pushing something metal, like a pin or thin wire down into the end of those crimp connectors will often let you contact the metal and you can use the meter to test for voltage, without having to get insulation off!

I was able to look behind the ‘bomb’. There doesn’t seem to be a chart of any sort. However, I did find an electrical plug, conveniently located. I checked and it works on the inverter. So, I have a fallback, just plug in to 110 AC.

I also documented the wires that I could reach. There was one set that was inconvenient. I put the results in a table, below. Note that I also found a wire that was not in the Wire Identification Chart. Not sure why. It’s NF1.

Will any of these wires work?

Thanks.

[Morich]

Good deal! I think I would go with using wire JP as ground and just tie your new wire to it. Then for the power, either Ja or JF would be expected to come from different 15 amp fuses or breakers. I might lean toward using the JF as lights tend to use less power than lotors like the pump.

If your RV uses LED lights, that often mean they are not going to use much current at all but they use the same size wire that was used for older lights and it is big enough to be tied on a 15 amp fuse. Often lots of spare capacity to add more like a small extra load like you are doing.

I think JF and JP would be the winners!

[marudnick]

Originally Posted by Morich

I think JF and JP would be the winners!

Great. Thanks for your help on this.

[corvetteSS]

Well I have a 2017 29ve, and I routed all my 12 volt wiring from the distribution panel (under the dinette) to the area behind the shower and behind the thermostat. Then I ran them up behind the TV to the cabinet above the dinette. I think it took about 15 feet of 15ga red/black wire. All of my IT equipment is in that cabinet. You can decide what circuit you want to add the fuse pigtail, or I added another fuse to my 12 volt distribution panel. It took probably an hour or two to remove access panels, and fish the wire around, but not really that hard. My cell modem (in that upper cabinet) has its external antenna wires run down to under the shower, and down into the cross bay. Then out and back (down the frame) to near the ladder. I attached the antenna mount (pole) to the ladder, and the wire goes up behind the ladder. Again, this took probably an afternoon, but now the external antenna works great, and my cell modem is running on 12 volts. So just an Idea of what I did (similar). I never messed with trying to patch into any winnebago wiring. I just ran my own.

[marudnick]

Interesting. I hadn’t even thought about that location. I know the breakers are there but didn’t think to hook off that location. I also like the idea of having wiring go out to an external antenna.

Curious, what are you using for your networking equipment? I’m trying to get something ready for a trip we are taking to Canada in a few weeks. I was going to purchase a WifiRanger Spruce model to more easily access wi-fi but they are having supply issues.

Thanks.

[l1v3fr33ord1]

marudnick-

WiFiRanger sells some of the best-known routers in the RV world. I bought one in 2015 and used it rarely for three years; it was a backup unit. I'm sure they have only gotten more powerful and easy to use since then.

That said, there are many "WiFi as WAN" routers sold now, some for under $100, new. The Mobile Internet Resource Center explains and reviews them at this link. They are a constant topic for users over at the iRV2 Technology forum (link here).

These routers are interesting things: They can be a handful to configure, but once done the only frequent interaction you should have with them is to connect them to a new RV park's "free" WiFi, if you don't or can't use cellular at that location. At one level it doesn't matter what you buy, as long as it's reliable and not too much of a pain to manage via the software. At another level, they can send you screaming into the night.

That leads us to the age-old computer question: "From where do I get my technical support?" The best answer is that you learn the product yourself, get experience with it, and become self-supporting. The users over at iRV2 can help with that, for several of the popular router brands and models. Or, you can go with a company that offers free support to users, such as WiFiRanger and Pepwave.

I own a Pepwave Surf SOHO, the MK3 ("MarK 3") version. I own an older version, too. I've used them since 2015 in the coach and at home. I found the MK3 to be a reliable and feature-rich router with decent performance, especially on wireless. I forget how easy or difficult they are to set up, out of the box. I like that the management software is fairly easy to use and powerful, if you want that.

I read that it's out of production, but may be purchased "while supplies last" at a retailer (one link here) or on eBay. A detailed review of the SOHO is here (it's long and technical, so don't read through it now but file the link away, should you buy one). If you could snag a used, working SOHO MK3 for under $100 I'd consider that a fair price. Note: The MK3 unit has three antennae/antennas. Don't buy the older versions with two antennae/antennas.

I almost forgot- Don't forget that any router you buy should run on 12V, assuming you are still interested in doing that!

[l1v3fr33ord1]

Originally Posted by corvetteSS

Then I ran them up behind the TV to the cabinet above the dinette. I think it took about 15 feet of 15ga red/black wire. All of my IT equipment is in that cabinet. You can decide what circuit you want to add the fuse pigtail, or I added another fuse to my 12 volt distribution panel.
...
My cell modem (in that upper cabinet) has its external antenna wires run down to under the shower, and down into the cross bay.
...

I had a "computer room" in an upper cabinet on both motorhomes I owned (see post #2), so I confirm this is a great idea, as long as you can give up the space and ventilate it well. Ditto for wiring to the 12V fuse panel. Whatever is done, one should be sure he knows if the 12V supply to the "computer room" is switched, or not.

I didn't install an external cell antenna on either coach. I was prepared to install an external antenna, but did not have to spend the time or money doing so. Cell signal received and transmitted through the coach walls seemed to be adequate everywhere I went in 30,000 miles of travel. Now, I wasn't "working from home," nor was I trying to stream video over cellular. "Your mileage may vary."

[marudnick]

Originally Posted by l1v3fr33ord1

marudnick-

WiFiRanger sells some of the best-known routers in the RV world. I bought one in 2015 and used it rarely for three years; it was a backup unit. I'm sure they have only gotten more powerful and easy to use since then.

That said, there are many "WiFi as WAN" routers sold now, some for under $100, new. The Mobile Internet Resource Center explains and reviews them at this link. They are a constant topic for users over at the iRV2 Technology forum (link here).

These routers are interesting things: They can be a handful to configure, but once done the only frequent interaction you should have with them is to connect them to a new RV park's "free" WiFi, if you don't or can't use cellular at that location. At one level it doesn't matter what you buy, as long as it's reliable and not too much of a pain to manage via the software. At another level, they can send you screaming into the night.

That leads us to the age-old computer question: "From where do I get my technical support?" The best answer is that you learn the product yourself, get experience with it, and become self-supporting. The users over at iRV2 can help with that, for several of the popular router brands and models. Or, you can go with a company that offers free support to users, such as WiFiRanger and Pepwave.

I own a Pepwave Surf SOHO, the MK3 ("MarK 3") version. I own an older version, too. I've used them since 2015 in the coach and at home. I found the MK3 to be a reliable and feature-rich router with decent performance, especially on wireless. I forget how easy or difficult they are to set up, out of the box. I like that the management software is fairly easy to use and powerful, if you want that.

I read that it's out of production, but may be purchased "while supplies last" at a retailer (one link here) or on eBay. A detailed review of the SOHO is here (it's long and technical, so don't read through it now but file the link away, should you buy one). If you could snag a used, working SOHO MK3 for under $100 I'd consider that a fair price. Note: The MK3 unit has three antennae/antennas. Don't buy the older versions with two antennae/antennas.

I almost forgot- Don't forget that any router you buy should run on 12V, assuming you are still interested in doing that!

I’m a member of MIRC and used their advice for the router purchase; thanks for the heads up, though. I will do some lurking on the iRV2 forum, thanks for mentioning that.

I’ve resisted getting a Peplink, mainly because we haven’t seen a great need for an additional cell signal. We have mostly managed with our Verizon plans on our cell phones, with only a few times of poor service. Also, we have traveled to Canada on occasion and data plans aren’t very good up there. I was hoping that a dedicated router could bring in the best possible Wi-Fi signal and make it available to all our devices. I expect that we will also do some USB tethering with one of the cell phones and the router.

Originally Posted by l1v3fr33ord1

I almost forgot- Don't forget that any router you buy should run on 12V, assuming you are still interested in doing that!

Yes, I am interested in doing that, which was the original purpose of the post. Curious why you recommend 12V, though. Is it because it would always be available, even when boondocking?

Thanks.

[corvetteSS]

Originally Posted by marudnick

Interesting. I hadn’t even thought about that location. I know the breakers are there but didn’t think to hook off that location. I also like the idea of having wiring go out to an external antenna.

Curious, what are you using for your networking equipment? I’m trying to get something ready for a trip we are taking to Canada in a few weeks. I was going to purchase a WifiRanger Spruce model to more easily access wi-fi but they are having supply issues.

Thanks.

I use a Netgear Nighthawk Wifi Router, and all my devices (Firesticks mostly) connect to the 5GHz wifi. But we also run the 2.4GHz wifi as well. I then uplink(WAN) to a GTEN cell modem (with external antenna). I also have a security DVR (ANNKE) plugged into it.
I like having a dedicated WIFI (that subnet doesn't change) for all the systems. When I am home the cell modem automatically attaches to my home wifi, and the router does not know the difference and the RV wifi becomes attached under the home WIFI. That way everything still works when the RV is in it's home inside a metal building (where the cell modem does not work) Anyway, I have all the devices (Nighthawk, ANNKE, GTEN) all run on 12V so they basically stay on and operational all the time.

[marudnick]

Originally Posted by corvetteSS

I like having a dedicated WIFI (that subnet doesn't change) for all the systems.

Yes, that seems like a great benefit of using a router. We have 7 devices that may need to connect to the internet. Updating the credentials at one place will make it much easier when we move into a campground.

[BirchyBoy]

I have a Peplink router that fails over to an ATT SIM card of the Starlink fails.

[corvetteSS]

I am thinking about starlink someday, but first I need to go somewhere that my t-mobile connection is insufficient for my needs. I am also mostly in the woods when I camp., so there's that. Cool.