Hi Newbie here - with a couple of questions

[AndyS95]

Hi all

We're the proud new owners of an immaculate 77k 95 'N Freda. Just done our first trip - 4 days in the SW and it was perfect..

Anyway - couple of things, I've been scouring this site since before we got the Bongo and so am already familiar and deeply impressed with just how knowledgeable and helpful you all are..

Firstly, ours is the 2.5TD - it idles at around 800 rpm, is that about right / acceptable? (that's without aircon on)

Secondly, I'm about to put a new stereo in, wisely it appears that the old stereo and cig lighters are both perm live and therefore I assume connected to the leisure battery (which makes sense). Is disconnecting the leisure battery to do the swap- over likely to cause any issues? The main one that comes to mind is the solar panel control unit - will things need resetting?

Also re the stereo, there's no rear speakers, I'm hoping to find the wiring there which will save a bit of work but I think the main issue is for me will be removing the rear panel to install. That's fine on n/s but we have a rear 123away kitchen and a side storage unit / settee / bed that is securely bolted in - i'd rather not muck around with it. I guess the only other thing is to cut the grill out and replace with speaker mesh after the speakers go in?

Cheers in advance for any advice given - I'll post some pictures etc later in the intro section.
Andy

[Cab-ova pete]

Hi, Andy and welcome, no answers for you matey just a warm welcome, someone will give you some answers shortly where are you based, n,s,e,w? Happy travelling

[Gasy]

Revs ok
Side panel easy to get off , but clips may break
Rear speaker cable should be there , check at front end ( stereo con plug )

[philpdr]

Idling speed on mine is the same as yours and I thinks that's about right.Had the same thing with the rear speakers,none fitted but the wiring was there,I did dismantle the kitchen but as I'd built it myself it wasn't to much of a problem.Can't help with the solar panel sorry but it is common to put the stereo and cig lighters onto the L.B.

[g8dhe]

Bear in mind that when you disconnect the battery, you WILL NOT have disconnected the Solar Panel (in most cases!) so remember to shut that off as well otherwise you will still be live with the Solar power!

[dave_aber]

If you want to easily remove the speaker grille, you have to drill through the plastic melted "rivets" which hold it to the panel.

If you do this from behind, you can re-use the oval grille.

Obviously, you will need to go through from the front and destroy the grille in the process.

The points to drill are 3 o'clock and 9 o'clock.

Once these are free, pull the side away, to see where the top and bottom ones are, 12 and 6 o'clock - they are not central to the grille, but offset by about 1/2"

Can't remember if they are offset to the right or left, but pulling on the sides should show you!

HTH
DA

[dave_aber]

Also - very valid point from Geoff re. solar.

The charge controller shouldn't need anything unexpected as far as resetting, but you should have 3 pairs of terminals.

Panel + & -
Battery + & -
Load + & - (There may be nothing in these)

Disconnect the Battery + & - cabling to the charge controller, and put them in a temporary terminal strip to isolate them
Then disconnect the actual battery terminals.

[g8dhe]

I make a special comment to my garage these days, that if they are working on the batteries, that there are THREE and point to the roof, its not helped that my controller is hidden behind the conversion. Keep thinking about adding an extra switch to isolate the panel but haven't got round to it yet

[AndyS95]

Many thanks for all the replies - perfect information! Thanks for the heads up especially re the solar panel - hadn't even crossed my mind! Although saying that, wouldn't disconnecting the LB isolate the stereo from any solar created power?

cheers again, Andy

eta - just seen your 2nd post Dave, will stick my head under the bonnet this eve if I get time - I don't think the stereo is arriving till Friday so wont be doing anything till Sat

[AndyS95]

Hi, Andy and welcome, no answers for you matey just a warm welcome, someone will give you some answers shortly where are you based, n,s,e,w? Happy travelling

Hi Pete,

Based in Blackheath S.E London - which makes it all the nicer getting out to the countryside!

cheers, Andy

[dave_aber]

Many thanks for all the replies - perfect information! Thanks for the heads up especially re the solar panel - hadn't even crossed my mind! Although saying that, wouldn't disconnecting the LB isolate the stereo from any solar created power?

cheers again, Andy

eta - just seen your 2nd post Dave, will stick my head under the bonnet this eve if I get time - I don't think the stereo is arriving till Friday so wont be doing anything till Sat

Disconnecting the L/B will isolate the battery as a source of power from everything, but the cable you remove from the battery will still be live, as the solar panel is feeding 12v to it.

[AndyS95]

Many thanks for all the replies - perfect information! Thanks for the heads up especially re the solar panel - hadn't even crossed my mind! Although saying that, wouldn't disconnecting the LB isolate the stereo from any solar created power?

cheers again, Andy

eta - just seen your 2nd post Dave, will stick my head under the bonnet this eve if I get time - I don't think the stereo is arriving till Friday so wont be doing anything till Sat

Disconnecting the L/B will isolate the battery as a source of power from everything, but the cable you remove from the battery will still be live, as the solar panel is feeding 12v to it.

Ah yes of course I see what you mean now.. So really I can just disconnect the negative from the LB and make sure it's not going to accidentally ground and all should be OK? Suddenly realising that it's been a while since I got my hands dirty!

[cmm303]

Many thanks for all the replies - perfect information! Thanks for the heads up especially re the solar panel - hadn't even crossed my mind! Although saying that, wouldn't disconnecting the LB isolate the stereo from any solar created power?

cheers again, Andy

eta - just seen your 2nd post Dave, will stick my head under the bonnet this eve if I get time - I don't think the stereo is arriving till Friday so wont be doing anything till Sat

Disconnecting the L/B will isolate the battery as a source of power from everything, but the cable you remove from the battery will still be live, as the solar panel is feeding 12v to it.

Ah yes of course I see what you mean now.. So really I can just disconnect the negative from the LB and make sure it's not going to accidentally ground and all should be OK? Suddenly realising that it's been a while since I got my hands dirty!

The solar panel -ve will still be grounded to the body somewhere, so current can still flow from solar panel +ve via +ve wiring if it contacts the bodywork. I don't know much about solar panel installations: Should there be a fuse on the solar +ve feed that can be removed?

[dave_aber]

Ideally, there should.

Mine is fed into my auxiliary fuseboard through one of the normal outlet fuses, back-feeding the 12v bus. I can pull this fuse to isolate the solar input to everything else. Some installations may use an in-line fuse, which would be equally as good. Additionally, my panel has a 2-pole waterproof barrel connector out on the roof, so can be disconnected there too.

[Cab-ova pete]

Yeh your virtually in the smoke then andy I guess you would say I'm in the countryside enjoy it matey and maybe bump into you in a bash somewhere