Music switch on new Ducato

[Fisherman]

The new van has a switch which allows you to use the media system with the ignition off. Does anyone know if you are then using the hab batteries rather than the vehicle battery.

 

[guerdeval]

If it was the hab battery wouldn’t that mean the head unit would need to be wired into it too?, I’d guess truck battery bypassing ignition, but it’s just a guess, my V55 had same thing.

 

[The laird]

Think that will be on eng battery bill

 

[merl]

I'd guess at the cab battery too but you can check easily by disconnecting the hab batt (you've probably got an isolation switch) and trying the dash switch again, if it still works with the hab batt disconnected then it must be driven from the cab battery.

 

[wildebus]

The chances are it is a simple ignition key bypass. That is how the kits I make work

Even though the radio operates normally on the ignition key, it could still be set up to run on the Lesiure Battery always anyway (some motorhome makers make that change. don't know about Rapido).

But it is more than likely still on the Starter Battery. If that is the case, is this something you think you will be using much? Asking as the media system does use a fair bit of power, but if we configure the starter battery trickle charger to one of the top 4 options, it assumes a higher 'parasitic' load and runs more often (these options were added specifically to deal with using a dash radio with the engine off )

 

[Nigel L]

Is that an option fit, as haven’t got one on mine.
Must admit, often thought it would be useful to have an option to keep the radio/media etc on, after the ignition is turned off.

 

[trevskoda]

Is that an option fit, as haven’t got one on mine.
Must admit, often thought it would be useful to have an option to keep the radio/media etc on, after the ignition is turned off.

So easy to do ones self.

 

[wildebus]

Is that an option fit, as haven’t got one on mine.
Must admit, often thought it would be useful to have an option to keep the radio/media etc on, after the ignition is turned off.

I have supplied literally hundreds of kits to do that it is very useful and is the very first mod I do to every van I have had

If you follow this link - https://www.wildebus.com/product/drive-camping-switch-wiring-kit/ - you can find a schematic on how to wire one one. I recommend using Bullet connectors as the great majority of aftermarket radios use them on the red and yellow wires to accomodate the incorrect wiring on German vehicles.
So using Bullets means the installation takes minutes in most cases.

 

[Fisherman]

After carrying out a simple test today I can confirm that the switch on the dash switches the media system over to the habitation batteries.
The vehicle batteries and the habitation batteries were sitting at 12.6v.
I turned on the media system with the switch and left it on for a few minutes.
The habitation batteries dropped to 12.5v, and the vehicle battery remained at 12.6v. When I turned off the the media system the habitation batteries immediately went back to 12.6v. I repeated this with the same result.
So with this switch in the off position and the ignition turned on, the vehicle battery powers the media system. And when the switch is on the power comes from the habitation batteries. This means you can safely listen to your radio whilst parked without draining your vehicle battery.

 

[polo99]

On my Rapido V55 it is wired to the hab battery. I found out when I lost all the information when I renewed the hab batteries.