Radio power switch

[tinkeringtechie]

The radio in our 21BHS (and probably all other camplite radios) was wired with both the 12v and "accessory" wires without any switches. This means the radio is always "on" like when your car is running. I measured the current at 60ma (1.44Ah/day). The standby current (accessory disconnected) is 12ma (0.288Ah/day). I added a switch to the rear of the enclosure that allows me to switch it off on demand using the accessory wire (the red one). I've attached pics from inside and the finished switch.

[david]

Well, you have confirmed my suspicions- no off switch. I poked around that radio for 5 minutes and couldn't find  way to shut it OFF. Finally popped the faceplate off and put it away. I don't know if that totally de-powers it, but at least I don't have to look at that blue led at night.

David

[tinkeringtechie]

I found a setting that allows you to turn off the "clock" which also disables the backlight but I wanted to be able to switch it off quickly without navigating their confusing interface.

[charliem]

[font size="3"][font face="arial"]So do I read that you left the radio drawing 12 ma. which maintains the clock but the display is off? Or did you interrupt everything and current is zero? Did you by chance measure the current with the display and "clock" off per the menu setting? This is the way I normally set it. No blue floodlight at night. Once set it's fairly easy to turn off the radio and display by holding in the mute button.
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[tinkeringtechie]

[font size="3"][font face="arial"]So do I read that you left the radio drawing 12 ma. which maintains the clock but the display is off? Or did you interrupt everything and current is zero? Did you by chance measure the current with the display and "clock" off per the menu setting? This is the way I normally set it. No blue floodlight at night. Once set it's fairly easy to turn off the radio and display by holding in the mute button.
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That's right, 12mA just to keep the settings and the clock running in the background (which is still disappointing). I can live with that though.

We still use the clock with backlight on low as a nightlight for the kids, so disconnecting the radio completely would lose the time and brightness setting.

I didn't measure with the clock off as we never use it that way. I suspect it's pretty close to the 12ma figure (same removing the faceplate).

[shortcircuit]

That's an interesting discussion. I started a thread on the "mystery fuse" to find out why I had a separate fuse not in the power panel. Turns out the extra fuse was for the radio memory power. I think now I will put in a switch like you did for the radio power so I will not draw extra power when the  radio is off.
Thanks for the tip.

[kycamper]

I just bought a 21 RBS and called the dealer to find out how to turn off the backlight on the radio and the co detector, when in storage. He said to "disconnect the battery!!???. Surely, a high dollar unit like this would have a switch. I was going to post a "how to". What do you do when storing the trailer to prevent battery drain??

[david]

There is another thread on shutting off the battery at http://livinlite.proboards.com/thread/569/battery-shut-off. I just disconnect the negative battery wire.

David

[daplumbr]

I disconnect the battery for winter storage. An off switch for the DC would have added less than $20 to the price and I guess Livin Lite thought that was too much. 

[pinstriper]

We have a battery disconnect switch for storage, and we take the faceplate off the stereo at night. Actually, we generally have the faceplate off all the time as we have never actually used the radio since the PDI to make sure it worked.