You'll be exchanging WiFi passwords for beers at T6F events I'm assuming 
Dellmassive`s Camper Van Adventure
- Thread starter Dellmassive
- Start date
now there's an idea. - 24hr access per can. ( no speed guarantees offered )You'll be exchanging WiFi passwords for beers at T6F events I'm assuming
@Dellmassive - Thanks for the info Lee. A lot of info to take in, for me.
I already have a Smarty data only deal at the moment.
I will be interested to see how the WiFi set up is.
i run the small USB on the VAN, been on there since 2018 - still going strong. - Van WIFI & Mobile Data -- How I Done It --
but for the Camping and festivals i wanted to beef up the LTE/4G reception, and the WIFI range.
++++++
@czmate1999 come up with a great idea of putting his MIFI box & USB battery in a sandwich bag,
and taping it to his flag pole, more height = better signal and range.
but it was a bit too heavy and snapped his pole, . . . but defo food for thought.
after seeing that i decided to get a 5-8m USB3 extinion cable, so to have the USB battery on the floor, then extend the cable and USB wifi up the pole.
so:
USB WFIF - https://amzn.to/3Xdnrdn
running on a USB battery - https://amzn.to/4aTB2tu
connected with a long Active USB3 cable to go up the pole. . . . - https://amzn.to/4bPyttZ
.
++++
Did you cover your Ablemail AMT12-2 wiring @Dellmassive or did I miss it? Just trying to work out where to plumb mine into the aux battery side, will it be OK to go into your 12v fuse box?
just done it today. . . . stay tuned for the full install.
for now heres a quick peek.
Ablemail AMT12-2 Install.
(reverse trickle charges Starter battery from your Leisure battery)
basically, beefy 2.5mm cables.
LB POS & NEG from small 12v Fuse box 10A Feed.
and starter POS tapped from Starter Bus bar block via short cable and 10A ATC fuse.
Programming and monitoring via the BT adapter and Ablemail APP.
here you can see the charger working via the Shunt on the LB and the Starter battery voltage monitor.
Nice, yeah having a read up I think I'm going to connect mine via the MPPT 'load' terminal which will give me control over the Ablemail, and protect from complete drain, and probably some other options via the MPPT controller and Cerbo GX!
Swapping out the internal rear LED lights. .
we had the previous cool blue, lights, they were super bright at night and needed to crawl out of bed to get to the light switch to turn them off.
so we decided to swap them out for the touch dimmable warm white jobs. . .
these were the old ones that we had. . .
so i just cut switch off, cut the wires, and used a multimeter to check which was POS and NEG.
then connected the new lamp with some chock block.
a quick test showed they worked. . .
but they when pressing in the hole, they was very loose and fell out.
so a quick wrap around with some tape made them wider, so they fit snug.
nice. . .
before we had this cool blue. . .
and now we have this warm white. . .
all four swapped out and working ok.
+++++++++
id previously tested these at home on the bench supply, so specifically tested if they remembered the last setting. . .
ie:
ON
OFF
DIMMED
FULL BRIGHTNESS
which they did, even with the PSU off for 24hrs.
i say this now, as last night the first night out, i was sure they were left on high, but when we come out the place later that night they seemed to be on full dimmed?
but it was a family party and id had a few juices - so was in no fit state to look into anything.
retest later.
following from the above we have on the switch:
I - On as curtesy with door + fade (Fed from LB but NEG via BCM)
0 - Off
II - ON 24/7 fed from LB
+++++++++
Bench test:
178mA each @ 13.2v (interestingly they draw the same current over the whole dim range)
.
we had the previous cool blue, lights, they were super bright at night and needed to crawl out of bed to get to the light switch to turn them off.
so we decided to swap them out for the touch dimmable warm white jobs. . .
these were the old ones that we had. . .
so i just cut switch off, cut the wires, and used a multimeter to check which was POS and NEG.
then connected the new lamp with some chock block.
a quick test showed they worked. . .
but they when pressing in the hole, they was very loose and fell out.
so a quick wrap around with some tape made them wider, so they fit snug.
nice. . .
before we had this cool blue. . .
and now we have this warm white. . .
all four swapped out and working ok.
+++++++++
id previously tested these at home on the bench supply, so specifically tested if they remembered the last setting. . .
ie:
ON
OFF
DIMMED
FULL BRIGHTNESS
which they did, even with the PSU off for 24hrs.
i say this now, as last night the first night out, i was sure they were left on high, but when we come out the place later that night they seemed to be on full dimmed?
but it was a family party and id had a few juices - so was in no fit state to look into anything.
retest later.
following from the above we have on the switch:
I - On as curtesy with door + fade (Fed from LB but NEG via BCM)
0 - Off
II - ON 24/7 fed from LB
+++++++++
Bench test:
178mA each @ 13.2v (interestingly they draw the same current over the whole dim range)
.
That's really curious, I wonder where the power is going? I know some cheap night light circuits just short out the led to dim them but they tend to be mains powered so they don't care about efficiency, I'd expect those to be using PWM
12v LB Feed to the Rear D-Pillar.
........
i was going to run a new feed from the 12v LB, that will go to the rear to feed two USB chargers and 2x 12v LED reading lamp.
but seeing as the rear roof LED lamps only drew 1A, and id run a fat beefy cable, i though i would just extend that, to make the job a bit easier.
i had this 4mm2(39A) cable from 12V Planet.
so using the mop as a cable spooler. . .
and these cable rods, i fished a new cable from the B-pillar to the D-pillar area,
i had to take out some of the roof clips, and drape the roof panel down a bit, to follow the OEM cable loom from the Front B-pillar to the rear D-pillar - along the top solder of the van.
we wanted the USB Chargers about here, and they were chassis mount, so need to get to the back to wire and screw on.. .
the idea being that when the bed was setup the charge would be in the pillow area but lower than the matrice level so that any illumination from them woulnt be a bother.
i took out the rear lights and cable bung . . .
and the top roof bung. . . .
but in the end taking out the door side hinge gave me perfect access. . .
so i measured the location to it wouldnt interfere with the door hinge, it would be below it.
using a 25mm hole saw bit i cut the hole, . .
but it was too small. . .
so i used this stepped cone cutter to open the hole up to 30mm . . . and test fitted the charger.
then used some black paint to seal the cut metal.
fishing the cables down and adding the crimps . . keeping the 4mm2 cable gauge all the way to the charger and to the ground point.
the lock screwed on via the door hinge access using a screwdriver as a leaver. . .
.
nice. . . .
.....
the other side was copy and paste. . .
hinge out.
mark hole,
cut hole,. .
fish cable,
crimp ends
screw in charger. . .
TBC. . . . .
12v USB Chargers and 12v reading lights - Rear D-Pillar.
fish cable,
crimp ends
screw in charger. . .
.
pulling the panels back enough to fish the cables around. . .
nice to see the efforts of the previous owner with the sound deadening and heat insulation. . .
we decided we wanted these 12v reading lights up on the top corners,
so drilled a small 8mm hole and run a length of 1mm twin core from the light fitting to the pillar void.
then used self drilling metal screws to drill and fix the lamp in place.
the area felt double skinned.
we run the same 4mm2 red power cable up and over the rear roof - following the OEM cable loom, to get power to the other side. . .
i used seperate NEGs direct to the chassis at the lower D-pillar / side panel. . .
there was already some holes. . . so i exposed some clean metal and used some ring terminals and self drill screws to make a good clean NEG connection. . .
a quick test gave us this. . . .
so thats the reading lights, USB chargers, interior lights sorted. . .
then i done the AMT12-2 starter trickle charger shown above.
++++++
so next will be back onto the 6way USB charger and WIFI.
++++++
.
fish cable,
crimp ends
screw in charger. . .
.
pulling the panels back enough to fish the cables around. . .
nice to see the efforts of the previous owner with the sound deadening and heat insulation. . .
we decided we wanted these 12v reading lights up on the top corners,
so drilled a small 8mm hole and run a length of 1mm twin core from the light fitting to the pillar void.
then used self drilling metal screws to drill and fix the lamp in place.
the area felt double skinned.
we run the same 4mm2 red power cable up and over the rear roof - following the OEM cable loom, to get power to the other side. . .
i used seperate NEGs direct to the chassis at the lower D-pillar / side panel. . .
there was already some holes. . . so i exposed some clean metal and used some ring terminals and self drill screws to make a good clean NEG connection. . .
a quick test gave us this. . . .
so thats the reading lights, USB chargers, interior lights sorted. . .
then i done the AMT12-2 starter trickle charger shown above.
++++++
so next will be back onto the 6way USB charger and WIFI.
++++++
.
nice work. always appreciate your write ups, helps us mere mortals learn something!!
not sure, they must be bleeding it off as heat?
the Bench PSU shows constant current across the whole dimming range.
ill test later and see if they get as warm when dimmed as full brightness.
could be another test for the FLIR Alien Vision. . . - Thermodynamics & Alien-vision -- How I Done It --
Well second night with the new lamps,
And another family gathering for another birthday.
And once again the rear lights come on fully dimmed?... But I'd left them all on fully bright?
I know they bench tested ok over a 24hr slot.
So it must be something to do with the switch position when left on the bcm for curtisy lights.?
The new 12v power is direct from the LB.
And the ground is via chassis.
So something must be going on when the bcm goes to sleep causing the lamps to loose the setting and go to dimmer mode?
I could try moving the POS back to the OEM supply? As a test.
i could try leaving them on the manual off as a test?
Try different lamps?
..
Not sure.
Anyone else got these dimmer lamps? .... On the leisure battery.
.
@Dellmassive - 1st photo - Is this the ABB 07 bluetooth unit connected to your AMT.
2nd photo - Is this the "monitoing" only app, or does it also allow remote stting of the pulsing voltages?
2nd photo - Is this the "monitoing" only app, or does it also allow remote stting of the pulsing voltages?
@BoroBoy
It allows the changing of individual settings, as well as live view.
I'll get some screenshots.
I think the program settings 1-4,5-8 change numerous settings.
You can get to the settings with the remote.
But there isn't the option to select preset, just separate settings.
Not essentials, I just used it as I had it.
It allows the changing of individual settings, as well as live view.
I'll get some screenshots.
I think the program settings 1-4,5-8 change numerous settings.
You can get to the settings with the remote.
But there isn't the option to select preset, just separate settings.
Not essentials, I just used it as I had it.
Sounds good. I will look at getting one.
Just come out to the van for another test on the third day.
Last time I was in the van was yesterday afternoon about one , two o'clock.
And now at half six in the morning the lights in the rear we're fine and a normal brightness.
But one thing I did notice is that when I re-lock the van the lights dimmed down like normal, which got me thinking. Maybe the lights being super dimmed is normal as that's the last set in it was on as the BCM dims the lights down on a relock.?
The only thing is that the BCM seems the lights via pwm... So I'm not sure I think I'll just have to keep on testing.
It's possible they are remembering the last fully dimmed setting...... I'm not sure.
I think you are getting an interaction between the active controller in the lights and the PWM fade. If they are active controllers in the lights to do the touch that are trying to remember state then during the fade periods you are effectively toggling the power on and off to them very quickly at the PWM frequency.
The BCM fades are designed to directly drive LED lights, if you use them as a power supply to another active driver that's not the same and what behaviour you get is going to be a bit in the lap of the gods depending on how well that drive smoothes the very (from it's view) unstable power supply.
The BCM fades are designed to directly drive LED lights, if you use them as a power supply to another active driver that's not the same and what behaviour you get is going to be a bit in the lap of the gods depending on how well that drive smoothes the very (from it's view) unstable power supply.
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