Hillside Birchover

[Captain Quick]

I love the Hillside wiring diagrams posted here. Our converter (not Hillside) declined to supply any diagrams and just referred us to the supplied product manuals

Considering the not insignificant amount of money converters charge their customers, I think that’s disgraceful. All converters should supply documentation that includes as a minimum: an up-to-date operating guide that covers all the systems and components added by them and not included in the OEM product documentation ie a drawing of the physical layout and an accurate schematic showing the habitation electrical system actually installed including wiring sizes, colours and component positions plus electrical test certificate and gas test certificate. This should be a mandatory requirement of any national quality scheme such as the National Caravan Council (NCC). That said, whilst these bodies purport to protect consumers, first and foremostly they represent the interests of manufacturers.

I believe buyers should ask to see user documentation before signing an order form. In hindsight, I wish I’d have asked before I signed on the dotted line as I’ve wasted so much time researching what I feel should have been provided by the converter. User documentation, or lack of it, reveals a lot about the converter’s attitude to quality control and customer service in my view.

 

[Bav]

I love the Hillside wiring diagrams posted here. Our converter (not Hillside) declined to supply any diagrams and just referred us to the supplied product manuals

Agreed. My converter didn't provide a diagram and when I asked they said "it was a custom build, so we don't have one available"... and then completely ignored me when I countered with "all the more reason to provide a schematic, then".

I've since offered to pay (within reason) for their time to reverse-engineer a schematic from the physical install, but I'm yet to hear back from them on that.

 

[Anakin]

@Anakin as you refer to an Amber Valley relay and the driver’s seat I’m thinking your Hillside is a T6?
On the T6.1 Hillside used the VW factory fit 2nd battery under the passenger seat and that’s what I’m familiar with, so hopefully others with a drivers side install can advise better.
With regard to the two cables going to the input of the split charge relay: If you keep them connected together and wire into the input of your new DC-DC charger, then you will keep whatever is currently powered by the 2nd cable operational. You can do this at the terminals of the DC-DC if the cables fit well.
Personally I’d want to try and trace that 2nd cable to see what it actually does.
With respect to the additional 40A fused wire at the SB, again it’s difficult to say: Have you owned from new? Have you had any additional equipment fitted at any time? I can’t see a reason for Hillside to connect there and plastic conduit is commonly used.

@EAN , yes mine is a T6. I’ll connect both wires into the DC-DC ad you suggest, I can’t think what else to do anyway.

The additional 40 A circuit doesn’t show up anywhere in the rear wiring in the cupboard. I left the fuse in and tested everywhere for 12V and couldn’t find any. It’s a mystery, that I’ll leave connected for now, and press on with the LiFePO install.

We haven’t had it from new, so I’m at the mercy of previous owners. I wondered whether it was for the Eberspacher diesel heater?

@Captain Quick , I don’t know of any trackers, but I’ll have a look around.

 

[EAN]

@Captain Quick I too wish I had made the supply of all elements of Hiilside’s multistage build documentation a prerequisite of purchase as I’ve found them quite vague when trying to get answers out of them and as we know their wiring diagram isn’t up to date anyway.
As an example: I’ve recently had issues with my reverse camera which I had fitted as an extra by Hillside and was told that it would be the same as OEM.
Turns out they sub it out to a guy and they (Hillside) don’t even know if the cable runs down the passenger side or the drivers side but they “think” it runs above the pelmets. Don’t know where it might be fused. No effort to confirm, Asked how to remove the pelmets to look and they said “ it’s a big job”. Ok, how then? Answer: Pull off the diffuser (how?), remove the LED strip light (taped?) and then the screws are behind that. Takes multiple emails over a period of weeks to get relatively little info.
If there’s a show or an open day event on then Aftersales is non existent.
Luckily I’d already fixed the camera myself without having to take the pelmets down, but I decided that I wanted them to answer my questions so persevered.

 

[EAN]

@EAN , yes mine is a T6. I’ll connect both wires into the DC-DC ad you suggest, I can’t think what else to do anyway.

The additional 40 A circuit doesn’t show up anywhere in the rear wiring in the cupboard. I left the fuse in and tested everywhere for 12V and couldn’t find any. It’s a mystery, that I’ll leave connected for now, and press on with the LiFePO install.

We haven’t had it from new, so I’m at the mercy of previous owners. I wondered whether it was for the Eberspacher diesel heater?

@Captain Quick , I don’t know of any trackers, but I’ll have a look around.

Might be quicker to remove the fuse and see what no longer works.

 

[Captain Quick]

@Captain Quick I too wish I had made the supply of all elements of Hiilside’s multistage build documentation a prerequisite of purchase as I’ve found them quite vague when trying to get answers out of them and as we know their wiring diagram isn’t up to date anyway.
As an example: I’ve recently had issues with my reverse camera which I had fitted as an extra by Hillside and was told that it would be the same as OEM.
Turns out they sub it out to a guy and they (Hillside) don’t even know if the cable runs down the passenger side or the drivers side but they “think” it runs above the pelmets. Don’t know where it might be fused. No effort to confirm, Asked how to remove the pelmets to look and they said “ it’s a big job”. Ok, how then? Answer: Pull off the diffuser (how?), remove the LED strip light (taped?) and then the screws are behind that. Takes multiple emails over a period of weeks to get relatively little info.
If there’s a show or an open day event on then Aftersales is non existent.
Luckily I’d already fixed the camera myself without having to take the pelmets down, but I decided that I wanted them to answer my questions so persevered.

Due to an oversight on my part, I missed off the factory fit rear camera when I ordered my van. I recall asking for a retrofit install after delivery using the VW kit but didn’t as I wasn’t entirely comfortable with the reaction and approach to doing this so decided I’d fit one after delivery. To this end, I bought an Autovox V5 mirror cam (front and rear) and wired in in myself. With the help of my faithful old Rathbone steel fish tape I found it was possible to feed a wire through from the driver’s side B-pillar all the way though into the void behind the space that runs across the rear of the van that houses the speakers and touch lights. It took less than 10 minutes to do this. I’ve since learned that It’s extremely difficult, if not impossible, to get a wire through on the left-hand side (nearside) of a van fitted with a pop-top which is why most vehicle electricians opt to use the right-hand side to route retrofit cabling.

That was the good news. Unfortunately, I discovered that for vans with factory-fitted LED lamp units there’s no convenient 12v reverse gear switched supply at the rear to connect the wire that automatically triggers the camera which might just explain why I detected some pushback from HL. Having fitted it, it proved not to be an issue as I can operate it manually by just touching the rear view mirror whenever I want, even when travelling forward.

I’ve asked HL folks at least three times to provide an up-dated wiring diagram and got no answer, so I’ve given up now. I also suggested that they add an owner area on their website where documentation, notices and other useful stuff can be accessed securely by owners as many other campervan and motorhome suppliers have but they didn’t seem particularly warm to the idea. It is what it is I guess.

 

[Anakin]

It's in

 

[Anakin]

And this is the aftermath

 

[Captain Quick]

It's in

Result. Nice job.