Underseat electrical connections - tidying for LB install

[doodahoops]

Hi. I have just taken out the double seat to fit a single and have uncovered factory and other cables.



I wanted to to put my leisure battery and chargers under the single sear… what are the factory cables for and can I move these somewhere else?

Thanks

 

[roadtripper]

They are the connection blocks between the front and rear looms in the van.

If you need more space most folks find you can "lose" them in the wiring channels under the floor if you are careful, with the caveat that should you need to get to them for maintenance or diagnostics it's then a seat and battery out job.

Repositioning electric modules under drivers seat.

Hi Just started on the conversion project - first task to swap the single seat in the front for a double on a kirivans swivel base. Single seat out no problem. First problem I noticed - not enough bolts for the new double seat - but think I've got that sorted. Next problem (sorry...

www.t6forum.com

 

[doodahoops]

Fantastic Thankyou. Will see if I can rejig my design to keep them readily available…

 

[Matt-T68]

It's do-able. They secure to the base like this. I have an extra one which I think is the rear screen heater relay etc

 

[Green Giant]

How did you get on with moving the factory electrics from under passenger seat, where did you reposition them to?
I’m also trying to work out if I can move all my cables etc over to the drivers seat, as the cables seem to come from the direction of the centre of the cab area. But not taken seats and rubber floor out yet to check
I want to fit a seat base style battery under the passenger factory swivel, iv got a Eberspacher heater mounted internally under the drivers swivel seat, there’s room to potentially refit it there

 

[roadtripper]

If you look around at pictures folks have shared with the floor up there is a wiring channel to the left and right of the centre, the bulk of the wiring harness comes down the left as most are built as left hand drive. There is also a channel between the seat base areas.

However a good amount of those electrics are coupling points between the front and rear looms, so you also have to consider where they go next and many go up the B pillars.

So for the existing loom wiring I don't think you have much play, but the play there is in the looms to loop up into the carriers in the seat base is usually enough to tuck into the wiring channels in the floor.

 

[Green Giant]

If you look around at pictures folks have shared with the floor up there is a wiring channel to the left and right of the centre, the bulk of the wiring harness comes down the left as most are built as left hand drive. There is also a channel between the seat base areas.

However a good amount of those electrics are coupling points between the front and rear looms, so you also have to consider where they go next and many go up the B pillars.

So for the existing loom wiring I don't think you have much play, but the play there is in the looms to loop up into the carriers in the seat base is usually enough to tuck into the wiring channels in the floor.

Thanks for reply, yes iv been trawling all the seat base posts and seen some pics, I’m going to have a proper look at the loom connections over this weekend. I’m going to get a professional to fit my leisure electrics, so just trying to see which style lithium battery I can potentially fit under there, prefer to have a heated one,so looking at the Eco tree 230 seatbase as it’s dimensions are slightly smaller then the Frogstar Seatbase battery

 

[doodahoops]

If you look around at pictures folks have shared with the floor up there is a wiring channel to the left and right of the centre, the bulk of the wiring harness comes down the left as most are built as left hand drive. There is also a channel between the seat base areas.

However a good amount of those electrics are coupling points between the front and rear looms, so you also have to consider where they go next and many go up the B pillars.

So for the existing loom wiring I don't think you have much play, but the play there is in the looms to loop up into the carriers in the seat base is usually enough to tuck into the wiring channels in the floor.

I plan to tuck mine in the top right so still accessible…

 

[ginkster]

I plan to tuck mine in the top right so still accessible…

View attachment 225406

I’m looking to put my Orion in a similar position, but without the battery there as well (I have pipes for the diesel heater where your battery is). Do you have any problems with cooling for the Orion? I’ve heard they run pretty hot. Ta.

 

[doodahoops]

Not even turned it on yet so can’t comment at all. However often are you likely to be running the engine and the diesel heater at the same time if you are worried about those combined heats?

 

[ginkster]

Not even turned it on yet so can’t comment at all. However often are you likely to be running the engine and the diesel heater at the same time if you are worried about those combined heats?

Thanks. Not too worried about the heater pipe as I can insulate that and as you say it’s pretty rare both are running at the same time (it would be freezing weather too if I was doing that!). It’s just the heat generated by the Orion itself in a fairly confined space as I’ve heard they run pretty hot.

 

[roadtripper]

The Tri-Smarts do have a repuation for runing hot as they are now an older design and less efficient - if you've not bought and not in a hurry it's worth hanging for the replacement model:

New Victron Energy Orion XS 12/12-50A DC-DC Battery Charger?

Afternoon all. Just looking on 12V Planet and seen this: Seems that maybe the high heat at full capacity may have been addressed looking at the details.

www.t6forum.com

@doodahoops if that's your seat base install worth keeping in mind that those cooling fins will only work effectively if there is airflow over them - getting out of the top is mostly fine with the seat gap but you'd want to make sure as much of the wood by them is cut away so cool air can be drawn over them as the hot air rises.

 

[ginkster]

The Tri-Smarts do have a repuation for runing hot as they are now an older design and less efficient - if you've not bought and not in a hurry it's worth hanging for the replacement model:

New Victron Energy Orion XS 12/12-50A DC-DC Battery Charger?

Afternoon all. Just looking on 12V Planet and seen this: Seems that maybe the high heat at full capacity may have been addressed looking at the details.

www.t6forum.com

@doodahoops if that's your seat base install worth keeping in mind that those cooling fins will only work effectively if there is airflow over them - getting out of the top is mostly fine with the seat gap but you'd want to make sure as much of the wood by them is cut away so cool air can be drawn over them as the hot air rises.

Thanks . Already bought unfortunately. The new units look good but a pretty spendy!

I’ll mount on some perforated aluminium or leave the fins completely clear to help with airflow.

 

[doodahoops]

The Tri-Smarts do have a repuation for runing hot as they are now an older design and less efficient - if you've not bought and not in a hurry it's worth hanging for the replacement model:

New Victron Energy Orion XS 12/12-50A DC-DC Battery Charger?

Afternoon all. Just looking on 12V Planet and seen this: Seems that maybe the high heat at full capacity may have been addressed looking at the details.

www.t6forum.com

@doodahoops if that's your seat base install worth keeping in mind that those cooling fins will only work effectively if there is airflow over them - getting out of the top is mostly fine with the seat gap but you'd want to make sure as much of the wood by them is cut away so cool air can be drawn over them as the hot air rises.

Thanks - will cut some holes in the ply to allow air flow...

 

[domestique]

Hello all,

I’ve had my transporter a year now (bamboo green swb shuttle t6) and now started trying to improve things. I’ve fitted an alpine head unit and the alpine front door speakers and tweeters. Next up is an amp and sub, already have the under seat sub but … I’ve got a few connectors and relays under the drivers seat. How easy are these to move ? Is there enough wire to move them, or do I need to make up a loom extension?

 

[roadtripper]

The usual trick is there is space in the underfloor wiring channels to tuck them out of the way with a bit of juggling when you have the seats out and the floor up.

A lot of the fuse and relay carriers are actually modular so you can break them down into smaller units.

I'd advise trying to just move the loom connectors first to see if that gets you enough room, it's useful to be able to get to fuses and relays in case of failure

If you don't have a battery under the other seat there may be an opportunity to move them over there. There are two channels from the front (either side of where a transmission tunnel would be in RWD) and one across between the seats.

 

[domestique]

Awesome thank you! I don’t want to get into the job and find I’m stuck soldering wires.

 

[roadtripper]

@Dellmassive showed some good pictures of what you might see over on his camper build thread you might find interesting:

Dellmassive`s Camper Van Adventure

I can wholeheartedly recommend the diesel heater, they really do warm the whole van up really quickly. And it's handy not just when camping. Picking someone up/waiting around for someone with it's cold and don't want to sit there with the engine running for heat? Stick on the diesel heater...

www.t6forum.com

 

[domestique]

Thanks again! I looked under the drivers seat and noticed just three connectors that potentially could be removed and relocated to the passenger side. Ideally I’d bring 12v there so I could fit some usb sockets to the seat bases to stop the kids moaning about having no power in the back.

 

[roadtripper]

Thanks again! I looked under the drivers seat and noticed just three connectors that potentially could be removed and relocated to the passenger side. Ideally I’d bring 12v there so I could fit some usb sockets to the seat bases to stop the kids moaning about having no power in the back.

If you do make sure it's switched. USB sockets are active devices (as they have voltage converters) so will always draw a little power.