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 How to install a 12 volt CD player with a separate Rocker Switch into a 24 volt Rv or Motorhome

How to install a seperate rocker switch to your 24 volt rv or motorhome batteries system. Now this is more of an advanced install and it does require a bit more thought and materials but if you follow the instructions you should be able to complete this part without to much trouble.

In this install and repair we will need to make our own wiring loom for the CD player to run. The materials that are needed for this module are listed below.

Materials and tools needed for this section:

- Solder
- Conduit
- Socket set
- Cable Ties
- Heat Shrink
- Circuit tester
- Masking tape
- Wire strippers
- Soldering Iron
- Long nose pliers
- Spade terminals
- Ring eye terminals
- Phillips Screwdriver
- Radio mounting bracket
- Inline fuse holder and 10 amp fuses
- Red, white, yellow and black wire, 15 amps

- Rocker Switch On/Off - 20 amp rated, Spade Terminal connection

Installing the rocker switch

Now let’s say that we already have a hole for the CD player to fit into as in the install and repair on the Acc switch, so now we can focus on the wiring. I like to fit the rocker switch into place first in an area that will not get in the way of the vehicles operation, a spot on the dash next to the radio or near the steering column, I will add a picture of my bus to help you see what I mean.

Now just make sure that you have a look what is behind the area you are going to drill into first to make sure that you dont cut though any of the dash board wiring for your Rv.  Now we can run our constant wire, the color for this wire will be red. This will run from the battery through the fire wall of the vehicle to one side of the switch. When conecting this wire you should be using at least 6mm or 20 amp wire. Then from the other side of the switch run another wire to the CD player hole. You will have to strip and tin both ends of these wires fit heat shrink and spade terminals, use your terminal pliers to fit the terminals and use your heat gun to fix the heat shrink.

Now it is time to run the wires through the engine bay

Just look for the main wiring loom from the engine bay to the cabin and run your wires though the rubber boot. It also makes for a neater job if you follow the main loom for all your wiring. Most vehicles have an extra boot that you can cut to gain access to the cabin normally situated on the steering column side of the fire wall. If you are having trouble getting the wires through the hole.

Handy tip: Get a long plastic or metal tube, and tape your wire to it, use lube WD40, then push both the tube and the wire through the hole).

Fitting the Inline Blade Fuse Holder

Once you have the wire through run the wire to the stereo hole in the dash. Once you have done this, go back into the engine bay, strip and tin the end of the wires, slip on a piece of heat shrink, take a ring eye terminal and fit it to the wire with your terminal pliers, slide up the heat shrink till it touches the base of the ring eye and then use your heat gun to melt the heat shrink.

Now it is time to fit our inline fuse holder to the wire (use a ten amp inline blade fuse holder and blade fuse). I normally fit this around the battery area as there are many places to fix it. Now all we do it strip both wire ends of the inline fuse holder, then we cut the constant wire and strip those two ends.

Now we solder the joints together, so that the fuse is inline with the constant wire and then fit the 10 amp fuse. If you are running a separate amp on the CD player you will have to run a larger fuse, say 15 amps or make sure the AMP is fused as well.

In other words run a separate inline fuse holder and fuse for the PC (power constant) and the negative for the AMP. Make sure to the run the constant wire to the rocker switch. Because if you don’t you may flatten the batteries.

*Note: Leave the constant detached from the positive battery terminal at this stage.

Now we can run the negative lead from the battery terminal through the same hole as above with a wire and run this wire directly to the CD player after removing the wire from the conductor. At the battery end strip and tin the wires, again add a piece of heat shrink and ring eye terminal, use the terminal pliers to fit the terminal and a heat gun for the heat shrink.

You may now fit the negative wire to the negative battery terminal. Try and run these wires in the same direction and have them run side by side in the engine bay, this will make it easier for you to fit the conduit when you come to the finishing stage.

Once you have run all your wiring, check over all the joints to make sure that they have a good solder joint. An example of a bad joint would be parts of the conductor showing or poking through the heat shrink joint. If you see any of these problems, please cut away the heat shrink and start the joint again.

Now that we have checked our workmanship we can continue with the conduit, it is very important to fit the conduit for these reasons: 

1. Covers all wiring to stop it from rubbing through on the chassis of the vehicle.
2. Prevents wiring from melting together in the heat of the engine bay. Sparks and fuel, not a good mix.

Now, the next and final part of our install is to cable tie off the conduit, so that it follows the main wiring loom, and appears to be part of the car itself. Now just connect the CD player wiring loom to the rear off the CD player, mount the CD player in the hole, screw into place, and reassemble the dash of your RV or motorhome.

Run test. Flick the switch, have a beverage. Enjoy your sounds. 

*Note: All radio setups will be lost every time you turn off the rocker switch.

12 Volt Rv Solar Systems

If you can not afford a solar system, you can purchase a battery backup for the system from any of your local spare parts or electronic stores all you have to do is fit a cigerette lighter (accessory socket) in the line before the fuse.

Please feel free to email me if you wish to have more detailed instructions on this install.

How to Install a 12 volt CD player that runs off the Acc position on your ignition in your motorhome

Wiring a 12 volt CD player into  the ACC postion on your ignition is easy when you know how. As long as you rv is 12 volt, or rather the systems battery is, all you will have to do is follow the instructions below.

Materials and tools needed for this section:

- Solder
- Conduit
- Socket set
- Cable Ties
- Heat Shrink
- Circuit tester
- Masking tape
- Wire strippers
- Soldering Iron
- Long nose pliers
- Spade terminals
- Ring eye terminals
- Phillips Screwdriver
- Radio mounting bracket
- Inline fuse holder and 10 amp fuses
- Red, white, yellow and black wire, 15 amps

Finding the Constant Power Wire

Now let’s assume that there is a radio in the Rv or motorhome, and original wires are still there. Now that we have found a suitable position for the CD player it is time to wire it in to the vehicle. You should have two main wires that give you power to the unit. These are known as Constant power and Acc power. What you will have to do first is find out which one of the wires is Constant (this wire is usually red). But how we find out for sure is grab our circuit tester, attach the alligator clip to a negative (a metal bracket or bolt under the dash or the door check).

Okay, touch the point of the tester onto the wires with the ignition off the light will glow on the tester when you have power. Mark that wire with masking tape and write PC, now we can test for the Acc wire.

Finding the Acc Wire

Repeat steps in finding the Constant wire above. Now turn the ignition to Acc then test the wires again, when the light glows you then have your Acc switch, mark this with masking tape and write Acc. On the constant wire we will now have to add a fuse to protect the circuit.

Soldering and appling heat shrink

All we do is strip back the wire that we marked PC about 10mm to expose the conductor then do the same to the fuse wire end (use your wire strippers), add a piece of heat shrink to the wire. Then using your soldering iron join the two wires together, making sure that the solder covers all the exposed conductor.

 (My tip: is to place the soldering iron on the conductor to heat it up before applying the solder this should now flow freely over the joint)

That’s all we need to do for the power side of things, the rest of the wires will be speaker wires just follow the instructions and solder the wires separately for the front and rear speakers, make sure to use heat shrink on these wires also. Now we come to the ground (this should be black) the ground will just be attached to the bolt that fits to a metal bracket under the dash.

The last thing to check is make sure that the CD player has a inline fuse attached to the wiring that comes from the CD player If it does then you will be fine just attach the fuse holder coming from the CD Player wiring to the Red or (constant power wire we just found). If you dont have any fuses then you will have to add one to the line before you run you CD player, just purchase one from your local automotive store for $5 dollars or so.

RV  – How to install and Repair your 12 volt Stereo or CD player wiring in your Rv or Motorhome:

Hi and welcome, in this section we are going to install and repair your Stereo or CD player wiring in your Rv or Motorhome.

Materials and tools needed for this section:

- Solder
- Conduit
- Socket set
- Cable Ties
- Heat Shrink
- Circuit tester
- Masking tape
- Wire strippers
- Soldering Iron
- Long nose pliers
- Spade terminals
- Ring eye terminals
- Phillips Screwdriver
- Radio mounting bracket
- Inline fuse holder and 10 amp fuses
- Red, white, yellow and black wire, 15 amps

Used terms explained

- Amps = Current the wire can carry
- Volts = the type of battery system the vehicle has.
- Acc = this is the accessories position on your ignition switch
- Constant power = the main wire that has power even when car ignition is off
- Positive Ground = the red wire goes to the body of the car and battery
- Negative Ground = the black wire goes to the body of the car and battery

Voltages

The first thing that we need to sort out is what voltage we are dealing with. For most Motorhomes and RV`s we will be looking at 12 volt negative ground application. Most Japanese and vehicles made in Australia and New Zealand will be negative ground and 12 volt. The thing to do first is to check with the manufacture of the vehicles and ask whether it is negative ground or not. The internet is a great source for this information and is mostly accurate.

For a 12 volt CD player wired to a 24 volt system with a dual battery system always wire the unit up to the first battery in the line, normaly the battery that is not connectioned directly to the Positive (red) connductor of the Rv. You also Connect both the (+) and the (-) to the same battery, hense just as you would in a 12 volt system. If you do not do this you will damage your unit.

The other type of vehicle you may have is an American built; these cars in general will be positive ground and they may have 24 volt systems. Just make sure that if you have a 24 volt system and you want the CD player to run of the Acc switch you will need a 24 volt CD player to install. Again please check this before trying to add any accessories to your vehicle.

If you are wiring a cd player to a 24 volt system and you have a 24 volt unit, and you have a dual battery system on your Rv just wire the positive (red) conductor to the + on one of the batteries and Negitive (-)  on the other battery.

Now lets get started, I am going to cover two forms of install here. Firstly fitment of a CD player that runs on the Acc switch of your ignition and secondly a CD player that runs on a separate rocker or toggle switch.

Please continue to install and repairing a 12 volt CD player wiring that runs off the Acc position on your ignition in your motorhome:

How to Install and Repair a 12 volt CD player wiring that runs off the Acc position on your ignition in your motorhome