Radio volume

[Videocrafters]

We got the standard radio in our build and tried it today. The volume is rather low. Very moderate. Anyone else notice this?

[Videocrafters]

With the battery disconnect in the “off” position does the roof mounted solar panel still charge the battery?

[NEWYORKHILLBILLY]

Originally Posted by Videocrafters

With the battery disconnect in the “off” position does the roof mounted solar panel still charge the battery?

Yes it does

[C&G in FL]

Originally Posted by Videocrafters

With the battery disconnect in the “off” position does the roof mounted solar panel still charge the battery?

Michael (NYHillbilly) is correct but not very detailed. The battery disconnect switch isolates the battery from all things it powers in the trailer, and from the converter which charges the battery when connected to shore power. But it also cuts battery power to the emergency braking (break-away switch) so when towing, the battery disconnect switch MUST be on when towing.

As far as your radio having low volume, I cannot shed any light on that because ETI is using a different radio now than in 2015 when I took delivery of my trailer. But mine will blast me out on full volume as will most automobile receivers so I would suspect that something is not right.

[Centex]

IIRC from reading the specs the Escape stereo option includes 4 speakers (2 left-channel, 2 right-channel)?

You might try reversing the wires at the speaker of one speaker on each channel - it's possible a certain amount of 'soundwave cancelling' is occurring as a coincidence of polarity / phase and/or distance / orientation of the speakers relative to each other and the listening position.

May not help but it's relatively easy to try and easy to restore to original if it doesn't help (or hurts) the perceived volume. There's no risk of damage to anything in this 'experiment'.

A quick-test might be to 'fade' ('front' or 'rear', not left/right) the speakers all the way to one extreme or the other if that's supported on the head-unit; if the volume seems as loud or louder with the front or rear effectively 'muted', the wire-reversal trick may help it sound louder with all speakers in-play.

(relative speaker phase in multiple-arrays may be 'electrically correct' but still yield undesirable effects in a particular listening environment; the 'correct' phasing is the one that sounds best to your ear )

All just for your consideration, good luck!

[NEWYORKHILLBILLY]

Originally Posted by C&G in FL

Michael (NYHillbilly) is correct but not very detailed. The battery disconnect switch isolates the battery from all things it powers in the trailer, and from the converter which charges the battery when connected to shore power. But it also cuts battery power to the emergency braking (break-away switch) so when towing, the battery disconnect switch MUST be on when towing.

As far as your radio having low volume, I cannot shed any light on that because ETI is using a different radio now than in 2015 when I took delivery of my trailer. But mine will blast me out on full volume as will most automobile receivers so I would suspect that something is not right.

If the trailer is wired correctly the switch will not cut battery power to the emergency braking (break-away switch) No need to have it turned on while towing.

[Greatboatz3]

Originally Posted by Videocrafters

We got the standard radio in our build and tried it today. The volume is rather low. Very moderate. Anyone else notice this?

Hi Videocrafters,
As I am planning on ordering the Stereo package I am wondering if you resolved the problem of low volume. If so did reversing the wires work or was there another problem?
Thanks

[davidmurphy02]

I never heard what happened with that issue, but it is not a problem for our factory radio/cd player. We have found the opposite, in fact, have to be careful to keep the volume at a very low setting or it can really blast. Not in love with the radio / cd player - a million tiny little buttons - but the speakers are very nice sound quality.

[tdf-texas]

Originally Posted by NEWYORKHILLBILLY

If the trailer is wired correctly the switch will not cut battery power to the emergency braking (break-away switch) No need to have it turned on while towing.

Guess what? By your definition, Escape does not correctly wire the breakaway switch - it is powered down when the battery disconnect switch is off.

That was one of the reasons I changed the wiring to my emergency brake circuit to have it powered from before the battery disconnect switch - not after.

On the radio issue - I have the Boss BV6652 and it is plenty loud. Now this is after I replaced the crap speakers that the trailer came with. I replaced them with Pioneer and Rockford Fosgate speakers that improved the volume as well as the sound quality.

[C-weed]

Does the radio have its own antenna or is it integrated with the tv antenna?

[Vermilye]

It has a short monopole antenna that can be improved upon.

[davidmurphy02]

Originally Posted by C-weed

Does the radio have its own antenna or is it integrated with the tv antenna?

Here's where it is on a 5.0 - differs by model, usually located up high near where the radio unit is inside.

[C-weed]

I see. Thanks for the pic. Just signed on the waiting list for a 21C. As you can see by my sign in date, I have been considering the Escape for awhile. Just a few of life's hurdles have popped up lately...


Chris

[Greatboatz3]

Originally Posted by tdf-texas

Guess what? By your definition, Escape does not correctly wire the breakaway switch - it is powered down when the battery disconnect switch is off.

That was one of the reasons I changed the wiring to my emergency brake circuit to have it powered from before the battery disconnect switch - not after.

On the radio issue - I have the Boss BV6652 and it is plenty loud. Now this is after I replaced the crap speakers that the trailer came with. I replaced them with Pioneer and Rockford Fosgate speakers that improved the volume as well as the sound quality.

According to Melissa in October when I emailed asking about the stereo her response was they were installing Boss Audio BV6658B.. I was wondering if Videocrafters had found the cause if his radios problem..

I have a JVC Kenwood Model KW -V6660BT $349 from Crutchfield that I would like to order and install. Asked ETI if I could pay them to run the wires for the stereo and speakers. They will wire and install speakers for $ 240, $100 off for no stereo. Looking at the wiring diagram I’m not sure how you wire in the stereo. It looks to have a multi pin connector.

[Centex]

Originally Posted by Greatboatz3

....
I have a JVC Kenwood Model KW -V6660BT $349 from Crutchfield that I would like to order and install. .... Looking at the wiring diagram I’m not sure how you wire in the stereo. It looks to have a multi pin connector.

Getting far afield from the OP's issue, please check your PMs for guidance / an offer of assistance relating to your quandary

[Greatboatz3]

Originally Posted by Centex

Getting far afield from the OP's issue, please check your PMs for guidance / an offer of assistance relating to your quandary

n'

Sorry Centex I do get many private messages and just now found the email.

[Videocrafters]

I found the problem. There are buttons for front and rear speakers (of course the trailer only has 1 set) so I pressed the front and rear buttons and it got very loud. Solved.

[Greatboatz3]

Originally Posted by Videocrafters

I found the problem. There are buttons for front and rear speakers (of course the trailer only has 1 set) so I pressed the front and rear buttons and it got very loud. Solved.

Videocrafters, Thanks for your reply. We gain so much knowledge from this Forum.