How to install a radio in a caravan.

Submitted: Tuesday, Jan 24, 2012 at 16:22

Member - Boo Boo (NSW)

Nothing is as easy as you think it should be.

I have finally got a radio/CD etc ready to install.

However, after I sat in the van, which is a 12' Jayco Starcraft pop top, 2 single beds, and looked around I thought hmmmm, this is not going to be easy.

So,,,, has anyone fittted a radio to a small van, and if so how did you do it.

I'm tempted to take it to an installer down here at Narooma, but would like to have a go if I can.

The ariel is probably the simple part.

I am presuming that the speakers will have to be those which are a self contained unit and can be screwed to a suitable possy.

The van has a fuse box and I can get to the wiring by removing the panel at the front.

There is a fuse marked radio/tv so I presume I can hook it up to power behind that fuse.

I propose to put the ariel on the side of the van and attach with a couple of brackets mad out of something like gal strap about 40 mm long bend it around the ariel, drill a hole through the ends and use a s/s self tappers to screw it to the van.

The brackets would be like those used to hold pool fencing to the posy.

Grommets would be used to put the cable through.

Any help would be appreciated.

Regards BooBoo
How are you? Well you woke up this morning so ya gotta be feeling good!
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AnswerID: 475905   Submitted: Tuesday, Jan 24, 2012 at 17:17

Keir & Marg replied:

Hi Boo Boo,
I put a radio/CD unit in our Jayco Penguin pop top a couple of years ago. One of the cupboards underneath the sink unit draining board had sufficient space above the door to cut a slot, so the unit sits just under the draining board, and is protected from spills or knocks because the lip of the benchtop sticks out more than the unit. Plus, I can reach the unit while I'm sitting down. I opted for a couple of surface-mount speaker boxes from Supercheap and attached them to the ceiling since there's very little space elsewhere in the van. The speakers face down and perform OK, plus they remain clear of the benchtop with the pop top down. The speaker wires run up inside the canvas tube with the ceiling light wiring. As for the aerial, I didn't want anything sticking out the side of the van as it's vulnerable, so I bought a short coaxial extension cable, ran the coax down and out the floor, inside the channel of the trailer chassis, and attached the aerial to the gas bottle cross member. It's completely protected from damage and stone impact.
Hope that helps.
Cheers, Keir
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AnswerID: 475906   Submitted: Tuesday, Jan 24, 2012 at 17:25

vk1dx replied:

BB

When I got my ham licence I was thinking the same about the "modified: and special Kingswood (!!!). We were both proud of the car and the last thing we wanted was to damage it. A neighbour said the same as you. Why not an installer. They have insurance and all the good gear to do it properly. Simple job.

A day or two later it was installed without a hasle for quie a reasonably small outlay. And no holes in the roof lining that I was worried about. If I tore it we wouldn't have been able to afford to replace the lining. If they did damage it then they HAD to replace it.

Not such a silly idea mate

Phil
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AnswerID: 475908   Submitted: Tuesday, Jan 24, 2012 at 17:48

Member - Boo Boo (NSW) replied:

G'day fellas

The wife and I were just out in the caravan trying to work out where to put the radio and speakers and had a spirited discussion.

What I did think about was looking for a smaller radio and put it in the 'wall' of one of the beds and use the remote to change channels etc.

And I still haven't ruled out an installer.

Regards BooBoo
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AnswerID: 475916   Submitted: Tuesday, Jan 24, 2012 at 18:37

The Bantam replied:

One option for mounting the radio its self is to use a marine mounting box, they take a standard CD radio unit and put it into a yoke mounted box that conciels all the uggly bits.
This allows you to mount in a great variety of places.

These can be had from any of the marine shps like bias or whitworths.

using surface mount speaker boxes rather than flush mounts can make the job easier.

As for the aerial, look at one of the large pillar mount aerials....we used to use em on trucks.

they have a lower mounting boss that takes the cable connection thu the sheet and an upper mounting boss to steady the assemby.....this upper mounting boss can go on anywhere along the bottom section.

We used to mount em thru the back wall of the cab.

cheers
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FollowupID: 750933   Submitted: Tuesday, Jan 24, 2012 at 20:14

Member - Toyocrusa (NSW) posted:

This type of ariel is factory fitted to my Jayco Sterling and looks very neat. I wish my TV reception was as good as it. Cheers,Bob.

How True. Courtesy of the Breakwater.Port Maquarie
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FollowupID: 750981   Submitted: Wednesday, Jan 25, 2012 at 11:09

Member - Boo Boo (NSW) posted:

TB

Thanks for the info, very hepful.

Bob

I will have a look at a Jayco place when I go to Sydney tomorrow. Thanks
Regards BooBoo
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AnswerID: 475919   Submitted: Tuesday, Jan 24, 2012 at 19:03

Rockape replied:

Boo Boo,
I don't know if this will help as the photos are from my van which is larger but still a poptop.

The radio is installed in homemade timber surround and the speakers are mounted under the poptop shelf with the wiring in automotive convoluted hose. and this runs out of view along the front of the shelf. The power is taken from the rangehood with limiting fuses for the radio in it's mounting box. The stand alone speakers are Axis and the aerial mounts straight through the front of the van.
Aerial
Aerial


Speakers
Speakers


Radio
Radio


I thought I was only dumb but I have now been told I am an armchair expert. Quite chuffed about that I am.

The Burdiken at full noise.
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FollowupID: 750980   Submitted: Wednesday, Jan 25, 2012 at 11:06

Member - Boo Boo (NSW) posted:

G'day RA

It tookl me a while, but I finally worked out that I was looking at the roof of a carport, or similar in the photo. lol

It looks like you have drilled a hole through the fibre glass top. Is that correct and if so did you bolt it or use self tappers?

And compared to our 12 footer your van is a monster with lots of space.
Regards BooBoo
How are you? Well you woke up this morning so ya gotta be feeling good!
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FollowupID: 751000   Submitted: Wednesday, Jan 25, 2012 at 16:27

Rockape posted:

Boo Boo.
I should have turned that photo of the aerial around and I don't blame you for finding it hard to fathom out especially with the tarp on the roof to keep all the gecko crud off.

The aerial is not through the fibreglass top it is through the aliuminum cladding behind the radio and the aerial sel seals through the front of the van

Your van may be smaller but you can see and enjoy the country just as much as I can.

All the best mate,
RA.
I thought I was only dumb but I have now been told I am an armchair expert. Quite chuffed about that I am.

The Burdiken at full noise.
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AnswerID: 475959   Submitted: Wednesday, Jan 25, 2012 at 09:00

glids replied:

"I propose to put the ariel on the side of the van and attach with a couple of brackets mad out of something like gal strap about 40 mm long bend it around the ariel, drill a hole through the ends and use a s/s self tappers to screw it to the van."

I'm not sure if I understand what you mean by the above about mounting the aerial, but be aware that the metal shaft of the aerial needs to be insulated away from the van's metal skin or it wont work.
There is an insualted mounting base on aerials that keeps the aerial shaft electrically insulated - the central core wire of the coax cable goes to the aerial shaft while the earth sheathing of the coax usually make contact with the car's (in your case the van's) bodywork.

good luck
glids
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