Author Topic: Kenwood Upgrade Complete - One more power question  (Read 3071 times)

Rick Vyncke

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Kenwood Upgrade Complete - One more power question
« on: January 18, 2021, 09:47:25 PM »
I completed the upgrade of our old Kenwood head unit to a Pioneer flat 10.1" floating screen head unit... see before and after pictures attached.

Everything is working fantastic and the screen is so much easier on the eyes... I should have done this upgrade fives years ago.

My question is this.... Pioneer recommends that unit be wired as follows:
- YELLOW - constant power
- RED - Switched power

I accomplished that wiring... but believe that the "constant power" is only constant until the Salesman switch is turned off (I believe - or maybe until battery disconnect is switched) .  That results in the loss of some memorized items that must be reprogrammed the next time that coach power is turned back on.  While I can do that... it's a bit of a pain. 

Many installers claim that the parasitic drain from a head unit (If wired correctly) is minimal and simply will not drain a car battery. The constant power only maintains memory inside the unit and nothing more.

All of that said.... cars are started daily... or weekly whereby a coach might sit for three to five months without being started. 

My question is this.... am I safe in finding "constant power" that is truly constant and does not get turned off with the salesman switch or battery disconnect?  Or will I be regretting doing so because it drains the batteries?
Rick V
2004 Beaver Marquis, Garnet (3 slides)
43'
C12

Steve Huber Co-Admin

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Re: Kenwood Upgrade Complete - One more power question
« Reply #1 on: January 18, 2021, 11:02:39 PM »
Rick,
Why do you turn off the salesman switch? There is no need to ever turn it off. That said, if you want constant power the only option is to run a supply line from the batteries before the cut-off switches. If you are using the house batteries you can connect directly to the + terminal or to the + terminal of the inverter power input. If you used chassis batteries for power, you will have to connect to the + battery terminal. In either case you  could also tie in to the battery side of the cut-off switches.

Power drain on the batteries should be very minimal when stored. I wouldn't worry about it. The solar charger may be able to maintain the batteries during storage if everything in the coach is turned off. Alternately a small battery charger is an option.
Steve
Steve
2015-          07 Contessa Bayshore C9,  400 hp
2013-2015: 00 Marquis Tourmaline, C12, 425 hp
2005-2013: 01 Contessa Naples, 3126B, 330 hp

Rick Vyncke

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Re: Kenwood Upgrade Complete - One more power question
« Reply #2 on: January 19, 2021, 12:49:40 AM »
That's a great question Steve.... We've always turned it off every time we leave the coach.  I guess we were just trying to ensure that nothing was draining the batteries... not that it ever has....

Thanks for the input...
Rick V
2004 Beaver Marquis, Garnet (3 slides)
43'
C12

Mike Shumack

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Re: Kenwood Upgrade Complete - One more power question
« Reply #3 on: January 19, 2021, 12:25:47 PM »
I completed the upgrade of our old Kenwood head unit to a Pioneer flat 10.1" floating screen head unit... see before and after pictures attached.
\

What model Pioneer did you go with?
Does it automatically switch the view (from whatever is displayed) to the side cameras when the turn signals are used?

Rick Vyncke

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Re: Kenwood Upgrade Complete - One more power question
« Reply #4 on: January 19, 2021, 12:37:51 PM »
DMH-WT8600NEX.

The video does switch between left, right and backup cameras as turn signals are used and when coach is in reverse.  They can still be manually controlled with Aladdin


A feature that I like is you can set the Pioneer video source (aka Aladdin in my case) in one of two modes:

1 - Aladdin stays on screen all of the time until you manually switch to a different source.  That new source only stays on screen for about 30 seconds and then the unit automatically goes back to Aladdin
2 - you can configure the Pioneer to stay on whichever source you select


Finally, that gorgeous big screen supports widgets which you can move around the screen and even resize.  Think of each widget as displaying something different.  I haven’t had time to confirm this yet but believe that I will be able to display Aladdin in one widget, music in a second and clock in a third. I will repost after confirming that.  Will not be back to the coach for a couple of weeks but I will get back about this. 
Rick V
2004 Beaver Marquis, Garnet (3 slides)
43'
C12

Rick Vyncke

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Re: Kenwood Upgrade Complete - One more power question
« Reply #5 on: January 19, 2021, 12:44:17 PM »
Read your question again Mike and realize I didn’t really completely answer it.  I don’t know if when (for example) you have music displayed if the source will auto-switch to video.   I will check that out as well. 

I never used my Kenwood for anything other than Aladdin and therefore don’t know whether it would auto-switch between sources based on some kind of trigger.  If it did, there would have
to be a trigger wire for that feature.  Much like the trigger wire that many head units use to switch to backup camera view.
Rick V
2004 Beaver Marquis, Garnet (3 slides)
43'
C12

Rick Vyncke

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Re: Kenwood Upgrade Complete - One more power question
« Reply #6 on: January 19, 2021, 01:32:06 PM »
One more picture of CarPlay as source
Rick V
2004 Beaver Marquis, Garnet (3 slides)
43'
C12

Rick Vyncke

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Re: Kenwood Upgrade Complete - One more power question
« Reply #7 on: January 19, 2021, 06:20:13 PM »
In reference to Mike's question:

"Does it automatically switch the view (from whatever is displayed) to the side cameras when the turn signals are used?"

Does this functionality exist in the stock video units -- In my case the Kenwood KVT-M700?  I never used that head-unit for radio functions and therefore do not know whether the unit automatically changed from Radio control screen to video camera view when the turn signals are enabled.

I can say this.... the KVT-M700 does not seem to have a trigger wire that would signal the unit that the coach turn signals are on or even if the coach is in reverse.  This is common in new head units but it does not look like that is built into the old head unit.

I suspect that all control regarding switching to camera views (left, right or back) is through the Aladdin system.  In other words, if you are viewing Aladdin information on the screen then switching between cameras is handled by the Aladdin and therefore those changes can be viewed on the screen.  If however, the radio is on a different source than the Aladdin then I don't see a way to signal the radio to switch views. 

That could happen by sending a second video signal to the "back-up camera" video source... but then the problem becomes... what triggers that?  Probably easy to trigger off of the back-up lamp circuit... not not sure how to trigger off of the backup lamp circuit and the turn signal circuit.  Any ideas on how to accomplish that????


Rick V
2004 Beaver Marquis, Garnet (3 slides)
43'
C12

Mike Shumack

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Re: Kenwood Upgrade Complete - One more power question
« Reply #8 on: January 19, 2021, 07:53:41 PM »
That is a nice upgrade Rick. I looked at it on the Crutchfield website (and the short video they have). Very nice! They say there is an "extension cable" available too so you can mount the display almost anywhere you want. I couldn't tell from the website - but if you mount that Pioneer display screen somewhere else on the dash, would there be a cable coming out of the "front" of the in-dash unit or does the cable come out the back (more hidden)?

My Coach came with the Kenwood MVT-M700 and I upgraded to a (used) KVT-M707 last year. Both of those Kenwood models "auto switch" to the appropriate camera view (L, R) when the turn signals are used if the display is already set to view the Aladdin screen. I guess it is more correct to say "the Aladdin unit switches".

Rick Vyncke

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Re: Kenwood Upgrade Complete - One more power question
« Reply #9 on: January 20, 2021, 02:12:20 AM »
Mike, the camera do switch with turn signal use.  The cable comes out the front of the unit.  The beauty of this thing is it is a single din and therefore slides directly into the space that I removed the Kenwood from.   I also removed the Kenwood DVD player and installed a single din pocket with a ISB charger.  The head unit is pricey but it is a worthwhile upgrade if you’re gonna have your coach for a few years.
Rick V
2004 Beaver Marquis, Garnet (3 slides)
43'
C12

Rick Vyncke

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Re: Kenwood Upgrade Complete - One more power question
« Reply #10 on: February 01, 2021, 03:13:20 AM »
Thought I’d  share a couple more pictures of the head unit.  The large screen supports widgets and each has its own source.  On one picture you can see the large widget displays Aladdin while the smaller ones display a clock, the weather and my phone.  The other picture is Apple CarPlay with both maps and music displayed. Fantastic upgrade. 
« Last Edit: February 02, 2021, 01:36:29 AM by Steve Huber Co-Admin »
Rick V
2004 Beaver Marquis, Garnet (3 slides)
43'
C12