IsDons articles and blog

Installing stereos

Category: My first slide-on campervan. Published: 23 Jun 2009

My slide-on campervan had no capacity for playing music. The truck had a radio/cassette player but no CD player.

While in Adelaide I bought two stereos -- one for the truck and one for the van. The one for the truck was installed while I was in Adelaide but I decided I could install the one in the van myself.

At my first extended stop -- at the caravan park in Port Pirie -- I installed the stereo in the van, as well as the electronic ignition for the stove and a light just outside the door. I did all these together as they all connect to the battery system. I watched the electrician when he installed the solar power system and he showed me how to connect other appliances, which appeared quite simple -- and basically was, just time consuming with wires running all around the van.

The stereo consisted of DVD/CD/MP3 player, AM/FM radio, antenna and speakers. When I connected everything I found that it was making loud noises (no rude comments about my taste in music!) when running off the batteries -- it worked fine on mains power but I need it to run on both.

I rang the Tandy shop in Adelaide where I bought it to see what I could do about it. The choices were to return to Adelaide or the closest Tandy, which was Whyalla, within 14 days of purchase, which was almost up. Adelaide and Whyalla are similar distances from Port Pirie and I'd never been to Whyalla, so I drove to Whyalla -- I left the van in Port Pirie, I was already booked in and I only had another day or so to return the stereo. I got my money back and bought a different brand. I installed this when I returned to Port Pirie. This time I had no problems, everything worked exactly as it should, no matter which power system it was using.

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