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Old 12-02-2021, 09:20 PM   #1
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iRV36 Radio wired wrong

Huge surprise right?

The radio in my 2022 E-Pro E20FBS sounded terrible. I had noticed some threads on here mentioning that the factory frequently wires them up wrong, so I pulled the speakers and radio out to check.

The speaker ends were wired up properly, but on the radio harness they’d wired both interior speakers to the zone 1 left output and just hacked off the wires to the right speaker output.

I don’t really understand why this happens. It’s not like it’s any cheaper or faster to attach them to the wrong wires.

Anyone know where I can find replacement pins for this connector? They really didn’t leave enough wiring behind for me to splice on to.
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Old 12-02-2021, 09:30 PM   #2
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Have you tried contacting them directly?

https://irvtechnologies.com/

It looks like there is enough cable left on the connector for bullet splices.

Is it a standard Molex connector?
https://www.amazon.com/Molex-14-Circ.../dp/B078H8F2YQ

It looks like it is:

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Old 12-03-2021, 12:43 AM   #3
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Quote:
Originally Posted by NavyLCDR View Post
Have you tried contacting them directly?

https://irvtechnologies.com/

It looks like there is enough cable left on the connector for bullet splices.

Is it a standard Molex connector?
https://www.amazon.com/Molex-14-Circ.../dp/B078H8F2YQ

It looks like it is:

Attachment 266354
I did send a message to the manufacturer, but I expect I’ll either never hear back or they’ll offer to sell it to me for way more than is logical. I was thinking it was probably something from Molex, but hadn’t had a chance to look yet. That sure looks like the right connector though. Good find, and thanks!

Maybe I’ll just order that and hook the various wires right to the pins. I hate splices that aren’t really necessary.
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Old 12-03-2021, 08:42 AM   #4
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Originally Posted by jsalbre View Post
I did send a message to the manufacturer, but I expect I’ll either never hear back or they’ll offer to sell it to me for way more than is logical. I was thinking it was probably something from Molex, but hadn’t had a chance to look yet. That sure looks like the right connector though. Good find, and thanks!

Maybe I’ll just order that and hook the various wires right to the pins. I hate splices that aren’t really necessary.
Come back and let us know how that worked, because I was thinking the same thing about eliminating splices myself!
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Old 12-03-2021, 12:02 PM   #5
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Another possible option is to remove the pins from original connector and change out the wiring with some longer wires. On all of those connectors, the pins can be removed, it's just a matter of figuring out how to remove them...
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Old 12-05-2021, 11:25 AM   #6
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Contact extractor

Quote:
Originally Posted by mikeyk101 View Post
Another possible option is to remove the pins from original connector and change out the wiring with some longer wires. On all of those connectors, the pins can be removed, it's just a matter of figuring out how to remove them...
Contact extractors for these contacts are tubular tools. Most have a slot up the side. You fit it over the wire and slide it in from the back. The tube depresses the barbs on the connector and you pull the wire, contact pin, and extractor out together. On certain connectors, the extractor is inserted from the front side.

Amazon offers 485 (!) different ones. Just have to figure out which one you need. If you can't determine that, they have some 70-80 extractor assortments for $14-20. Just get one of those and try all the options.

My preference would be to simply strip the wire stubs, slide some shrink tubing on the new wire to be spliced, solder the connection, and then slide the shrink tubing over the joint and shrink it.
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Old 12-05-2021, 01:32 PM   #7
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Sound system output wiring correction

This is a problem that crosses models of trailers, years of manufacture, and brands of audio systems. Our 2020 ePro14fk has a Furrion audio system and had the two internal speakers wired in monaural, with the wiring harness leads clipped short. I was able to use the clipped wires to correct the speaker wiring to be stereo, but I did purchase a new wiring harness with connector and someday, I will probably clean up the remains of my splice.

The Furrion audio system actually has four separate 20 watt amplifiers, two for zone 1 (interior) and two for single zone 2 (exterior) speaker. I also replaced the stock internal speakers with actual 2-way coaxial speakers and added a small, powered subwoofer, since the Furrion has a subwoofer output.

We don’t need loud, we just want decent sound, and now we have it, for about $100 and some electrical work.
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Old 12-06-2021, 01:31 AM   #8
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Quote:
Originally Posted by mikeyk101 View Post
Another possible option is to remove the pins from original connector and change out the wiring with some longer wires. On all of those connectors, the pins can be removed, it's just a matter of figuring out how to remove them...
Quote:
Originally Posted by Larry-NC View Post
Contact extractors for these contacts are tubular tools. Most have a slot up the side. You fit it over the wire and slide it in from the back. The tube depresses the barbs on the connector and you pull the wire, contact pin, and extractor out together. On certain connectors, the extractor is inserted from the front side.

Amazon offers 485 (!) different ones. Just have to figure out which one you need. If you can't determine that, they have some 70-80 extractor assortments for $14-20. Just get one of those and try all the options.

My preference would be to simply strip the wire stubs, slide some shrink tubing on the new wire to be spliced, solder the connection, and then slide the shrink tubing over the joint and shrink it.
I actually have a pin removal tool that works just fine on this connector, so we’re good to go there. I considered stripping and soldering the stubs, but it would bug me forever knowing that mess was in the wall. I’d rather redo it the right way.

It’s the reason I open up every space I can get into, vacuum out the sawdust and clean up the garbage, properly secure wires and hoses, fix screws that missed their targets, etc. I had to do the same thing when I had a $120k Airstream, so I fully expected it on a sub-$30k E-Pro. Sad we have to do it, but such is the life of an RV owner.
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Old 12-07-2021, 09:38 PM   #9
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My connector came in today and I headed over to re-wire the thing. I ended up not removing all the splices to wire everything straight to the connector as some of the wires were a bit short. The only 2 conductor cord I had on hand happened to be speaker wire, so I used that to run from the connector to the right hand speaker. It still sounds bad, but not as bad as it did. At least it’s wired properly now!

I guess if I want any kind of semi-decent sound I’ll need to replace the garbage speakers.
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Old 12-08-2021, 09:56 AM   #10
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Where you able to confirm + and - on the speakers?
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Old 12-08-2021, 12:13 PM   #11
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Where you able to confirm + and - on the speakers?
I was. The speaker terminals are labeled and the wire was striped on one conductor so it was easy to match up.
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Old 12-14-2021, 04:40 PM   #12
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I just heard back from RecPro about getting a replacement harness. As expected they said they can't help.

Glad I went ahead and fixed it without waiting for them!
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Old 12-15-2021, 05:13 PM   #13
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Our 2021 20BHS was wired the same way. I was able to get some splices on there but it was aggravating. It does sound better, but it does baffle me why they wouldn't just wire a speaker to each channel.

Probably a decision made above the line workers so they do what they are told.
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Old 12-15-2021, 05:36 PM   #14
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Maybe...

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Originally Posted by KE0OUA View Post
Our 2021 20BHS was wired the same way. I was able to get some splices on there but it was aggravating. It does sound better, but it does baffle me why they wouldn't just wire a speaker to each channel.

Probably a decision made above the line workers so they do what they are told.
Maybe one rogue worker wired both trailers.

Hanlon's Razor: Never attribute to malice that which is adequately explained by stupidity.
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Old 12-15-2021, 06:51 PM   #15
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Maybe one rogue worker wired both trailers.

Hanlon's Razor: Never attribute to malice that which is adequately explained by stupidity.
Oh, I don’t think it’s malice at all. I think someone got used to wiring them up like that when they were using single zone radios with left for inside and right for outside, and no one bothered to adjust the instructions or training they’re following. Why would they? That takes time and money, whereas doing what they’re already doing costs nothing and the .5% of people that actually notice and care will just fix it themselves.
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