How to turn off external speaker?

[Iwritecode]

Originally Posted by DaveSchwartz

[PetPeeveMode]

I'm sometimes as guilty as anyone about spouting off without facts or information but when the OP gives the exact model number of the equipment they're having a problem with, come on - do a little research. Google is your friend.

[/PetPeeveMode]

Those who suggested the 'fade' function excepted.

Ducking now...

[gpa]

I have a Kenwood in my t12rb and had to adjust the balance to turn off the outside speaker.

[TrishB]

We're home now and had a great trip. Again, thanks to all who answered. We both spent far too much time trying to figure out the stereo. We found Balance and Fader Controls, but they were weird and didn't seem to do what we needed. (We could scarcely figure out how to get the AM/FM on and tuned.) Finally we just said "screw it" and we used my iPhone and our solar powered Bluetooth Roku portable speaker. All we really care about is a couple of NPR programs anyway. We didn't spend that much time in the trailer.

Maybe we'll swap this weird radio out for something more intuitive.

[robhagen]

big vic is correct. it's reasonable to expect stereo operation (i.e. both left AND right channels) both inside and outside the trailer. anything else is a workmanship flaw, correction of which should be covered under warranty.

[timfuji]

Originally Posted by Big Vic

I have the same Kenwood car type radio in my A Frame. The outside speaker is either controlled by the fader or balance control. My radio was wired wrong, where the balance controlled inside vs. outside and the fader controlled left and right. I switched the wires and all is well.

If I put my fader all the way to rear the outside speaker is only on; if I put the fader to front the two inside speakers are only on; or I can put it in between to run all speakers.

I thought mine was wired wrong too but apparently Forest River thinks using the balance to switch from inside to outside speakers and listening to only left or right track on the 2 inside speakers is ok. They even included an addendum saying so. Anyway.. Big Vic, how did you rewire the speakers? I'm thinking easiest way is to pull the radio out of the cabinet? lol I keep thinking... this thing is still brand new... do no harm, do no harm...

[pgandw]

Originally Posted by robhagen

big vic is correct. it's reasonable to expect stereo operation (i.e. both left AND right channels) both inside and outside the trailer. anything else is a workmanship flaw, correction of which should be covered under warranty.

Kind of difficult to achieve proper stereo operation with a single speaker.

All the Forest River A-frames I've seen (the newer bigger models may be different) only have 1 outside speaker. And I haven't seen a car stereo in decades that has a mono/stereo switch to combine the channels. I seem to remember back in the '80s that some car stereos had an automatic switch to mono when the FM signal was weak, and I think I had one that had a manual toggle switch on the front panel. So right from the start, you have a problem making the outside speaker work correctly. You would have to connect the outside speaker to both left and right rear speaker connections to get both channels.

Add to that the crappy job of installing stuff done by Forest River, and I'm not surprised when the speakers get hooked up wrong to the stereo. The fix to put the outside speaker as the rear car speaker, and the inside speaker as left and right front speakers is not difficult, but does involve removing the microwave for access to the back of the radio.

One of these years, I may replace the standard Kenwood car stereo with one that has a USB input, or at least a headphone jack input to have my phone as a source. But since SWMBO doesn't appreciate my taste in music, there's no hurry.

Fred W
2014 Rockwood A122 A-frame
2008 Hyundai Entourage minivan
3 weeks to the Utah 5 trip!
camping Colorado and adjacent states one weekend (or one week in this case) at a time

[Butch Wilson]

The radio on my 2016 t21qbhw has a usb input as well as a aux input. You are correct 1 outdoor speaker with right and left channels combined. FR must have upgraded !

[Luv70sFords]

I just rewired mine (2016 212HW) today before work. Wasnt in my driveway 24 hours... I set it up so the front is inside, and the rear is outside. I googled the schematic online, then used the fader/balance to figure out what was wired where, and worked accordingly. only took a few min. Off the top of my head I swapped the green circuit and the grey circuit. Stereo sounds MUCH better now. Wish it had 2 outside speakers for stereo on both ends, but thats a modification I can do later.

[Big Vic]

I added a second outside speaker (waterproof) that had the appearance and same specs as original. They sit about 5 ft apart, so there is some stereo separation audible.

The Kenwood radio came with a manual that showed the schematic for connecting two sets of rear speakers and two sets of front speakers. The manual is probably available online with a Google search. Once I removed the radio from the cabinet, it was easy to find the color coded speaker wires and re-connect them as I wished to the speaker wires.

As discussed above, IMHO the proper install allows the fader to variably adjust stereo sound to rear (outside) or front (inside) speakers and still maintain the balance feature to adjust right and left stereo channels.

If you only want to use one outside speaker, you will lose stereo sound outside because you are only running it on one channel (left or right).

[Wojo]

We must have gotten lucky with our 2014 T12DDST. The speakers are all controlled with A, B, and C buttons on both the radio and on the remote. Each speaker can be turned on and off independently of the others. The outside speaker has both left and right wired into it.

[stevetoney]

has anyone - put in a unit with satellite radio?

[pgandw]

On my A122, you can pretty much fit any smaller car stereo. The issue will be antenna location and cabling from antenna to stereo. The antenna will have to have a clear view of the satellite - no trees in the way.

Fred W
2014 Rockwood A122 a-frame

[robhagen]

big vic, right again.
hopefully forest river has a fix in mind. i'll buy an external speaker if i have to, but imho this is a workmanship defect that should be covered under warranty. end user shouldn't have to rewire their stereo to achieve normal operation. it's reasonable to expect stereo operation both inside and outside the unit. at the very least they should cover the dealer's cost to rewire the stereo for proper sound. hopefully forest river will step up here. happy camping!

[aceinspp]

Originally Posted by stevetoney

has anyone - put in a unit with satellite radio?

I use a portable satellite radio in my camper. Just use the aux jax plug in and tune radio to match for Satellite radio. Later RJD

[stevetoney]

thanks

[robhagen]

Originally Posted by robhagen

big vic, right again.
hopefully forest river has a fix in mind. i'll buy an external speaker if i have to, but imho this is a workmanship defect that should be covered under warranty. end user shouldn't have to rewire their stereo to achieve normal operation. it's reasonable to expect stereo operation both inside and outside the unit. at the very least they should cover the dealer's cost to rewire the stereo for proper sound. hopefully forest river will step up here. happy camping!

would really love to see forest river step up here. i bought my unit last month, but haven't taken delivery yet, waiting on dealer for awning install and this stereo warranty fix. it's an easy modification, but the techs all say i shouldn't attempt them myself for warranty purposes.

cheers

[robhagen]

have asked my dealer to correct this as a warranty fix. will report back...

[PK_A122TH]

I'm reading this dumbfounded. The same as when I found the addendum from FR indicating that balance and not fade is the way one is supposed to shift between indoors and out. This appears to be common on other FR products! What's going on, this seems stupid?

Can anyone tell me how the outdoor speaker terminals are configured? + and - or is there dual inputs?

Took first trip with A122TH and for the most part it's quite nice. Through this excellent forum I learned what kind of quality workmanship you can expect so this has helped with expectations. Wiring and plumbing is **** but I can tidy to my liking.

[Luv70sFords]

all the speakers are individually wired with their own positive and negative wires. the schematic is in the radio manual that was included with your owners manuals. Pop out the four screws holing the radio plate to the cabinet, and it will slide right out. repairs can be made quickly and easily. Took me all of 15 min with shrink seal connectors.

[abdiver]

Originally Posted by thepoms

Try the left/right balance. One of them turns off the outside speaker.


ThePoms
Rockwood
2016 A212HW

If you have an A frame this is the way most work. I never really use it.