windswept wrote:Has anyone hooked their cab stereo into the coach system?
I don't know if anyone has done that on a Chinook, but I can give you some thoughts.
For starters, I thought about this long and hard, because two stereos in such a small space seems kind of silly. But... I had just that setup in a previous camper van (dash stereo serving both purposes): There was a complicated switch scheme to move the power draw to the house when camping, but as I remember it (sorry, it was complicated) some of the power still came from the start battery, so if you used it all weekend while camping you could still draw the start battery down.
Also, I think that many cab stereos can power the relatively few cab speakers, but likely want to add more power in order for it to power four house speakers (camper van was smaller, didn't have four house speakers).
So anyway, I thought about it, but then it seemed like well, if I have to add some kind of amp, plus then I have to reach into the cab to work the stereo (and I often have a curtain drawn there for privacy or temperature control), and maybe some way to shut off cab speakers.... then maybe I might as well just put another stereo in the house (as it was stock). They are so inexpensive nowadays (remember when they were super expensive?!).
I'm sure it can be done, but I think I've decided against it for the reasons listed above.
I DID change one part of the Chinook wiring scheme (got the idea from Bob Wells): As originally wired, the power to keep the pre-sets and that sort of thing came from the start battery. I don't want "hidden" draws coming from the start battery ever. So I moved things so that both power wires for the house stereo come from the house bank. Upside: No secret draws on the start battery. Potential downside: If you turn the house power off (like to store the rig), then you will lose your presets. For me that's not an issue because I rarely turn my house power off, plus if I'm traveling presets don't do me any good anyway.
Then the original house stereo died so I got to think about it all over again. Once again I went through my options:
1) Make dash stereo dual purpose, with some kind of power switching so as not to use dash power when camping, plus add amp so it can power more speakers (and maybe a switch to make it so cab speakers aren't on when listening in house?).
2) Forget a "real" stereo for the house and just use bluetooth speakers and ipod or smart phone.
3) Just buy a replacement "car stereo" for the house.
#1 sounds efficient, but turns out to be more complicated (I think).
#2 means I have speakers lying around, they don't typically sound as good, and plus I like to listen to FM radio.
#3 seems kind of silly (two stereos in 21' vehicle) but is actually probably the cheapest/simplest, sounds good, and has easy FM radio.
Presuming I stick with #3 (and I think I will), I will keep my wiring mod that powers the house stereo 100% from the house battery bank.