V30 Under driver seat pics and time for a beer.....

The fun part of this journey is that 2019s seem rare enough to not have any write ups yet. SO tonights accomplishments. Please do not let me duplicate....if there is a write up out there then lemme know.

1) removed connection to battery next to accelerator

2) removed 4 bolts securing driver seat.
Note: My rig has factory swivel seats with lower bases. Swiveling the seat give great access to the Etorx bolts

3) Unplug the yellow connector and the White connector for seat electronics.
Is yellow Airbag I assume and white is electric seat adjustment

4) encounter way more cabling that does not look like anything in any other research.

I have a FEMALE EC8 TO RING TERMINAL and LINK that I would like to safely connect. https://www.goalzero.com/shop/kits/yeti-link-car-charging-kit/

FIRST QUESTION:
Any ideas on where I should tie this in?
I found the ground BUT there is a heck of a lot of stuff to remove to get to it.....AND I found what looks like a bus bar....I believe the Goal Zero yeti Link will take 50 AMPs/750W

pictures attached.....down side to getting a loaded van....they shove more wiring in it.....

SECOND QUESTION:
The GZ yeti link will detect when voltage drops and stop pulling from van battery. My van has a factory aux battery (both AGM). My question is...how does MB wire these?
Does starter battery charge first then charge aux battery? I know there is an isolator to prevent a dead battery. I just do not know if they put an isolator between Starter and aux battery OR is it after them as a group...
 

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Notfamous

Member
I love my goal zero 1400 and yetlink smart connection!

You can connect the yeti Link to you aux battery. You should.already have an OEM isolator installed. If you download the Sprinter Builders Equipment Guide, it will tell you each post's limit. a3 (or labeled "3") is the cable that goes directly to your aux battery.

For the ground, you will need to use a ratchet with extension to loosen 2-3 bolts that attaches the black platform that houses all the electronics under the seat to the floor.



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sanomechanic

Well-known member
My question is...how does MB wire these?
Does starter battery charge first then charge aux battery? I know there is an isolator to prevent a dead battery. I just do not know if they put an isolator between Starter and aux battery OR is it after them as a group...
When the ignition switch is in the on position, the isolator relay coil is energized. That completes a circuit that allows both batteries to be in parallel "together" so the engine alternator can charge both. When ignition is turned off. it separates the 2 batteries so you cannot drain the battery that operates the starter, proprietary van electronics and engine control system. Make sure you do not tap into the wrong power source.
 

autostaretx

Erratic Member
Labeling your photo:

UnderSeatWiring05labels.jpg

MB does not operate the Isolation relay when you turn on the key.
They wait until the alternator is actually generating power. (D+ active).

There is an "EK1" terminal strip with fused "copies" of battery, ignition-on and D+ available.

It may be that covered set of posts hiding behind the isolation relay.
(the smallest post will be the "D+" signal, designed for user-supplied isolation relays (or kicking the Yeti))
In your fuse list, there will be three with the words "body manufacturer" as part of the description ... those are the fuses feeding the three-post EK1 strip.

--dick
 
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autostaretx

Erratic Member
..and then there's this helpful thread: https://sprinter-source.com/forum/showthread.php?t=76744

... which includes this photo of the EK1 strip with its cover open (you can see the isolation relay, too)



The "top" (smallest) post in that photo is what you'd use to trigger other isolation relay systems.

Your Yeti will also need to have a "common ground" (i.e. its negative to the Sprinter's frame) for the trigger (and charging) to work.

--dick
 
awesome info. Thanks for the support. I downloaded the guide......based on all this and the link to the other post (I found that right after I posted as well).

Here is my plan.....once seat is off.....
1) unbolt the plastic carriage to get to the ground bolt. the reassemble...
2) Install SF30 standard - 50 amp fuse on position A1 of the fuse block with M6 bolts. Tie my EC8 Yeti positive cable to that
3) reassemble

Thanks for all the info on the batteries....it sounds like I will never draw from my starter battery no matter what. Only from the aux. As the aux is drained it will take more from the alternator if it is lower than the starter battery (or starter battery is fully charged)
 
yuo need to tap the small button with a pin on the LINK module to turn it to car mode.

four times.
Got it all installed a hope to post a full write up with pics with it in car mode.

My brand new yeti 1400 has a bug.....I put the link in car mode and the output nor input will show anything but zeros even though it is charging. I have updated the firmware and have seen it posted on goal zero website so I will call them.

My yeti 1400 charges 1% every 5 Min. so in theory.....14Wh per 5 min which seems low compared to goal zero stating it should take up to 750 Watts. .....still thinking through...my goal is that my Dometic will run for 48 hrs off the yeti (7.9 amp peaks).
 
OK so a miracle happened. I think all this was a Goal Zero bug. I am now getting 500+ watts input on my Goal Zero Yeti 1400 AND I can see the draw by the Dometic. After all the hiccups I brought it inside the house and charged over night to 100%. I think that completed the reboot with the new firmware or something......But it is working as I want it too....high input. and connected as the picture I attached....


Thanks everyone for the help on this!
 

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dynaco1

Member
I did the same thing: added a 6 AWG cable to the last stud in this box. Rather than placing the fuse box, I added a surface-mounted breaker to the outside of seat base with VHB tape. I grounded my circuit on the large bolt head holding the seat base to the floor. I ran both red and black cables up/down the driver side B pillar and terminated them onto a Blue Sea fuse box sitting on top of the Vancillary cab shelf.
 
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KippyDoo

New member
Heh Heh - so, say if someone might of unplugged their passenger seat electrical clips before remembering to disconnect the battery and has a malfunction message now even though it's plugged back in. Apologies if this is covered elsewhere, but how do you clear this? Have to visit someone with a scan gauge?
 

Notfamous

Member
The software for the 2019 is not available for any scan tools. You will need to go to a dealership to have it cleared.

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autostaretx

Erratic Member
Heh Heh - so, say if someone might of unplugged their passenger seat electrical clips before remembering to disconnect the battery and has a malfunction message now even though it's plugged back in. Apologies if this is covered elsewhere, but how do you clear this? Have to visit someone with a scan gauge?
There are other threads on this ... assuming you're talking about the seat belt system and the "SRS" (supplemental restraint system") warning.

Sometimes the tally light will go out after a few starts ...
There are (surprisingly expensive: $230) boxes that claim to *only* clear this on multiple cars. They're not scanners, they simply emit the "clear SRS" commands.

Some of the $250 scanners can clear it on the NCV3 (Autel 808, if i recall correctly), but the group has little experience (yet) with the VS30 in this respect. The 808 does NOT claim to handle the VS30 (in fact, Autel says that it currently does not).

If you're using the dealer network to perform Service A or Service B, you might ask them to clear it then. MB's corporate policies may require that they treat it as a true "possible fault" and perform more diagnostics (read: bill an $$ hour) than you think necessary, but they'd be covering their butts in case there really was an unknown fault in the belt/squib system.

If you intend to work under the seat at all frequently, it might help to spend a (very few) $$ to buy a "jumper socket" that appears to be the seat belt to the rest of the system (it's a 2 to 5 ohm resistor that bridges the pins)... or really follow the advice of "Step 1: Disconnect Battery" for all work.

--dick
 

Cheyenne

UK 2004 T1N 313CDi
Heh Heh - so, say if someone might of unplugged their passenger seat electrical clips before remembering to disconnect the battery and has a malfunction message now even though it's plugged back in. Apologies if this is covered elsewhere, but how do you clear this? Have to visit someone with a scan gauge?
What is your location? It helps to add vehicle and location to your signature to save typing every in every post.

Someone nearby may have a scanner they would be prepared to try for you. MB has tended to use the same protocol for many years so an NCV3 profile may work on a VS30.

Keith.
 

KippyDoo

New member
What is your location? It helps to add vehicle and location to your signature to save typing every in every post.

Someone nearby may have a scanner they would be prepared to try for you. MB has tended to use the same protocol for many years so an NCV3 profile may work on a VS30.

Keith.
Thanks! I'm a noob here, will get caught up :) I'm Portland, OR.
 

KippyDoo

New member
There are other threads on this ... assuming you're talking about the seat belt system and the "SRS" (supplemental restraint system") warning.

Sometimes the tally light will go out after a few starts ...
There are (surprisingly expensive: $230) boxes that claim to *only* clear this on multiple cars. They're not scanners, they simply emit the "clear SRS" commands.

Some of the $250 scanners can clear it on the NCV3 (Autel 808, if i recall correctly), but the group has little experience (yet) with the VS30 in this respect. The 808 does NOT claim to handle the VS30 (in fact, Autel says that it currently does not).

If you're using the dealer network to perform Service A or Service B, you might ask them to clear it then. MB's corporate policies may require that they treat it as a true "possible fault" and perform more diagnostics (read: bill an $$ hour) than you think necessary, but they'd be covering their butts in case there really was an unknown fault in the belt/squib system.

If you intend to work under the seat at all frequently, it might help to spend a (very few) $$ to buy a "jumper socket" that appears to be the seat belt to the rest of the system (it's a 2 to 5 ohm resistor that bridges the pins)... or really follow the advice of "Step 1: Disconnect Battery" for all work.

--dick
Thanks! Yeah, I followed the battery disconnect rule for the 2nd seat, and hoped being disconnected might reset the codes for the first seat I was hasty with. I may reach out to my local stealership and ask if they can just clear this code and see what comes back from them, I just shot icarsoft and email asking about compatibility of their scanner and timeframe, tried with a friends older one and no luck.
 

KippyDoo

New member
The software for the 2019 is not available for any scan tools. You will need to go to a dealership to have it cleared.

Sent from my Pixel 3 XL using Tapatalk
Thanks, yeah, I tried with a friends older icarsoft scanner with no luck, shot an email to them asking when they may expect to have the 2019 added, we'll see what comes back.
 

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