Installing an Espar D2L with an AUX battery under the passenger seat

[erik.wahlstrom]

I believe the positive just goes to the driver seat F150 distribution block. From there it goes all over.

 

[Jonnyfive]

When you removed your accessory battery, did it have anything hooked up to it? did you chase the hook up cables back to the fuse box and remove them?

thanks - Nate

Yes, I removed the large power wire connected to it at the source underneath the driver's seat. No acc were connected

 

[Jonnyfive]

Started the electrical. I have the Adventure Wagon kit. This mean I have a 10 gage wire already terminating in the seat base. This is good because the wire chase between the seats is stuffed. I did manage to pull the fuel pump through and out the driver side boot. However the power branch of the wiring harness includes a big fat plug.
View attachment 155120
As far as I can tell, the only thing this does is join the blue & blue-black wires. The power branch of the harness is WAY too long. I only need about 1'.

Question: Is it OK to cut this connector off, shorten the branch and just join the two wires together?

That's your diagnostics port. I wouldn't cut it off.

 

[erik.wahlstrom]

Managed to get the controller installed. Actually super easy. Worth noting that the default cable length is perfect to run up the B pillar back to just behind the slider. I’ll be able to reach the controller from the bed.

 

[VanGoSki]

Started the electrical. I have the Adventure Wagon kit. This mean I have a 10 gage wire already terminating in the seat base. This is good because the wire chase between the seats is stuffed. I did manage to pull the fuel pump through and out the driver side boot. However the power branch of the wiring harness includes a big fat plug.
View attachment 155120
As far as I can tell, the only thing this does is join the blue & blue-black wires. The power branch of the harness is WAY too long. I only need about 1'.

Question: Is it OK to cut this connector off, shorten the branch and just join the two wires together?

That's the CAN bus terminator. That's actually a resistor under that heat shrink, 120 ohms I believe. If you short it then no worky.

 

[VanGoSki]

That's your diagnostics port. I wouldn't cut it off.

That makes sense. I know that plug on the end is a terminator, but I was wondering what the actual purpose of the port was.

 

[VanGoSki]

Managed to get the controller installed. Actually super easy. Worth noting that the default cable length is perfect to run up the B pillar back to just behind the slider. I’ll be able to reach the controller from the bed.

Question for you on that branch of the harness that goes up to the controller. There are also about seven other wires in the same loom without a connector on the end. Did you use any of those for anything?

 

[erik.wahlstrom]

No. Those are for various things including the high altitude sensor. The easy start pro has that built into it. Others, I think are for the “easy start web” which allow you to hook up GSM based device used to control the unit via an app.

 

[erik.wahlstrom]

Well, crap. Everything is hooked up and . . . . . Nothing. It seems I have a bad wire or something in my AW kit. I have power to my fuse block, but nothing on the wire run to the seat base. . . So. Now what? I can either:

• Tear into the wiring chase to try to squeeze the power wire through to the drivers base. Some thing I promised I'd never do again
• Get a post mounted fuse block and run the espar right off the battery?

 

[VanGoSki]

Did you check for voltage across the fusebox connections for the circuit that go up to your seat base? Could be a bad fuse. The wire they use is very high quality, although it's possible you drilled a hole through it depending on the order you did things.

 

[erik.wahlstrom]

Did you check for voltage across the fusebox connections for the circuit that go up to your seat base? Could be a bad fuse. The wire they use is very high quality, although it's possible you drilled a hole through it depending on the order you did things.

Yeah I did, there is power across the fuse and I tried another fuse and another slot. Oh well. I must have done something to the wire. I've got a second small fuse box in the passenger seat mounted and wired. I think I'll use the accessory post on the the Aux battery positive and the preinstalled ground in the passenger box and just run a wire to my fuse box. I have all the parts and I can avoid pulling up the channel cover. Plus all the fuses and wiring will be in the passenger base which means I can avoid pulling the driver seat for heater troubleshooting.

 

[VanGoSki]

Oh yeah, I forgot you have an entire battery just sitting there. You're good to go.

 

[erik.wahlstrom]

Finally got it done. I ended up building a bracket to relocate the stock battery.

worked like a charm. It’s reinforced on the bottom by aluminum flat bar.

The battery is rock solid with plenty of air flow.

The wiring of the easy start pro is trivial. Just plug in the 4 wire connector. I located the unit just behind the slide for easy access.

Heating vent came out pretty easy too.


I’m a little surprised by how loud it is outside. Not bad inside.

I did smell some melting plastic. I’m not sure if It’s just a new heater breaking in? Or maybe some wire too close to the exhaust. I’ll wrap the exhaust in ceramic insulation and aluminum tape and all will be good.

 

[erik.wahlstrom]

I should also say that one product I found worked fantastic. Silicone wrapped fiberglass tube insulation. It will protect the fuel line from heat and road debris too.

 

[NoGoodAtAll]

I should also say that one product I found worked fantastic. Silicone wrapped fiberglass tube insulation. It will protect the fuel line from heat and road debris too. View attachment 155778

Where'd you get the tube insulation? I need some for my install but a quick google search didn't turn up anything like what you have in the photo.

 

[erik.wahlstrom]

This is what I bought and was about 2x what I actually needed.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07WYXSJ1S/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o06_s02?ie=UTF8&psc=1

 

[roblee]

Do you have pics of how you ran the combustion intake & exhaust through the floor?

I like your idea of adding a ventilation hole to the seat base. Even if it's offset.

 

[erik.wahlstrom]

Do you have pics of how you ran the combustion intake & exhaust through the floor?

I like your idea of adding a ventilation hole to the seat base. Even if it's offset.

I don’t. I just drilled 3 holes by following the included mounting plate, then sealed them with high temp silicone. Was actually really easy. That part is way more forgiving than I expected. There are lots of ways to do it.

 

[drodio]

Hey @erik.wahlstrom thx for looping me into this thread! I'd love to know what you'd do differently if you were to do it again; I've also got an aux pass batt.

 

[erik.wahlstrom]

Hey @erik.wahlstrom thx for looping me into this thread! I'd love to know what you'd do differently if you were to do it again; I've also got an aux pass batt.

Mostly the mounting bracket for the heater. It works well and has good airflow. But it turned out to be overly complex. I thought I needed it but after I built a the battery bracket I think there is enough room to just mount the heater on the floor.

Basically it’s over engineered. In the end though I did only drill 3 holes, and their positions were a little less sensitive to errors. So there were fewer opportunities to really screw up.