Our 2017 Tiffin Allegro Bus 40SP was the first year where Tiffin was easing into touch panels in their coaches, using the Spyder multiplex wiring system. It came with a rather bad black-and-white panel, which I replaced with a much better color one; a huge improvement.
But when in bed, there are only buttons on Jenn’s side of the bed for some functions like lights. One of the things I’m jealous of newer years of our coach is they have more touch panels, including panels on both sides of the bed.
I had previously noticed that there is a Spyder connector below the bed, so I figured I could hook into that.
I resolved to add a panel on my side of the bed, using the same model of touch panel I used to upgrade our main one.
Here’s a look at the small window on my side of the bed (on which we always keep the shades closed), and the small bit of wall next to it:
The bed base, after removing the mattress (you can see the head tilted):
By positioning the bed appropriately, the wires under the bed can be accessed; the orange cable is a Spyder network cable, and the connector is visible right of center:
I ordered components from Spyder Controls Corp:
- The panel: KITTW1412 – 2017 5IN LCD UPGRADE KIT BUS PHTN (1 at $349.95)
- The G4 tap: 5015508 | 5016592 BBCKZK200 – BACKPLANE ASSY, DROP TAP, G4 COMMON, 4X4 POS 2MM MINI-CLAMP, , Z (1 at $37.44)
- A bunch of cable (more than needed; always good to have spare): 14618 BSPL74600 HARNESS ASSY, CUSTOM CABLE , 2 TWISTED PAIR, 24GA, RV-C DROP CABLE ($0.50 per foot)
- Some plug connectors: 5066157 CON824204 9787 – CONNECTOR, 4 POS 2MM, MINI CLAMP, BLUE, PLUG, 20-24AWG, C/E, IDC (4 needed at $5.32 each, but I got a spare just in case)
- A couple of socket connectors, though not needed for this project: 5066158 CON864204 9788 – CONNECTOR, 4 POS 2MM, MINI CLAMP, BLUE, SOCKET, 20-24AWG, C/E, IDC (none needed, $5.32 each)
Here are the components:
The G4 tap, connectors, and a stripped end of the cable:
Adding the plug connector is easy; you just insert the four wires into the holes on the connector (in the correct order; black, blue, white, red), then squeeze closed with pliers:
I made a short cable with plugs on either end to go from the existing socket under the bed to the G4 tap, so I didn’t need to replace the socket with a plug, and could restore the original connection later if desired:
Here’s the G4 tap in place under the bed, with the original plug and my patch plug inserted; later a third plug from the new panel was inserted:
My original concept was to pull the power outlet off the wall to access inside the wall, and run the Spyder cable down there, but that proved too difficult, so my backup plan was to go through the side of the window valance. So I drilled a hole in the side of the surface mount for the panel:
To get better access close to the wall, I used an angled drill adapter:
The hole in the window valance:
To hide the bright orange cable, I used a couple of cable covers that I had on hand:
The cable through the hole:
Paladin was surprised to discover a window here; he has never seen it before, since as I mentioned we keep those shades down:
The cable hidden inside the cable cover under the window and on the back wall (with the bed in its normal position, the cable on the wall is hidden):
A closer look at the cable cover below the window, secured by a loop of velcro attached to a self-adhesive velcro patch:
The cable cover on the wall:
Velcro loop and self-adhesive patch:
A plug on the cable:
The new panel mounted on the wall and operational:
This is a huge improvement; I can turn on and off all the lights, toggle the heated floors, see tank levels, and more, all from the comfort of bed. I mostly use it to turn off the lights at night, and turn on the heated floors when I wake up, so they are toasty when getting up. Such decadence!
