LevelMatePro - Wiring to 12V Power Source

[howson]

Note: as of 2 Dec 20 the new LevelMatePRO+ has a microUSB port for external power. No need to mod with the new unit!

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Not an original mod - though I don't know who to credit with the idea, so whomever you are thank you!

The LevelMatePro (LMP) uses a CR2032 Lithium battery. The LMP in my 315RLTS is mounted to the aluminum frame ("ceiling") in the front storage passthrough, above and to the left of the Nautilus panel. This makes access to 12V power easy, so I wired in a 12V to 3V converter I purchased from Amazon.

Update: Using SuperGlue (as noted in the next paragraph) was a mistake! The SuperGlue worked it's way between the wires and the contacts so there was no continuity. I went back and soldered the connections.

I chose not to solder the wires to the LMP connections as there was enough room to sneak the wires under the battery clips which held by tension. I used SuperGlue (an insulator), too, on the connections and also where the wires went through the small hole I drilled in the side of the case. Note that there are probably 1,000 better products than SuperGlue but it's what I had on hand. Yep--like solder.

I tested the setup and it works as expected. Tomorrow I'll mount the LMP back in the trailer and run the wires.

[howson]

I also put a switch on the plastic work box that I had mounted the Power Supply in so that it could easily be turned off when not in use to help prevent batter drain. I guess two great minds came together on a mod for the LMP. Nice job sir!

Thanks, Vern. I know I'd read about it somewhere--probably you-know-where.

Thankfully I didn't have to worry about adding a switch as I have the later version of the LMP so it's already incorporated into the unit.

--break--

For those reading this thread that don't know what a LevelMatePro is or what it can do for you, this video by RVGeeks does a good job:

[Second Chance]

LMP and StrapTek..........a deadly combination for quick, easy, and pain free setup of your travel trailer. Throw in a set of Anderson leveling wedges and your usually done before the guy next to you gets out of the truck and starts his/her setup.

We've used a LevelMatePRO for years and love it. I'll actually move the one we have to the new rig for rough set-up before actuating the auto-leveling on the trailer. On the Anderson levelers... after breaking at least three of them, I finally switched to Beech-Lane levelers. They are made of a much stronger composite and we haven't had an issue since.

https://www.amazon.com/Beech-Lane-Le.../dp/B078TMK6ZD

Rob

[Jkwilson]

Did a very similar mod on mine. Hard to believe anybody thought the 2032 was a good power choice where size isn’t really an issue. I had to give $7 for a 2032 at a CVS last summer after I used all my spares and forgot to restock. A couple of AAAs would be a better choice, but the 12V converter is best of all.

[ncitro]

I did a similar mod to my Mopeka propane level sensors. On that I had to solder the connections, no spring clips to pinch the wires down with. Love it though, so much nicer than dealing with batteries.

[howson]

The old cliche is "There never time to do it right but always time to do it over." I sure proved that right today.

In my own defense I tried to avoid soldering to preserve the battery capability of the LevelMatePro. Unfortunately it didn't work out as I'd hoped. The Superglue actually worked it's way around the wire and insulated the wire from the LMP's battery contact. (Remember--I did initially test it but the glue must have continued to settle after the first test.)

So I ended up soldering. After a hour or so of troubleshooting trying to isolate why the LMP wasn't working. (I initially thought the 12v-to-3v converter died as the LMP actually worked the first time I turned it on, then it didn't.)

Below is a picture of how it now looks installed The converter is zip-tied to other wires behind the Nautilus panel and the power wires are routed past the water pump (where GD routes many other wires). They then come through the underbelly forward and connect to the 30A self-resetting breakers mounted on the front frame of the trailer. (I had to drop the front, street-side of the coroplast to route the wires.) Electrically this is same point as the output of the second cutoff I installed, so effectively I can isolate the LMP from my Battle Born batteries completely if desired.



Note the LMP is protected by a 1A inline fuse (not shown).