Dimming Lights with an LCI OneControl (GD's CompassConnect)

[Giesis]

OK, so previously stated (abbreviated for clarity):

• battery > auto-reset c/b
• auto-reset > switch
• switch > motor

That's close. My 315RLTS' electric thru-frames are wired like this:

• Battery > auto-reset c/b
• auto-reset > Power Distribution Panel (PDP)
• PDP > Slide 30A Fuse
• Fuse > Switch
• Switch > Slide Motor

The way I think a slide is controlled and powered with a X180T is like this:

• Battery > auto-reset c/b
• auto-reset > Power Distribution Panel (PDP)
• PDP > Fuse(?)
• Fuse* > X180T power Input

• Slide Switch (sends command signal only) > X180T Slide Input
• X180T Slide Power Output** > Motor

*Fuse protects the wiring from PDP to input side of the X180T
**output of the X180T is protected by circuitry on the X180T's board

I wish they include diagrams of this system with the user manual. I reached out to LCI asking for it and they told me to pack sand.

[Country Campers]

I wish they include diagrams of this system with the user manual. I reached out to LCI asking for it and they told me to pack sand.

I like to make sand castles .

The problem with a diagram is that GD likes to put fuses in the fuse panel , label them , and then somewhere in the RV they like to piggy back off of that circuit to get something else to work. I recently popped a fuse and lost my kitchen slide , bedroom slide , water pump , awning and awning light , all on a 15 amp fuse. This was all on the old system with just manual switches. When I read some of these posts with the new touch pads and such I am glad that I have the old switches.

Brian

[Webracin]

howson , sorry to bring this post back, but I just took delivery of my new 373FB-R and are very interested in adding some functionality, but fear that it is not an option. My current board is a X1.5, and would like to know (if you know) if I can upgrade the board to a X180T or sole thing else that has more functionality?

[howson]

Webracin
That's interesting that your Solitude has a Unity 1.5 -- are you sure? Given all the parts shortages, I won't be surprised if there was a substitution (last info I had said the Solitude had a Unity 1.0).

Your 373FB does have an OCTP, right?

No, you don't want to swap for an x280. That's a custom board used in the Imagine line.

Maybe--it's just theoretical since I don't know of anyone that's done it--it's possible to add a Lighting Control Module (LCM) into the CANBUS circuit if adding a dimming function to the existing OCTP is the requirement.

Note that GD does not use the board shown below in any of their trailers. The only board that has a dimming feature (used by GD) is the Unity 4, but that's a $1K board. (Yikes!) Unfortunately the LCM is around $400, so an expensive upgrade to get the dimming feature either way. https://store.lci1.com/lci-multi-out...le-436375.html


To add this card into the existing circuit in your trailer you'd need the card (duh!) and two CANBUS lines. It doesn't matter where in the CANBUS circuit this board is inserted, but close to the existing Unity would make the most sense. It needs power and ground, then the existing lighting wires from the Unity are moved to the LCM. Last step is to program the OCTP.

I'd call Lippert to confirm everything written here as things change quickly. There may even be an option I'm not aware of to add the dimming feature.

Does that help?

Howard

[Webracin]

howson this is good to know. I am an electronics guy, so love to have everything tied together. Would love to have the HVAC system all controlled from the Compass Connect as well as tank monitoring and dimming.

I do have the OTCP, and here is the Pic of the Unity 1.5

Fyi, my unit is a 2021

[howson]

Webracin

There's two ways to approach this goal. Get the "all in one" Unity X4 or get individual components. Neither approach will be cheap.

Below is a few pics of how the Unity X4 is laid out. It has quite a few options.





I don't know all the individual components available from LCI, but here's an example of a separate board dedicated to just tank monitoring:



With the CANBUS (and OCTP) you're only limited by how much you're willing to spend and how much wiring you're willing to tackle.

Again, a call to Lippert before diving in or spending any money is advised. There's different versions of OCTP firmware and likely new versions of OneControl components. While the info I have is relatively recent, changes seem to happen at a relentless pace (and communication doesn't always happen).

If you do make any changes to your setup, will you do the forum the favor of documenting the project? Please start a new thread and share what worked, and maybe even more importantly what didn't work if you run into issues. The power of an owner's forum is the sharing of information!

Howard

[Riley8141]

The info below was copied from a post on the One Connect and dimming awning lights? thread. I also added the picture from Amazon. -Howard

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B01LO...b_b_asin_title
this is what I used. It is wired at output of one connect. Then you use remote to dim lights.

[Toyhauler]

howson as promised

I have this controller in my Momentum 349M. My wife would like switches for the kitchen (ceiling, chandelier and maybe accent). She doesn't care for having to go to the control panel or use the phone. There are switches for the ceiling, main slides and awning in the cabinet with the fireplace, but it doesn't make sense that you have to stand on your head to use them.

Need a little advice as to where to tap into the panel to add switches, or what is best. Also, where is the best place to get matching rocker switches?

[howson]

Toyhauler

I would not mess with the input side of the Unity control board. A mistake could be a very expensive one.

What I'd do is find the output that actually powers the lights and wire in the manual lights that way effectively bypassing the Unity board. Since I do not know of anyone that's done this, the safest approach is to remove the output from the board (rendering the OCTP, for the lights, inoperative).

Post 66 shows the expected wiring--you'll have to verify.

This is a possible modification, but only if you know how to wire circuits and understand how the Unity works. Consider taking Lippert online course to get totally familiar with the OneControl setup. https://lippert.thinkific.com/course...ntrol-x-series

Howard

P.S. Welcome to the forum. Check out the Welcome Letter here: https://gdrvowners.com/forum/main-fo...to-new-members

[Toyhauler]

Toyhauler

I would not mess with the input side of the Unity control board. A mistake could be a very expensive one.

What I'd do is find the output that actually powers the lights and wire in the manual lights that way effectively bypassing the Unity board. Since I do not know of anyone that's done this, the safest approach is to remove the output from the board (rendering the OCTP, for the lights, inoperative).

Post 66 shows the expected wiring--you'll have to verify.

This is a possible modification, but only if you know how to wire circuits and understand how the Unity works. Consider taking Lippert online course to get totally familiar with the OneControl setup. https://lippert.thinkific.com/course...ntrol-x-series

Howard

P.S. Welcome to the forum. Check out the Welcome Letter here: https://gdrvowners.com/forum/main-fo...to-new-members

Thanks. I've done a quite a bit of wiring, but never on a system like this. I was hoping there would be an easy way to tap in, and add another rocker switch to the circuit. This Momentum has a lot of bells and whistles that our other unit never had. It 's just going to take some getting used to without the switches.

[Jlawles2]

Toyhauler The biggest thing with the LCI board is it is looking for state of change to determine what to do with the lights. Tapping in would be a bit hard b/c turning on one switch would apply power but turning on the other will also provide power but not a state of change. Ideally you would need to create a 3 way setup similar to a house where changing either switch will cause the board to see a change. https://www.oznium.com/switches/rocker-switch shows a pair of on-off-on switches wired to make a 3 way.

Do you know if the board has bluetooth for wireless control or some other wireless control system? I have the app on my phone and use it to turn lights on and off.

[Toyhauler]

Toyhauler The biggest thing with the LCI board is it is looking for state of change to determine what to do with the lights. Tapping in would be a bit hard b/c turning on one switch would apply power but turning on the other will also provide power but not a state of change. Ideally you would need to create a 3 way setup similar to a house where changing either switch will cause the board to see a change. https://www.oznium.com/switches/rocker-switch shows a pair of on-off-on switches wired to make a 3 way.

Do you know if the board has bluetooth for wireless control or some other wireless control system? I have the app on my phone and use it to turn lights on and off.

The controller does have Bluetooth, but my wife is wanting switches, so she doesn’t have to go looking for her phone, or go to the panel.

The switch that is in the Cabinet with the fireplace has a “momentary” rocker, for the kitchen lights. So I’m guessing that the other switches for the rest of the kitchen lights would also need the same. So in the case of these, I would need momentary switches to make the contact. I would then guess that you should be able to have multiple switches, with the same power, going to the same leads, to trigger the controller. Is that right?

[OffToHavasu]

The controller does have Bluetooth, but my wife is wanting switches, so she doesn’t have to go looking for her phone, or go to the panel.

The switch that is in the Cabinet with the fireplace has a “momentary” rocker, for the kitchen lights. So I’m guessing that the other switches for the rest of the kitchen lights would also need the same. So in the case of these, I would need momentary switches to make the contact. I would then guess that you should be able to have multiple switches, with the same power, going to the same leads, to trigger the controller. Is that right?

Should be WiFi not Bluetooth

[Jlawles2]

Toyhauler Unfortunately it could get expensive trying to figure out how the controls work. The easiest thing is to figure out which incoming cable is for the lights you want to control, then using a multimeter have someone turn the lights on and note what happens when the switch is activated. If they are momentary, that could work in your favor as the panel changes state of output every time it senses an input, not a change as most others.

By chance is there a model number on the control panel?

[howson]

Jlawles2 -- as shown in the picture (post 68) it's a Unity X4. A picture of the board's connections is shown in post 66.

Toyhauler -- I salute your willingness to tackle this project. I feel compelled (again) to urge extreme caution while messing with the board and it's inputs. You won't like the price tag if there's an "oops" that requires a replacement.