Member Since: 22 Sep 2014
Location: Hereford
Posts: 2284
My Altox FBH Controller Fitting
Fitting a FBH controller has been on my wish list since buying my D3 two years ago, a few weeks ago I spotted Bodsy's thread about the Altox W-Bus 5 GPS and decided I needed one! So I bought one (well the missus, aka santa did) and set about fitting it!
I'm a little OCD with fitting bits to my D3 and what takes some people twenty minutes takes me ten hours!!
I started by running a blue cable around my starter battery (in conduit which houses cables for my DRL's) to join onto the FBH itself. This cable then crosses the engine bay (inside a conduit which is used for my split charge system cables) and enters the cab through the convenient bung in the bulkhead.
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Click image to enlarge
Click image to enlarge
I ran the cable around the battery box and drilled a small hole in the front so the cable could exit by the original FBH loom.
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I then removed the FBH electrical plug, cut the red cable coming off it, soldered the new blue cable to it, heatshrinked the joint then taped it to the existing loom with self amalgamating tape. With the cut end of the cable I pulled the sheating so no wires were exposed and taped it over.
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Click image to enlarge
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I ran the cables behind the sound proofing in the drivers footwell and then cable tied them the the existing loom behind the plastic kick panel thing (next to the accelerator!!) I mounted the Altox unit inside the dash behind where the drivers right knee is.
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Click image to enlarge
I ran the positive and negative cables the same route into the engine bay and joined the negative to a ready made earth point inside the drivers wing and the positive through some existing conduit and on to my auxiliary battery. I decided to fit the fuse behind the dash instead of by the battery, not sure why though!!
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Click image to enlarge
I decided I wanted to fit the button/led but as I hate things on show I put it in the upper glovebox next to my DRL switch. I ran the cables behind the dash and out into the passenger footwell where I cable tied them to an existing loom, then ran them behind the passenger cup holder tray and up to the side of the upper glovebox.
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Click image to enlarge
I also wanted to fit the internal temperature sensor somewhere out of sight, so I decided on trying to fit it into where the factory sensor is. I pulled the panel to the left of the steering wheel off where the temperature sensor grill is and cut a small notch in the very back edge of it. I then sat the sensor inside the notch and held it in place with a cable tie.
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Click image to enlarge
Click image to enlarge
I removed the H trim so I could get access to the wires in the back, ran them down the side of the steering wheel, underneath it and over to the same spot where the main Altox unit is mounted.
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Click image to enlarge
I joined the green wires from the led/button and the temp sensor together and on to the main unit. I joined the yellow cable from the led/button to main unit and then joined the two negative cables together, cable tied them to an existing loom and connected them to a spare earth point inside the wing in the drivers footwell.
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I inserted a 1amp fuse, my PAYG EE sim and followed the instructions in the booklet and I was good to go!
I had a few small teething problems in the first place but I think I had somehow messed the settings up, Bodsy soon put them right for me from his end all before 8am.
I'm really impressed with this unit and glad I decided on one with a sim card in as I can activate it from anywhere as opposed to needing to be near the vehicle.........for example, from the coffee shop half hour before returning to my D3 in the car park!
I'd like to say thank you to Bodsy for his patience with me and praise his after sales care, it's second to none!
Last edited by Iceman08 on 27th Sep 2017 8:17 pm. Edited 4 times in total
29th Dec 2016 12:54 am
Bodsy Site Sponsor
Member Since: 06 Nov 2006
Location: In the Clubhouse
Posts: 21361
Thanks for the feedback, no problem with the assistance, all part of the service.
That's a cracking job you've done there. OCD and all. Bodsys Brake Bible
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29th Dec 2016 1:01 am
Iceman08
Member Since: 22 Sep 2014
Location: Hereford
Posts: 2284
It pretty much took me ten hours with a few breaks!!
I found a slight glitch the other day while playing with the settings........if you set up a password via SMS the app will no longer connect to the SIM, I turned the password off via SMS and the app started working perfectly again!
I did email Altox to see if they were aware of this, they said they would pass the info on to their engineering department!
I'm sure you can activate the fbh via text with a password - you add it to the command string - but not sure about the app.Mark.
2006, D3 SE Auto - gone but not forgotten.
2014 BMW 530d M Sport Tourer.
1977 Triumph Spitfire 1500
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29th Dec 2016 8:58 am
Iceman08
Member Since: 22 Sep 2014
Location: Hereford
Posts: 2284
Yeah that all worked fine, but once you add a password you can no longer use the app to connect to it. I rather use the app so I turned the password back off.
Earned its keep today though
29th Dec 2016 10:30 am
Pete K
Member Since: 15 Jan 2016
Location: GL
Posts: 10363
nice job.
although when someone comes to do your rear belt, and remove the plastic around the battery they will be annoyed you drilled a hole for the blue wire rather than a slot
29th Dec 2016 1:32 pm
Iceman08
Member Since: 22 Sep 2014
Location: Hereford
Posts: 2284
I had no idea what was involved in doing the belts
I could either cut a notch when necessary or snip the cable and join it after!
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D4 & RRS style D3 grilles made to order
30th Dec 2016 8:49 pm
Fyfasan
Member Since: 06 Apr 2015
Location: Kolding
Posts: 45
I can only say, what a nice installation
2nd Jan 2017 11:27 pm
Iceman08
Member Since: 22 Sep 2014
Location: Hereford
Posts: 2284
Thank you Fyfasan
Thats better news then Beanie, I'll definitely be skipping doing that preventative maintenance myself then!!
I liked the idea of wiring it in this way more as I didn't want to interfere too much with the existing cables, this way I only had to touch the existing fbh wire.
I fitted the temp sensor regardless as it was there but I do like the idea of the fan control and might consider it when it's released! I would also love to get the heaters and fbh running off my aux battery, that might be a proper mission and involve messing with lots of existing cables though
Last edited by Iceman08 on 3rd Jan 2017 9:28 pm. Edited 1 time in total
3rd Jan 2017 8:53 pm
Robbie
Member Since: 05 Feb 2006
Location: ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Posts: 17932
beanie wrote:
Worry not, rear belt rarely if at all go, they're not timed and don't cause any issues other than fuel starvation...
...and it is amazing just how quickly an auto D3 comes to a halt in the fast lane of a motorway when the engine quits.Land Rover - Turning Drivers into Mechanics Since 1948
Really Robbie I've had two LPFP's fail in my D3, one on the M56 passing the airport in lane 3, oddly I managed to get over to the shoulder and off down the slip road without incident, can't imagine fuel starvation from a failed belt powering the HPFP is much different.
I assume you have experience that's different though
I'd think so as the lump seizes from what I hear, no fuel means a loss of power steering and assisted brakes, but it still coasts , well mine did Altox GSM FBH controller thread
IID Pro MV License - D3, D4 & RRS - Enabling, Updates, D4 & RRS Timed / Remote Climate, D4 Bluetooth fitting
PM me for details
Owner of the original "Beanie" grille
D4 & RRS style D3 grilles made to order
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