The "Chili Dog" control panel, seen in the first picture above the removed part of the dash, is a remote start temperature control unit that came with the van. The idea is you set the Chili Dog to a temperature, and if that temperature is exceeded, the van "remote starts" and runs until the temperature is restored.
Since the doghouse lets off excessive heat, putting the Chili Dog, which has an internal temperature sensor, in this spot on the dash gave really inconsistent temperature readings. Not only is the engine heating the element through the doghouse, but sunlight and the proximity of the vents really played havoc with consistent temperatures and didn't do much for determining the actual temperature in the van, which ostensibly is the whole point.
Chili Dog unit in original location (top left black box) The black cord was all of a few inches behind the dash and then tied in with 5 wires in the alarm system.
Not much room to work with.
I used Cat5 which had 4 twisted pairs, giving me 8 wires to work with. I bought 10 feet to move the Chili Dog.
I pulled out the visor in trying to find a wire routing for the Cat5, and the yellow clip that SMB used was so mangled that it fell apart. I found many such "over clamped" connectors.
Here is the Chili Dog in its new location. More central and the temperature is regestring very close to the temperature monitor across the van on the other wall. In the old location a reading of 106º was not uncommon when the inside of the van was actually in the 90s.
The wire routing for the Cat5 in red. I actually couldn't find a path through the headliner that didn't derail into the van body enroute. I wound up pulling the thick green wire from the visor clip back through in order to route both the green and Cat5 forward through the path Sportsmobile used. It was clear the wire was placed before cementing the headliner as it was partially glued. Nothing was damaged in my van, but your results may vary so approach this carelfully.
The thick green wire is kind of an enigma, as originally I thought it was brought forward from the house battery to power the visor mirror lights, but it turns out the wire is only hot with the dome lights, which means it is controlled by the door timer or the headlight switch. Why it goes behind the door I have no idea.