Mine-Spec System. A Guide to LV Fitouts at EIG for Australian Mine Sites

If you’re mobilising a light vehicle to your mine site, chances are it needs to be mine-spec before it rolls through the gate. But what does that actually involve? Here’s a breakdown of what an EIG designed and supplied Mine-Spec System installation looks like including the beifits and functionality of the system.

EIG designed Mine-Spec System provide a standardised set of engineered, designed modifications and safety equipment intergrations for your light vehicle. Wether it is a LV, Mini Bus or light truck we are here to  support and meet the safety and operational requirements of your mine site. These aren’t just bolt-on accessories, these are engineered, documented installations that provide a high level of traceablilty, compliance, and consistence across your fleet.

Using specialist designed fitouts for the installation of mine spec systems to your fleet ensures every vehicle in the fleet is set up identically and safely.

A full Mine-Spec fitout solution provided by Engineered Installations Group covers the following distinct areas of the vehicle:

Engine Bay The engine bay receives significant attention. We fabricate and mount a custom fuse and relay plate to centralise the system’s electrical protection. A VSR (Voltage Sensitive Relay) is used to separate the accessories and mine-spec from the main start battery to optimise battery life, reducing flat battery callouts and minimise downtime. Paired with this we install a customised fuse panel for your system circuit protection, we also provide additional circuit protection for the main power cables running from the battery to these devices. All cabling is routed clear of hot surfaces, moving parts, and sharp edges, and is secured with P-clamps and cable ties throughout. There is option to have either a full Dangerous-Good spec (DG Spec) or braided harness design for this application area.

Dual Battery power management, using specialised brackets are mounted typically at the front grille area. We install devices such as DCC Pro (DC-DC charger) or BCDC to manage power between the main and auxiliary battery systems, paired with this we install Heavy-duty MIDI fuses to protect the main power cables running from the battery to these devices. All cabling designs are checked to ensure correct gauge cable is used to manage the power draw and charge profile required for your system requirements, all cabling is routed clear of hot surfaces, moving parts, and sharp edges, and is secured with P-clamps and cable ties throughout.

Isolation Switches Two externally accessible switches are mounted on the vehicle’s bulbar — a battery isolator and a starter isolator. These are colour-coded and labelled with decals so whether your site personnel require to isolate before maintenance and inspection works or for an emergency situation these can quickly cut power or prevent the engine from starting.

In-Cabin Switch Panel and Voltmeter Providing custom designed replacement options for OEM dash fascia or switch housings to accommodate a purpose-built mine-spec switching solution custom to each vehicle type. This typically includes individual switches for the beacon light, work lights, and driving/spot lights, along with a dual voltmeter displaying both main and auxiliary battery voltage. The driver has full visibility and control of all mine-spec systems from the centre console.

Lightbar Our heavy-duty lightbar mounts to the headboard of the vehicle tray. It integrates multiple functions in one assembly: an amber beacon, work lights, reverse lights, flag pole mounting and power, and a reverse alarm. Mounting bolts are secured with thread-locking compound to prevent loosening from vibration. The lightbar harness is routed through the cab and secured neatly along the vehicle’s structure. There are also options to allow for additional comms antennas if required.

Taillights, Number Plate, and Trailer Plug OEM taillights are replaced with mining-rated LED combination lamps. These LED lights draw less current than the original incandescent globes, less prone to failure and more suitable in wetter work environments, paired with a resistor pack that is fitted under the chassis to compensate and ensure correct indicator and brake light operation. A new number plate bracket and LED light are also fitted, along with a custom in-house overmoulded trailer plug mounted to the towbar.

Full Harness Replacement One of the more involved aspects of a Mine-Spec fitout is the wiring. Multiple custom harnesses are installed throughout the vehicle — engine bay, interior, chassis, and lightbar — replacing or supplementing the OEM wiring where needed. We replace the factory tail harness entirely with a new chassis harness, running along the chassis rail to supply the taillights, trailer plug, number plate light, reverse camera if required, diff sensors, speed sensors and fuel tank connections. All harness entry points through the firewall and cab walls use grommets and are drilled to precise sizes, any weather-exposed area of the harness will be covered by a rugged conduit to minimize failures and ensure longevity. There is option to have either a full Dangerous-Good spec (DG Spec) or braided harness design for this application area.

Park Brake Alarm A park brake alarm system is wired in-line with the door switch and handbrake. If a door is opened while the park brake is not applied, an audible alarm sounds — an important safety feature for preventing roll-aways on uneven mine site terrain.

Reverse Camera A high resolution reverse camera is mounted at the rear of the vehicle and wired back to a display unit integrated into the centre mirror. The cable is routed through the cab, under door trims and seating, and along the chassis to the rear.

UHF Radio Provision Even if a two-way radio isn’t fitted at the time of install, the system is pre-wired for future UHF radio installation. Coax antenna cables and power leads are routed and coiled neatly behind the rear seat, ready to connect when needed.

Spare Accessory Power Using a custom designed harness allows for us to provide additional predetermined fused connections either in the cabin or externally to support future expansion of upgrades or additional accessories.

Documentation All our designed kits come with a maintenance friendly system circuit schematic to assist with fault finding and system diagnostics for your maintenance staff.