dickandlois

Mark, for what it is worth. I think there in the right area. What Allison transmission do you have in the coach? There are throttle position wires required in some harnesses running between the ECM and TCM. Electrical engineers some times shot themselves in the foot trying to solve one issue - while creating another. Software programs get tested, but in the real world. The time needed to get real time data is limited and high level test equipment is expensive. In meetings with all the personal, The system tech's are the key drivers of a solution. The devil is in the details an engineers are smart, tech's are the ones that pickup the crumbs. It is allot like the Medical field. The best results are often driven by good nurses . They spend more time with the sick. Rich. Mark, setting at the computer and got to thinking. The wiring Harnesses are made by a supplier and tested before shipping. Considering the number of connections, there are thousands of them. There is a strong possibility of one being intermittent - like looking for a needle in a haystack. The issue you are having, one might just see it the harness wiring section connecting the circuit that is most likely to be the culprit could be replaced. There are to many systems that use the same setup working - that fact, should for the most part eliminate a number of items. We often refereed to it as the point of heights probability.

One has to understand that when the inverter is turned OFF - It is off, But the 12 volt coach wiring is drawing a level of current to power all the coach systems that require 12 volts. Refrigerator control module, furnace control system, water heater, water pump, 12 volt lighting, entry steps, power roof vents, the off air signal amplifier, smoke detector and CO-2 detector in some cases. How far does the battery voltage drop after 4 to 6 hrs. if you disconnect from shore power and generator? Also, when the coach is disconnected from any source of 120 volts, The inverter only powers 2 -120 volt circuits - in most cases the Microwave, and ice maker in some cases and circuits that power some of the duplex outlets around the dining area and entertainment equipment. One can open all the 20 and 15 amp circuit beakers in the main power panel. If the inverter IS running, most likely circuits #2 and #4 will be the only 2 circuits supplying 120 volts if the inverter is running. Those 2 circuit breakers are the ones located in the output wiring of the inverter. They Are not in anyway connected or supplied from the main circuit breaker panel !!!!! SO if those 2 circuits HAVE 120 volts when the inverter switch is in the OFF position and not connected to shore power and or the generator, it is not working properly ! The only time all the 120 volt items will work is WHEN connected to shore power or the generator is running. The inverter goes into bypass mode. A auto Transfer circuit in the inverter connects the 120 volt transfer relay source directly to circuits #2 and #4. Those 2 circuits are NEVER power through the Main power panel. Question, did the block heater some how get connected to one the inverter output circuits? This will put a 700 watt 120 volt load on the inverter and if the block heater switch is turned on, the load on the inverter is considerable !!!! Rich.

OK. One piece of the puzzle. A smart steering wheel is one with a number of buttons built into the steering wheel to control items right on the steering wheel. Rich

John, Does your information picture the different fuse boxes? Thinking the fuse /circuit will be located in the front left outside bay just below the drivers seat. You could look there and see if there is a bad one or better yet labeled for wiper motor an or connivance fuse(s) Rich. DO you have a smart steering wheel ?

John, Welcome to the FMCA Forum ! I need some information> Does your Coach have a (Smart steering Wheel) That kind of setup has a number of switches mounted right into the steering wheel. Is the windshield wiper switch mounted on the wheel or on the dash? I have the drawings for the most common smart wheel used on coaches built in 2007 and the problem could be in that area of the wiring. A fried relay leads me to think that it melted because of a short - that caused it to over heat. When that happened the wiring for the cruse control and wipers got involved. Do you have the owners manual for the HR ? This is the starting information I need - hopefully we can narrow it down from there. With out the Coach chassis wiring - I'm hopping a member on the forum has the drawings or where to find them. Rich,

5 years is way to long between purging intervals. If it has been that long - IF your coach is equipped with an air dryer, you should have it replaced ! Not all coaches have air dryers and in that case the air tanks should be purged every 6 months at the least. The chassis service center should be able to show you how to perform the task. Not a big task on most coaches - like 5 min. or less. Purging removes the water from the primary and secondary air tanks, water in air systems can cause a number of issues! Rich.

Brian, Welcome to the FMCA Forum ! The problem showing up in the parking light and door latch are both air driven and cycle at the same rate, if I'm reading your post correctly. Does the problem only happen when you are driving or also when you are parked? Sure sounds like a leak in one of the 1/4 in. air line systems or connection. Soapy water or kids bubble soap sprayed on the lines and connections cause bubbles to form at any location with a leak. Rich.

Rob, Do you know if the cover is closed electrically, Pneumatically(by air) or hydraulically? Different systems need different solutions. Must admit this is an issue I have never tackled, but have worked on all of them over the years. Rich.

Thanks Joe ! Did the DW accuse you of doing it intentionally ? LOL I sure hope that we can meetup somewhere down the road ! Rich.

Might need to program the computers and use a pony to move them around at times. Back to the days of Canals and Mules LOL ! One Step Forward an 2 steps back ! Rich.

Ditto Bill ! This exchange has brought a Question to the forefront. If LP system needs to be disabled for some Tunnels, Then does the same rule apply to the new CNG powered Tractor Trailers? or do they just need to avoid them. Rich.

I agree with Brett ! The only thought I would add, is check the furnace while parked Before driving the coach down the road. Make sure it cycles properly, burns evenly,and the blower motor runs smoothly. Safe and comfortable Travels! Rich.

Hi Jim! Been a few days since we have had a Pow Wow ! Who's system do you have? The side view cameras use the turn signal wiring to trigger the cameras, disconnect the correct wire and they will not change. May systems have a setting that allows you to just select the rear view only. The delay is built in so the side view stays on for a given time - even if the turn signal is turned off. Try to solve one problem and create another ! LOL Rick.

New Batteries are not always perfect. About 2 years ago, while at a national rally a coach owner was having battery issues. They where not holding a charge over night. The charging circuit was operating as specified. The batteries where replaced about 6 months before and the owner had the sales recite. The following day I did a hydrometer reading and One cell had a reading of Water. All the other cells had normal readings, considering there was one cell not contributing any voltage or current. The defective battery was replaced and the system worked as expected. How does one battery wind up with just water in one cell? Who knows, Kind of think the person adding acid, emptied one container, garbed another and it had only water in it . This issue has been going around and around, so it might be time to take a hydrometer reading of all the cells, charge each battery / run a load test on each battery - to get a good base line of known information directly relative to the batteries and go from there. Rich.

Mike, Welcome to the FMCA Forum ! By chance could you take 2 or 3 pictures of the Mirror and attach them to a post? Some have an access without removing the mirror. Rich.

When the new unit was installed, did someone connect a remote control to the system and setup the system for you? There is no way to set up the unit that I have found in the owners manual mentioning Dip Switches inside the 458 units. One needs to remember that the remote cable for the RC-7 looks like a standard phone connection; but they are wired different. A 25 ft. cable is long enough for just about any application. A basic remote costs around $125.00 and would offer piece of mind and longer battery life over all. The Link 1000 and 2000 cost more and give you more options, at a cost. You need to look over there literature - I have run into a disclaimer somewhere mentioning no warranty on the units regarding charging level consistency. Rich. Read over the information offered in this Link if you have a remote system connected to you Xantrex unit. When in the equalization mode, the charging voltage level can reach 16+ volts. This level can damage 12 volt equipment connected to the system during this operation. There is a Caution on Page 6 of this folder! https://www.altestore.com/static/datafiles/Others/Freedom_Remote_Owners_Guide.pdf

The fact that there is no remote sensor explains the higher then nominal levels. Brett's thought of resetting the system for AGM batteries should lower the peak float voltage point. Rich.

That Makes things interesting ! Hope he has the original installation paperwork and the other kicker, they can be sticklers about who installed the new unit; when it comes to warranty work. Think one should run the sensor test just the same. There are reasons for extended warranty's. Close only counts in horse shoes and Hand grenades ! Shipping them around is not cheep and getting a return authorization requires an inspection by a certified tech - if I remember properly. Rich.

bburns, Could you post the Year the Coach was built? This thread has been covering an expanding number of issues. I went back through a number of your post and have not found that information. Think you have an older Xantrex unit and it is a Modified Sine wave unit. Age can cause it's own issues. I'm pondering the possibility of an issue in the system control logic system and that could be affecting the proper charge point(Voltage and current) in the float level voltage. The other item that might come into play is the remote temperature sensor or connecting cable. There has been a lot of time spent working on, around and the battery area and fatigue from flexing can happen. So measure the resistance range of the sensor at the phone stile connector with it disconnected. THIS action will disable the logic control circuit - That means the Xanrten Charger / Inverter should be powered OFF while this test is preformed over a period of 8 hrs. Charge control is not working. Try to log the resistance every 30 min. doing that time line. The sensor can be left attached to its location outside, with a common outside temperature measuring device. The temp is just for a rough reference point. say from 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM. Post the information.Temperature and Resistance! Rich.

Richard, Looks like I would have expected and the verbal explanation adds some extra information, that helps the the weak print at spots in the drawing. The battery charging circuit is designed like ones used to charge small lawn tractors, so the setup you adapted for yours is in all respects was a good move. Sweet find ! Rich.

Richard, A question I do not have direct knowledge on, however! I have a thought running around in may head. Remember the calculator is not as quick anymore. Does the generator start off it's own battery in your system? If the battery is charged directly from a bridge 12 volt rectifier board or from a electronic speed control circuit(Different gen builders introduced things over different time lines. You Diesel engine setup was most likely built when I was in high school or a freshman in collage and I thought they where using smock and mirrors to totally mess me up. LOL Your setup may very well have a mechanical governor - that removes most of any electronics and at a time when they where using the old diodes(Germanium) that smelled like rotten eggs when they failed where in vogue. This is where the gap in may information falls short - Nothing on the dynamo wiring and electrical interface. I know you have skill levels many do not have, so if you can trace the wiring from the circuit breaker back to a origin - we might be able to open a few doors. Known info. it is a 12 volt circuit. Rich.

The bigger issue I'd also like to understand more is how the "cranking reset" button and the related circuit works. I can't find it on the manuals I have. Hoping someone has some experience with this. Richard, Thinking that the generator might not have warmed up enough to be running at the proper speed before you added the 5000 Watt load. This could very easily caused a higher current level, because frequency and current are closely related in this case. When you find the cooling issue, run the generator a little longer when it is real cold out before placing a large load on it - something like a 60 watt incandescent light should not cause enough load to trip the protection circuit in warm up cycle. Rich.

Richard, Think checking the Thermostat is kind of at the top of the list. Cold weather can cause them to do strange things, also I'm sure you have checked the freeze point, knowing where you live. Is the water pump belt driven? Cold stiff belts can cause issues, how is the belt tension? Back to the thermostat - I have had the top saddle that holds the spring in place split at the top and then they do not open properly! The valve assembly twists sideways. Rich.

Phil, Thanks for posting the information. I'm always looking for little tidbits. Rich.

marysteeves, The J 1939 is indication of a data network issue. Is the coach transmission operating Normally? The other questions are what gauges do you have? Fuel level, Oil pressure, Water temperature and Battery voltage. What else ? Do you travel with a GPS system? this should give you road speed. The gauges I mentioned are critical. One of the members on the forum is a certified Diesel Mechanic. Thinking Joe will chime in. He is located in Southeastern Pa. Also a Diesel owner. Good source of information and real close to the RT. you will be taking. Also, Freightliner Factory Service main service center is located in Gaffney S.C. They have a parking lot for the Coaches with shore power, water and a dump station. You might want to give them a call and see if they could squeeze you in, you will need the coach Vin number specifically the last 6. Phone #1-855-253-0421, 103 Campus Drive Rich.