wolfe10

Probably going to get a wide range of answers to this one. My response is that there is NOTHING you can/should do to make a black or gray tank "smell good". There are NOT septic tanks where you expect to hold contents for weeks or months. All RV's are designed to isolate the smell of/in those tanks from the RV interior. If you smell holding tank odors inside the RV, I would address THAT-- not try to make tank contents smell good. Keep the odors out of the motorhome interior. Basically, that means that there needs to be more atmospheric pressure in the RV than in the tanks. Turn on a vent fan (i.e. vacuum in the bathroom) with the toilet valve open and the reverse happens. Drive with windows open and the reverse can happen. Your goal is to maximize interior pressure and minimize pressure in the tank. There are a number of devices that reduce pressure in the tank. Most are based on the venturi effect on the tank roof vents. A good place to start.

Call Monaco Support with your VIN. This number is a couple of years old, but may still be good: 877-466-6226

ObedB, Absolutely, post it here. Thanks.

tmcwhite, Welcome to the FMCA Forum. First question: Does coach air pressure cycle that rapidly between CUT-IN and CUT-OUT PSI? If so, look for a large air leak (i.e. the dryer is doing it's job-- purging at the end of each compressor-run cycle).

ObedB, Do you have any pictures of your setup or a brand name you can post?

Next step is to verify (or have someone safe working around electricity) verify that 120 VAC is getting to the inverter/charger from the main 120 VAC breaker panel from shore power and/or generator power. If it is, then the problem is in the inverter/charger.

If the inverter is inverting (i.e. if the appliances such as microwave and outlets supplied by the inverter have power) when shore power and generator are off, that means that big fuse between battery bank and inverter is OK.

OK, what happens when you disconnect from shore power and turn on the generator?? That will tell us if it is a shore power or perhaps (ATS-- Automatic Transfer Switch) where shore power/generator decision is made or something further downstream. And, yes the white lead (neutral) burned can cause real issues with voltage, as there is no "reference point". Very high voltage-- 160 VAC or higher can do real damage to a coach electrical system. Anytime you see voltage over 132 VAC, unplug IMMEDIATELY and determine the cause.

Sounds like 120 VAC is NOT getting from shore power/generator to the inverter/charger because when the inverter/charger gets 120 VAC, it does two things: charges batteries AND "passes through" the 120 VAC to circuits downstream of the inverter/charger. Again, go to your main 120 VAC panel. Turn off and back on your inverter breaker on that main panel. If still does not work, I suggest disconnecting from shore power and starting the generator. Any change-- this will rule out both CG power and your shore power cord as the problem. Is there anything else in the coach that does not work-- both A/C, etc?

Jim, Welcome to the FMCA Forum. What chassis do you have. That will determine how the tag axle is set up.

wfstewa, You do not say whether your batteries are 6 VDC or 12 VDC, but the best connection points are: Positive to where the positive cable goes to the coach. Negative to where the negative cable goes to the coach. BUT, do NOT put a charger in the same compartment with the batteries. Electricity and hydrogen/oxygen/sulfuric acid vapor do not "Play Nice" with each other. If you can not put the external charger in an adjacent compartment and still hook it up directly to the batteries, look for another place there is a large-gauge cable from the positive house battery terminal. House battery terminal of the boost solenoid comes to mind. For a ground point if connecting remote from the batteries, any clean piece of chassis metal should work fine. Now, for a little troubleshooting: What inverter/charger do you have? Do the outlets/appliances fed by the inverter work? If not, your inverter may not be "seeing" 120 VAC from shore power/generator. Turn off and back on the inverter breaker on your main 120 VAC breaker panel. Some inverter/chargers also have a breaker on the incoming 120 VAC from the breaker box. If so, make sure it is ON.

Vicki and Ed, Welcome to the FMCA Forum. Yes, lots of weight limits on RV's. GAWR= Gross Axle Weight Rating= how much each axle can carry GVWR= Gross Vehicle Weight Rating= how much the loaded motorhome can weight (not always the sum of the axle ratings, as brakes, transmission, etc can be the limiting factor GCWR= Gross Combined Weight Rating= how much the combined weight of motorhome and toad can weight. This assumes that the toad has its own (supplemental) brakes.

Roy, Which model Onan do you have?

billvacation, Welcome to the FMCA Forum. Please tell us what year, make and model coach you have and exactly what dash lights went out? The more specifics you post, the more the likelihood of the correct answer.

You still may have an air dryer-- do you have an air suspension? Our coach (Alpine) has hydraulic brakes (4 wheel 4 piston/fixed caliper disk brakes) but has air suspension and DOES have an air dryer.

Probably the most neglected maintenance item is the AIR DRYER. Second would be coolant. And diesel need a "low silicate for diesels with added SCA" coolant or one of the new-generation OAT-based coolants that do not require SCA.

Rod, Welcome to the FMCA Forum. Short answer is YES. Both your alternator and converter will keep them up. Now, if you plan on dry-camping for an extended period of time in one place (like you REALLY like salmon), than you may want to upgrade your converter or use it AND an additional battery charger to minimize generator run time.

Yup, kind of like sailing. If the wind is not on your nose, you are going the wrong way. Don't have to take off my shoes to count the number of times in 25,000 sailing miles we were on a broad reach is good conditions (but it DOES happen and boy is that fun). In the motorhome, we have been in conditions were we were fighting a 30-40 MPH headwind. Just slowed down to 50 in 5th gear and "toddled on".

Bill, I agree, over 10 MPG at 65 would be WOW! Given the aerodynamics (or lack thereof) of coaches, fuel consumption goes up rapidly over 55 MPH.

Bill, I really hate to get involved in these, as my driving style is ABSOLUTELY MPG DRIVEN. Current coach has ISL400. Gearing is such at 1500 RPM is 58 MPG (per GPS). And that is what I normally drive-- we enjoy secondary roads and only travel interstates if in a real hurry to get somewhere. Always in economy mode. Manually down/up arrow as needed. Recent trip east Texas to California and back: 10.1 MPG. That is subtracting .5 gallons/ generator run hour. All gallons in divided into total distance driven.

Be sure they check/adjust ride height after replacing the air bags.

Yes, if on Spartan chassis, not Freightliner, call them: (800) 543-4277

peterabbe, Welcome to the FMCA Forum. I would call Freightliner Corp in Gaffney with your VIN. Freightliner 800 385-4357

Joe, With peak torque at 1,300 RPM, your Allison should be programmed to allow you to run just above that in a gear. You might make a note of the lowest RPM in each gear immediately after each upshift with normal/light throttle driving. If all are more than 100 RPM ABOVE that 1,300 RPM, you can have your Allison ECU reprogrammed by an Allison dealer. But it will affect all gears, not just 6th, so you would have to verify that lowering each shift point 100 RPM would not put you below peak torque RPM in each gear. Yes, some coaches are geared such there there is no "good economic speed", as 6th gear comes high enough on the speed curve that Aerodynamic Drag is significant.

Quite of a lot of the answer depend on whether you are qualified to do the work-- we are taking about 240 VAC.