wolfe10

Darbone, Welcome the the FMCA Forum. You have chosen a very reliable coach/drive-train. Be sure to get any maintenance logs or receipts the previous has accumulated. That will give you a good baseline for determining what/when preventive maintenance needs to be done. Plan to come to an FMCA Convention and attend the many free seminars to help you get acquainted with the "care and feeding" of your new motorhome. As an example, here are the seminars that will presented at the next Convention in Indianapolis next month: http://www.fmca.com/...polis-2012.html Brett

If the refrigerator tripped not only your built-in GFI, but a second GFI, that suggests that there is a problem with the heating element-- likely grounding to the refrigerator flue. Said another way, very unlikely that two different GFI's are bad and refrigerator heating element good. Brett

With those symptoms, here is what I would do: By hand, turn over the generator motor to make sure it is free to rotate. Put a digital voltmeter on the generator starter large lug. Attempt to start the generator. If voltage at the starter is below 12.0 VDC, check all connections, both positive and ground (actually, particularly ground). Brett

I know this is not your question, but how have you determined that your starter/solenoid are bad?

Bill gave you good diagnostics. It is not uncommon for the 120 VAC heating element in the refrigerator to make contact with part of the coach ground (refrigerator metal). That will (and should) trip the GFI. Sometimes, just moving the heating element will remedy it, sometimes it has to be replaced. Brett

Juan, With good battery voltage and symptoms of low voltage at the starter (check voltage at the starter when someone else turns the key) the first thing to do is to clean and tighten both positive and ground connections at batteries and coach ends. If you check voltage at the starter and it is materially lower than at the battery-- again a symptom of poor connection/bad cable. Brett

Juan, As I asked earlier, have you checked voltage at the chassis and at the house bank while sitting and also while cranking the engine? Brett

I would state that just a little differently: You can't use an off the shelf adapter to get 50 amps from a pedestal with a 30 amp and a 20 amp GFI. A knowledgeable electrician can re-wire a coach to split the circuits in the coach to use both the 30 and 20 GFI outlets to provide up to 50 amps of 120 VAC-- HALF the amps a standard 50 amp outlet provides. Brett

Though I did not read the whole report, two things caught my eye: They linked reduced PSI with increase in rolling resistance-- something we all know. Indeed, if one does not maintain tire pressure, loss of MPG WILL result. BUT, yes big BUT on page 58, they admit they compared "wet air" with Nitrogen: "The permeability of air in tires at higher temperatures is greater because air contains moisture. Water is usually present in the case of conventional compressed air. At lower temperatures, as a liquid, water occupies very little volume." And at the bottom of page 58 they say: "However the change in pressure of both the inflation gases would be in a similar pattern if air used for inflation is dry." So, as we have already discussed in this thread (and I believe all agree), if you don't check and maintain tire pressure, you will experience increased rolling resistance and loss of MPG. But, testing "wet air" vs Nitrogen kind of stacks the results. I didn't see a comparisons of dry air vs Nitrogen or if is in the other study which I did not read, please point it out. Also, if their contention is that Nitrogen gives less rolling resistance/ better MPG because use of air leads to under-inflated tires, many of us would question that premise. I know I check tires (TPMS) each time I drive. If more than 2-3 PSI low, I bring them back to spec-- NOT required very often! If my skimming the material has lead to a misinterpretation, please let me know. This statement is close to unbelievable-- and the reference (6) is a dead end: "The above results show that by using nitrogen inflated tires, the rolling resistance can be decreased by about 70%. Hence, for a reduction of 70% rolling resistance in tires, fuel economy can be improved by 23%." Brett

Juan, Welcome to the FMCA Forum. Start by checking voltage at both house and chassis batteries. A lot of strange things happen with below 12 VDC. Do you have shore power-- if so, charge up both banks, either from the on-board converter or a portable battery charger. THEN recheck everything. Brett

Bilstein 858 386-5900 Koni Shocks Jim Ryan (859) 488-0339 Brett

Thestick5, Welcome to the FMCA Forum. Did you change the two filters? You should drain 17-19 quarts when draining the Allison 3000 and changing the two filters. I am concerned by the "4 quarts low" issue. The transmission is basically a sealed system (transmission and cooler). Loosing a GALLON is significant. What fluid did you go back with? If Transynd, it not unusual for it to run cooler than Dexron. I would not drive until you resolve the oil level issue. If too much oil in it, you can aerate the fluid and cause all kinds of issues with the transmission. By the same token, you can do damage of run too low on fluid. Brett

RB, Give Shurflo a call: Shurflo 800 762-8094.

Ron, Yes, I am using it right now! No changes. Compared with signal strength to other boosters in the same RV park, this one tops the list. As others have posted, if you are an electronics guru, you can probably piece together a systems for less. But, if you want a complete system that anyone can install in minutes and use, I still put this one at the top. Brett

Yes, a relay and solenoid perform the same function. Brett

Sorry, guys, but the Ideal Gas Law applies equally to N2 and DRY air. There is no difference in PSI change with temperature change between the two. This is NOT new information: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ideal_gas_law Brett

Clearly, you are loosing 12 VDC somewhere between the battery and the appliances. Don't know if you have a manual battery disconnect switch or a solenoid battery disconnect switch as Herman mentioned. Start by making sure that the disconnect switch IS in the on position. If the switch does control a solenoid, it will be somewhere near the house battery bank. With switch off, one large lug should have the same voltage as at the house battery. With switch on, the other large lug should have the same voltage. If it doesn't, disconnect the small positive wire from the small terminal. Use a jumper from the large lug with battery voltage to the small positive terminal. If the solenoid clicks and the other large lug has voltage, you have a problem with a fuse, the disconnect switch or wiring to the solenoid. If still no voltage at the other large lug, the solenoid is bad. Brett

Welcome to the FMCA Forum. Sounds like the house batteries are dead, or at least not getting charged. When shore power or generator power your converter or charger, all appears well. My suggestion is to check wiring and any breaker/fuse between the converter or charger and your house battery bank. Make sure all connections are clean and TIGHT. With a digital voltmeter (a necessity and they start under $20 at Sears, Radio Shack, etc) check voltage at the house battery bank. Of course, if the batteries have been totally discharged for a long time they may be toast. Voltage should be 12.2- 12.7 with converter or charger OFF (no shore power or generator) and 13.2-14.2 with converter or charger ON. To check the batteries, they need to be fully charged (by your onboard converter or charger OR by a portable charger. Once fully charged, any place that sells batteries can load test them for you. Brett

Have you checked your owners manual? Many that are towable 4 wheels down have a short section on recreational towing with a step by step procedure.

Along with the question about whether it is towable 4 wheels down, an equally important question is: IS YOUR CHASSIS, HITCH AND (REPEAT AND) COACH RATED TO TOW THAT HEAVY A VEHICLE-- even with brakes on the Range Rover. Very doubtful. Remember, the lesser of the ratings dictates towing capacity.

As Bill said, you have something (actually, may be more than one thing) very wrong. While driving, the alternator should have easily supplied the electrical needs of both your battery banks and that light load on the inverter. Same for the inverter/charger keeping up the house batteries while on shore power. Start by rechecking electrical connections at the batteries. If OK, then you will need to pull out your digital voltmeter and start troubleshooting. Post the voltage readings at each battery bank when: Engine off, no shore power, no generator. Engine on and at 1,200 RPM, no shore power, no generator Engine off, shore power on, no generator Engine off, shore power off, generator on. Brett

Bob, Welcome to the FMCA Forum. I assume the fans you are talking about are at the top back (outside access area). If so, check with your coach maker-- they may be on a switch or they may be on a thermostat. You might also use a flashlight and mirror and look up in the refrigerator outside access area to see where the wires go from the fans. Brett

First, even if it works in a particular campground, it would provide HALF the power of a regular 50 amp outlet. A 50 amp outlet has TW0 50 amp hots so it provides 100 amps of available power. 20 plus 30 is 50 or one half a regular 50 amp. Second, electric codes for a LONG time have called for GFI protection for any 15 or 20 amp outlet. If the 15 or 20 amp outlet is a GFI protected, this device will not work-- it instantly trips the GFI. Are there some older CG's that are not GFI protected-- a few. But, many of these older CG's have limited power and view the cheaters as just that-- cheaters. Check with CG's you are considering to see if they are allowed and their 15/20 outlets are not GFI protected. Brett

Are these fixed caliper disk brakes (pistons on both sides) or sliding caliper disk brakes (pistons on only one side)? If sliding calipers, the slide area needs to be lubed with a special high-temp grease made specifically for this purpose. Brett

Bobbco, Yes, Ford and others have 12 VDC vacuum pumps. Should be able to fine one in any wrecking yard, as all diesels have some form of vacuum pump to "power" the dash HVAC system. You might contact Monaco to determine what the wires to the pump are-- if it is air vs 12 VDC powered, I don't know. Brett