rickkey2 Report post Posted January 31, 2017 We have a 2007 Forest River Charleston 40 QS and as long as we have owned it we get a ( knock ) sound at night? Ok let me explain , sometimes while at a campground and plugged into electric 30 or 50 amp and in bed and it is very quiet there will be a fairly loud knock at the right rear of the coach. It will be one knock then about 7 sec later another knock and do this 5 to 7 times and stop. Sometimes only once or twice a night. The right rear basement compartment is where the inverter / charger / converter is . It sounds like a transfer switch is being switched . It does not seem to interfere or interrupt electrical things such as the AC that is running at the time. It sounds just like someone outside knocked on the right rear corner of the coach. Scared the crap out of me the first time it happened . I know someone is not knocking on the outside unless they are following me everywhere we go This does not happen every night but have kind of gotten used to it. I do not keep my generator on auto so not sure if it is a campground electric issue and that my generator not being in auto is kicking in the inverter ? Sure would like to find out whats making this knocking sound and why. Any info would be great ( even the funny ones like ZOMBIES outside at night ) PS I am sure this probably happens during the day also just do not hear it due to normal daytime noise. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
manholt Report post Posted January 31, 2017 Rick. Welcome! Mine gave a clunk sound, turned out that I had a bad battery, Changed out all my acid batteries and installed AGM's...my clunk has not come back! If yours is acid, when was the last time you looked at water level? If they are low, add distilled water only! Carl Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
wolfe10 Report post Posted January 31, 2017 Could also be a jack settling just a little. Might put a piece of blue tape exactly 1" below the cylinder on the piston to see if it "moves in the night". Also, with temperature change coaches WILL expand/contract. 40' of metal and fiberglass will have some movement. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
rickkey2 Report post Posted January 31, 2017 Thanks for the reply Carl and Brett. House and chassis batteries were replaced in April of 2016 and yes they are acid. Does not mean one or more could not be defective but I did load test and check water level and all is good. I am very anal about maintenance and specifications as I have spent my working career in the USAF and the aviation industry as a mechanic for 40 years. I think that Brett could be on to something with the settling jack because after a few days at a campground with a paved pad and have heard the knock I am ever so slightly off level on the right side really not enough to worry about but did change. When I level I do not use the auto level because by the time it tells itself its level it is way to high in my opinion. I got the coach level and installed two bubble levels and use the manual level mode. I will put jacks down tomorrow and lift it up to level and do the blue tape thing and watch it for a week and see what happens. I am on a level pad with 50 amp at my home so I can easily keep tabs on it. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
manholt Report post Posted February 1, 2017 Rick. Good luck and let us know, please. With the Jacks up, check your reservoir fluid level. Thanks for your service! Carl Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
rickkey2 Report post Posted February 1, 2017 Thank you I will check fluid level and report back with findings. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
wildebill308 Report post Posted February 1, 2017 Rick, I am inclined to think jack settling two. What did you work on in the AF? I spent most of my short time on B-52, KC-135's Bill Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
dons2346 Report post Posted February 1, 2017 I would go with the jacks settling also and would follow Brett's suggestion. I have a friend that had an air bag let go in the middle of the night, had to clean his skives after that Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
rickkey2 Report post Posted February 1, 2017 Hi Bill F-111 & B-57 Canberra active duty and F-102 during my reserve time but had to cross train to cargo as they fazed out the F-102 and replaced them with C-130 to work as a air sea rescue . Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
wildebill308 Report post Posted February 2, 2017 10 hours ago, rickkey2 said: Hi Bill F-111 & B-57 Canberra active duty and F-102 during my reserve time but had to cross train to cargo as they fazed out the F-102 and replaced them with C-130 to work as a air sea rescue . I bet the 130 is a lot more comfortable with more amenities. I just built them and fixed them. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
rickkey2 Report post Posted February 9, 2017 OK it was a settling jack as Brett and others suggested. I jacked up and made coach level after checking my fluid with jacks retracted and slides in as my front slides are both hydraulic and fluid level was approximately 1/2 in below the vent / fill hole. I then did the blue tape thing and as I was doing the right rear jack I noticed the bottom hose fitting was ever so slightly damp with fluid , not wet but damp. I resisted getting a wrench to check tightness and just cleaned the area and treated it with a leak check spray that I had from my aviation days. I checked it the next day about 20 hrs later and the right rear jack had moved about 1/32 of an inch or less and the other three jacks had no movement. The fitting showed signs of fluid like sweating not really wet, so now I could not resist any more and put the wrench to it and backed off on it just a little then back to tight. Cleaned the area again , then I did the whole process over from start, let coach down then level again install new blue tape. It has been six days and no movement and line is dry. ( BY GEORGE I THINK WE GOT IT ) We are not sleeping in the coach so that will be the real test but think it was the right rear jack all along. Thanks for all the input from all of you. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
wildebill308 Report post Posted February 10, 2017 Good Job. Who said you can't teach pilots to do basic maintenance. Bill Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
