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Dr4Film
I wonder if the tank sensors that are used for the SeeLevel Tank Level Systems would work for those Tecma toilets. Those sensors are significantly more reliable than the ones used by Tecma.
dandick66
I have that same board in my 2012 Diplomat and I don’t think it is for the Smartwheel. I’m pretty sure it is for the Medallion display. If you look at the printing on the wires in the DCM plugs, you will see they are labeled to correspond to the lights in your dash display and gauges.
I think you’ll find the Smartwheel board on that same plywood mount. Look for the words “VIP”. I would think there is a fuse for the Smartwheel. Have you checked? I’ll go out later this morning and take a look at mine.
6Wheels
You are brave to travel this route. I hope you have a large group.
Tom Cherry
Reading this topic out of curiosity and also to understand.
Frank has posted a solution. If I understand the circuit as well as also having helped some folks over the years, this is a “unique” circuit.
See!evel is a capacitance system….
External tank monitors use a completely different method. SeeLevel is a dielectric (Capacitive) system that senses the difference between Air and Liquid
The Tecma sensor is a “POINT” contact or an inductive sensor. If you read the literature, there are TWO and each has a specific value….and are marked HIGH and MEDIUM. Frank provided the specific “bypass or work around” solution…..with the caveat that if the tank iS FULL….then there will be consequences.
Thus….SeeLevel will not work.
BUT….having been a process engineer and doing a lot of tank and level control projects….I read the SeeLevel manual.
The issue can be….Faulty HIGH sensor or too much “crap” where the sensor is mounted so that it THINKS, the level of the tank is high.
I’d suggest reading the SeeLevel manual on cleaning and then be prepared, as they state, to do periodic maintenance and try to keep the interior wall as clean as possible. My take is that when the tank is not used…..the moisture that has wicked up the side walls will evaporate or dryout…..thus, the sensor gets a reading commensurate with a “clean” tank. Those of us with the pass through or contact probes know that after driving and getting on site, our black tank reading is useless….but in a day or so, it is a little more accurate. Many folks stress and try to make that system accurate. It will NEVER be such.
The SeeLevel has a calibration or adjustment….the Tecma is not designed to be “field calibrated”.
It MIGHT be possible, if the sensor is OK, to remove and reposition (horizontally) to another location on the tank sidewall that is not subject to build up….or not as bad….the SeeLevel info on the internal dynamics and how to keep their system functional is some of the best and most researched out there. Way too many myths of how to have a pristine and spotless tank interior…..all you can can do is MINIMIZE the buildup….
Dr4Film
@Tom Cherry Can you explain the difference between "inductive" and "capacitive" to me as I have limited knowledge in that area of expertise, please?
Benjamin
It's never that easy. Close if you remove all connections the the old batteries, and wire the new ones directly to the all in one. You still would want to figure out alternator charging, I'd have to look into if that will work with the PV input, probably not very well, but enough for some. Cummins is coming with 48v alternators soon (engine emissions use only, but that could be changed), so that could change the house setup for class A's, THEORETICALLY. I'm not holding my breath waiting for an electrical system integration like the Winnebago ERV demo.
I agree the all in one, and at 24 or 48v makes way more sense than a jumble of blue boxes and large wires for a victron system. Problem is, victron has the reputation we'd all like to sleep soundly in a plastic an kindling box, and I just can't go for adds that are heavy on stars, close out/overstock, and limited time only. I hereby decree consensus that all NEW systems over 2kw inverter or solar be 24v, and over 3kw be 48v, how's that*. Yes, absolutely do not draw 12v from one battery wired in series at higher voltage, it was very bad for lead acid when it was done, and it's much worse for Li.
edit: check out Will Prowse's EG4 all in one system and review, that "looks" like a more reputable model, and the brand of server rack batteries I see more often, so trust by familiarity. When I get there, the EG4 seems like the top contender.
jacwjames
You best bet is to look at comparative pricing.
RV Trader has 3 listed from 120-170K
Motor Home Specialists has one for 139K
This one sold but had a price of $185K Floor slide damage!
JDPenn
Reviving this thread instead of starting a new one.
My slide underbellies are in the same predicament. I searched for stainless steel plate or sheet that I could use. Everything's so expensive. Anyhow my solution was to buy some stainless steel door Kick Plates. I found 4 of them 65" long 10" wide 1/16 thick with pre drilled holes for $50. This is enough for 8 pieces cut to length for both of my slides. I'm cutting 1" longer past the top of the roller. I was able to cut one with my drill and my cutting disc. Today, I'm repairing the worst section. I glued up the loose sections and have them under pressure now. Once dried I'll jack it up and I'll glue and screw the SS plate on, them pressure it for a good set.
Camping next weekend, got to move on this, rain or no rain.
Happy camping.
rpasetto
I just checked RVtrader for Signatures in the 2006 to 2008 range and found pricing from $120k to $200k. Of course that's "asking" price, and there's no way to know actual condition without detailed inspection. Anyway, that info plus checking JD Power should give you a start at pricing. When you use JD power, remember to count only real options as the JDPower "Option" list includes many things that are standard on your coach anyway. Also some of the "options", like multi-thousand dollar TVs for example, don't count for much if they are still the original ones.
John Van Hengel
Just finished reading through this thread.
I am on my second coach. My first a 1995 with Cummins C8.3l had a Pacbrake.
When switched on and throttle released would engage and downshift to 2nd. It took about 3 seconds to build up pressure.
The effect was noticeable but mellow.
My current coach a 2006 has a Cummins ISX with a dual stage Jake brake.
It engages the same way. However it is like a kick in the pants. It almost throws me into my seat belt shoulder strap.
It is accompanied by that "braap" sound the big rigs make when theirs are engaged.
Hope this helps.
Chargerman
I wouldn’t think that the kick plate material would be thick and rigid enough to supply the support needed to prevent continued degradation of this area in the future
JDPenn
15 minutes ago, Chargerman said:I wouldn’t think that the kick plate material would be thick and rigid enough to supply the support needed to prevent continued degradation of this area in the future
I looked at Talins website. Their SS plates for roller slides are 18 gauge. The plates I'm using are 16 gauge, so I don't see any issue.
dandick66
Here is a photo of the Smartwheel module. It is right next to the board in your photo. If it were me, I would not let the mobile tech touch anything. It appears to me he is shotgun troubleshooting. There is a 5 amp fuse for the Smartwheel module (F5) in the front run bay.
Coach insurance while in CENTRAL AMERICA???
Paul J A
3 hours ago, 6Wheels said:You are brave to travel this route. I hope you have a large group.
Just helping a friend look at / for options of any coverage available. I had a residence in Costa Rica , some contacts there have been helpful. T y.
23 hours ago, Rocketman3 said:Central America I cannot speak to.
In Mexico, I could get (had to get) Liability, but they would not issue comprehensive for a vehicle as old as mine (2000), so I had to go without and drive carefully. USA insurance would not cover in Mexico.
What Insurance Company did you have coverage in MX. thru?
T y.
Rocketman3
Both times we have gone to Baja we used. GNP Seguros.
We did all the signup on-line and PRINTED the documents before leaving the USA. They had a good easy process. I.e. took our money very well. We never had an accident- so I can’t speak to that part of their service.
Because our home (we full-time) was then not insured (Liability only) I drove very carefully! One thing that surprised me was how well the Mexico drivers drove. They were nice and patient.
The city streets were good - except for all the topes (speed bumps). No one follows speed limits - so they make them physical (speed bumps). The highways were a mixed lot. But much more narrow - and no shoulder. We took our rig all the way down to Cabo San Lucas (stayed at a condo with relatives).
Good Luck
(No idea how the mainland will vary vs Baja).
Paul J A
On 9/23/2024 at 8:06 AM, Tom Cherry said:GOING out on a limb…but many knowledgeable members plus all the research…. There is not a 2004 Dynasty Sales Brochure online….nor is there is an Imperial. We know that they were twins….even though, maybe the HR was an Elkhart coach. BUT the engines were the same.
BUT….there is a 2003 Imperial”s Sales Brochure ….AND it lists a “2 Stage Jacobs Brake” for the ISL.
Yours had it. Assembler was distracted….can’t blame a Smartphone.
This is great….all learn
The 2003 Imperial Sales Brochure lists a, " Jacobs Engine Brake."
Tecma Toilet issue - 2007 Signature
cbr046
3 hours ago, Dr4Film said:@Tom Cherry Can you explain the difference between "inductive" and "capacitive" to me as I have limited knowledge in that area of expertise, please?
I'll take a shot at it . . . .
Passive components have 3 major properties - resistance, capacitance and inductance.
Resistance is simply the component's "resistance" to current flowing through it. Voltage and Current will flow at the same time, even in an AC circuit.
Capacitance is when a component builds a charge on one side vs the other, and only occurs in AC circuits (or pulsed DC). Current will flow quickly while voltage across the device lags then builds up. Think of 2 large metal plates very close to each other. The plates aren't physically connected so they have infinite resistance. As voltage is introduced current will flow through to the other plate until the charge is saturated across the plates. Removing the voltage source will still have voltage across the plates until the surrounding circuit bleeds off the voltage.
Inductance is when a component resists current initially then allows it to flow after a short period. In this case current resists flow when voltage is first applied, then as the magnetic properties of the device are saturated current flows up to the resistance of the wire. This also called current lagging voltage. As frequency of the AC is increased so is the inductive (magnetic) resistance. We're stuck with 60 Hz AC for air conditioners and refrigerators but hi-efficiency power supplies, like in TV's, computers, chargers and other electronic devices will run in the tens of thousands of Hz (I seem to recall 40 kHz being typical). In these circuits the inductors (transformers) and capacitors can be much smaller.
MOTORS are great examples of inductance because the windings are thousands of turns of wire within a, when voltage is applied, magnetic field. But now voltage is leading current and that isn't efficient so we introduce capacitors to counteract the motor's inductance. Think of it as ying & yang - you need both to balance the other out otherwise you'll have current and voltage through the device at different times, expressed as "degrees of phase". Zero degrees will move the motor at it's maximum efficiency. At some point if current and voltage are out of phase enough the current will burn up the windings in the motor.
Another example are ignition points in an old gas motor. The ignition coil (transformer) has enough inductance that when the points open (creating hi voltage for the spark plug) the current would continue to flow causing arcing and pitting the points. So a capacitor (condensor) is placed across the points to supply current to the coil for a very brief period of time while the points gap gets large enough that they won't arc.
Does this make any sense?
- bob
2ESPOS
I checked the wires going into the 16626855 module and there are marked turn and wiper, so the technician got the right module. The module you pointed out is for the smart wheel functions on the steering wheel that are still working. The functions I lost are on the turn signal switch. So mislead you by saying Smart Wheel module.
Thanks for your help with pictures and clarifying how to identify the correct module by the printed wire identifications.
Believe have wrong Battery for house - question
Keith Russell
02 Monaco Sign. 45ft - purchased over a year ago and been having many electrical issues. I just checked the house batteries and separated them and had the checked and both are showing bad, one is only 30cca and other was around 300cca. They have a 2 - BBG-220RT 12volt batteries . Obviously I need to now change both house batteries but I thought I should have deep cycle batteries for the house side? What would you all recommend to purchase? what series battery?
Thank you in advance,
Keith
Patricia Ferrara
Hi all!
With our Tecma toilet, we’ve found that flushing the black tank for at least 15-20 minutes after each dump, helps to keep the Tecma sensors functioning. We’ve also switched to using Unique brand black tank additives:(Believe have wrong Battery for house - question
Craggar
They don’t seem to be for rv’s but to replace them it’s hard to go wrong with Trojans.
CLIFF918
You should have 2 banks of batteries.
2 12 volt batteries together should be the chassis batteries for starting
The house batteries would be 4ea 6 volt batteries
At least it is that way on my 02 Diplomat
I replaced my house batteries with: Believe have wrong Battery for house - question
Craggar
2 minutes ago, CLIFF918 said:You should have 2 banks of batteries.
2 12 volt batteries together should be the chassis batteries for starting
The house batteries would be 4ea 6 volt batteries
At least it is that way on my 02 Diplomat
I replaced my house batteries with: Believe have wrong Battery for house - question
Keith RussellThe previous owner converted house bank to 2-12v batteries. Is it ok to keep the 2-12volt set up? If so which type of battery?
Believe have wrong Battery for house - question
Craggar2 minutes ago, Keith Russell said:The previous owner converted house bank to 2-12v batteries. Is it ok to keep the 2-12volt set up? If so which type of battery?
Like I said for us it was fine because we were staying campgrounds most of the time. For you it depends on what you are going to be doing.
Believe have wrong Battery for house - question
CLIFF9182-12 volt batteries will work just fine as long as they are deep cycle don't pay attention to CCA it is reserve number that you should look for the higher the number the better.
Believe have wrong Battery for house - question
timaz996Tell us how the coach will be used and if there is any solar on the roof. Do you always stay in campgrounds or do you like to dry camp? do you have a residential fridge or a RV fridge?
Believe have wrong Battery for house - question
Keith Russellok, what is a good reserve number to be looking for? is a 31 series the right size batteries?
us at the races so I guess dry camp mostly, has residential fridge. As far as solar nothing now. But considering upgrading the charging etc to newer system where I will not need to hook up a charger to the batteries when at the racetrack.
New File - Door Bushing Replacement & Latch Adjustment
Jim PrattenOur handle was at the end of travel before the latches released so seemed like a good time to make some adjustments. Inspected the "bushing" per Frank's instruction and found we had 100% material loss.
Our lock tab was worn a bit and decided to use this slightly larger bronze @Frank McElroy for making the effort to put this together!
Believe have wrong Battery for house - question
cbr046You definitely want deep cycle. If there's a CCA spec you don't want it. CCA is for starting engines and not designed for long discharge cycles.
Not all batteries are the same. Lead purity, plate thickness and I'm sure a few other things go into the making of a better lead-acid battery.
Unless you plan on 400 - 500 recharging cycles (basically the life cycle of lead-acid battery) the best bang for the buck (IMO) would be Believe have wrong Battery for house - question
Ivan KYou will still need a charging source most likely daily, be it a good solar, generator or external with 4 deep cycle batteries and residential fridge. I get by with about an hour of generator while using microwave, coffee maker and cooling down for the night etc. And thats with a propane fridge. When I upgrade the fridge, it will get lithium too, whichever comes first, considering my FLA batteries are at 5 years mark.
Tecma Toilet issue - 2007 Signature
Tom CherryCatching up. Great comments and such. Bottom line.
The sensors on a typical Monaco control panel or such are 12 VDC circuits. There are 4 sensors. One at Bottom is “NEG” or ground. The 1/3; 2/3 & full are the POS. Now it may be reversed…. Bottom line. When the liquid is BEOLW 1/3…..there is NO LIGHT. But when the liquid is above the 1/3 probe….NOTE, these probes are studs or cooper rods into the interior of the tank. So, the liquid, even the GRAY tank, is conductive. SO the 1/3 probe is in the liquid….and the bottom probe is in the liquid. The liquid makes the circuit. BINGO. 1/3 light is on…..repeat for 2/3 & FULL. This is a CONDUCTIVE circuit…. It you jumpered the bottom Probe and either of the TOP (not in the liquid)….you’d get a LIGHT.
THE REASON they are NOT accurate. This is a CHEAP system. The tank has an internal buildup of feces and bacteria and toilet paper. Think of it as a SLUDGE or SLIME that has coated the inside. So, when you have new or fresh liquid in the tank, this dried out sludge becomes conductive. Then the liquid wicks up the sludge. So, the ACTUAL liquid level is say at 1/4 height. But when you drive…..that liquid sloshes around. That resaturates the crud or buildup. That then makes a circuit from the 1/3 probe to the bottom one. BINGO….light is on. NOW….let it sit overnight or even for a day or two. YES, you continue to add liquid. BUT the tank crud will dry out. It takes agitation (like driving) to slosh it up and around. NOW….this is a COMMON problem in Municipalities. They buy special probes as well as a high voltage transformer. 600 VAC burns or arcs and destroys “floating objects” or wads of TP. THAT is how they really KNOW the level. If we had a HIGH VOLTAGE system….the “crap” or crud would burn off (in a circle) and stay clean. Our probes would only measure the PURE liquid.
FINALLY….hope this explains all the “tricks” and procedures that folks use or were mentioned here. You HAVE to have a fairly CLEAN interior area around where a sensor is located. With the Techma, the middle is expected to have a buildup. Good backflush and the use of a cleaner that has a surfactant (which coats or has “sheeting” additives ). THINK about your dishwasher. MOST have a “Rinse Aid” or a surfactant dispenser. So, the final rinse is dosed with the RINSE AGENT. That helps sheet off water and also helps eliminate water spotting. Let it run out or say…..NOT NEEDED….your dishes will have more water on them or spots. I had to sort of “teach” a bit of chemistry to my wife. We finally LOST our 25 YO high end GE. She complained about its cleaning and such. I filled the new Kitchen Aid’s rinse agent reservoir. NOW, the KA’s design and technology is a world ahead. The dishes sparkle. The SS flatware is SHINY…she emptied the drawer and glasses shelf and dishes and ran every.one,
THEN, I quizzed her. She had decided the Rinse Aid was just a gimmick and not used it in years…. OMG….that was ONE of the contributors to poor performance. She NOW has me check it.
SO…..THEORY. If you “doused” your black tank with a tablespoon of dishwasher Rinse Aid….when you mixed up your “chemicals”….you MIGHT find that the crap would NOT build up as much. There are formulas on the Internet for the GEOMETHOD. They use detergents and waster softeners. The “theory” is that if you can attack or breakdown the crud on the side….then the liquid will NOT WICK up.
NOW…if the comment that the HIGH Sensor on the TECMA is in a section of the tank where there is NO backflushing or the buildup is severe….move it.
As to the SeeLevel. The sensor that they use is a LONG PCB. You order it for the height of your tank. It provides a variable “capacitance” signal. When the tanks gets dirty….you can recalibrate….but, there is only so much or thickness of crud or buildup it can tolerate or handle. Many, and we have had a bunch, will post…”IT DON’T WORK”. SeeLevel says. CLEAN and RECLEAN per instructions. Once stable and the adjustment or calibration is within the normal range…..use…but you MUST periodically clean the tanks…
Believe have wrong Battery for house - question
Tom CherryBack to basics.
READ and HEED. Your MH was designed for one bank of FOUR 6VDC Deep Cycle Marine RV batteries. Two pair of batteries connected in SERIES. Then the TWO pairs are connected in Parallel. There was, I think, an option for a second bank. Download the sales brochure from MonacoCoach.com. It spells it out.
Your “OEM” Amp Hour Capacity was 450 Amp Hours. When you series string a pair of SIX VDC, with an Amp Hour Rating of 225 AH, the Amp Hours are the same…..BUT, you have two and fhe Voltage is 12 VDC. Then when you put the two pair in Parallel, you DO ADD the Amp Hours. So each pair, which is NOW 12 VDC are ADDED. 225 X 2 = 450 Amp Hours.
Whomever sold or owned the rig was either not knowledgeable or “spiffed it up” to sell.
You NEVER, EVER, under any circumstances use a CRANKING Battery in a Deep Cycle application. If it says CCA. Get rid of it.
Next….you can NOT have a shop or dealer TEST A DEEP CYCLE battery with their “meter”. The meter was designed for a CRANKING battery….or CCA. If anyone tells you different….excuse yourself and leave….they are NOT KNOWLEDGEABLE….nor trustworthy.
You can ONLY test a deep cycle as outlined in the paper.
NEXT UP. You can TRY to use a mixed breed setup….it is a recipe for failure. It will also destroy or greatly shorten the life of YOUR NEW BATTERIES. That is exactly what every manufacturer states that as well as any reputable marine or RV or Golf cart vendor.
Your trays are structured or designed for GOLF CART batteries. The Trojan T-105’s are the longest lasting and most robust or can take charging abuse or such and be salvageable. I and a senior staff member and other experienced members run them. Usually 8 years. One is now at 10 (TEN) years. We pay retail and no vendor gives us new ones or discounts.
NOW…AGM has not been mentioned. AGM!s are more (15 - 30%) more. They require a more meticulous charging profile. Often times members don’t know that or choose to ignore or their older chargers do not HAVE an AGM profiles….thus….you pay more and risk shorter life. The AGM’s do NOT require electrolyte refilling or services. BUT THEY MUST be exercised (charged, discharged and rechaeged….repeat 2 - 3 times….at least once or twice ANNUALLY). Same for the WET CELL FLOODED LEAD ACID.. So, you MUST do the maintenance on BOTH…same level. You save maybe 20 minutes or less each time….not worth the risk nor the additional cost….IMHO.
Bottom LINE….START OVER. Put it back to OEM. Buy the Trojans. Also order Water Miser Caps for them. The experienced members that do rarely add more than an ounce or two of Distilled Water (pharmacy or supermarket) to each cell.
That’s the easiest and the cheapest, in the long run. Eventually, if you boondock a lot,,,.convert the puck lights to LED.
That’s it….
Allison Transmission Fluid Check Protocol
tmw188On 9/26/2024 at 11:38 AM, jacwjames said:Another Windsor owner @tmw188 contacted me and said he was having to add coolant and couldn't find the leak. Commented that he had some oil on his tow vehicle. Told him not to drive anymore and to check the transmission oil level. It was High and actually coming out of the vent. He had a radiator internal oil cooler for the transmission fail and coolant was going into the transmission. Had to replace the radiator and transmission, ~$20K. He did take the time to tear the radiator down to look at the inner cooler, it basically fell apart when he touched it.
About 2 months later another Monaco owner reached out to me, he was stranded out west with the same problem.
There was a TSB on this, a lot of new members may not be aware of this issue
Technical Service Bulletin for Radiators Monaco.pdf 330.07 kB · 10 downloads
My cooler did fail but did not fall apart, I talked to Jim on the phone about that before posting now. It sprung a leak and sucked coolant into the transmission yes. I will try to post some pics here. I replaced my CAC too because it was leaking across the tank pretty bad. Both the radiator and CAC were purchased from the OE out in Sacramento via Source Engineering. You cannot get them direct without Source. The cost included the Rad with internal cooler within the tank. The CAC and a reman transmission from Allison plus all labor. Now I will say this on the old radiator tanks they have some type of paint or coating inside the tank on the old one that was peeling off the inside wall of the tank. Not good, very bad!!! I can see this coming loose and restricting the flow on these older radiators. I will pull up some pics and try to insert them to this post, if I don’t I will add them as a quote to this post later.
Value of 2007 signature loaded monaco
LakeBobHighly recommend: Tecma Toilet issue - 2007 Signature
amphi_scWhen my Tecma Silence tank sensors act up I give the black tank an enema using a modified Camco tornado flush
Believe have wrong Battery for house - question
BenjaminThe tray was probably sized for four 6V batteries, golf cart type, nearly any size will fit. ONE 12v would work depending on how you want to be able to use it. A racetrack typically has generators running all the time, so one marine cranking battery (semi deep cycle...) would work to run the lights and fridge for a few hours between running the generator for cooking. If you do a few weekends a year, with the generator going most of the day, one marine battery will last fine. If you go with two, I'd get two 6v golf cart type and hook up in series. If you want to go longer without the generator, four 6v. OR at some point you have to consider Li, one huge advantage is the charging rate, you can charge Li faster than lead acid, and they don't care about being cycled between 20-80% capacity for many thousands of cycles. The many thousands of cycles won't matter to most RV's, but being happy left drained for a few days and charging fast when you start the generator is valuable for RV use.
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