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  Hot water plugged

Posted by: Brad Townsend
12-04-2017, 06:26 PM
Forum: Plumbing and fixtures
- Replies (3)

So I cleaned out my hot water tank and replaced the anode and heating element.
Was nothing on the anode, plenty of stuff on the bottom which I vacuumed out.
Went to take a shower that night and hot water side is barley coming more like a dribble.

The other faucets in the coach are fine .

Are there not tubes sticking in the tank from the top?
wonder where the plug could be and how best to fix it.
Shot compressed air back through the shower fixture with the knob in the hot position, had the hot side of the bath faucet on as well to let out any pressure so as not to blow the tank. Did not work.
Tried some vinegar down the shower hose and let it set overnight but valve was not open so maybe need to have valve open but would have to have no water pressure and it may get into the hot water tank. ????

Any plumbers out there?

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  High air pressure

Posted by: InfiLights
12-03-2017, 04:27 PM
Forum: Air Operated Systems and Leaks
- Replies (6)

As the coach sat for the last 2 years in a building, the previous owner came to it every couple of weeks and started the engine to build air and make sure all is fine. About 4 months ago he noticed that the air was not coming up and upon further investigation they found out that the engine air compressor was not working right. A new engine air compressor was installed along with a new air dryer and D2 governor.

As I drove it home from Monroe LA, I noticed that the air gauges were cycling a lot between 95 and 120 or so but I knew I had 3 leaks upfront- the 60psi safety switch on the parking brake was leaking, the SR-1 relay valve on the other side of the firewall next to the 6 pack was blowing air out of the bottom and 2 of the 1/2" air line elbows on the brake pedal manifold had minor leaks.

Once I got home, I fixed all these fast. I can still hear a leak around the front driver wheel (airbag, connection or brake chamber) and will sort it out shortly.

Today I had to drive it to Duncan RV in Elkhart to have a new driven windshield installed tomorrow.
With all the front air leaks fixed the gauges were staying nice at 100 to 120 psi cycling at idle.

But..once I started driving, both gauges were pegged to 150 psi, then cycling down to 130 not less.....the only time they went down to 100 is when I was at a stop light and had my foot on the brake. Once I started driving again back to 150 psi....I think this is rather high air pressure. Am I wrong ?
Is it possible that the new air compressor and air dryer when installed were not adjusted properly ? Or the wrong D2 governor ?

What should be done ? I have to drive it Thursday to WW Williams in Grand Rapids for the oil service, air bags replacement and height valves replacement but wonder if I have to do something before that......Don't want to blow up an airbag or brake chamber diaphragm and the highway if the air is too high an stays high like this.

Any advice ? Thoughts ?

Thanks

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  Repeat of previous posts on same topic

Posted by: Chester Stone
12-03-2017, 09:23 AM
Forum: Suggestions
- Replies (4)

I am curious as to how the forum setup can avoid repeating previous posts each time a new comment is made.  Recently there were repeats of six prior post attached to a reply.  I guess I am simply lazy trying to avoid reading all of them again and again.

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  slideout seal air source

Posted by: InfiLights
12-02-2017, 05:44 PM
Forum: Air Operated Systems and Leaks
- Replies (5)

Hi all,

Got the 1997 coach #440 not too long ago. It has only one front slideout.
I have a little experience with these buses by now since I have worked a lot on 551 but ended up having to sell it to sort out some family obligations.

On the 551 with dual slides, the 12v compressor lower pressure circuit was feeding the toilets, doors and both slide seals. The 110V compressor would come on as needed  to keep the bus level and also feeds into the 12v air system via a check valve to give air to the rest of the coach. If the 110v compressor is shut off, when the pressure got under 50 psi or lower, the 12v Compressor would come on to keep the low pressure system full but no air would go to airbags or dump valves, generator slide etc.

On this 440, the seal around the slide is fed only from the main supply air or 110V compressor.

I want to change it and add an additional feed of air from the 12v circuit as well so that I don't have to keep the 110V compressor turned on.

I am chasing leaks like everybody. The supply side looses air fast, I can hear a leak behind the driver wheel, will look into the brake chamber and the airbag. Scheduled to change all front airbags, all 3 leveling valves and the check valves on top of the front air tanks. Rebuilt the ARO dump valves, no leaks on the 6 packs. The 110v compressor is new but I don't see a one-way check valve on the air line and I may be leaking backwards through the head.  Will sort it out and add a water/air separator with a moisture dump valve.....Surprised it does not have one... early coach I guess.

The seal deflates in an hour after the supply side goes to zero.... so I think the small regulator needs to be looked at closely for leaks and the check valve....hopefully I don't have a hole in the seal itself....

I know that the 110v compressor feeds the airbags but I don't need that because this coach was the FMCA show unit and they put dual Automatic Hydraulic and air leveling systems- I have 4 massive hydraulic jacks....I can lift the bus off the ground and spin the wheels...love it.

When set up, I would level with the jacks and don't care if the airbags go empty since they are not holding up the bus. There is no other need for higher pressure air except the dump valve and for that I can turn the compressor on to make 50 psi and then shut it off.

So....I would appreciate some insight from somebody, anybody that can or has looked at the air feed system for the slideout seals and how the 110V high pressure feed system ties with the 12V compressor circuit and feed proper pressures to all components. I do not remember how the dual air feed was on the 551.

Thank you.

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  FMCA accepting 5th wheels/travel trailers

Posted by: Fulltiming
12-02-2017, 10:59 AM
Forum: General
- Replies (7)

With almost 70% of the members that voted recommending approval (my vote was on the losing side), the Family Motor Coach Association (FMCA) is now going to be accepting owners of all self contained recreational vehicles including 5th wheels and travel trailers. I would assume that now the advertisements and articles will be focused as much or more on towed trailers as motorhomes in the future.

Apparently a name doesn't mean much anymore.

http://www.rvbusiness.com/2017/12/rv-tra...le-owners/

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  RV purchases reach record high - again!

Posted by: Junior Guru
12-01-2017, 09:19 AM
Forum: Anything else
- No Replies

Interesting article on the popularity of RVs hitting another all time high.  Interestingly, the average age of purchasers is trending downward.  

This explains why it’s increasingly difficult to get last minute RV reservations at many places where we were able just call a few days before to get a spot.  That was just a few years ago.  Not only are there more RVs now but people are using them more frequently.  In other words, campgrounds and RV resorts haven’t increased at the pace of RV sales, if they have at all.  

Glad to see the industry doing well though!

http://money.cnn.com/2017/11/30/investin...index.html

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  Family Motor Coaching magazine

Posted by: HoosierDaddy
11-29-2017, 05:14 PM
Forum: Newell History
- Replies (1)

Has a very nice review of a new Newell and an article celebrating 50 years of Newell in the December issue!!! I cannot find it online.

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  Side panel removal in front slide

Posted by: pestes
11-29-2017, 10:52 AM
Forum: Interior Things
- Replies (8)

Hi all,

Wondering if anyone knows how the front facing panel is mounted in the front driver's side slide. The plastic catch that holds the sliding window shade in place is not catching and of course it is far up in the corner out of reach to replace without removing the panel.

I had the side section of the phantom wall out last night to fix a broken cellular blind string and found a single screw holding the back edge in place. I suspect that I need to remove the top valance from the slide but was looking for some guidance before going through that effort. I'm hoping that I don't have to remove the couch as well, but not holding my breath on that one. I suspect there's probably at least one more screw back behind the couch arm rest.

Unfortunately, the dog has not offered any assistance in this effort. And the wife is not a huge fan of the shelf-paper-as-window-shade mod even though it does provide some nice exterior color.

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  Dalton, Michigan

Posted by: bryguymi
11-29-2017, 09:20 AM
Forum: Newell Sightings
- Replies (1)

So my niece, who lives on the other side of the state, tells me at Thanksgiving last week that she passes by a Newell on her way to work every morning. I did not put much weight into her comment, thinking that she didn’t really know what she was talking about. I had a chance to drive by there today and, low and behold, it is definitely a Newell. Just north of Muskegon Michigan. It looks like it’s been sitting there for a little while without much attention and there was nobody around to chat with about it. I also looked in the driver side window for an ID plate, did not see anything.

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  Back to my air leaks

Posted by: Brad Townsend
11-29-2017, 06:05 AM
Forum: Air Operated Systems and Leaks
- Replies (55)

So I am back to chasing down my air leak and was under the coach looking for a drain on the wet tank and found it had an automatic drain. I pushed on the what looks like a stem valve to make sure it worked and it did no water came out only air.

I also noticed a horizontal tank not sure what it is, it looks to be about 4 inches in diameter and 14 inches long with a breather cap on top and a drain petcock on the bottom. I opened the drain petcock and nothing came out. Does anyone know what this tank is?. 

The 2 air tanks up front I opened the drains, the forward tank was dry and the other one had about 1/4 cup of water with a small bit of what looked like oil.

So on our way to our winter location we lost a brake diaphragm and had the whole chamber replaced.
I am wondering if there could be another diaphragm with a leak but can't detect it because it is inside the chamber housing. 

Yesterday I ran the engine and filled the tanks and now this am the supply is empty and the brakes have about 15 lbs.

I am planning to replace my old air dryer at some point this winter.

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