| |
Subject |
Author |
Date Posted |
Forum
|
 |
RE: furnace blowing cold air
check propane, check battery power, because if battery is low, the sail switch will not turn the gas valve on.Check the sail switch,check the limit switch, you need a test light for this, on a suburban you need to take the cover off and you'll find it by the serial number,and last the the dsi
|
double jj
|
12/09/09 09:24pm |
Tech Issues
|
|
RE: Electric Awning Emergencies..what to do?
double jj, The awning that is stuck out is the awning over the door. The awning is not spring loaded or is there a place for a strap and rod.
my bad wrong awning,
|
double jj
|
11/28/09 09:35pm |
Tech Issues
|
|
RE: Electric Awning Emergencies..what to do?
Common question the manufacturer should have considered. Install an awning strap that should have come with the awning. If not buy one, and get an awning rod too. Get the hex key that fits into the screw at the motor and a ladder. The awning is spring loaded so be careful . So now that you have come to the situation that your motor has quit, have one person hold the strap while the other person loosens the screw without removing it.Slowly let the awning retract under the spring power,while you make sure that the arm is not slipping out of the tube fixture, the arms are springloaded too. Tighten the screw when the awning is up. Pain in the butt, you got that right. Not a smart design.
|
double jj
|
11/25/09 10:34pm |
Tech Issues
|
|
RE: L.P. Horizontal Tank not filling completely.
Purging is a process where you remove air and moisture from the tank, it's a process usually done by a qualified propane filler. But if you completely emptied your cylinder, there should be no air left in it. so the other thing I can think of, is the float of your overfill protection valve being crooked and shutting off prematurely. so air in your cylinder or a faulty OPD is my call.
|
double jj
|
11/25/09 10:06pm |
Tech Issues
|
|
RE: Atwood 10 Gal Water Heater Starting problem
the ignitor/ sensor is giving feedback to the dsi board, and the board ignites the water heater. chances are you might have an issue with the board. Bam has a point too, if the wh shuts off and reignites 3 time it's in lock up mode and stops igniting.
|
double jj
|
11/24/09 09:49pm |
Tech Issues
|
|
RE: Winterizing with Antifreeze Very Slow (Water Pump?)
Get 2 fittings and 2 hoses, one for the pump suction side and one for the output side.Attach the 2 hoses to the pump and put them both into a jugg with water. If the water is getting sucked into the pump and comes out and back into the jugg without trouble, your pump is working fine. Now if Keystone says there is no valve than hook up the same fitting and hose assembly into the input side of the pump.And put it into the antifreeze jugg. Make sure your water heater is bypassed. Now turn on the pump and open one tap at the time. If the pump is still slow I'm suspecting a kinked line or something clogging your line.And manufacturer help line have been wrong before ;)
|
double jj
|
11/24/09 09:21pm |
Tech Issues
|
|
RE: Winterizing with Antifreeze Very Slow (Water Pump?)
no the valve would be by the water pump
|
double jj
|
11/22/09 10:57pm |
Tech Issues
|
|
RE: Whats the best way to test the heater on the driveway ?
Personally I think this is a legit question. I rather see people asked dumb questions than trying it and creating disasters.
No to check a furnace, yes check the batteries first, since you need good strong power to activate the sail switch, Of course full propane tanks, at least enough to have the furnace running. If you have access to compressed air blow air into the vent and exhaust holes, if you have an Atwood furnace take the cover off. Now after you have turned the furnace on and it's running listen for a smooth burning sound. You don't want to hear any popping or sputtering. Than you want to smell the exhaust gas. It's hard to explain smells on the Internet, but the best way I can describe the smell you want your furnace to produce is a moisture type of odour. I hope this helped
|
double jj
|
11/22/09 11:12am |
Tech Issues
|
|
RE: Winterizing with Antifreeze Very Slow (Water Pump?)
Wow all this input. Now haven't worked on outbacks for a while but if I remember it right they had 1 valve that would stop the flow from the fresh water tank and get it from the antifreeze. But I noticed that nobody asked if you bypassed the water heater. The valves are usually behind the water heater itself.Now if everything else fails buy a 2ft long plastic hose and a fitting that you can attach straight to your water pump. And if your pump is still slow, than you know that you have a pump issue.
|
double jj
|
11/22/09 10:47am |
Tech Issues
|
|
RE: Canadian Standards (CSA) Versus US Standards?
Oh did I tell you,that when the CSA come to inspect the units design at the factory. The factory of course put out the best unit for inspection, and when they pass it, it's free game for the rest of the batch.
|
double jj
|
11/08/09 07:50pm |
Tech Issues
|
|
RE: Trail Lite 8308S Slide Out Motor Dead????
Did you check for any obstructions? The other thing could be that you have a weak breaker cutting the power prematurely. Or your switch could be faulty.Faulty motor or the rams are bend.
What you could do is checking the power at the breaker, I'm not to familiar with trail lites, but in some of the units, you'll find the breaker in the fuse panel.
See if you have power going to the switch and coming from the switch.It's a faulty switch.If there is power going the switch and no power coming from the switch .
And finally see if you have power at the motor. If you have power going to the motor and the ground is good, your motor is finished.
Usually I check the amperage with a d/c clamp on amp meter. If the amp reading is high, the motor is working harder than it's designed for, due to crooked rams or bad motor.
Remember to disconnect the power when manually moving the slide out.
That's the best I got for now good luck
|
double jj
|
11/08/09 11:08am |
Tech Issues
|
|
RE: Canadian Standards (CSA) Versus US Standards?
The CSA standard is on my opinion stricter than the American standard, but due to industrial pressure, CSA have eased up. And don't forget, the csa is not capable to enforce any of their standards since the Canadian Standards Association is a nonprofit membership-based association serving businesses.And if you read the CSA book, you'll notice that they do approve ul standards.Not that they have a choice. A lot of the products are build in China or India.And the manufacturers over there are not going to spend any extra time and money on adding the CSA logo on their products.
I see a new trend starting where very few manufacturers stopped applying the CSA sticker, because they don't want to pay them anymore.Claiming that they still build them to the same level as Canadian Standards Association requirements. But from what I see that's not the case.
Some of the differences between the American and Canadian standards?
Well one thing that comes to mind are the lp lines. Canadian regulation states that we use schedule 40 piping with copper only(copper lines are to be protected), unless used in a slide out, where rubber hoses are permitted. While the Americans do allow rubber hoses under the belly.
I personally think , we should have a harmonized North American standard run by the government like Department of transportation or Transport Canada without being pushed by the industry to make them cheaper. It would life easier for the industry and the consumer.
|
double jj
|
11/08/09 10:45am |
Tech Issues
|
|
RE: Water intrusion in RV's ...
you chose the right person to agree with you
the design is most of the time pretty lousy.
than it's the manufacturing issue.
I have the habit of filling the gaps behind the corner moldings, every time I remove and reinstall them. But then I ask myself, why are the gaps there in the first place? The manufacturer is suppose to wrap the metal around the corners. But they cut it to size, or shorter, because it's faster to install, or whatever reason they might come up with.
I'm glad that the industry is slowly phasing out the sheet metal construction. But Filon is not perfect either, since it's relying on the lamination. If the glue doesn't work the Filon will warp. And water penetration is one cause for the glue to stop working.Now if the manufacturers could stop using rubber as a roof material and maybe take Winnebago as an example, who use strictly use fibreglass, some manufacturers use metal too. With that, they could even use a higher quality roof sealant that doesn't crack as quickly as Dicor for rubber roofs.It doesn't take a Rocket scientist to figure this one out.
In my trade school we were taught to use tape for clean borders while applying roof sealant. It's a clean and even finish. Why not using this method at the factory?
i see more units rolling in with rubber sealed windows, instead of the old butyl or "half and half" putty for the sheet metal.It would be a good idea, if the rubber was of better quality and wouldn't stay crushed in after installation.
Now talking about the roof vents. We are going back to the roof material. Using better roof material, means being able to use better roof sealant that tolerates longer uv abuse.And of course use more of it for good measure.
I see a lot of roof moldings where the factory covered the screws with sealant. Why don't they cover the entire molding? I heard one factory forman telling me, that it looks better that way. I don't agree. Don't you think it would look better,If they covered the whole molding using tape for borders(put tape on each side of the molding and pull it off after application).
There are better solutions but it takes the will of the designers to come up with them.
|
double jj
|
11/03/09 09:53pm |
General RVing Issues
|
|
RE: Water intrusion in RV's ...
...the consumer needs to understand, that an rv is higher maintenance than a house.An rv needs a yearly sealant inspection...
Actually I have heard the recommendation as every six months but the problem still is poor design.
My trailer was fine in the fall and had no cracks in the sealant. Around March (four months after winterizing) I found a puddle on the floor and damaged particle board under the roof membrane. With the poor design and lousy materials any leak can do much damage in a very short time.
More often you check your seals the better it is, and yes I do understand your pain.Particle board is a wooden sponge. I prefer fibreglass or metal roof.They do a better job protecting the wood underneath. Rubber is cheaper and takes all shapes the designers desire and it's quieter on a rainy day. But it's prone to rip if a tree branch rubs on it,it's easier to get punctured,it deteriorates faster with prolonged uv rays, and I can go on and on with reasons,why rubber is not on my preference list. I forgot to mention,check your roof a/c seal.It doesn't hurt to tighten it's 4 retaining bolts.You have to remove the shroud for access.But don't over tighten them.
|
double jj
|
10/29/09 11:22pm |
General RVing Issues
|
|
RE: Best way to insulate holding tanks?
If you feel like going all out. Build a box around the tanks and direct a furnace duct into that area but make sure it's circulating. This is a big job.
|
double jj
|
10/28/09 11:32pm |
Tech Issues
|
|
RE: Water intrusion in RV's ...
Ah yes, leaks
A nasty nightmare for rv owners
You can blame the construction on some of the models, poorly sealed roofs, windows or molding.
The wavy surface of sheetmetal can provide gaps at the doors, windows or moldings if build poorly. Fibreglass walls with the smooth surfaces have less issues.
But the consumer needs to understand, that an rv is higher maintenance than a house.An rv needs a yearly sealant inspection since the uv rays deteriorate the putty and roof seals. Don't rely on caulking to seal your rv since it's the putty that really keeps the water out.
Cracks in the putty and sealants is the first clue.
But I'm sure that I'm only repeating what experienced rv owners already know to well.
Good dealers use a blower that forces air inside the rv wile the tech sprays soap on all the weak spots.If the soaps hits a leaky area ,you will see bubbles. Make sure that the tech does not use to much air pressure, or he will create leaks.
I hope that was helpful.
|
double jj
|
10/28/09 11:07pm |
General RVing Issues
|
|
RE: low rv manufacturing standarts
You would have to call the manufacturer and find out. They might say pay for the repair and have the manufacturer reimburse you. But the downfall is, that they might only reimburse you what they call a fair price.And when you find the shop that will repair your unit, have them make and estimate and than contact the manufacturer by e-mail, so that you get an approval in writing. Good luck
|
double jj
|
10/28/09 08:11pm |
General RVing Issues
|
|
RE: low rv manufacturing standarts
well now that I can see you can "tough-it-out" here, welcome Jason.
i guess we can agree to disagree but I stand by my previous posts and will be more than happy to digress when proven wrong. But that doesn't happen too often.
I appreciate your welcome message, and yes you have every right to your opinion. And no I don't take it personal, since a forum is all about opinions.
|
double jj
|
10/27/09 11:09pm |
General RVing Issues
|
|
RE: low rv manufacturing standarts
Well Jason, I would like to welcome you to the Forum but in good conscience can't.
I say this because I have been in the industry in a service capacity, as service center owner, as a service manager, warranty administrator, a special projects developer for custom coaches, a quality assurance supervisor, in sales and as a consultant for handicapped equipped motor coaches.
My experience spans over 30 years from Coast-To-Coast.
For a mechanic to come onto this Forum and make general statements about manufacturers is unfair and unfounded since I seriously doubt that you have had the experience of working on all of the brands manufactured.
In my years in the business, my worse experience was at the dealership level. I will never, ever work in the retail end of the business again.
In fact, my joy was working for and with the manufacturers and being an integral part of the team that helped develop products, procedures and programs that helped make a better RV.
For you to come on here and start off by spewing your distaine for manufacturers shows that you have no respect for your dealership's owner trying to sell Forest River of for an industry that puts food on your table.
If I owned the dealership you work for and read this thread, you, my friend, wouldn't be working for me tomorrow.
Is this industry perfect? Far from. Is there room for improvement? Of course there is. Will trashing your dealership's brand of RV, manufacturers warranty procedures or the industry in general by a mechanic change anything for the better? No it/you won't.
And one more thing.............
If I was a Forest River rep, the first thing I'd be doing in the morning is calling my Canadian dealers and finding out which one has a Jason in the service department and then bring this thread to the attention of your superiors.
Oh and BTW Jason, I know about those "pre-delivery repairs" you mention and know from experience on both ends how the dealer sticks it to the manufacturer for submitting labor hours for these "repairs".
I have seen labour requests for 1/2-hour to adjust a cabinet door lock (a 5-minute job). I have seen warranty claims asking for hours to repair a ceiling light when in fact, the mechanic didn't realize there was a wall switch to turn on the light. I even once had a claim from a dealership that wanted 3 hours to "re-tap a brass propane fitting" because it was leaking when in fact there isn't such a thing as a tap for the threads on a propane fitting and the fitting should have been replaced.
Sorry pal. Many (not all) dealerships are crooks when it comes to submitting warranty claims so I don't blame the manufacturers for policing warranty issues more closely.
I feel the same about you
I've been in this trade for 20 years and for you to make that statement is wreckless, knowing what I have seen in my bay, and the feeling is mutual in every shop I worked at.And if you read a lot of the previous posts. You can see that I don't speak for myself.Maybe it's time you start listening to the consumer.An yes rookie mistakes happen. But I've been to some factories and I felt that speed was priority over quality.And again I point at some manufacturers not all of them.
And how do you justifie 1 hour labour to replace a sheet metal where 2 corner moldings need to be re/re'd? If the manufacturer wants to police the warranty by all means it's their right but don't come back with ridiculous labour times and tell us you are policing us.And if this was Forest River reading this than maybe take this information and work improving their product.
In a matter of fact, every manufacturer should read this and learn from it.
Have you read some of the comments from some of the posters bad experience? They want their moneys worth. And your answer to this is to bring this to my supervisor and have me fired? Do you think that will give the consumer what they deserve?
I don't write this post because it's fun. I write it because I have a conscience.
|
double jj
|
10/27/09 10:20pm |
General RVing Issues
|
|
RE: low rv manufacturing standarts
so I see a lot of posters seem to think, that the manufacturer is using cheap labour and cheap material to make them affordable. Well I know the mark up from manufacturing to consumer and there is a lot of money left to buy better material and pay the labour. And if you treat the employees with respect and dignity, they might want to stay instead of working for an outfit that pays more and treat you like dirt.
Now remember i'm a tech, and I see the in and outs of the rv industry, and I'm shaking my head daily in disgust,when I see the deficiencies I have to deal with.
I'm talking about sloppy wiring, plumbing, woodwork, chassis etc. Does cheaper parts and labour make it ok for you to get a tt with faulty brakes, leaky roof or windows that will cause expensive repairs. How about a water heater with faulty wiring that catches fire, or maybe a 34ft toy hauler with a floor that couldn't take the weight of a quad.And if the leak happens 1 year after purchase, chance are you are paying the big bucks.
I started this post because I care, and I strongly believe you the consumer simply deserves better. You can make excuses for them to build cheap products, But I know, that they can build better rv's for the same amount, but they got greedy and want more money from you.And since they can't raise the price without scaring the consumer away.they decided to build them cheaper.
|
double jj
|
10/27/09 09:47pm |
General RVing Issues
|
|
