[Billy]

Zmax73,

Well…..I finally got to my coach yesterday and looked for the schematics. I was incorrect and only have the Prevost wiring diagrams. I agree with the comments above…..don’t let a lack of schematics steer you away from Marathon.

[Billy]

Thanks Jon, good info

[Billy]

Al:

Will put Koni’s on and probably put Centramatics back on again. Do you know the Koni’s part #s I will need?

Tim:

Thanks for the link. Will look into it. Great info, Thank you.

Dick:

Funny you would mention drive shaft seals. About a year ago Prevost Winter Garden put one in on the drivers side, couple months later passengers side started leaking, couple of months after that the drivers side starting leaking again and had to be redone. Knowing Prevost did the work I would hope they would have been careful, though you never know. How big of a deal is it to install the balancing rings?

Chuck

[Billy]

That advice applies equally to our coaches, especially as they age.

[Billy]

Sure wish my Genny had a slide out . In your Pic I believe the bolt with the red wire is your low level shut off . On my BB it was mounted 1 inch from the fill . Much to high but it worked. Something on mine went very wrong to say the least . Thank you for the picture .

[Billy]

John

If you figure this one out let me know. I have an almost identical digital panel in same location 96 Marathon. Some of the readings appear to be somewhat correct however others are obviously not.

I have the same/similar latchboard and relay panel you do.

I haven’t opened the electrical box behind shore connection in wheelwell yet, but from what I understand Oregon had a law when these were built in the 90’s that required electrical supply to be able to meet everything coach could demand, so there would have been originally two 50amp shore connections – one to each panel. Since then most have had these two input feeds tied together requiring only one 50amp shore connection. Which leaves two panels, main and aux, each with two legs/220v feed. Kinda confusing, and not 100% sure this is correct – but I’ve heard/read same info from more than one source.

Rick May (Parliament/USA Coach) had told me (if I understood him correctly) there was a device that plugs into the headphone jack looking connection (mine is lower right on digital panel) used to calibrate those readouts. I’ve never pursued that so no idea. Most of my transducers are up above the main DC relay panel.

[Billy]

Thanks very much for the kind responses.

The 1995 rig does not have TechNet or any other computerized multiplexing system, but uses what Marathon calls a “Latch Board”. It is a printed circuit board that communicates with a very big series of relays that take up an enormous panel for the 12/24v systems.

I understand about the Equalizers and the desire to balance the battery banks, but just wasn’t sure at which point the 12v is supplied versus the 24v. Marathon isn’t extremely forthcoming with wiring schematics. The 3 equalizers are new and the 4th connected item is an isolator which is the original, as I understand it.

Here is a photo of the LED screen output.

John

[Billy]

We’ve stayed at the Motor Coach Resort many times. Great location. We stayed at the other park at the north end of the island once and it is extremely tight. Few sites 45′ will fit.

[Billy]

Generally speaking a coach used in a normal manner doesn’t need supplemental battery charging. However there needs to be some qualifications to that statement.

First, all Prevost conversions I have ever known need nothing to keep the chassis batteries charged unless there are phantom loads such as might be the result of an owner or mechanic hooking something up to them because they happen to be a convenient source of power. Chassis batteries should have no current draw at all when the bus is turned off with the exception of the modest current required to keep the memory of the DDEC engine ECM alive. Your coach pre-dates DDEC so you should be able to go for months without the need to charge the chassis batteries.

The house or conversion batteries are a slightly different story. Your vintage conversion likely did not have inverters when built, such as we know them today. It may have even had a 12 volt DC motor driving a small generator to provide limited 120V AC power for use when the generator (diesel powered) was not running. Later versions used an inverter, but not an inverter charger as we use today. To provide charging current for house batteries generator or shore power would be used to power converters which is a fancy word for a dumb battery charger that put out a constant voltage. That converter had the ability to boil batteries if left on too long.

If you have an isolator as we use today you may also have a modified electrical system compared to what was first installed. To help answer your questions. the more info you can share will make an understanding of your coach much easier.

[Billy]

I had my ‘Elegant Lady’ weighed at Jeff’s twice. The latest numbers were:

(Full fuel, full fresh, empty holding tank)

LF 9239 RF 8461

LD 11,105 RD 10,387

LT 7580 RT 7269

———— ————-

27,924 26,117

Total= 54,041

[Billy]

Thanks for all the suggestions.

I did talk to Marathon as well as to Jim at Coach Pro. Jeff at Marathon was very friendly and we went over many possible scenarios, unfortunately to no avail. I was a little surprised when I asked for an inverter distribution diagram they told me they did not give out diagrams or schematics. Seemed odd, especially since we are talking about a 22 year old coach.

Jim is always helpful and we went through everything he could think of. At this point I’m bringing in an electrician buddy to see if we can’t find the culprit GFI. I’ve poked, prodded and probed to my limit of sanity.

The only outlets that still work are on the 133 line. Seems like all the outlets on 132 are dead and, as far as I can tell, there is no breaker for that circuit.

One lesson learned…I’m not plugging my hot dog wagon into a GFI on my Prevost again. Ha!

[Billy]

Dan,

Welcome to the PC family. A lot of experience on this site with so many willing to help. Congratulations on the acquisition. My coach is old, but i love it, and every time I get to take it out it brings a smile to my face. Much more so than my wife, but that is because she wants a newer one.

We would love to see pictures of this beautiful machine.

[Billy]

Turn the steer tires full left or right and you can see the tanks. Each (secondary brake and accessory) will have drain cocks at the bottom.

[Billy]

Just a quick glance Dick, my guess is that damage is well into the 6 figure range. Ours wasn’t as damaged as much as this one appears and the estimate was 97k for just the outside, let alone electrical and interior work.

Judy did find it online at a salvage yard this spring, don’t know anything more than that.

[Billy]

+1 on the 24 inch breaker bar. You can find them very reasonably priced on ebay or Amazon. Or course, Home Depot and Lowe’s has them as well. Makes the job much easier.