glen
Forum Replies Created
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Luc,
We have preached on here for years about how weak batteries will mask electrical problems. I would start with new batteries and I think a lot of your problems would disappear.
Also getting 8 old batteries to float on 30amp is a task, I wouldn’t put to much stock in that.
Later
bv
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It is a Kingston Coach, built by Bill Kingston.
The Generator is 15KW Kubota built by Wrico International.
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Wow, that is steep!
My slope is not that steep, but steep enough that I did use chocks just to be safe.
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Hi Luc,
I think we all can remember how daunting it was the first time we sat in the driver’s seat! The pre-start check list will differ depending on the age and converter but will involve something like the following:
1) turn on the aux air compressor to tension the fan drive belts.
2) unhook and secure everything external to the coach – water, sewer, power
3) secure everything inside – doors, refer, drawers, lower sat dish and TV ant., etc.
4) make sure auto level is off (if your converter added such a feature) and manual level (the Prevost “level low”) is set to drive so the air system will bring the coach to proper ride height.
5) start the engine, leave on slow idle, and wait for the engine driven air compressor to first supply enough pressure for the brakes, then enough for the air ride system and then enough for the aux. needs. Your coach may be quite slow at raising the front to ride height so be patient.
6) turn off the aux air compressor.
7) when air pressure indicated goes to around 120 and you hear the air his of the pressure regulator (the “sneeze”) you are ready to hook up the tow car and drive.
this assumes you do all the normal checking of tire pressures, cooling water and oil levels, check the lights, set mirrors, etc. on a routine basis.
In talking with new owners I find most of them are confused by how the air system works including bringing the coach to proper ride height. To do so the Prevost level low system must be in the drive position and not in any of the manual leveling positions. On most older coaches that will mean turning the rotary knob so the short arm is pointed to the rear. If it is in any other position the coach will not come to ride height. If the converter installed an auto level feature that must be off in order for the coach to come to ride height. For some coaches it may take several minutes while air pressure is registering between amount 80 and 120 psi to bring the front to proper ride height. If the engine is on high idle it may pass that psi window too quickly and the coach will come to proper front ride height only while you are driving. That can lead to dragging while you leave a parking spot if you are not yet at front ride height.
once you are in your coach for a while you will develop your own greatly expanded check list, but these are the must do basics,
jerry
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John, I am assuming you have no issues with 50 amp connections in an RV park so you can rule out anything related to the bus or power cord as the issue.
The receptacle at the house has only 4 wires and they should be as follows. The rounded connection is the ground. It needs to be connected to the ground in the house junction box,
The outer two flat blades are for the two “hot” wires coming from the house junction box. Between them you have 240V. Each wire goes to a different leg in the house junction box via a two pole circuit breaker.
The remaining center flat blade is the common and goes to the common in the house junction box. Between this blade and either of the two “hots” is going to be 120V.
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Blake your Vanner sounds like it is bad. Your voltage is correct, and assuming the relay was not the issue the Vanner could very well be the culprit.
If the light bothers you just disconnect the output terminal and the light will go out.
The 70-A model was prone to failure. I think the current version 70-E (at least I think it is an E) has been reliable.
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Thanks Jon! Solid advice.
After poking around on this website, I am in awe at the complexity of these buses, and pretty impressed how you guys bravely go forth trying to understand and keep them running down the road.
I will find the right bus and some point and join in the fun
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Let me add to what Larry is saying and I really hope you accept my comments as advice and not criticism.
I spent 2 days inspecting and learning my current bus that i bought from Liberty when it was 6 years old. I have owned 3 Liberty Coaches over 31 years and have done almost all my own work. I know the coach reasonably well and still to do a detailed inspection of the conversion plus chassis portions takes time and effort.
You will get exactly what you pay for.
Your criticism of the cost Prevost will charge to inspect the chassis as Larry states is a bargain. In fact with an almost 30 year old coach I certainly hope you are prepared to pay what can easily approach $20,000 or more just to refresh old systems and components, including but not limited to tires, batteries, fluid changes, air bags, brake chambers, suspension valves, filters, plus repairs or future repairs and replacements of those things we all experience such as A/C service and replacement, shocks, air dryer replacement or service, etc. etc.
Except for depreciation because of the age I would be shocked if you aren’t spending $3,000 to $6,000 per year for maintenance after you have refreshed or zeroed out the coach. You will get 6 MPG if you are blessed. If you do not use it often over a lot of miles annually you are not going to be happy replacing tires that have aged out, batteries that have aged out plus paid for insurance and storage and all the other incidentals associated with ownership.
If it sounds harsh reading what I said above please understand other opinions may differ greatly from mine. But I am dead on target when I say if you own a Prevost and maintain it properly it will make the $1300 you spend at Prevost the equivalent of pocket change.
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I had to do it on my Royale and it was a bitch. Royale installed an access cover in the front bumper bay and I could get to parts of it that way. Not sure about Liberty, I know some require floor removal. You may just want to cap off the lines in the steering bay and call it a day.
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I spent my career in the mortgage and banking business and knew a few of the consumer/vehicle/boat/RV lenders.
Age and ignorance is the deal killer.
A 20 plus year old motorhome is looked at as having outlived its useful life (and most conventional RVs have!). Many boats and yachts after 20 years don’t have much life left in them.
BUT … a quality boat or yacht like a quality airplane like a quality Prevost conversion that is reasonably well taken care of will last a very long time. I’m thinking 30 to 40 years.
Your/our challenge is to convince a banker or CU lender that a Prevost motorhome is a reasonable piece of collateral for the risk of a loan.
A boat/yacht or an airplane is pretty easy to survey or inspect. But there are many fewer Prevost motorhomes than there are nice older boats/yachts or airplanes. And there are many fewer people who know how to inspect and rate one, let alone appraise and value one.
Another thing going against us is that there isn’t a NADA Used RV or Blue Book for Prevost motorhomes (at least that I’m aware of). Back when I was on the periphery of the airplane business the FBO I hung out at was buying military surplus DeHaviland Beavers and Piper Super Cubs (PA-18/135) and converting them to civilian use with US and Canadian airworthiness certificates. Everytime they made a sale they were quick to “report it” so the “blue book” reflected their sales which were at the top of the market. I think they bought and sold eight or nine Beavers and reports 10 or 12.
I have thought for sometime that if the sales of Prevost coaches were reported to the NADA system or Blue Book system or there was a database of private, dealer, and broker/consignment sales that lenders and insurance companies could access to see that there is real value in an older Prevost motorhome just like there is value in an older, quality boat/yacht or airplane we all would benefit when it came time for financing or insurance.
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Keep in mind that just because it’s a clean sheet installation, that installation does not have to be complicated? You need the alternators to charge the house and engine batteries when the engine is running and the inverters to charge the house batteries when plugged in or running the generator.
So you will need an isolator or 2 to get the power to the batteries from the proper sources. You will need a transfer switch (automatic units are cheap enough) that allows the circuits to be powered by only one source at a time and ensure no feedback. It should not take a lot of work (but plenty of planning) to use the existing wiring to and from the various sources to get yourself up and running.
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Years ago was wanting to tow my 4 runner all wheels down. Talked with local Toyota service manager and he said it’s no problem since it’s 4 x 4 and can be placed in neutral. Showed the manual to him were it indicated it could not. He had egg on his face since he told several people it could. Always refer to owners manual for procedures also.
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Dr Gary, we have an 02 single slide. I was lucky and did not educate my self enough, we have always admired the Prevost, but never thought we would own one, ha ha. I am not an expert, but have Prevost servive center do an servive on to check out the complete chassis and for delamination. It will cost 4 to 5 hundred but it could save you 20 to 40 large to correct. Finding a interior that fits you need could take some time. When you find the right one you will not be sorry.
Larry & Miriam Nelson
2002 XLII Vision
2019 BUICK Envision
Hurricane, UT