Greg
Forum Replies Created
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My keypad failed only when in direct sunlight, but since your keypad is locking the bays, my thinking is that your problem is likely elsewhere.
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Nice map. Are we supposed to contact them for anything, or are they just blocking out/allocating spaces for the attendees based on the PC registrations?
Linda
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Harry
I have had my Beaver since 2003 and a GMC4107 before that, both had to be parked outside. I have a RV cover that I put on it, I have a cube heater in the water bay (all your plumbing is in that bay, except for pipes) set to turn on before freezing temps. I have cube heaters inside with all cabinet doors open. I now set one of the Cruise Airs to dehumitify. I dump all the water out of the tanks. You should have a dump valve for the fresh water located on the passenger side 4th bay. This 4th bay is the location of the electrical breakers and water heaters. The valve handle for the fresh water should be behind the water heater door. There should also be valves to drain the plumbing pipes in the house in there also. You can also buy a (camping world) connector to put on the fresh water fill hose to blow that water out of the lines, after opening the faucets ( one at a time while blowing in air). I have a RV refrigerator in mine so I have a light in the outside door that I turn on and a piece of insulation over the outside door for it to keep the wind out. Of course it is plugged in so my inverters are charging the house batteries. I do check on it from time to time to make sure all is working.
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Harry: My situation is similar to yours (coach sits outside, on concrete, plugged into 50amp service) … except that its at my house, about 75 feet from the house. I can’t easily see the coach from the house, but I can easily walk over to it.
I presume our average temps, and possible low temps in SE Wisconsin are lower than yours in NC. I’ve most everything mentioned above … waste tank empty, fresh water tank full, turned on the electric water heater, see the water bay heater (heat gun fastened to the ceiling on a dedicated circuit to 40-45 degrees with a thermostat), I have two or three small 1000 watt cube heaters in the coach on separate circuits, all window blinds closed, all lower cabinets doors open (this gets warm air to the plumbing chases), door to the water/dryer is open, and digital thermometers in the coach and in the plumbing bay.
From this Forum, I learned that what … 200 gallons … of fresh water holds a tremendous amount of heat (BTUs) that first comes from water weather and then comes from heat dissipated from the water heater and nearby plumbing lines. Then went it gets really cold, the water bay heater kicks in.
I leave the toe kick heaters OFF; I’m concerned about them running for extended periods of time and getting the wood near them HOT and creating a fire hazard. Maybe I’m worrying about something I don’t have too.
A couple of times I’ve gone out to the coach when it was 5 degrees over night, opened the water bay door and saw seem temps in the high 40’s/low 50’s.
I don’t turn on the heaters in the electric bay … should I?
I never thought about removing the covers for the septic dump plumbing (we have dump ports on both sides of the coach and uncovering the macerator discharge port (unscrew the cover in case there is pressure built up). Good ideas.
As I’ve posted before I tried blowing the lines out with air (didn’t work completely) and filling ALL the water lines, water pump, ice maker, bottom of waste and fresh water tanks, and traps with pink RV anti-freeze … that worked fine (even the first and only time I did it), but it was an exercise to do and an exercise to undo it. We plan on leaving about Christmas for two or more months down south, the exposure to really cold weather will be temporary.
As you use heaters, be cognizant of the amp draw on the circuit. Its easy to overload a 15 or 20amp circuit with electric heaters. My rule (of thumb) is only ONE electric heater on a circuit, with nothing else on the circuit.
In response to the strong recommendation that all Prevost coach owners have a bus barn … I agree 100%, but if you can. I can’t because of the zoning laws where I live now. If we ever move, bus barn will be a priority.
For those of us like me (and apparently Harry) who can’t have or don’t have a bus barn, make sure you’re parking the coach on a paved surface. Concrete pad with a vapor barrier under it essential. DO NOT park your coach on grass, gravel, or dirt. Moisture coming up through a porous surface will rot the bottom of your coach. While concrete without a vapor barrier isn’t ideal, its much better than gravel, grass, or dirt.
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Prevost part #530161 Indicator, filter restriction. $310
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I think over time we all have developed habits and procedures that work and I am not sure there is any one perfect way to connect, disconnect or manage power in the coach. The only concern we all should have is to consider what impact our actions or failure to act can have.
My coach chassis power management is simple and has worked for 27 years. I turn off the key. That’s it. If the bus is inactive for several months I monitor the chassis battery voltage and if it gets down to about 24.5 or thereabouts I charge to float with a three stage charger and continue to monitor.
My house chassis electric power management is based on my systems. The first coach had converters so if I left the coach powered with shore power and left the converters on my batteries would be cooked, so when I parked the bus in the garage I just shut all power to the house from batteries off. I left the 120VAC circuits on as needed such as outlets in the bay or upstairs if I needed heat. But that was a much simpler coach and nothing like today’s coaches.
My later coaches when parked were powered by shore power and I always left the inverters on to maintain the batteries. I never turned off the house batteries except when replacing them or servicing the whole DC system, Because of the systems I also left outlets on so I would not be cycling the Crestron off and on. If we had items in the refrigerator I left that on also and when I did plug into shore or generator power I did not turn off all the switches mentioned above because their loads were negligible.
But If I was running the house air conditioners or other heavy current draws I made it a point to turn off all those loads before switching to or from any power source such as shore or generator power. I did not want to start a generator or disconnect shore power with loads on them. I cannot speak about conversions other than my Libertys because I don’t know how their electronic systems are set up or how the electrical panel is set up. My procedures have worked for me with no known defects caused by them. I don’t think turning off all power in the coach when connecting or disconnecting is a bad thing either so there are other ways to do switching as long as we understand we do want to avoid switching with heavy loads.
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Hi Jon,
My batteries were new in June. When I left the coach with Jeff he told me when they went to start it the batteries were dead and had to be jumped. There was obviously something or some things draining them. They tried to find them but wasn’t sure if they got all of them. When I came up for the seminar it had to be jumped so they could move it
His recommendation was the charger that I mentioned earlier. He then told me Prior to moving to 50 amp service, to start the bus in 3 days (which was yesterday) and run it at high idle for 30 min. Then I should extend it to 4 days and keep to four days until I have the 50 amp service where the charger can take over.
Harry
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Per,
Try not to confuse the issue by relating your Jake and the 6 speed because the Jake with a 5 speed is different.
Harry,
I know you like to use humor but it makes it difficult to understand if you have an issue, question or concern. I think you need to help us try to help you by being somewhat specific as to what is or is not happening such as the circumstances when you think the jake is not working and save the humor for a more appropriate time.
You may not understand its operating method but it is not like throwing out an anchor unless you drive it aggressively.
If your jake is “on” and in the high setting every time you lift from the accelerator the jake will engage at its maximum strength. That strength of engine braking however is dependent upon engine speed. Your jake may engage but it will not drop a gear because on your coach you have to do that manually.
In order for you to do that you have to know your speed and what gear at that speed will give you a safe engine speed high RPM. If you are in 5th for example at 1700 RPM the jake may offer some assistance, but if you downshift to fourth you may be at 2000 RPM and the jake is going to be much more effective. But it is not going to be as effective as a jake on later engines because yours only operates on half the cylinders whereas later engines all cylinders will function with the jake.
As your coach is set up you have the burden to manually control the jake and engine speeds via gear selection. You have to know what gear to be in based on your speed to get the max performance from a jake system that is only working on 4 of your 8 cylinders.
Do you have pyrometers? If they are working you can immediately determine if the jake works. When the jake is not engaged and your foot is off the gas pedal the pyrometers will read close to zero. Engage the low setting of the jake and one pyrometer will rise from the heat of compressing air in the cylinders, and engage the high setting and both pyrometers will show heat. On a long downhill with a high RPM you might see about a 300 degree reading on both pyros.
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Please add me to the list as a strong maybe. I should be ready, and will definitely be eager to make my first trip. It would be nice to be around older buses. My ’84 Liberty is no spring chicken. 🙂
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you can try Smith Powerhouse in Bellflower , CA. They were recommended to me by the techs at Kohler some time back when I was having generator issues. I never used them because I was able to find my problem. Their # 562-633-1390 ask for Dave.
Alex
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Do lus old 1991 XL guys not have two caps? I only find the cap for the surge tank. What’s different in their thinks between vehicles?
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The Garden of the gods RV park can be a bit tight when they’re busy. I believe they have 5 or 6 sites big enough for a Prevost.
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VSCDA event? Do you have friends who are racing?
Where are you looking at parking? There are many number of locations for motorhomes. Most dry camping sites have quite a bit of room. Some of the 50amp sites might be a little tight for a 45 (like in the woods between the braking area into T5 and the main road through the main paddock), others like in the “upper paddock” should be able to accomodate a 45. There appears to be some new 50amp sites between the S/F finish line on the outside of the track and T1, I saw those at a distance a few weeks ago and couldn’t tell how long they are.
I highlly recommend staying at the track. While I’ve never been in the campgrounds close by Road America, my perception is that they are older facilities and might not accomodate a 45′ coach very well.
I’ll ask track management which ones will fit a 45 foot coach. Stay tuned.
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Diane,
I have noticed that some Liberty’s have the ‘screw-on-cap’ for the shore cord.
Ours releases from the bottom of the coach so some Liberty’s are different.
I’m not sure if our plug is a different size than yours.
I did have to replace one on the Dynasty as I wanted one with a handle.
I have no problem with the Liberty plug, we do have a super long cord (75 ft.) which is nice.
Looking forward to seeing you and Larry at the next ‘no rally rally’. :o)
Mark
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Ronald,
On that long way from FL to Az, there is a 50 amp plug waiting on you at Exit 800 on I-10. I know where the locals go to eat and would always enjoy your visit.
My phone is 7 one 3 8 one 8 3234 or email is jrlegett at gmail.com if this will help.
Have fun and safe travels.