William
Forum Replies Created
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The mention of having tight belts before starting the coach often starts a panic among new owners who have not done that, and then realize a coach that is running with no aux system pressure is going to have loose belts.
I NEVER aired up my coach or tightened the belts prior to engine start. I also never had a belt jump off. But, I also never went above a slow idle for several minutes, by which time my aux or accessory system was airing up.
Keep in mind the thousands of commercial seated coaches in service are often started with zero pneumatic system pressures. Those coaches do not have aux compressors. Don’t let folks on here make you think it is imperative to have tight belts before starting the coach.
Having said that I admit to reaching the end of my patience with regard to the belt tensioning system Prevost installs. It is a great system and makes belt changing a one minute job. But I just got tired of leaky valves or a leaky pressure regulator. I got tired of a leaking check valve. It was annoying finding leaks at the fittings and leaks at the little bellows. I abandoned the entire system and instead made a simple jack screw belt tensioning system. Works like a charm and my belts are always tight.
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I use a 1 piece 13 ft aluminum extension ladder and I have heavy rubber pipe insulation on part that lays against bus, with enought angle so it stays put. not on awnings .
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Google Maps also shows current speed limits, your current speed and you can set it to make a tone should you exceed that limit by a certain amount. I don’t believe that it’s there as a default setting so you have to go into the menu to turn it on.
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Death wobble solution.
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On my featherlite it’s located inside the generator hush box off to the side. Very easy to get to on my bus not sure if it’s the same for others
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I had a 97 Royale and pretty sure there was valve to be opened for city water. If you have a Head Hunter toilet it will not work on city water, it needs the pressure and volume of the Heathunter pump.
I don’t understand your update 2, Headhunter pump pressures at 72/92 make no sense, water pressure should be around 50 psi.
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The yellow valve combines your Marathon aux air with the Prevost aux air. Moisture is the enemy of your air systems.
Marathon Aux Air (yellow valve closed) – Your aux compressor(s) provide air for the Marathon systems such as pocket doors, air toilet, gen air bags, etc. You will have an aux air tank somewhere that has a manual drain that needs drained often when your setting not driving. By leaving the yellow valve closed, you protect the Prevost aux air system from being contaminated with water.
Prevost Aux Air – (yellow valve closed) Your Prevost Aux Air comes from the engine driven compressor when the engine is running. There is an aux tank under the front of your bus and you may have an aux air gauge on the dash. It provides air for your suspension, belt bellows, seat, etc. This air is dry and should be moisture free from your air dryer.
Yellow Valve – By opening this valve, you are combining the two air systems. While driving with the valve open, you are using engine driven dry air to charge both systems which is OK. With it closed while driving the engine compressor only provides air for the Prevost systems and your Marathon aux air comes from your aux compressor. You need to leave the aux compressor on while driving (unless the yellow valve is open) to keep pocket doors, gen air bags, etc. working.
Bottom line – Prevost compressor dry air, aux compressor wet air that needs moisture drained often.
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My choice was just take it to any Aqua-Hot service facility for warranty or fix it and send us an invoice. Let’s see, drop it off at Loius’s RV Emporium, a May 1st appointment, make sure it’s plugged in (won’t happen), go back in July to pickup unit (takes 60 – 90 days for work), Aqua-Hot still same problem, repair damaged interior, replace dead house batteries and then replace all personal items left in bays, stolen….
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I would like to know as well as I have a few that have gone out on mine also
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Yes oxidized aluminum from moisture. Not good.
You live in Houston, the humidity capital of the world. And I know you’ve done some camping along the Gulf coast, again, the humidity capital of the world. You should be seeing water in your aux system water trap. This would be normal with a good working water trap. Maybe the aux system water trap isn’t trapping water?Have you ever seen any water when draining the aux, ping, primary brake, secondary brake, or wet tanks ?
If your other Norgrens look even a little bit like that one, they should be changed. -
Michael: We’ve been traveling. As I recall you’re from Green Bay and travel to Arizona (???). If we were still in Wisconsin I’d try to get Dana from Wisconsin Rapids to go to Green Bay to perform and intervention with you.
We started our quest looking for a Class 8 truck conversion (preferably a Peterbilt 379 with Cat engine and Allison transmission). We looked at three, all homebrew conversions. Also looked at a couple of Renegades. We did this because I thought either a Prevost would be beyond my price range or whatever was in my price range would be a roached out POS.
Boy was I wrong. We found an older Prevost Country Coach that had been updated for sale near Racine on I-94 and quickly changed course. Using the resources of POG, the PC, Geo Prentice, and the first All Prevost Show in Tampa we knew a Prevost was in our future.
We’ve had our 1999 Liberty for over 5.5 years. Bought with a Jeff Rowe inspection at 72,000 miles and then Jeff zero’d out the stuff that had or was close to aging out. We have 123,000 on it now. We’ve had some surprises and unexpected expenses … but nothing really beyond what Geo, Jeff, and Jon Wehrenberg told me I could plan for.
We’ve had to cancel trips twice. Once for six month old Interstate chassis battery that had a bad cell and again for the Vanner monitor module that melted down and took two accessory airlines with it. We were inconvenienced and had to delay take-off in Tucson when the then three year old Interstate chassis batteries failed us again (they were replaced at the campground by NAPA’s). The engine/trans computer put us in to limp mode when a leaking transmission rear seal caused the tranny fluid to get low and then under heavy braking into a right turn the tranny fluid low level sensor must have uncovered itself. Quick phone call to Jeff, turned the coach off, turned it on, everything OK. When from LaFayette LA to Prevost Houston where they replaced the seal, serviced the transmission, and we were our way.
Winter of 2018 we were on the road for 78 continuous days. 2019 100. This year we’re expecting 95 to 110. In 2020 or more likely we’re going to Alaska. Probably gone from Wisconsin 75 to 90 days. Might go alone, maybe with one or two other coaches, or in one of those caravans. Other than fluid changes, chassis service, and new tires … I’m very confident that our then 21 or 22 year old coach will not strand us.
I’m sure a Renegade or ShowHauler Class 8 truck conversion is nice. I hope to see a brand new Renegade in the next day or so; we’re parked less than 20 feet from one. I’m sure its nice.
Michael when you see the posts from Prevost owners who have a serious problem or who appear to be stranded on the road …. keep in mind there are probably 1,500 to 2,000 (and maybe more) Prevost owners on the Forum. This is the first place they have been conditioned to contact for help. The don’t call their Mother or their priest … they post here. So you’re going to see the worst situations barfed up onto the Forum or POG (or apparently now on one the Facebook pages). Don’t let that dissuade from buying a Prevost.
Keep in mind also that when Prevost has a problem on the road, you don’t have to take it to Prevost. I’d be very comfortable taking it to any Detroit Diesel/Allison shop in the country. I had occasion to talk to Liberty Coach’s Bill Doherty (long time Liberty keyman) and asked about service on the Detroit/Allison. He said he takes all their driveline issues to Inland Power in Bulter (WI), west side of Milwaukee off Silver Spring. Inland isn’t far from you in Green Bay. I’m sure there is a good DD/Allison shop in the Green Bay area.
I try to plan trips so we can get work down at ETLC by Jeff Rowe and his crew. Long haul I’ll admit. I’ve had work done at Nationwide Traveler in Appleton. The Marks family have been running Prevosts all over the country something like 35 years. Their mechanic has been with them for 25 years. They do it all. Close to you.
Michael in the end you’ll buy what you want to buy. I hope you buy it for the right reasons. If you decide to not buy a Prevost, I hope its not for the wrong reasons.
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John,
Dometic has gone through some tough transitions and they are streamlining the product line from hundreds of potential numbers down to a few. I will say, the last experience with tech support was VERY good.
Having recently updated all 3 heat pumps, I’ve done a little research. The 15K High Capacity heat pump units 651916 (Built-in control board for new single-zone t-stat) and 651816 (Built-in control board for multi-zone t-stat) are ones to look at. The 651916 does not have connections on the control board for a remote interior thermostat and does not have the two plugs for load shedding if you are using them. It also will only use the SZL t-stat which is a 3 wire arrangement. It will not use the multi-zone 10 button stat.
If you have telephone cable and don’t want to switch any wires, or need any of the functions listed above, use the 651816.
There are retrofit control boards to go from old 5 button stats to the new 10 button t-stat. About $100.
Similar numbering philosophy for the 13.5K units. If you need help with those numbers, give me a call. 304-646-4727. I have them written down in the shop somewhere. You are correct about old/new throwing an error code. They are not compatible.
v/r
Stephen
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Jeff replaced our 18 year old frig….wasn’t giving us a problem, but at that age, just thought it’d be smart.
They did a beautiful job….nice refrigerator….glad we did it!
Tom