Scotty Hutto

I did not have to modify the drawer. There is plenty of room behind the drawer for the subwoofer. I did remove the drawers for the installation, and it was a little difficult getting back there to anchor the subwoofer to the floor. I replaced four of the six speakers, and rewired them so that they are set up to use the balance and fader properly. I disconnected the bedroom speakers, and will address them in a future project - most likely somehow tied in with the bedroom TV. I’ll add some pics next time I make it over to the coach. 😁

Bill will be sorely missed by this group and others. He was one of the first to welcome me to Bill D’s Monacoers. He was an advisor and friend, and we spent a lot of time discussing all things electrical as well as this site. He was a good guy, loved a good debate (Ha! Argument!) and was willing to help anyone who reached out for help.

I used CoPilot RV for a while. It’s not a great app, but it does what you ask above. I became disenchanted after I paid a “one-time fee” for the upgraded version, and less than a year later they revamped the app and wanted me to pay a second time. I just deleted the CoPilot app and use both a Garmin 780RV (RV specific routing) and Waze (traffic, hazards). YMMV...

@vanwill52, Yes, I consulted with @pwhittle on the speakers and the wiring. He also 3D printed the trim plate for the dash stereo. Not sure I would do any major improvement without his advice. 😉

I added this section today, but will closely monitor it for the first several weeks. While I appreciate the comments above, sometimes when you're going to an unfamiliar part of the country it's good to have a place to start looking. If it becomes a useful tool, we'll refine it as it goes. If not, I have a "delete" button for forums... 🙂

I'll defer to @Frank McElroy as he manages the downloads. I'm confident they can!

Since there was some interest, I took this thread and did a write-up in the "Mods" section with complete model numbers and such. You can find that here:

Upgraded the dash radio and speakers and added a subwoofer to my dash radio. Replaced the stock Magnadyne (1.5 DIN) radio with a Pioneer AVH-X4800BS double din radio. Thanks to @pwhittle for the very sleek trim plate. (Note: This is a unit I already owned; If I were to purchase something today, I would get one with CarPlay and Bluetooth -- something like the Pioneer AVH-W4500NEX) Added a Pioneer TS-WH500A powered subwoofer and placed it under the dash console behind the bottom drawer When I added the pic below, it reminded me that I removed about 6-8’ of flex AC conduit that was coiled up back there Replaced the stock Magnadyne 5-1/4" speakers with JBL Concert Series 521 5-14" 2-way speakers. Although I went from 3-way to 2-way, the sound is greatly improved.

The dash radio is an AVH-X4800BS. (Note: If I were to purchase something today, I would get one with CarPlay, which this one doesn't have.) The subwoofer is a Pioneer TS-WH500A powered subwoofer and is placed behind the bottom drawer under the dash console.

JBL 5-1/4 speakers and a powered subwoofer. I also rewired all of the speakers so the front four speakers are no longer wired in series and I can properly use the fader. The bedroom speakers are no longer connected to the dash stereo (we never used them) and are the subject of a future project. I already upgraded the dash stereo to a Pioneer double-din unit with Bluetooth, etc.

I have four Maganadyne OEM speakers and covers from a 2006 Diplomat available. If you can use one or all, cover shipping and they’re yours. 😉 Y

What @DavidL said above. I originally sanded, polished, and coated the outside of my headlights and they looked great until moisture got in them an the insides got dirty... I took them out and disassembled them, but it's a fair amount of work and for me the sealant was messy... so I chunked the old headlights and bought shiny new ones... I went with the OEM 2000 Buick Century fixtures from GM rather than the TYCO knock-offs that Monaco used. (As a side note I strongly prefer to fix things to replacing them, but this was one instance I decided it just wasn't worth the time...)

I wonder if they have some type "timer" circuitry that runs whenever the unit is powered up... Mine too went south almost exactly 5 years after the manufacture date printed on the unit. I replaced the LPG detector, CO detector, and smoke detectors. Cheap insurance, but still I wonder about that timer... maybe they're just trying to "help" us remember to replace them. 🤣

Always open to new ideas! Easy to add. I’ll work on it this weekend. Suggestions on how to set up regions would be appreciated...

Sooo... Should you use Biobor MD and JF? I currently dose every fill up with JF (maintenance dose). I also use another fuel additive for lubricity.

I use Biobor JF maintenance dose every time I fill the tank. I only did the Startron about twice a year, and did it on top of the Biobor JF. It seems everywhere I fill up uses Biodiesel, so I always do the maintenance Dose at every fill-up. After reading all of the info provided by Mr. Eakins, it sounds like maybe the Startron was just pouring money in my tank (😁) since I treat every time I introduce new fuel to the tank.

Larry, I have a Vizio D39F-E1. It’s a 39” smart TV that has several optical out modes, and definitely has variable RCA jack out (you can switch the RCA jacks between fixed and variable). Its a 2018 model, and you can find them for about $200 on Amazon or Best Buy. https://support.Vizio.com/s/article/D39f-E1-Model-Information-1?language=en_US

Ray, the biocide prevents growth, but you will need an enzyme to remove any existing dead algae. Biobor JF is the algecide I use at every fill up to prevent algae. There are many good ones About twice a year, I put a bottle of Star Brite from Startron in my tank. It contains enzymes that purportedly digest the dead algae and “polishes” the fuel. Star Tron Enzyme Diesel Fuel Treatment - Super Concentrated Formula https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001HWUZBO/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_glc_fabc_Ux1bGbGZB1Q8Q?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1 It might be worth a try... it’s a lot easier than cleaning the tank! At a minimum it stabilizes the fuel.

Hmmm. I don’t think anything that requires me crawling under the coach is “easy”. 😂. Seriously, it wasn’t too bad, just required some patience and planning. I “stuffed” the phone wire into existing corrugated split conduits until I got close to the bay with the water tanks, then followed the route of the tank monitor wires up the chase to the display panel. A fish tape and fish rods were crucial.

For anyone this may help. I spent a lot of time reviewing specs and then confirmed with tech support at Marshall Excelsior: Item 1: As opposed to what you find wind all over the inter webs, The MEGR-295H is NOT the direct replacement for the OEM regulator in a 2006 Diplomat. Several of the Marshall Excelsior MEGR family of dual stage regulators share the same regulator body, but the EXACT replacement for the OEM regulator is the MEGR-298H (as Jim says above) which does NOT contain the excess flow prevention device. On Dips (or any other coach with a Manchester LP tank), the excess flow prevention device is part of the POL connector on the pigtail hose that runs from the tank to the regulator. Also of note: the MEGR-298H connection coming from the tank is a 1/4” NPT female. Many hoses have a 1/4” Flare nut on the end — if yours does be sure you use a ¼” female inverted flare to ¼” NPT male adapter to ensure a gas-tight connection. Straight NPT threads require pipe dope (or equivalent) for a secure connection; flare connectors do not use pipe dope The issue here is that per RVIA code, the excess flow device MUST be at the outlet of the Manchester tank. If you have a hose from the tank to the regulator with the excess flow device in the regulator, and have a rupture in that hose, the excess flow device will NOT shut off the gas. Item 2: Also, per the original Monaco design, the pigtail from the tank to the regulator contains the POL connector with excess flow device. What this means is that other brands of regulator (I.e., Camco, Mr. Heater) may work. I chose to go with the Marshall Excelsior since there is a lot more technical data about them, and I’m a nerd. 😁 One of the things I discovered is that MOST of the “RV” propane hoses (i.e., on eTrailer.com, which has a large selection) do not meet RVIA standards and are NOT RVIA approved. Does this matter? You be the judge The exact OEM replacement pigtail that runs from the Manchester tank to the regulator for a 2006 Dip is a Marshall Excelsior MER405-15. The original pigtail is 15” and that length is no longer available, but they do have a MER405-24 (hard to find). An alternate is a MER401-15 with a ¼” female inverted flare to ¼” NPT male adapter (that’s what I did). The hose that runs from the output of the regulator to the hard piping in the coach is Marshall Excelsior part number MER611-24 and those are readily available, just not on Amazon 🤷🏻‍♂️ In summary, for a 2006 Diplomat, the exact OEM replacements are: Regulator: Marshall Excelsior MEGR-298H Pigtail from tank to reg: Marshall Excelsior MER405-15 (substitute MER401-15 + inverted female flare to 1/4” NPT adapter)) Pigtail from reg to coach piping: Marshall Excelsior MER611-24 (not so hard to find) I suspect that combination may work in many other Monaco coaches, also.

Dave, Home Depot has a gas sniffer for about $25 that helped me find a leak in my coach. Turned out to be the control valve on my water heater (which it sounds like you don’t have) After thoroughly checking my coach I ended up replacing the regulator (pressure problems) and all of the 15-year-old hoses (preventative). The sniffer was key to finding the problem, tho.

Bob, what is the TriStar panel for?

@throgmartin Bump.

Hello all! Permanently installed my remote for my Progressive Industries surge protector... with a little help from a friend! I found plans for a custom metal bezel to flush mount the PI remote. Paul Whittle @pwhittle revised those plans to 3-D print the bezel and it turned out awesome! Scotty

Two things come to mind... 1. Jim’s recommendation above. There is a file in the “Downloads” section on the Nason switch from @Bob Nodine . Lots of good info there. 2. If you have hydraulic jacks, they could be a little low on hydraulic fluid (per Bob’s post above). I had this problem on my most recent trip and had to add a little hydraulic (transmission) fluid. Problem solved. Hope that helps.