MSHappyCampers

I would go with the Penguin II high-capacity heat pump and the CCC2 thermostat.  I went with the extended 5-year warranty on the units since it was pretty reasonable.  It seems that if these units are going to fail they tend to do it right after the 3-year factory warranty runs out! 

If you replace just one A/C unit you would need to put a new control board in the remaining old one to make it work with the CCC2 thermostat.

Thanks for the tip!  Does this occur on units less than 5 years old?

Joe

6 minutes ago, Dr4Film said:

Joe, it is bolted to a bracket hanging from the frame just aft of the front axle directly in front of the bay that holds the fuel/LPG tanks. I relocated it to inside the fuel/LPG bay.

I had posted the project on the old Yahoo Monacoers site with photos but that is long gone now. I still have a copy of that post in my email file. I will re-post it here for interested members.

I would like to see it!  Thanks!

8 minutes ago, Dr4Film said:

Joe,

The manual is correct. The leveling process for the HWH goes like this: Coach in ride height, slides deployed, HWH auto activated, coach will dump air as needed to level coach first and may raise the coach also depending on whether the rear has run out of room or not. As time goes on the coach will dump or add air, that's when the the small HWH air compressor comes into play to keep the coach at its level state if air is needed.

My HWH auto leveling puck sensor is out of calibration and needs to be adjusted because whenever I do an AUTO level I always need to put it into manual then tweak it to meet my expectations. I have just been procrastinating over the years and have always leveled manually. My auxiliary HWH air compressor had not worked for many years. I just replaced it this past summer and relocated it to be better protected against the elements and for easier servicing too.

Richard, where is the aux compressor located on our 2002 Windsors?  I think mine is working OK but would like to know exactly where to find it, just in case!

I plan to call HWH Monday to ask about the dumping before leveling.  It works fine and I really like the step to be low to the ground!  Thanks!

Joe

I have always dumped the air before leveling in order to put the entry door step as low to the ground as possible.  I was just reading the HWH Text Book in the files section and found the following statement.

Pressing the AIR button one time turns the system on. The AIR LEVEL light will be on steady. The "TRAVEL" light will be out. The four red WARNING lights will be on and one or two yellow LEVEL lights may be on. DO NOT dump all the air from the air bags at this time. Allow the system to level the vehicle from travel height.

Anyone have any comments on this?  Thanks! 🙂

Joe

Thanks for the report Richard!  Glad you had a good experience! 🙂

Joe

WOW!  That's scary!  We are pulling a 2013 CRV.  

Joe

I filled up at Sams Club in Tuscaloosa, AL Friday at $1.84.  🙂

Joe

Thanks guys!  🙂

Joe

I'm pretty new on here and trying to find my way around the forum.  I seem to remember that there are stored files on here somewhere.  Could someone point me in the right direction?  Thanks!

Joe

You've made me ashamed of myself!  When I installed the HW50C I just hung the display on the wall in the electrical bay!  I need to move it somewhere that it will be easily visible.  I never check it under there, just figuring why worry if there's no problems!  

Joe

I would urge you to invest in one of the Progressive Industries EMS series protection units.  They protect you against any kind of AC problem, not just surges, and have a lifetime warranty!  You will pay around $300, depending on the model.  It's low-cost insurance considering that a serious AC problem could wipe out just about everything in your coach!  JMHO

Good luck, happy trails, and God bless!  🙂

Joe

3 hours ago, Mel S - '96 Safari said:

Joe

i RV2 has banned me for LIFE.

Not to worry.... there is life here http://www.rvforum.net/SMF_forum/.....after i RV2.

I just signed up on that forum!  Thanks!

29 minutes ago, jacwjames said:

Will do Joe. 

Give them my e-mail address through a PM, NOT on the forum, or else they will nail you too!  

On 1/2/2020 at 7:48 AM, jacwjames said:

Not sure on this, but I know that when I turn on my wipers the headlights will come on and stay on until I turn the key off.  Because of this I reason that there "could" be a possibility that the VIP Smart Wheel might be the problem. 

Joe,

That's how I found the VIP module, I actually found it by accident.  My  CB radio was not working so I replaced it and had to access behind the radio to get to it.  When I was moving things around I dislodged a wire on the VIP module, upon inspection I found it must have happen before and the PO tried to recrimp the connection, I ended up soldering. 

Jim, I've been banned from IRV2 through February 18th.  If you see someone on there trying to contact me please give them my e-mail address, jminyard1@gmail.com.  Thanks!

Joe

4 hours ago, jacwjames said:

The conversation on fog lights peaked my interest yesterday so I looked at both the chassis wiring diagram and the manual and no mention of fogs lights

But what Joe described above is the way mine works, I didn't try just the high beams and applying the driving lights to see if the intensity reduces but either way mine are working.  I hardly ever drive in the dark but there was one time coming back from NM we hit some rain and fog, miserable driving but didn't try the driving lights to see if it would have helped.  It might be nice to be able to activate the fog lights by themselves so I may investigate adding the jumper as described in one of the posts I read.

Glad you got all your issues worked out Joe, like they say "you learn something new every day". 

If I understand it correctly, turning on the Driving/fog lights when the high beam headlights does not reduce the high beam but also turns on the low beam at the same time at 80% voltage.  

MYSTERY SOLVED!  Thanks to the comments of you guys and those on IRV2 I figured out how they work.  The fog lights are controlled by the far left switch on the dash labeled "Driving Lights".  The fog lights only come on when the engine is running, that switch is on and the headlights are on high beam.  That seems weird to me since I don't think anybody drives in fog with the high beams on!

My owner's manual talks about the Driving Light switch as setting the low beam headlights at  80% voltage, with no mention of fog lights!   I assume that it's saying that when this switch is on both low and high beams are turned on at the same time?

Anyway, thanks again for your help!

Joe

3 hours ago, Dr4Film said:

Joe,

You are correct! It flashes the marker lights and it is located on the right side of the Smart-Wheel. There is another button on the left side  at the top of the Smart-Wheel which flashes the headlights.

My fog lights have a switch on the master dash which is located all the way to the left of the dash panel. If I remember correctly the way Monaco wired the coach the fog lights will only come on if the headlights are not on high beams and the switch is on. There is a relay in the FRB which controls the operation correctly. Some people including me have removed the relay , installed a jumper between two contacts of the relay base which allows to use the fog lights anytime you choose. I now use the fog lights for my DRL plus i removed the Hella Fog lamps and installed bright LED lights purchased from Amazon.

I think the dash switch on the far left is labeled Driving Lights on my coach.  I will check that out later and see if that turns on the fog lights.  Thanks!

Joe

Now I can't figure out how to turn on the fog lights!  There is a button on the SmartWheel with two lights back-to-back that I thought might be the fog lights, but it doesn't turn them on.  I can't find any mention of fog lights in the owner's manual or the info on the SM210 controller!  Any ideas?

Joe

10 minutes ago, jminyard1@gmail.com said:

Now I can't figure out how to turn on the fog lights!  There is a button on the SmartWheel with two lights back-to-back that I thought might be the fog lights, but it doesn't turn them on.  I can't find any mention of fog lights in the owner's manual or the info on the SM210 controller!  Any ideas?

Joe

Just found out that the back-to-back button on the SmartWheel flashes the marker lights!  Can't figure out what turns on the fog lights!!!!

Received the new SM210 SmartWheel controller yesterday and it solved the problem!  All the functions work, including headlights, except I don't have fog lights.  That could be just a  blown fuse since I haven't checked it yet.  Will be working on that today.

Thanks to all of you who helped me figure out this problem!  Hope I can return the favor someday!  🙂

Joe

27 minutes ago, Ivan K said:

I don't know how you feel about getting into the guts of the controller but often a part like a relay can be cheaply sourced and replaced.  I have seen relay pins unsoldering themselves from the board when the contacts spark and burn, like in the AH controller for instance. Given that all the headlight power goes through that one relay in your case, it might be a possibility.

I'm tired of messing with it!  I ordered the SM210 controller from VIP who manufactures them for $185.  Northwest RV sells them for $242!  The SM210 is a direct replacement for the SM209 that is in my MH.  Hopefully they've made some improvements in it! 

38 minutes ago, jacwjames said:

OK, understand.  Same conclusion though, your HI/LOW circuit on the steering must be OK because the headlight power go through it.   Pretty much narrows it down to the VIP controller

 

There is one final thing I need to check before ordering the module.  I need to be sure I am getting 12VDC to J2 Pins 5 & 6 which looks like the main power source to the module.

16 hours ago, jacwjames said:

Joe,

My guess is that there is a latching circuit for the headlight within the  Head/Marker Lamp Control Block.    Based on the Chassis wiring diagram the power to the headlights does go through J12 wiring harness and should be pin 2 that then goes through the turn signal  Hi/Low beam switch.  

You indicated in an earlier post that when you use the flash button on the steering wheel the head light comes on so this tells me the turn signal Hi/Low beam switch is good. 

So my guess is that the latching device within the control block is not working and you'll have to replace the Smart Wheel controller. 

I would recommend calling VIP and get some advice.

The flash button on the SmartWheel is not working at all now.  Don't remember if it ever did!  I can short out J12 pins 1 & 2 and the headlights come on.  That tells me that the flash circuit in the controller is not working.

Just got off the phone with tech support at VIP.  Found out that J11 pin 6 is the sensing circuit for the headlamp relay on J12 pins 1 & 2.  If 12VDC is present on J11 pin 6 then the relay contacts on J12 pins 1 & 2 should be closed, completing the circuit to the headlights!  Since I can short out J12 pins 1 & 2 and the headlights come on, that means that the SM209 controller is defective!  The SM209 is replaced by the SM210 so I guess I will be ordering one today.  The cost is $185, unless I can find a used one somewhere.

On 1/4/2020 at 3:07 PM, jacwjames said:

Joe

Looking at the VIP wiring schematic power going to the J12-2 pin is provided prior to the light switch.   At least you know that if you bypass this you can get power to the headlights.

The power from the light switch goes to the J11 harness pin 6.  This provides power to the Headlamp / Marker Control box, which is what probably controls the headlights and interacts with the wiper function to turn them on.

Once power for the headlights leave the control box it goes to the turn signal & Hi/Low function.  The High/Low function is either or, the lights will either be on high or low beam. but the on/off function comes from the VIP control box.   My guess is that there is a latching function so that the power goes to the headlight when the switch is ON  or the wipers are activated. 

I went back and checked the Chassis wiring diagram and power to the headlights has to come through the VIP module and then the trun signal with Hi/Low function, no other way to get there. 

 

May be time to VIP and see what they recommend. 

 

I just verified that I am getting voltage on J11 pin 6 when the dash headlight switch is on.  I don't see anywhere that the headlight power comes out of the controller back to the lights.  J12 pins 1 & 2 are just relay contacts to flash the headlights from the SmartWheel.  

8 minutes ago, RustyTools said:

Have you completely ruled-out the headlite switch itself?  I know you said other lites are working, but the switch sure seems like a common denominator there. And is a lot less-expensive than a Control Box if you decide to 'easter-egg' parts to narrow it down.

Yes, I replaced the headlight switch, although I found out that the old one was OK after I determined the connections.