rpasetto

Is this 2004 Dynasty now sold? (It doesn't show up on RVtrader.com.)

I agree, Ray, I think most of us know the usefulness of our solar panels. Most RV'ers are aware of the energy cost in controlling, storing and inverting those solar watts we get into 110vAC, as the general public may not. We're far from even 10% efficiency and know the complexity of reducing the batteries as well as other components. [The theoretical solar energy density at earth's average distance is about 1.3KW per square meter. I saw an ad for a 'typical' 12 sq ft solar panel (1 sq meter) advertised at 200 watt, so about 15%, ideally, but that's only on a very clear day with Sun directly overhead. Realistically it would be a few percent less, and then it has to go thru a controller and wiring, stored then inverted to 110vAC , I'd expect 10% at best. ] Thinking about the solar fields out there which need to send power stored in massive battery arrays over longer power cables than we use, then invert to high AC voltages, tens of thousands I'd expect, finally transmitted & distributed to local transformers where it becomes 110/240 or 3pH AC. I've yet to see published data on solar system efficiencies (I do not mean the advertising stuff the door-to-door solar guys are selling). Hoping this will become viable someday, but there's a lot of R&D ahead , until then we need the coal, gas and nuclear plants.

I've used the Rustoleum topside... didn't go through the prep you did though. Scrubbed using a cleaner, 'Awesome', then rinsed thoroughly and let dry. I took probably twice the hours to mask, than to paint (I'm a sloppy painter). Then, two coats of topside... so far so good.

I recall similar symptoms a year+ ago... horn, then wipers went flaky. The first thing I did was replace the smartwheel controller; easiest to do. Then I replaced the clockspring which solved it.

I agree that hydroelectric, river or tidal, are better, more weatherproof alternatives to other 'renewable' sources such as wind and solar, both of which have huge dollar and energy costs (and raise issues of future recycling which seem to be downplayed). Having said that I hope you realize that in the US, the population density and geography preclude the same methodology. {Perhaps you don't come visit the US and use our mostly fossil-fuel created electricity so you may not know that). However you did chastise another member for 'point[ing] your finger at other countries' but then implicitly did the same to those of us in the US. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Maybe, someday, some company will develop solar or other 'renewable' energy systems which can directly generate high voltage AC at 50%+ efficiency, and are cost efficient. That's be great but we're far from it. For now it would be nice if production of clean-burning fuel were done synthetically. It's been done in the lab and now we wait for the political environment to proceed. "Professor Alan Goldman and his Rutgers team in collaboration with researchers at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill have developed a way to convert carbon sources, such as coal, to diesel fuel.... Goldman explained that the breakthrough technology employs a pair of catalytic chemical reactions that operate in tandem, one of which captured the 2005 Nobel Prize in Chemistry." ... Goldman said. “What we are now able to do with our new catalysts is something no one else has done before. We take all these undesirable medium-weight substances and convert them to the useful higher- and lower-weight products.” https://ucmweb.rutgers.edu/medrel/science/coal.shtml https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22584036/

I also got the SeeLevel-II bluetooth version. Installed that panel upstairs and got a second, regular panel for the wet bay. Bluetooth app works fine with my Android phone and my wife's iPhone. I find the Seelevel readings more precise than the Aladdin's. The hardest part of the install was running the wiring to where I wanted the upstairs display board. When I had called See Level they told me the version they had which communicated with Aladdin was discontinued due to lack of interest. Hoping someday that an old Aladdin-enabled Seelevel shows up on eBay; if so I'll add it to my system... or maybe someone builds a homemade interface. 🙂

Hope you're successful at the speedo shop, or whatever repair you attempt. if you want to replace it, Monaco installed gauges made by Beede on some of their coaches.

The rating of the cap does not change the pressure or temperature in the system... unless of course the pressure exceeds the cap rating, which no one here has reported. The answer I think you're after is whether running using say a 16psi cap will run cooler that with a 10psi one. They will both run at the same temperature. If you do want your engine to run cooler (or hotter) it would involve changing the coolant thermostat.

The heated water bay is a good place. Actually the water bay in mine is closer to the rear axle. I may have difficulty finding accessible space there though but I will take another look. For some, the fuel/LP tank compartment is a relatively close move. Not sure about the spark possibility with that compressor. After crawling under my last coach to change an HWH solenoid, it occurred to me that Monaco could also have found some compartment space to put the sixpacks... a lot of wiring and hose routing but It could be done. Anyone see a downside to that?

Thanks for the writeup. Moving my aux compressor is on my 'to do list. Mine's in the rear, on passenger side above& forward of drive axle. Funny how Monaco always put those compressors in places where the tires could throw rocks at them. They could have mounted them on their roadmaster chassis so they could be located in fuel tank compartment, for example. Then again they could have relocated the 6-packs to a compartment too. (another idea for a project)

Safety note: Use blocking or jack stands to support coach before you go under. When air hose is pulled, bags will deflate quickly.

We had GoodSam when we didn't know any better. That was 2 decades ago. Changed to CoachNet and they've been far better.

The Aquahot drain valve (?), see below, seemed to be weeping at the connection. I turned it clockwise as much as I could but the handle prevents it from turning any more than about 90degrees. I'm not sure if the fitting into the Aquahot is a male or female. Was thinking if just breaking it off or cutting it then getting a swivel fitting and another valve but not sure that's the best way to go. Suggestions?

I put in the SeeLevel II sensor system a few weeks back. The tough part was running wiring up to the panel location I chose inside the MH living area. I got the bluetooth version for upstairs and a regular 'add-on' panel for inside the bay. The latter panel fit in the opening of the Alladin bay display. The bluetooth one is viewable inside and outside-near-by the coach. When I got the coach a year+ ago I changed the Alladin pressure sensors in the tanks. After re-calibrating I found their accuracy out-of-whack so I did the re-cal once again. When the fresh tank reading went to zero I figured it might be cable, sensor or something else... but the time had come to order the SeeLevel-II. Some day I'll work on the Aladdin again, just to have it working... but that's way down on the priority list.

What have you all done with the empty space between the genset and the genset bay door. It seems like good potential for storage, light stuff of course since the capacity of the gen-slide mechanism is unknown and it's way forward of the axle.

Thanks for the tip. I bought a few of these 48SMD (8x6-self-adhesive) panels from eBay for about ten bucks each. They came with adapters to plug into dome light dockets which I didn't need. Used two panels each to convert some bay fluorescents, soldered connectors to leads which then connected to the 12v + and - power and filed the ballasts in my circular file, but kept the ballast covers for mounting the panels. Here is the setup using two panels on the cover. Second picture shows the plastic cover re-installed.

+1 on that. I recall seeing your post about his a while back and ordered a set from the same place with the Monaco-D-shape rubber plugs. I had the set in my bay for a short time when one of my braided extensions started leaking and had a mobile tire guy change them all out.

Sadly, I remember those times too. They also advised owners in seminars to change the keypad code to something different from "1-3-5". I don't want to hijack the thread (too much) but at one time it was two or three free things. I haven't looked too much at that diagram and traced the wiring but I've been planning to put switch(es) up front, probably hidden, to lock and unlock front and bay doors. The way it's labeled implies the relays are in the front run bays, but also note all the actuators are labelled "Bay Door", although I suspect the RH one is supposed to be for the entry door. Note the reference to another page 38040298, the Keyless Entry drawing. It's not immediately clear how these interconnect. Let us know if & how you put this switch in. I added it to my project list but I have a few handfuls of projects above it 🙂

Excellent idea to use the SMD panels! I have some narrow Fluorescents in the bays so may need to get some of the 24's too.

Here's a screenshot of the Door Lock page from the 05 Sig WD book, if it helps.

That crosses to ContiTech AS9376 $140 at the supplier below: https://www.truckandtrailer.parts/ContiTech-AS9376-Air-Spring-Monaco-Coach-8619-8108-14002_p_1477.html and $1200 here: https://dcontrol.com/marketplace/item/609f2e74f918490b78001a95 I don't know the above sellers... Price is over $200 at Fleetpride and a few others I have dealt with. Most of the leak problems I've had were with the 3/4" thread side of the 3/4 to 1/4 adapters. I don't know if the problem was the airbag threads or the adapter threads.

I checked the parts list ... shows replacement for Monaco Semi-monocoque and RR 10 airbag chassis coaches is Monaco PN 0180-4591. That crosses to the Contitech AS8897 as well as some Goodyear and Firestone parts. I used the Conti when I had my drive axle airbags replaced last year.

After re-reading through this thread, Chuck B's post got me thinking... When we bought the coach the keypad was inoperative and I assumed it had been disconnected for "security" purposes. Since all the remotes work fine, reconnecting/fixing the pad is at the bottom of my long "to do" list. But now I think there may have been another reason. Suggestion to Chet P: Try disconnecting the keypad and see if the "automatic" locking still happens.

@dr4film, ... or maybe they were still in the not-cold mentality of sealing the reefer up. Maybe we will hear from others with these early Whirlpool installations.

Thank you. Funny you should mention that, Richard. A few hours ago my wife found a similar crevice tool and I ordered it. Earlier today, I went out to the coach and removed the refrig. bottom panel to find an unbelievable mat of dust covering the coils underneath. My bad, I should have done this when I bought the coach last year. As @Moecephus reported about his, the refrigerator is packed in fiberglass mat at the sides. Much of the "dust" I removed from the coils was likely bits of fiberglass. I removed most from the rear at the outside access panel, It will be replaced with a sheet of semi-rigid insulation just to seal the coach inside ... If I ever need to pull the refrigerator out that fiberglass batting will go too. Surprised to find it there. Given that both our coaches have the same... it seems like it was there from the factory; yet most refrigerator mfgrs specify an inch or so of airspace at sides and top of reefer. Oh well, live and learn.