Dwight Lindsey

Randy: When my 8K Onan failed due to a disintegrating water pump belt (NOT a fan belt, the fan is direct drive), I had to pull it out of the motorhome. Mine is also bolted in and not on a slide. I also have thought about adding a slideout for the generator, but after having removed it once, I'm no longer feeling the need. It was easier than I expected. While not trivial, in retrospect it wasn't that big a job. Here's what I did: First, I soaked the bolts holding the generator in with penetrating oils. I let that sit a few days. Then removed the generator door. Then I unhooked the diesel fuel line and fuel return. Then I unhooked the DC connections that are near the fuel lines. Then I unhooked the AC connections at the front of the generator. Then I removed the bolts. I broke two of them . . . after removing the generator I had to drill them out, later which was the most difficult part of the job. Then I used a rented manual Material Lift to lift and remove the generator. I put a strap around the back of the generator to the material lift when I pulled it out. Then I removed the sheet metal covers top, side and back. Changed the belt. Reversed the procedure. While this all occurred over several days, I estimate the actual work hours at 5 hours. I only asked for help from my son for a few minutes when re-installing the generator, it helped to get the bolt holes lined up. Installing a generator slide would mean sourcing a slide (I did find one at a junk yard), removing the generator, welding the slide in place, attaching the generator door to the slide, arranging the exhaust pipe to follow the slide . . . When needed, I'll just pull the generator out again as described above. Dwight

OK, I think I'm on a path here. In my front run bay, on the inside of the main board box, the fuses are labeled: Here's what that looks like on the board: What I think happens is that when the ignition is on, the Ignition Relay (there are two of them) puts power to the fuses in the Ignition 1 and Ignition 2 fuse areas. Fuses 21, 23 and 24 are spares. Why there are fuses in those locations is puzzling. There are empty positions on the connector, that appear to confirm that those fuse positions are spares. I think what I need to do is get a wire into the connector, which I assume is a Molex Connector, at one of the empty sockets on the Molex, and fuse it correctly for the wire. Then run that wire back to the battery bay where I intend to install the Renogy DC-DC charger. Anyone know exactly that that MOLEX connector is? Comments? Dwight Dwight

What's wanted for D+ is essentially "ignition key on". Connecting this to the chassis battery would leave the charging circuit on at all times, which we don't want for fear of running down the chassis batteries. I would like a better understanding of my Leece Neville alternator but I'm already sure that the connection I need there is not easily accessible to me . . . so I'd like an ignition key on signal from the front run bay. I don't have a rear run bay . . . Dwight

I have installed 3 200 amp Lithium Ion Phosphate house batteries and I'd like to charge them from the alternator. I've purchased a Renogy DC-DC charger, but I'm having trouble with the installation. Per the manual, I need to provide D+ voltage from the alternator. So far I haven't found the D+ output on the alternator. I cleaned the alternator enough to see that it's a Leece-Nevile, but that plate does not give it's model number. The alternator seems physically longer than the Leece Neville pictures I see online. Anyone know exactly which Leece Neville I have on my 05 Monaco Knight? Any hints on how to find the D+ terminal or wire? The space around the alternator is crowded with the starter motor and cables. I suspect the wire I need is on the top of the alternator, where I can't see it. I do wonder if there's another place I can get ignition voltage, maybe in the front run bay? At this point I'd rather run a wire from the front run bay than deal with the alternator. Any help would be appreciated. Dwight

I haven't had that problem, but I was interested, so I did a google search. There's an IRV2 thread here: https://www.irv2.com/forums/f115/low-fuel-light-on-after-fill-up-383284.html Apparently the fuel sender has 4 wires, one of which is to the low fuel light. The recommendation on that thread is to clean the wires with Brakeclean so you can see the colors of the wires and then clean the connection to the low fuel wire. Dwight

I need some as well. It it's already spoken for, perhaps you could share the source? Dwight

Tony: Take the motor off and take it to a local auto parts store. It's probably an automotive window motor. Our Monacoers parts list has a motor listed as: Dorman 742-141 available at auto parts stores. O'Reilly had one in stock, when I needed one in Ventura California. You can usually check the website of the auto parts store to see if they have stock in a local store. I bought one and it works great on my Carefree Eclipse. Don't know for sure if it fits yours, but I do suggest taking it to an auto parts store and see if they can match it. Or you may find the Dorman part number on the motor . . . Dwight

My 8K Quiet Diesel shuts off randomly, sometimes after an hour or so, sometimes more quickly. The fault code is 14, which is "Over Frequency". I've had the generator out of the coach for a new water pump belt . . . and I'm prepared to take it out again . . . Anyone know what the fix is for the 14 Over frequency fault code? Dwight

Ivan, I just realized that I never replied to you and thanked you for your very helpful email. I bought a new speed sensor, but before it arrived I cleaned the existing one and it's been fine since. I now have a spare . . . Thanks so much Dwight

I had a speedometer issue and was helped by a fellow Monacoer who pointed to the speed sensor on the Allison transmission. Look at this post:

Mike: I have a very different coach than yours, but my experience may possibly be of use. I had lots of trouble with windshields. Cracked windshields and the right windshield (two windshields on my coach) would pop out at the lower right corner when driving into a headwind. I finally took the coach to Coburg, It's been a while and memory fades, but I'm going to guess that it was in 2010. The tech told me that the front cap should have been attached to the plywood dash with two brackets. There was only one bracket present, no sign of a 2nd on having ever been installed. The one that was present was loose, so there was no good connection between the cap and the dash. He installed two new brackets, for a total of 3. He then had a colleague lean on the cap until the windshield openings were square and then tightened down the 3 brackets. I've since driven the coach more than 50,000 miles and leveled many times, with no more windshield problems. You might have a look at how the cap is or is not connected to the dash. Dwight

When you say "Under dash area" are you looking from inside the coach? Or from the generator bay door? Where are you located? You may want to take it to a shop that is familiar with the issue. Dwight

Al: You don't seem to be listening. Open the generator door. Look for brackets from plywood dash to cap. Tighten brackets. Dwight

Al: The front cap should be secured to the dash with brackets that are tight. If it's not well secured, 65mph forward speed into a 30mph headwind will result in a 95mph wind on the cap and it will deform. I don't know exactly what's happening with your coach, but I suspect that the cap is flexing and moving, which makes it seem like the windshields are moving. Dwight

Al: OK, I see that Cheeta Safari is in fact in your signature. Open the generator door and look carefully inside for dash to front cap brackets. Dwight

Al: What model MONACO do you have? It's not in your signature. The plywood dash in my motorhome is secured to the cap with brackets. I was repeatedly breaking windshields, so somewhere around 2010 I took it to Monaco in Coburg and the tech told me that there should have been two brackets, but only one was installed and it was loose. He installed 2 more brackets for a total of 3 and had a colleague lean on the cap until it was square, then tightened all three brackets. I've had no trouble with windshields since. I suggest that you look for brackets securing the dash to the cap and tighten them. Dwight

I installed a Fisher Paykel, which we like. It's bolted down in back and I've got some shelf brackets installed from the top roof opening that will prevent it from tipping forward and stressing those screws in the back. Your solution will be different than ours, since you have a Samsung. Search the forums, there are different solutions discussed including brackets around the frame in front. Regarding the batteries, I installed Lithium Ion Phosphate batteries and I love it. By removing the pull out battery tray (which I don't need because the LiPo batteries don't need to be watered), I made space for 3 200 amp hour LiPo batteries with bluetooth and built in heaters. Because LiPo batteries have a pretty uniform voltage output even when nearly empty, all 600 amp hours are useable. With my previous setup of 4 100 amp hour lead acid batteries, only 200 amp hours were really useable, because the inverter would cut out as voltage dropped. Now, with 600 amp hours of LiPo, I have 3 times the available battery storage. With the residential refrigerator and other draws, I can go 48 hours without running the generator or plugging in. LiPo batteries are GREAT! I have 600 watts of solar on the roof and it's helpful, but by itself not a solution. In January when the sun is low, I get about 18 amps at noon, which tapers off sharply as the sun gets even lower. I have never attempted to calculate amp hours, but I'd be surprised if I get more than 60 amp hours on a sunny day in January. Dwight

Replace the IOTA Transfer switch immediately!! Mine melted . . .

I would pull the water heater. It's not that bad a job. You're in for a few hours to get it out. Been there, done that. Dwight

Steve: When my 120 volt to the water heater died, I took the water heater out to replace the electric heating element. I did replace it, sill no joy. Then and only the I found out that one of the wire nuts connecting the 120 volt cord to the water heater had MELTED and there was no connection. On mine, there's a little box on the back of the water heater, where the flexible 120 volt cord attaches to the water heater. Wire nuts inside that box connect the flexible cord to the water heater wiring. You'll need to remove the water heater from the motor home to get at that box. Dwight

Check the belt line that transitions the sidewall to the roof. We had a small break in the caulking about 30 feet from where the water entered the coach. We chased it for years and finally a former Monaco tech at RV Doctor in Las Vegas found it in a few minutes. He knew where to look. Apparently if water gets into the belt line it can travel down the inside of the beam that the belt screws into and the water can appear quite a ways away. Dwight

Tom: That picture was taken a long time ago, probably 2010, just after I installed the Glendinning cord reel. Sometime around 2017 I bought the ESCO transfer switch, but did not immediately install it. Before I got it installed, the IOTA melted! Fortunately it did not cause a fire. I now have the ESCO and a Progressive surge protector in that bay. Dwight

I installed a Glendinning cable reel in the roadside rear compartment where the transfer switch is located in my 2005 Knight. My Knight should be pretty similar to your Endeavour, regarding the compartment layout. Picture attached. Dwight

Tom: My 2005 Knight did not come equipped to charge the house batteries from the alternator. I guess they left quite a few things out on the Knight, which were standard on the Diplomat. Somehow they needed to justify the price difference between the Knight and the Diplomat. A long long time ago I added a small circuit board on the main board in the run bay, which energized the "batt boost" relay in the battery bay to connect the two banks. There is some logic on that small board that starts charging the house batteries when the voltage on the chassis batteries shows them to be charged. I can't use that anymore, because the 3 Lithium Ion Phosphate batteries I have installed for the house, will each soak up 100 amps . . . therefore the need for the DC to DC charger . . . i wasn't aware of the need for re-set on the Renogy that you mentioned . . . I'll look out for that issue. I recently replaced the "batt boost" relay (big boy?) in the battery bay, with a blue sea, which is not yet hooked up to a switch by the driver. It's manually set to off at the moment. I'll get around to sorting out how to get that remotely switched later. Meanwhile, in case of need, i can switch it manually in the battery bay. Dwight

My bet is that an inverter in a coach of that vintage is MSW. The PSW inverter should solve your issue. Dwight