Frank McElroy

Yes, over the years I've seen the same posts about owners using different devices to hold the battery boost switch ON. A very bad idea - that's the main reason why I decided to post why not to do it. As it turned out, the new owner had 2 boards from the previous owner with the same exact failure. He now has 2 repaired boards. One he's using and one as a spare for future use if ever needed.

Tom - Thanks for the kind words. Yep, this was a bit of a challenge - but I like electronic challenges. For folks interested in the saga of how I learned how to repair the Kongsberg Chassis multiples system (including a detailed technical PDF file), read the link below starting about in the middle of page 11 (if you start on page 1 your will read the whole story of all the twists and turns). Oh BTW, my coach doesn't have a Kongsberg system - my interest was in helping other members and maybe in the future getting a bath and a half coach with such a system and being able to repair it.

I had an interesting PCB repair last week that I want to share with the group. A member with a new to him 2007 Signature contacted me to have his Big Boy control board (PCB#6 in RRB) repaired. On the board, a copper trace overheated and separated. In trying to find out why, I asked a bit about the history. The new owner mentioned that the previous owner said he replaced his big boy with a new one that didn't work and that he would wedge the battery boost to stay ON for hours at a time. That bit of information explained everything. The battery boost switch is momentary for a reason. It is designed to be held ON for minutes - not tens of minutes let alone hours. In normal operation, the control circuit board pulses 12 volts to the big boy coil to in effect provide about 8 VDC to hold the coil engaged (Big Boy is NOT a latching battery isolator like the Blue Sea ML-ACR). When you press and hold ON the battery boost, you are providing a full 12VDC to the Big Boy solenoid coil and over time it will overheat, fail AND also burn up PCB#6 in the Rear Run Bay. Since these boards are becoming hard to find in salvage yards, the board was repaired and is now working just fine. A word of caution - please don't hold the battery boost switch ON for more than a few minutes at a time.

Another Kongsberg multiplex system repaired. A few days ago, Chuck sent me his 6 inoperative dash switch modules (1 master and 5 slave modules). It turned out he had a master module that needed a replacement 28 pin MicroPIC and 3 slave modules needed to be reprogrammed. Bench tested and all switches now generate the correct digital code. Repaired modules came through surgery and recovery just fine and are now good as new. They ship out on Monday.

These switches generate and send a digital code on a dedicated J1939 databus going to 2 Kongsberg CCM modules. These CCM modules then power item based on switch digital code input. That's how a chassis multiplex system works. These are NOT just simply a series of switches and internal relays.

Yes early production 2008 model year Dynasty coaches (like mine) had conventional Chassis wiring system with the conventional SmartWheel Control Module. It was mid year production of the 2008 model year coaches that converted over from conventional to the Kongsberg chassis multiplex system.

The +5 VDC "fix" only applies to coaches with a Kongsberg chassis multiplex system. If you actually have a smart wheel controller that means that you don't have a Kongsberg system. If you have a SmartWheel control module and you hear the internal relay click but no voltage on the output wire to the wiper motor, then the relay soldered to the circuit board inside the control module likely has failed.

The site has two display interface versions - desktop and mobile. If using a cell phone, the default will be the mobile version. Mobile versions will take most all the icon options shown in the desktop option and put them in drop down screens that you need to select by pressing the 3 dots or bars in the upper part of the mobile version screen. This gives less clutter in the cell phone mobile device screen. You do have an option on the mobile device screen by clicking on the 3 dots in the upper right and select Desktop. You will then see all the options but the print will be a whole lot smaller on your cell phone screen. For me, the only time I use the desktop version is when I'm maintaining the Files to add a screenshot on new files. Everything else, I do on this site, I use my Android cell phone.

On my android phone that's exactly how I do it. A lot more clicks using the Mobile vs desktop version.

Under full heavy braking you should be hearing the ABS system kick in to prevent wheel lockup but it sounds like after the brakes heat up, you get even less braking. That is not a safe condition and must be repaired before driving the coach. When brake drums get hot, they expand and if the slack adjusters are out of range you get reduced braking. I believe that your coach has automatic slack adjusters but that doesn't mean they are working properly. It's critical to periodically adjust the auto brake adjusters with multiple full brake applications while stopped on level ground with the parking brake off. If the auto slack adjusters are working, brake chamber rod travel distance should come back into spec and give you full braking performance . But you still need to inspect your air brake slack adjusters and be sure brake chamber push rod travel distance is within spec with and without brakes applied. If slack adjusters are out of spec, they need to be adjusted or replaced before the coach can be safely driven. Bendix Automatic Slack Adjuster - SlackAdjust-Chk.pdf

It would be important to know if your 2005 has the Intellitec lighting system with slides operated by pressing keypads connected to Intellitec modules typically located in the bedroom closet cabinet. Assuming your coach does have this system then see pages 103-109 in the attached file. One of those pages will fit the slide configuration of your coach. Then, while holding down the DS slide in keypad, see if the LED light that matches the DS retract solenoid wire lights up. If it doesn't, check the associated fuse. Likely you'll find the wire on Module A. It's important to know if the HWH slide relay control box is getting the proper signal to activate the slide retract solenoid. If you do see a green LED light, then check the wiring on the slide solenoid valves located under the removable bin under the second interior step inside the coach.

No problems in viewing HEIC on my android cell phone or windows 10 laptop. I do keep up with software updates including the optional ones.

15-J1 -5 means Printed Circuit Board (PCB) number 15 in the Front Run Bay (FRB), connector J1 on that PCB and wire #5 on that J1 connector. Then check the large J2 pin 5 on the side wall connector on the FRB. There are many times where this multi pin cable connection on the side of the FRB has pin corrosion.

You're not the first to be surprised by all those lights. Often when trying to help someone troubleshoot a problem, I'll ask them to take a picture (with the ignition ON) of a certain board as they press and release a switch inside the coach. That pretty much would tell me what has failed without voltage readings. I'm glad those Intellitec boards were basically designed with self diagnostic LEDs on them.

Those are indicator LED lights that are only powered when the ignition key is on. The color means nothing special. Monaco used alternating colors to make it a bit easier to see which LED went with which description and to add to the "WOW" factor when opening up those boxes. For someone troubleshooting a circuit, the LEDs would show if the circuit and switches inside the coach are working without needing a voltmeter. If the LED is lit, the fuse is good and circuit is getting power. Same for when a switch is activated, a LED light will come on showing that the switch is being pressed. If a relay is supposed to energize, there will be a LED light on the relay coil and another LED on the output wire. So if you know how to read a schematic, you can troubleshoot a circuit by just looking at which LEDs light up. All those LEDs are shown in the wiring diagram board schematics.