Dennis H

From the Monaco manual...

CAUTION:
Some outside water sources develop high water pressure, particularly
in mountainous regions. High water pressure is anything
over 55 psi (pounds per square inch). An additional pressure
regulator can be connected to the city water faucet to regulate
the pressure to the potable water hose. Excessive water
pressure may cause leaks in water lines and on a hot day, cause
the water hose to swell and burst.

I currently use THIS but if you can't find one a Watts regulator from Home Depot will work just as well. Only thing I didn't care about the Watts is the size. I keep that one for a spare....Dennis

I would NOT remove the cabinets unless you intend to trash them and put in new. They did use screws to mount them but they are also glued in place. A dead blow hammer will help as will a sawzall. They cannot simply be unscrewed and reused. I watched them build these coaches at Monaco when they were in Coburg. Here is a picture by picture rundown of my recent television change.  ...Dennis             CLICKY

Where the city water hooks into your coach there is a backflow device. These sometimes fail. I installed a 90 degree fitting so the hose wouldn't be suspended and installed a screen inside that fitting. You'd be surprised at what collects in that screen. I replace it once, sometimes twice a year. Protects against the crud collecting in the backflow valve and gumming it up. I'd check that first, followed by the screen before your water pump.....Dennis

GREAT IDEA: A Hobby section!!

I've had a couple but have not been satisfied with any of them. Unfortunately the cheapy ones don't perform as advertised....just my opinion. Also, the cheapy ones won't fly in even the slightest breeze. Furthermore, many campgrounds are now outlawing them. Most California State Parks have them banned. They're allowed at the beach in some locations but the wind off the ocean makes flying them impossible. That said, the $1500 and up ones seem to be able to do at least what I want them to do, but I'm too cheap to spend that kind of money for something I'm pretty sure I'm gonna crash.... 🙂 I still have a jet I want to fly if I ever get the guts. It's still in the box.....Dennis

On edit: If you want to use the camera, make sure you get one that is mounted on a gimbal for stability...D

Mine was plug and play/pray. 🙂  Sounds like Richard's may have been replaced at some point and someone didn't like the plug.......Dennis

If yours is like mine, it's a KE1701 mfg by Essex. It is a sealed unit and not "fixable". That said, if you're not worried about warranty etc. I would disassemble it by cutting it open and see if you can clean the contacts. When putting it back together, make sure you use a waterproof glue. To remove the unit, simply remove the two screws and pull it out. You access the wiring from inside the passenger side arm rest. I simply unplugs. Installation is the reverse but it must be programmed before being usable. If you need instructions on how to do that, please ask. There should be programming instructions with the new unit though.....Best of luck...Dennis

Tony, it kinda depends on the switch you choose and whether you want it to match the other switches in your coach. It also depends on whether you want to cut it into one of your existing panels or get one that's pre-made and the switch snaps into it. My experience has been to try to cut the switch into an existing panel.  That way if you screw up, you can enlarge it and use a pre made plate. My coach is solid oak which is really hard wood and it takes a lot to make any cuts. Regardless, use a sharp razor blade knife to score the wood. Measure twice, cut once. Once scored, I use a wood chisel to finish cutting the wood. I've found with small cutouts trying to use a router or a jig saw won't give you the desired finished product...hope this helps....Dennis

Well, I ripped the old stuff today and fixed some of the Monaco mistakes. Cleaned up the wiring and am anticipating installing a Garmin RV890. That old GPS weighed in at 10 pounds! The Garmin is 13.7 OUNCES!  If anyone's interested in what it looks like I've added  a page to my blog. You can access it here... HERE

Thanks.... Dennis

Excellent input from you guys, thank you. My setup appears to be different than most of yours. Don't know if that's good or bad. I have the radio/flip up screen for the Aladdin and radio. That's next to the gauges on the dash above the ignition switch. In the middle console is the GPS unit. It appears to be a stand alone unit with the CD unit below it in the cabinet. The CD unit only allows the GPS CDs. It won't play anything else and it's not designed to. I have two CDs, one for east coast and one for west coast.  We don't use the radio, but I do use the Aladdin.

We travel full time. Over 100,000 miles so far on the coach. I'm a planner and like many of you, like to travel within my comfort zone. This includes knowing beforehand where I'm headed (think reservations) and what to expect  getting there. Our normal travel day is 3-4 hours. We do not use the interstates if possible. Just personal preference, as one misses much of this great country by flying by on the interstate. At any rate, after deciding on a destination, I  do a GoogleMaps search and grab the coordinates. I then look at the map directions for the roads I'd like to explore to get there. With a larger coach, I like to know what issues I might encounter en route such as hairpin turns (think Smokey Mountains/Virginia etc.) If in doubt, I again turn to Google maps and follow along.  At 65', I really don't like surprises. I never enter the destination address into the GPS, I use the coordinates. I've found that method to be most accurate. Using these tools usually ensures a safe and enjoyable trip for both myself and my wife so we arrive much more relaxed.   Garmin seems to offer so much more than simply directions. I have programmed my portable units with POIs specific to our wants/needs/desires so I do use them a lot.  I know many  of you are wondering what this has to do with the topic at hand but I wanted you to understand why I am looking for a newer updated model GPS unit.

Thanks again for all your input. We are stuck in Arizona for a bit as it looks like they are going into panic mode again, so I'm trying to do upgrades that I've wanted to do but never had the time to. Unfortunately Arizona weather is not cooperating. Working on your coach in 75-80 degrees is much different than doing so when it's 110-120. Neighbors don't like one working on the coach at 3AM when it's cooler. Safe travels everyone.....Dennis

4 hours ago, Mike H said:

I'm pretty much in the same boat as you Dennis.  I ended up buying a Garmin 770 and have it on their bean bag mount on the dash.  I just use the original in dash unit as a clock or sometimes switch it over to show mileage etc.  I also have an older Garmin (Pathfinder I think) on another beanbag mount in front of the wife and it has a remote she can use while sitting back in her seat.  Unfortunately it can't be updated and they no longer make a model that has a remote control.

Mike, I don't drive in the rain  🙂   ........Dennis

3 hours ago, Steven P said:

Dennis, could you post some pics of your current setup?

Here's the Factory GPS unit. I've found Garmin now makes an RV 890 which will fit into the opening which is 8 1/4 X 5 1/4. The Garmin is just a tad smaller which should make it a perfect fit.  (7.87" W x 4.92" H ) The only issue is  what it will take to modify the mount and how much trouble it will be to update the maps. Garmin has a 30 day return policy so I'm probably going to pull this unit out and see what it looks like behind it. I was hoping someone else had already done that and could offer some insight. If it all looks good, then I'll order the Garmin ($500 bucks) and see how/if it fits ok. If not, I can return it and keep looking. The Kenwood GPS is two pieces, the head and there's a CD player below it. The microphone if for that unit also but I won't need it with the 890 as it's built in. Below is a picture of the current GPS.....Dennis

Thanks for the replies thus far. As I suspected, I'm going to have to live with what I've got. Debi likes to use the factory install but I like the latest maps and dislike having to change the CD for east and west coasts. Also they're way outdated. We have never listened to the radio in the coach. I don't even know how that works and we've had it for 14 years. Only thing I use the radio for is the Aladdin and cameras, so replacing the GPS with a radio would be a waste of money. I do have a Garmin 760 that I use mounted on the left side of the steering column next to the TPMS but since I'm in a upgrading mood while stuck here in Arizona, I thought I'd check into upgrading that as well.....Dennis

I had a 96 Dynasty that I put over 120,000 miles on, mostly run on biodiesel. Keep your maintenance current, follow the advice of Cummins to have mileage service done and enjoy the coach. These diesels will run on almost anything. IIRC, my engine manual from Cummins said bio up to 20% was acceptable. I did put some 911 in every third tank or so and changed all the filters with my annual service. Never had an issue with that engine except it was a bit underpowered for a 40' coach....Dennis

One of the easiest and most efficient way to post your info is to organize everything putting all the puff stuff into a great sounding ad that you can post. Keep it simple but interesting. Then, take all your photos and put them into a file hosting site like DropBox. Include the link on your advertising. The idea is to peak someone's interest without being too wordy and waste bandwidth. Remember, people have very short attention spans. Once you've hooked a fish, you need to ensure he stays hooked. You set the hook by having lots of pictures for them to view. Remember we shop nationwide anymore so potential buyers may be nowhere near your location. They will rely on your pictures to 'sell' them on the condition of your coach. Also whether there's anything that might be needed to make it be roadworthy or tailored to their wants/needs. Remember to offer to take extra pictures if there's any areas they question. From your post above, I'd want to see the underside to see if there's any salt damage to the undercarriage. Also, since you spend time at Hilton Head, I'd wonder about the roof and any salt air damage....hope this helps....Dennis

Looking for info on the in dash GPS system in my coach. Since it's no longer made or supported, I'd like to upgrade and get rid of the one that hasn't been updated in like 100 years or so. I'm not sure what will fit as I've just started looking.  Anyone trash the GPS and install something else? I'm kinda OCD about things looking somewhat factory or as close as possible. Looking for ideas...thanks in advance...Dennis

Agree completely with the above. The more pictures the better. Look at the ads on rv trader for ideas. 50 pictures is not a lot.  Don't be afraid to show the coach's flaws. They will be noticed anyway so don't waste anyone's time. We purchased our coach 800 miles from our home. No one wants to go that far without knowing pretty well what the coach looks like. You may get less traffic by posting many pictures, but those that do respond will be more interested in what you have. Don't emulate the dealers ads. They are more interested in 'getting you in the door' than selling a particular rig. Their ads are designed that way. ( Well, if the advertised rig doesn't work for you, we have others) Taking care to not get ripped off during a transaction is another topic of discussion. Most likely there will be no financing involved so be cautious about giving the coach up before the actual transaction is complete.....Dennis

PM a mod is the easiest way. That said, I hope they answer your question on here....congrats..always nice to know another family gets to enjoy what you've given up. Enjoy the Dynasty....Dennis

On 6/26/2020 at 3:58 PM, Mike H said:

I sent you a private message with my friend's phone number.

 

Mike, the tail lights are at your friend's house. Enjoy....Dennis

Ben, try some WD40. It contains fish oil which is good for removing lots of gooey stuff.....Dennis

It's all on how you retract your slides. I've never had water get inside. (Probably just jinxed myself) but I have slide toppers too. Anyway, when you're ready to leave and doing your pre-departure check, pull each slide in about a foot and stop. The slides tilt to get over the inside rollers of the coach so they are tilted downward.  90% of any water on top of the slide will run off. All the wiper is supposed to do is wick off the small amount of residue water left. Once you complete your pre-flight, go ahead and pull them in the rest of the way and off you go.....Dennis

Bob, I've done both. I used diodes on our previous towed but with the Equinox I simply drilled a new hole and ran separate wires for the tail lights. Wasn't hard to do and my system is separate from the factory set up. I figured that way I'd not tinker with the electronics of the new vehicle.....Dennis

3 minutes ago, raynpilla said:

When and did you get them back?  Did it require any work on your part?

We still have them. Regardless of the notice we received. I don't know for how long. It said June 1, 2020. That said, I'm not going to call AT&T and ask. :)...Dennis

3 hours ago, Mike H said:

Dennis,  We'll probably be within 10 miles of where you live.   We're staying in Black Canyon Ranch RV Resort on the 13th of Oct and the next day (Wed the 14th) we'll be coming through your area on I-10.  I just found out last night that one of my old co-workers has moved out to Gilbert and I'm going to see about stopping somewhere close to visit with them for an hour or so.  I might try and pull into the Gila River Casino parking lot.  If you don't mind hanging on to them that would be great.  If not then that's fine as well.

No problem, Mike. I thought the shipping costs were a bit high. If you'd like, I can drop them off at your friend's house. That way you can pick them up at your convenience. Check with him and I'll pass on my phone number and we can set something up.....Dennis

2 hours ago, raynpilla said:

Hello, this is my first post on this site.  Has anyone that lost all distant networks gotten anything back except FOX?  I noticed  Dennis indicated he got a notice about CBS and NBC.  Anyone had any luck getting them back?

 

It's all about the money.  AT&T went into negotiations with all the networks and ABC and CW wanted too much for them to carry their broadcasts. Eventually they will most likely arrive at a consensus but for now we won't have them. Like the baseball strike a few years back, MLB lost tons of viewers over that mess. Some did come back but others, like myself learned not to miss seeing the games on Sundays. A lot of these companies feel they are "too big to fail" and maybe they are, but I know I've found more interesting things to do than watch the boob tube.....Dennis

21 minutes ago, Paul A. said:

Safety first not 2nd. That hatch is very heavy. 

No kidding. Remove the struts and try to lift it. I don't want that falling on my head or back.....Dennis