David Pratt

We were very happy with our Exec and I was not looking to replace it. In 2010 our circumstances changed and we took custody of our 4 year old grand daughter. Sandy decided it would be a good idea to get a bath and a half coach so our GD would have some privacy and have her own bathroom. Our GD was with us when we purchased the ih-45. Now she is 16 and she has lost some interest in traveling with us old folks. Honestly we have enjoyed the extra bathroom and if I were to purchase another coach I would definitely want a bath and half..

I purchased my first coach in 1974. It was a 1973 24' TRAVCO. I was racing and used it mostly so I had a place to sleep at the track. My next RV was a Ford Powered 26' Class C I purchased in 1977. In 1980 I started a race team and we were participating in the 24 hours of Daytona, 12 hours of Sebring and other Road Racing venues through out the East Coast. I sold the Class C and Purchased a 1978 26' GMC Motor Home. Again, I used it mostly for a place to sleep when I was at the race tracks. I was also a Corporate Pilot and one of the corporations that I flew for built PREVOST Custom Coaches for the entertainment groups. I was doing Airshows promoting my Aircraft Modification business and the Owner of that corporation would lend me one of the coaches to use at the airshows. In 2002 Sandy wanted to try the RV camping thing and he let us use a Prevost several times to travel and camp in. Well, we got hooked and we purchased a 1995 38' BEAVER Patriot. In 2005 we wanted a larger coach with slides and purchased a new 2005 Monaco 45' Executive. Around 2012 Sandy wanted to get a coach with a bath and a half so the search was on to find a suitable replacement for our Exec. We researched and looked at all the high end production coaches and none of them compared to our Exec. I would have to give up to much. At the 2012 Tampa Super Show FORETRAVEL introduced the ih-45 and it got Sandy's and my attention. I had never really paid any attention to the Foretravel Coach or knew much about them. The Price point of the ih-45 was more than I wanted to spend at the time, but it was an option I left on the Table. I did a lot of research into Foretravel and The ih-45 and was impressed. I could not find anyone that owned a Foretravel Motor Home that was unhappy with them or spoke bad about Foretravel. The Quality, Components and Factory support was always praised. On our summer trip of 2016 we decided to make it a Factory Tour trip and Visited Several Factories including Entegra, Newmar, Winnebago and Foretravel. Needless to say the Foretravel ih-45 won out. At age 75 this will probably be our last Motor Home and so far it has been one of the best choices for a coach we have made. In the four years of ownership Foretravel and the Coach has lived up to all of the research I did before our purchase.

The Cummins Rep explained that the two year rule should be used if you do not have a working Air Filter Minder. He also explained that if your Air Filter Minder is working properly that when the red line appears and shows it is time to replace the air filter that you should reset the Filter Minder and replace the air filter when the red line appears again. Another recommendation was; that you never remove the air filter and blow it out to clean it and reinstall it. You must replace it and make sure you wipe down the inside if the air filter housing with a damp towel to remove any dust or dirt before installing a new filter. This has been every Cummins Rep's position at every Gathering in the past 10 years.

Replacing the Air in the tires with Nitrogen was a topic that was heavily discussed in Chuck Thatchers TYRON BAND Seminar. I found this article in a National Publication and thought it might be beneficial to those members interested in the pro's and cons of using Nitrogen. I personally use Nitrogen in the tires of every vehicle I own including my Foretravel Motor Coach, Collector/Classic Automobiles, Aircraft and anything else that has a tire on it. I thought that was a very good article and should be shared with all the members and shed some light on any gray areas about the use of Nitrogen in tires. I am sure that there are those that do not share what this information is about. Your comments are welcome, but play nice. The Difference Between Nitrogen And Air Nitrogen and air are two of the most common gasses to fill inflatable tires. Nitrogen molecules are larger than air molecules, making it harder to leak over time. With air in your tires, you may lose pressure in your tires and need to top them off more often. Nitrogen is also a dry gas, which does not support moisture. Moisture can cause the rubber compounds in tires to break down and cause premature aging for your tires. Using air can allow moisture to enter your tires and cause internal corrosion to the metal beads, steel plies and wheels on your vehicle. No matter which type of gas you put in your tires, you should check your tire pressure regularly. Driving with underinflated tires can be dangerous no matter what type of gas is inside of them. Proposed Benefits Of Using Nitrogen Over Air In Tires Using nitrogen over air in your tires can be very beneficial. Let’s look at a handful of the reasons why you might consider using nitrogen in your tires. Reduce Air Loss All tires experience a loss of pressure, but the type of gas used can reduce this loss. Consumer Reports shares that a tire with regular air will typically lose about 1 or 2 PSI of air pressure per month. On the other hand, nitrogen tires lose about 1 or 3 PSI over an entire year. Nitrogen contains larger molecules. Punctures from nails and other road hazards will still damage your nitrogen-filled tires and cause pressure loss. However, you’re less likely to experience changes in pressure under normal driving circumstances. Improve Fuel Economy Because nitrogen tires are less likely to lose pressure, it helps ensure proper inflation. Having your tires properly inflated is essential for optimal fuel efficiency. Driving on under-inflated tires reduces your fuel economy. Tire sales giant Les Schwab states that for every 1 PSI drop in pressure for a tire, drivers can experience a 0.2% decrease in fuel efficiency. With the rising cost of fuel recently, keeping your tires properly inflated can result in massive savings each year. Increase Safety Driving with underinflated tires is incredibly dangerous. When a tire is low on pressure, more of the tire comes in contact with the road. This increases the amount of friction between the tire and the road. Friction generates heat, which causes the rubber compounds to break down. This can drastically increase the wear and tear on your tires and reduce the life of your tires. You’re more likely to experience a tire failure or blow out on an aging tire. A blowout while you’re traveling 65 mph down the highway, can be extremely hazardous. It can cause you to lose control of your Motor Home and potentially cause an accident. Keeping your tires at the proper pressure keeps you and others on the road safe. Maintaining Tire Pressure You want to maintain the proper tire pressure for your tires. Nitrogen-filled tires can maintain tire pressure even when not driven regularly. You’ll still experience some pressure loss over an extended time, but it is drastically less than a tire filled with air. While you should still keep an eye on your tire pressure, nitrogen tires don’t require nearly as much constant attention as tires with air. Do Nitrogen Filled Tires Really Work? YES, nitrogen-filled tires do work better than air tires. They perform better and help ensure your tires stay properly inflated. Research indicates that nitrogen tires are 74% more effective at maintaining proper tire pressure over tires filled with air. There once was a rumor floating around that you couldn’t mix nitrogen and air in your tires. However, research indicates this just isn’t true. You can safely top off your nitrogen tires with air, and it won’t harm them. It will dilute the purity of the nitrogen in your tires, but it’s better to keep your tires properly inflated than worry about the purity of the nitrogen. What Are The Downsides To Filling Your Tires With Nitrogen? While nitrogen in your tires has some definite perks, there are also a couple of downsides to consider. If your tires didn’t come pre-filled with nitrogen, the costs to fill them with nitrogen are substantially more expensive than air. Due to the necessary purging of oxygen from the tires, you’re looking at approximately $25-$30 per tire. You’ll also need to consider about $2 to $5 per tire when you need a refill. Another disadvantage to nitrogen tires is that nitrogen isn’t as readily available as air. If you have air in your tires, you can simply visit a local Service Center or use an air compressor at home. To maintain the nitrogen purity in your tires, you can purchase a small tank of nitrogen, regulator and high pressure hose from any local welding supply shop to service your tires. How Much Does It Cost To Fill Your Tires With Nitrogen? Some Manufacturers and Dealers are now filling the tires with nitrogen on Automobile, RV’s and Motor Homes before delivery. This typically adds about $70 to $175, a minimal price to pay. However, if your new RV, car or truck doesn’t come with nitrogen, you can expect to pay an additional $30 per tire to convert the air to nitrogen. To properly convert to nitrogen, you must purge the tire several times to eliminate any chances of air remaining in the tire. When Is Using Nitrogen Better Than Using Air Using nitrogen is typically better when it involves tires with higher pressures or in heavy-duty applications such as RV,s Motor Homes and Semi Trucks. You’ll most often see nitrogen used in instances where consistency in tire pressure is of utmost importance. This is often the case in high-performance cars, racing, and airplanes. Is It Worth It To Fill Your Tires With Nitrogen? Nitrogen in your tires is extremely beneficial and can increase the life of your tires. However, if your vehicle or tires didn’t come with nitrogen, you can convert your tire anytime.. Do you have nitrogen in your tires?

The 2022 Gathering is now history. This was the 10th Gathering we have held since initiating the idea in 2011. I want to personally “THANK EVERYONE” who attended. It makes all the hard work worthwhile, especially seeing the Seminars filled every day. The Presenters were very grateful that the tables were filled and many questions were asked. Your attendance helps to get them to come back each year and support our group. My reward for putting together the Gathering is to Honor the Legacy of Bill Duckwitz, Fred White and Rex Darley. It was great to see old friends and see everyone, renewing old friendships and making new ones. Hearing the laughter from many, seeing everyone enjoy the friendships and the company of each other while sharing this RV lifestyle with one another makes all the hardwork worthwhile. It was great seeing all of you. May you all be blessed with many safe and memorable miles of travel this spring/summer. See you at the next GATHERING. We had 47 Coaches in attendance I hope all of you that attended received a lot of good information out of the Seminars and Presentations Special thanks to Chris Throgmartin and Bethany who stepped in when one of our Presenters and the Chef was unable to do their Seminars. Thanks to Van Williams. His chassis presentation on why our Beasts drive and handle the way they do. Explaining the Chassis improvements with the Steering Box Upgrade, Watts Link and Crossbars. I feel we have now achieved a major milestone in having JOSAM”S as a partner willing to install Van’s, Craig's and Mike Hughes equipment to tame our beasts. Van provided his expertise to members on chassis handling issues. His in depth knowledge on our chassis’ has helped so many of our members make our coaches safer and more pleasurable to drive. I am convinced that the Steering upgrades, Watts Link and Crossbars greatly reduce driver fatigue and give you more control and a better “ride” as in you are not being buffeted around by Wind and menacing trucks… Van did an Excellent job. Thanks to Paul Whittle for his Seminar on the Intelitec Modules, Switches and 3-D printing. He also spent Saturday programming backups of the MUX Modules for the members. Chris Throgmartin’s inspected many coaches for Slide Out, Topper, Awning and Roof issues. Chris and Bethany gave the members a copy of the Inspection Report describing the issues that needed to be addressed on their Coaches. His presentations on Exterior Coach Maintenance, Guardian Plates and Slide Out Floor (underside) wear & damage and Moisture Infiltration and Roof Maintenance/repair. Chris’s Inspections found the same nagging problems on numerous coaches - slide floor rot, slide topper issues, hard to operate slide locks and other known and ongoing problems with the Monaco brand coaches. Chris doesn’t like finding these problems and reporting them to coach owners, but then he does feel good about catching these issues early saving them many thousands of dollars in the future. Chris is slowly changing his routine and putting a larger emphasis on teaching owners how to inspect their own coaches and what to look for so they can keep a vigilant eye on things. Chris looked like he shed about 10 pounds after all his inspections. Bethany’s presentation on Interior coach Care and maintenance was excellent and filled with a lot of good information.. The Tire Safety and TYRON SEMINAR presented by Chuck Thatcher was excellent. That generated quite a bit of interest about the need for TYRON BANDS and using Nitrogen instead of Air to fill and maintain the tires , The Cummins Engine and Generator Presentations included a lot of information from Cummins on maintenance and the operation of our Engines and Generators. Some tweaking of the info on maintenance schedules and such. Bottom line, the “CONSENSUS” is that you DO need an Algaecide (JF Biobor is the most used and recommended). The amount of Biodiesel and the concentrations vary… A couple of things that stood out in my mind were there is no longer a need to change the engine air filter every 2 years. The filtration media materials have improved greatly and the advice was to wait until the filter minder showed it was time to replace the filters. The best way of maintaining our generators is to use them The Allison Transmission Presentation also included some very good information on the maintenance and use of the transmission. The new Allison Transmissions have a "Prognostic" diagnostic system built in. Push a button and it will tell you in % how much life is left in your Transynd fluid or press again and it will tell you % life left in the filters. There's a lot more this system can do. The "bad news" is it cannot be retrofitted to existing transmissions because they don't have the necessary sensors. Other Allison tidbits were always shift D-N-R or R-N-D. Many members thought the newer ones would go D-R or R-D, but the Allison Rep(Derek Gallo) says no, always go thru N. The Fire Suppression Seminar by Jim Bounds from FireFight was a very interesting presentation and we all learned more about fire suppression. Those members with the Halon(Gas) bottles in the fridge compartment were advised to try to mount the bottle ABOVE the air intake slots in the grill. That would prevent incoming air from keeping the extinguisher so cool that it would never discharge. Saturday was set aside for our Round Table Discussion so all the attendees could meet the Moderators and talk about motor homes, maintenance, safety and anything else that was important about operating and maintaining our coaches. Van Williams, Paul Whittle, Dustin from Talon and Myself Moderated the Round-Table Discussion. We covered a lot of territory and learned a lot of good information from all in attendance on the many subjects that were covered. The Round Table Discussion lasted over five hours. One of the longest and best Round Tables Discussions we have had. Saturday evening was our final Dinner Together. It was an excellent Barbecue Buffet with all the fixings. After dinner we had a 50/50 Raffle and raffled off items donated by Chris Throgmartin–TALON- Coach Care Kits, Paul Whittle-a Magnum Opus circuit board, Dave Pratt- Space Coast Plating-a Kitchen Knife Set and a Gift Certificate to have a set of Mirror Bases and Arms Chrome Plated and Scotty Hutto donated other items for the Raffle, The other half of the 50/50 Raffle will be split and donated to the “Brevard Humane Society”, non-euthanize Pet Rescue/Shelter and “Paws With a Cause”, an Organization that provides pets to our Wounded Veterans. Lazydays did a great job for our group and made sure everything ran smoothly and attended to all our needs, The complimentary breakfast each morning was very good and consisted of Scrambled eggs, Sausage-link and patty, Bacon, Potatoes, Biscuits & gravy and Bagels. The Lazydays Exit 10 Restaurant did an Excellent Job providing us with very good evening dinner buffets. In a few months I will start on planning for the 2023 Gathering. I will notify all of you when we have dates locked in with Lazydays. In the meantime, hope everyone has Safe and Happy summer travels! THANKS AGAIN to all of you who attended. I enjoyed meeting and seeing everyone. GOD BLESS AND SAFE TRAVELS.

Richard FIVE YEAR OLD Goodyear's-(JUNK YEARS) are already beyond their LIFE LIMIT replacement time. The history of Zipper Blowouts with the Goodyear tire is well proven. I personally would not dare risk my well being driving this coach from Utah to Florida on the Goodyear tires. What Make are the Drive and Tag tires? Seven year old Drive tires are AGED OUT and should be replaced. You can get another year or so out of the tags. The 11R/22.5, load range G tire is OK for lighter coaches, not the Dynasty with a tag. The correct tire size for that coach is 295/80R/22.5 load Range H. The 11R/22.5 tire is a long haul tire and is not really recommended for Motor Homes. Check the Tire pressure chart next to the Drivers seat for the correct size tire and load range as well as the recommended Tire Pressures for the trip to Florida. I would pass on the Coach Net Tire Coverage for that kind of premium and take the$1300.00 and purchase two new steer tires before you make the trip. It will be Money well spent.

Scotty, Gary In the Gathering Schedule and Seminar updates and the Final Update I Explained; We will have a Silent Flea Market during the event for Monaco parts and other RV related items. Please complete the form you receive in the goodie bag and post it in the conference room. There will be a Form included in the Goody Bag and also Extra copies available at the Meet and Greet Dinner and the Evening Meals for the members to fill out with the items they have for sale. We did this at the 2020 Gathering and it appeared to have worked well. Scotty, great Idea on the Bulletin Board, I will speak with Melissa and see what I can come up with.

Mark That is the method that Monaco used on all coaches. Just take a 1/2" socket and grind the outside down to fit the opening around the hex head.

Joanne You are going to get a lot of suggestions from this group on Batteries. Regardless of the Manufacturer, Your Flooded Deep Cycle Batteries with proper care and maintenance should last five to six years minimum. Unless you are doing a lot of Boon Docking I would suggest that AGM's would be better suited. Duracell AGM's are an excellent choice and many of our members have had good service out of them. Average price for them at SAM's Club is under $200.00 each. You should be able to get at least ten to twelve years service out of AGM's. Also you will not have to add water to them or have any more corrosion mess to clean up in the battery compartment. Another suggestion is to have a knowledgeable Technician check the operation the charging circuits, cables and components and make sure they are all working correctly. Something may be going on that is shortening the life of your batteries.

Scotty, you have done a Fantastic Job of building and maintaining the Monacoers.org website. With the help of Larry and Frank and others we have a Unique and Friendly place for folks to join and become part of a very big family. When Bill D and Fred W founded the Monacoers Group, it was their Vision to have a place where Owners of Monaco Brand coaches could come to get Help, Information and Technical Advice for issues they were having with their Coaches. The one thing Bill did not want was the Monacoers Group to become a Social Club. There are plenty of Clubs already on the Social Networks such as Face Book and You Tube that Owners/Members can join as well as being a Member of the Monacoers.org and they can share their experiences or information with those groups and with members of our group. In many discussion with Bill, Fred and Rex over the years, we were very clear that the Monacoers Group would not become a Social Group and I intend to Honor their wishes and carry that Vision Forward. I do not believe that we would have anything to gain by establishing separate clubs for individual Makes or Models. There are plenty of sections on the Forum for posting different topics and discussions. In 2010 Fred and I decided to have a get together and the format would be geared towards maintenance, parts, technical and services where members could come and meet with the manufacturers and service people that support our coaches. They would have the opportunity to put faces with names and enjoy meeting other members. Thus the Gathering was born and has been somewhat successful. The Social Component was the evening meals where we all would sit down together and share our stories. The Monacoers.org Group is all Inclusive and we Welcome all owners of all the different Monaco makes and models to our club. Going to a Format of Individual Clubs diminishes that reality. The Monacoers.org Group is Unique and with the help of our members we are way ahead of any other Group or Forum with the Content and Expertise that our Forum has. We just need to keep improving the product we already have. A Mobile App may be a convenient component to be added for the members and may be worth pursuing. A Commerce Component might be nice, but then we would have issues with Taxes and other Government Regulations and interference to make it a worthwhile venture. I am open to any Improvements to our website that will be a benefit to all the members. I just do not want to diminish what we have built. Keep up the great work!

Loel Melissa's Extension is 4676, which is her direct line to her.. You can also send her and email at mwarren@lazydays.com if you need to.

I have spoke with Lazydays RV Resort and they do have sites available for the Gathering. If you are still wanting to come, call Lazydays RV Resort and ask for Melissa Warren. Melissa is our event coordinator and she will take care of you and take your reservation.

If you are already staying in a RV Park in the Tampa Area and you want to participate, you can still attend the Seminars and the evening meals. The evening meals are $94.48 per person and include the seminars. You must make reservations through Lazydays. Tell them that you are with the Monacoers and that you will be attending the Seminars and Evening Meals only if a Site at Lazydays is not available. Again it is important to follow these instructions so we have an accurate head count for the evening meals.

Your children are more than welcomed to attend the seminars and the evening meals. When you Register for the Gathering follow the instructions above for registering and tell the Clerk you will have two other guests for the evening meals. The charge for the meals is $94.48 per person and the seminars are included. This is important so that we have the proper headcount for the evening meals and we do not run out of food.

You should have two air pressure switches mounted on the fire wall. One is a Normally Open Switch (NO) which turns on the brake lights when you press the brake pedal and the other is a Normally Closed Switch(NC) which will disengage the Cruise Control when you press the brake pedal. I would start at the switches first. If NC switch does not open when you press the brake pedal it has failed. If you have a wiring Schematic of you coach you should be able to trace the Cruise Control Circuit and identify what switches control the CC functions.

303 Upholstery Cleaner followed up by 303 Protect ant. Works Fantastic. Interior Coach care is going to be discussed at the Gathering in February. Bethany from TALON will be giving the presentation on Thursday at 3:00PM.

Richard; I have been using the Pressure Pro System since 2004. When we purchased the 05 Exec I added the additional sensors for the Tag and the repeater. I have never had any issues with the Pressure Pro System. The batteries from my original purchase lasted over nine years and the replacements were only $30.00 each. I never loosened the sensors on the wheels of the coach when it was in the barn. The batteries in the sensors for the TOAD lasted almost twelve years because I would remove the sensors from the wheels when were not traveling. The other benefit about the Pressure Pro System is the ability you have to check your tire pressures before you start out and the added ability to check the pressure and temps per axle instantaneously. The Pressure Pro Customer Service is excellent. In 2015 Pressure Pro came out with their new PULSE Display for $350.00. PP offered the PULSE Display as an upgrade to all their customers for $250.00. The new display was backwards compatible to the sensors and the repeater The new PULSE Display gives you real time Tire Pressure and Temperature. You can program it to show just tire pressure on an individual tire, pressure and temp also. It can also be programmed to show the pressure and temp per axle at the same time. Our Foretravel ih-45 has the Pressure Pro System installed by the factory. It is Integrated into the Silver Leaf System and is displayed in the Instrument Cluster. There is no need for a separate monitor. The DORAN was a copy cat of the Pressure Pro system and there was many issues with the Doran system. Pressure Pro sued them and Doran had to stop using the Pressure Pro reference for their product. In my personnel opinion the Pressure Pro System is the Staple of the Industry and far superior than all the competitors. The others are still trying to catch up.

My Aviation Career started in Miami. I went to George T. Baker Aviation School in high school. Graduated in 1965 with an A & P Certificate and was hired by Eastern Airlines. I also went on and added the "IA" (Inspector Authorization) to my Certificate. Learned to fly in 1971.

Flying in the Corporate World has it's rewards. Going to many interesting destinations, meeting interesting and great people and making a lot of new friends. Also, the privilege of flying several great Aircraft and seeing the Majestic Beauty of this Planet from beautiful high altitudes. These are the things I miss most about not being in the Cockpit. Went to many interesting places, especially in the USA and never got to spend much time at any one most of the time. I do not miss the FAA BS bureaucracy, long waits for Clients at FBO's or the short stays overnight in Hotels. When we started RV'ing 20 years ago I started planning trips to places I flew in and out of but never was able to spend any time to visit. I have seen a lot of this world from above 30,000 feet and the sights were sometimes unbelievable. RV'ing has given me the added beauty and excitement of seeing the wonders of our great country from the ground and what I missed looking down on them from high. The combination of the two was the best of both worlds. I started shedding many of my toys several years ago, never had enough time to play with them. My Piper Comanche and Aero Commander Shrike were my two favorites as were several of my Classic and Exotic cars. I am now down to only a couple, a DeTomaso Pantera, Viper SRT-10 and our Foretravel. Yep, I miss being in the Cockpit, but I enjoy life as much now on the ground as I did on the air. Life is Good!

If your coach is equipped with AGM's, you should at least annually load test them the same as you should with Lead Acid Batteries. Lead Acid Batteries are best checked using a Hydrometer to check specific gravity. Because AGM's cannot be checked with a Hydrometer they should be load tested. I use the following Instrument to test my AGM's annually. It is digital and quite accurate and easy to use. FOXWELL BT705 12V 24V Car Battery Load Tester Cranking Charging Test 2000 CCA BT705 battery tester designed for 12 V or 24 V batteries with a capacity of 100 to 2000 CCA, such as regular flooded, AGM flat plate, AGM spiral, GEL and deep cycle batteries, 12V & 24V starting and charging system. The test results based on CCA, EN, CA, MCA, DIN, SAE, JIS and IEC Standards. BT705 tester displays the decision on the starter system, cranking voltage, and cranking time in milliseconds. Also, the battery diagnostic tool can check 12V or 24V charging system to make sure the output voltage of the generator is in a regular condition, the rectifier diode works fine and the charging current is a normal statu ✔Foxwell BT-705 Battery Analyzer Features and Benefits: Multiple vehicle applications ¨C passenger cars and heavy duty trucks. Tests batteries from rated from 100 to 2000CCA. Cold Cranking Amps settings is in increments of 1 and you can line up with your battery ratings from 100 to 2000CCA. Tests multiple battery types- regular flooded, AGM flat plate ,AGM spiral and gel. Tests multiple rating systems-CCA,BCI,CA,MCA,JIS,DIN,IEC,EN,SAE,GB. Tests the batteries on the car directly- no need to remove the battery. Quick and accurate test result display in just 3 seconds, detects bad cells directly. Tests 12&24 volt charging system. Quick starter analysis without disabling the ignition. Does not emit light, heat or spark ,or discharge battery-keeps operation safe for all levels of users. Automatic temperature compensation. Ripple voltage test for easy and intuitive check of faults. Extremely easy to use with large backlight LCD display and menu-driven operation. Rubberized sleeve protects, 7.8ft tester cable with metal alligator clips. Viewing/Printing Test Results,allow you view test results and print the data via optional Bluetooth printer. MULTIPLE BATTERY TYPES TEST work for regular flooded, AGM flat plate, AGM spiral and gel VEHICLE BATTERY ANALYSIS •GOOD BATTERY:Battery is in good condition. •GOOD-RECHARGE:Battery is in good condition but low current. •CHARGE & RETEST:Fully charge the battery and retest. If you still get CHARGE & RETEST after fully charge the battery, replace it. •REPLACE BATTERY:The battery is almost dead or the connection between the battery and battery cable is poor. Replace the battery and retest; or disconnect the battery cables and retest the battery using the out-of-vehicle test. •BAD CELL-REPLACE:The battery may be damaged. VEHICLE CRANKING ANALYSIS •CRANKING NORMAL: The starter voltage is normal and the battery is fully charged. •LOW VOLTAGE: The starter voltage is low and the battery is fully charged. •CHARGE BATTERY: The starter voltage is low and the battery is discharged. Fully charge the battery and repeat the starter system test. •REPLACE BATTERY: Battery must be replaced before the starting system can be tested. •NO START: No vehicle start detected. •CRANKING SKIPPED: A start was not detected. VEHICLE ALTERNATOR CHARGING SYSTEM ANALYSIS •NO PROBLEMS: System is showing normal output from the alternator. •NO OUTPUT: No alternator output detected. Check connections to and from the alternator, especially the connection to the battery.L •OW OUTPUT: Alternator not providing sufficient to power the system's electrical loads and charge the battery. H •IGH OUTPUT: Alternator voltage output exceeds the normal limits.E •EXCESSIVE RIPPLE: Excessive AC ripple detected. One or more diodes in the alternator are not working or there is stator damage.

Richard, Your Coach looks Sweet, Dazzling Details did a wonderful job, they always do. Just to clarify what you have posted as I have discussed this same thing before. We purchased our 2005 Monaco Executive new and the Window Sticker Clearly Stated that Monaco installed the 3M FRONT MASK FILM as you also stated above. The Protective Film started to fail after about five years and many other members had reported the same problem. Bill D, Fred W and I started doing some research and when I contacted 3M about the issue of the cracking and deteriorating film it was disclosed to me that 3M never sold any 3M Film product to Monaco Corp.. On further investigation and speaking with a Diamond Shield Rep we discovered that Monaco only installed the Diamond Shield Product on the coaches at the factory. When we contacted Monaco Corp about the issue and they admitted to never using the 3M film and only using Diamond Shield. Their excuse about the mix up on the window sticker was it was a clerical error that was never corrected. All this happened before Monaco went Bankrupt. I do not know what product Navistar or REV is using, but if it is Diamond Shield it will start failing at about the four to five year time frame. What we found out was that the Diamond Shield Film that was installed on the Monaco Coaches is only 4 Mils thick. The 3M Film is 8 Mils thick and will hold up better to the Enviroment. Dazzling Details only installs the 3M film and has for years. I have been dealing with Paul Newman (owner of Dazzling Details) since 2004. I have always recommended them to our members as they do excellent work. Fred White and I had the film replaced almost seven years ago. I have since sold the Exec, but today the 3M film looks as good as the day it was installed by Dazzling Details. Many members of the Monacoers have had their coaches done by them and I have yet to receive any complaints. Dazzling Details has competitors out there and they all probably do good work, but you have to go to them and when you add in the cost of your time and fuel for them to replace you deteriorated Film they are not competitive. Dazzling Details comes to your location to do the work. When getting Quotes from the other Businesses that do the film removal and install ask them if they are using the Diamond Shield product or the 3M product. The Diamond Shield Product is thinner and cheaper than the 3M. Dazzling Details applied the Ceramic Coating on my Foretravel earlier this year and did a fantastic job. Paul was also interested in the film that was on the front of my Foretravel. The Protective Coating on the front of my coach is not film but an actual paint process. The product is called ArmorCoat and is great substitute to replacing the film. In a recent Discussion with Paul Newman we discussed the 3M protective film and he was also considering he might add the Armorcoat process for paint protection.

You should only get a "LOW AIR ALARM" when the Ignition is in the "ON" Position and the leveling system is in Manual or Travel Mode! The low air alarm should not come on when in Auto Level Mode because the Leveling System cuts out the Chassis System when selected in Auto Level. When you are in Auto Level the leveling system only provides air to the Air Bags and not the Air Tanks. The Leveling Compressor will provide the air pressure need to keep the Coach Level. In Manual Mode the Level of the coach is maintained by the Chassis Air System and when the air in the tanks get depleted it can cause the coach to go out of level. The Low Air Pressure Switch is located on the front air tank.

Sonny Call Lazydays and ask for Rebecca Proper. She is my go to person for the Gathering. Let her know I asked you to call her and she should be able to correct any problems. They have put in a new reservation system and they have had several problems getting it to work correctly. Rebecca has stayed on top of the issue and is a great help.

Very Interesting. This is not Political, but Just Real Facts about Batteries that should Expel a lot of Myths. Hopefully this will get you thinking The zero emissions electric concept is everything but. This is the information that the “save the planet environmentalist “ either don’t understand and/or don’t want you to know. This format may seem silly but the information needs to be shared. AN EXCELLENT TUTORIAL ON BATTERIES! Bruce Haedrich When I saw the title of this lecture, especially with the picture of the scantily clad model, I couldn’t resist attending. The packed auditorium was abuzz with questions about the address; nobody seemed to know what to expect. The only hint was a large aluminum block sitting on a sturdy table on the stage. When the crowd settled down, a scholarly-looking man walked out and put his hand on the shiny block, “Good evening,” he said, “I am here to introduce NMC532-X,” and he patted the block, “we call him NM for short,” and the man smiled proudly. “NM is a typical electric vehicle (EV) car battery in every way except one; we programmed him to send signals of the internal movements of his electrons when charging, discharging, and in several other conditions. We wanted to know what it feels like to be a battery. We don’t know how it happened, but NM began to talk after we downloaded the program. Despite this ability, we put him in a car for a year and then asked him if he’d like to do presentations about batteries. He readily agreed on the condition he could say whatever he wanted. We thought that was fine, and so, without further ado, I’ll turn the floor over to NM,” the man turned and walked off the stage. “Good evening,” NM said. He had a slightly affected accent, and when he spoke, he lit up in different colors. “That cheeky woman on the marquee was my idea,” he said. “Were she not there, along with ‘naked’ in the title, I’d likely be speaking to an empty auditorium! I also had them add ‘shocking’ because it’s a favorite word amongst us batteries.” He flashed a light blue color as he laughed. “Sorry,” NM giggled then continued, “three days ago, at the start of my last lecture, three people walked out. I suppose they were disappointed there would be no dancing girls. But here is what I noticed about them. One was wearing a battery-powered hearing aid, one tapped on his battery-powered cell phone as he left, and a third got into his car, which would not start without a battery. So I’d like you to think about your day for a moment; how many batteries do you rely on?” He paused for a full minute which gave us time to count our batteries. Then he went on, “Now, it is not elementary to ask, ‘what is a battery?’ I think Tesla said it best when they called us Energy Storage Systems. That’s important. We do not make electricity – we store electricity produced elsewhere, primarily by coal, uranium, natural gas-powered plants, or diesel-fueled generators. So to say an EV is a zero-emission vehicle is not at all valid. Also, since forty percent of the electricity generated in the U.S. is from coal-fired plants, it follows that forty percent of the EVs on the road are coal-powered, n’est-ce pas?” He flashed blue again. “Einstein’s formula, E=MC2, tells us it takes the same amount of energy to move a five thousand pound gasoline-driven automobile a mile as it does an electric one. The only question again is what produces the power? To reiterate, it does not come from the battery; the battery is only the storage device, like a gas tank in a car.” He lit up red when he said that, and I sensed he was smiling. Then he continued in blue and orange. “Mr. Elkay introduced me as NMC532. If I were the battery from your computer mouse, Elkay would introduce me as double-A, if from your cell phone as CR2032, and so on. We batteries all have the same name depending on our design. By the way, the ‘X’ in my name stands for ‘experimental.’ There are two orders of batteries, rechargeable, and single-use. The most common single-use batteries are A, AA, AAA, C, D. 9V, and lantern types. Those dry-cell species use zinc, manganese, lithium, silver oxide, or zinc and carbon to store electricity chemically. Please note they all contain toxic, heavy metals. Rechargeable batteries differ only in their internal materials, usually lithium-ion, nickel-metal oxide, and nickel-cadmium. The United States uses three billion of these two battery types a year, and most are not recycled; they end up in landfills. California is the only state which requires all batteries be recycled. If you throw your small, used batteries in the trash, here is what happens to them. All batteries are self-discharging. That means even when not in use, they leak tiny amounts of energy. You have likely ruined a flashlight or two from an old ruptured battery. When a battery runs down and can no longer power a toy or light, you think of it as dead; well, it is not. It continues to leak small amounts of electricity. As the chemicals inside it run out, pressure builds inside the battery’s metal casing, and eventually, it cracks. The metals left inside then ooze out. The ooze in your ruined flashlight is toxic, and so is the ooze that will inevitably leak from every battery in a landfill. All batteries eventually rupture; it just takes rechargeable batteries longer to end up in the landfill. In addition to dry cell batteries, there are also wet cell ones used in automobiles, boats, and motorcycles. The good thing about those is, ninety percent of them are recycled. Unfortunately, we do not yet know how to recycle batteries like me, or care to dispose of single-use ones properly. But that is not half of it. For those of you excited about electric cars and a green revolution, I want you to take a closer look at batteries and also windmills and solar panels. These three technologies share what we call environmentally destructive embedded costs.” NM got redder as he spoke. “Everything manufactured has two costs associated with it, embedded costs and operating costs. I will explain embedded costs using a can of baked beans as my subject. In this scenario, baked beans are on sale, so you jump in your car and head for the grocery store. Sure enough, there they are on the shelf for $1.75 a can. As you head to the checkout, you begin to think about the embedded costs in the can of beans. The first cost is the diesel fuel the farmer used to plow the field, till the ground, harvest the beans, and transport them to the food processor. Not only is his diesel fuel an embedded cost, so are the costs to build the tractors, combines, and trucks. In addition, the farmer might use a nitrogen fertilizer made from natural gas. Next is the energy costs of cooking the beans, heating the building, transporting the workers, and paying for the vast amounts of electricity used to run the plant. The steel can holding the beans is also an embedded cost. Making the steel can requires mining taconite, shipping it by boat, extracting the iron, placing it in a coal-fired blast furnace, and adding carbon. Then it’s back on another truck to take the beans to the grocery store. Finally, add in the cost of the gasoline for your car. But wait - can you guess one of the highest but rarely acknowledged embedded costs? NM said, then gave us about thirty seconds to make our guesses. Then he flashed his lights and said, “It’s the depreciation on the 5000 pound car you used to transport one pound of canned beans!” NM took on a golden glow, and I thought he might have winked. He said, “But that can of beans is nothing compared to me! I am hundreds of times more complicated. My embedded costs not only come in the form of energy use; they come as environmental destruction, pollution, disease, child labor, and the inability to be recycled.” He paused, “I weigh one thousand pounds, and as you see, I am about the size of a travel trunk.” NM’s lights showed he was serious. “I contain twenty-five pounds of lithium, sixty pounds of nickel, 44 pounds of manganese, 30 pounds cobalt, 200 pounds of copper, and 400 pounds of aluminum, steel, and plastic. Inside me are 6,831 individual lithium-ion cells. It should concern you that all those toxic components come from mining. For instance, to manufacture each auto battery like me, you must process 25,000 pounds of brine for the lithium, 30,000 pounds of ore for the cobalt, 5,000 pounds of ore for the nickel, and 25,000 pounds of ore for copper. All told, you dig up 500,000 pounds of the earth’s crust for just - one - battery.” He let that one sink in, then added, “I mentioned disease and child labor a moment ago. Here’s why. Sixty-eight percent of the world’s cobalt, a significant part of a battery, comes from the Congo. Their mines have no pollution controls and they employ children who die from handling this toxic material. Should we factor in these diseased kids as part of the cost of driving an electric car?” NM’s red and orange light made it look like he was on fire. “Finally,” he said, “I’d like to leave you with these thoughts. California is building the largest battery in the world near San Francisco, and they intend to power it from solar panels and windmills. They claim this is the ultimate in being ‘green,’ but it is not! This construction project is creating an environmental disaster. Let me tell you why. The main problem with solar arrays is the chemicals needed to process silicate into the silicon used in the panels. To make pure enough silicon requires processing it with hydrochloric acid, sulfuric acid, nitric acid, hydrogen fluoride, trichloroethane, and acetone. In addition, they also need gallium, arsenide, copper-indium-gallium- diselenide, and cadmium-telluride, which also are highly toxic. Silicon dust is a hazard to the workers, and the panels cannot be recycled. Windmills are the ultimate in embedded costs and environmental destruction. Each weighs 1688 tons (the equivalent of 23 houses) and contains 1300 tons of concrete, 295 tons of steel, 48 tons of iron, 24 tons of fiberglass, and the hard-to-extract rare earths neodymium, praseodymium, and dysprosium. Each blade weighs 81,000 pounds and will last 15 to 20 years, at which time it must be replaced. We cannot recycle used blades. Sadly, both solar arrays and windmills kill birds, bats, sea life, and migratory insects. NM lights dimmed, and he quietly said, “There may be a place for these technologies, but you must look beyond the myth of zero emissions. I predict EVs and windmills will be abandoned once the embedded environmental costs of making and replacing them become apparent. I’m trying to do my part with these lectures. Thank you for your attention, good night, and good luck.” NM’s lights went out, and he was quiet, like a regular battery.

Life Between Sixty and Death!!! A majority of the Members of the Monacoers Group are over Sixty, are retired and hopefully living the life they have dreamed of the following message is for you. I really like what is said here and am going to try my best to follow it. Thank you to the person who wrote this. May God bless us all as we strive to be a blessing to others at this age, especially to our children. Dave FOR THOSE WHO ARE 60 yrs. OLD AND ABOVE PLEASE READ THIS. Between 60 and death. It's time to use the money you saved up. Use it and enjoy it. Don't just keep it for those who may have no notion of the sacrifices you made to get it. Remember there is nothing more dangerous than a son or daughter-in-law with big ideas for your hard-earned capital. Warning: This is also a bad time for investments, even if it seems wonderful or fool-proof. They only bring problems and worries. This is a time for you to enjoy some peace and quiet. Stop worrying about the financial situation of your children and grandchildren, and don't feel bad spending your money on yourself. You've taken care of them for many years, and you've taught them what you could. You gave them an education, food, shelter, and support. The responsibility is now theirs to earn their own money. Keep a healthy life, without great physical effort. Do moderate exercise (like walking every day), eat well, and get your sleep. It's easy to become sick, and it gets harder to remain healthy. That is why you need to keep yourself in good shape and be aware of your medical and physical needs. Keep in touch with your doctor, do tests even when you're feeling well. Stay informed. Always buy the best, most beautiful items for your significant other. The key goal is to enjoy your money with your partner. One day one of you will miss the other, and the money will not provide any comfort then, enjoy it together. Don't stress over the little things. You've already overcome so much in your life. You have good memories and bad ones, but the important thing is the present. Don't let the past drag you down and don't let the future frighten you. Feel good in the now. Small issues will soon be forgotten. Regardless of age, always keep love alive. Love your partner, love life, love your family, love your neighbor and remember: "A man is not old as long as he has intelligence and affection." Be proud, both inside and out. Don't stop going to your hair salon or barber, do your nails, go to the dermatologist and the dentist, keep your perfumes and creams well stocked. When you are well-maintained on the outside, it seeps in, making you feel proud and strong. Don’t lose sight of fashion trends for your age, but keep your own sense of style. You’ve developed your own sense of what looks good on you – keep it and be proud of it. It’s part of who you are. ALWAYS stay up-to-date. Read newspapers, watch the news. Go online and read what people are saying. Make sure you have an active email account and try to use some of those social networks. You'll be surprised at what old friends you'll meet. Respect the younger generation and their opinions. They may not have the same ideas as you, but they are the future and will take the world in their direction. Give advice, not criticism, and try to remind them that yesterday's wisdom still applies today. Never use the phrase: “In my time.” Your time is now. As long as you’re alive, you are part of this time. Some people embrace their golden years, while others become bitter and surly. Life is too short to waste your days on the latter. Spend your time with positive, cheerful people, it'll rub off on you and your days will seem that much better. Spending your time with bitter people will make you feel older and harder to be around. Do not surrender to the temptation of living with your children or grandchildren (if you have a financial choice, that is). Sure, being surrounded by family sounds great, but we all need our privacy. They need theirs and you need yours. Even then, do so only if you feel you really need the help or do not want to live by yourself Don't abandon your hobbies. If you don't have any, make new ones. You can travel, hike, cook, read, dance. You can adopt a cat or a dog, grow a kitchen garden, play cards, checkers, chess, dominoes, golf. Try to go. Get out of the house, meet people you haven't seen in a while, experience something new (or something old). The important thing is to leave the house from time to time. Go to museums, go walk through a park. Get out there. Speak in courteous tones and try not to complain or criticize too much unless you really need to. Try to accept situations as they are. Pains and discomfort go hand in hand with getting older. Try not to dwell on them but accept them as a part of life. If you've been offended by someone – forgive them. If you've offended someone-apologize. Don't drag around resentment with you. It only serves to make you sad and bitter. It doesn't matter who was right. Someone once said: "Holding a grudge is like taking poison and expecting the other person to die." Don't take that poison. Forgive, forget, and move on with your life. Laugh. Laugh away your worries Remember, you are one of the lucky ones. You managed to have a life, a long one. Many never get to this age, never get to experience a full life. My valued friends, enjoy peaceful life at this point in your life ... Don't worry... be happy. May We all Live a Long Happy Life!!!!