jenronn Posted October 9, 2021 Share Posted October 9, 2021 I am at a beautiful spot in Carrabelle FL but scheduled to leave tomorrow. Last night we were eating and heard the door lock. Sure enough it locked itself and all of the bays. Each time i shut the door it locked itself even when I shut it gently. This morning it is not locking itself when I shut the door but only the key will unlock or lock front door and the bay doors will not unlock with the key. I have the ESSEX key pad and I replaced keypad about six months ago. This morning I went ahead unplugged it and reprogrammed the key pad and it makes all the right beeps according to manual but does not lock or unlock anything. Went to key fobs and when I press the buttons on the key fob I can hear and feel the click when I put my hand on the brain behind instrument panel but that signal is not activating the locks. Any ideas? Has anyone had something similar happen? Don't understand why the key wont open any of the bay doors. Cant even leave the site until I at least resolve bay doors unlocking because the electric cord and hose have to be put away Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jacwjames Posted October 9, 2021 Share Posted October 9, 2021 If you haven't used the key to lock or unlock the bay doors for a period of time the locking/unlocking mechanism may just be dirty. I can used the key in my bay doors but it takes some force to open them, not too long ago I actually broke a key off but I had spares and was able to get the piece out. Once I got the bay door open I removed the inside cover and lubricated the mechanism. There is still some resistance but usable. One of my bay doors seems to be more troublesome then others. My doors swing down and the latch is at the bottom. I drilled a hole through so I can put a screw driver up from below to unlatch as a safety as a last resort in I can't get it open Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
96 EVO Posted October 9, 2021 Share Posted October 9, 2021 (edited) 2 hours ago, jenronn said: Any ideas? Has anyone had something similar happen? Don't understand why the key wont open any of the bay doors. Cant even leave the site until I at least resolve bay doors unlocking because the electric cord and hose have to be put away I recently had my Trimark system fail, and lucky for me, all the bay door electric actuators failed unlocked! When the actuator motors get power for too long, they fail in which ever position they were in, and they are stuck solid! If Essex uses the same bay door actuators Trimark 'used', your never going to get them to move with a key. When I replaced the module and new keypad, I removed all the bay door actuators so I wouldn't find myself in the situation your in. Edited October 9, 2021 by 96 EVO Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jenronn Posted October 9, 2021 Author Share Posted October 9, 2021 42 minutes ago, 96 EVO said: I recently had my Trimark system fail, and lucky for me, all the bay door electric actuators failed unlocked! When the actuator motors get power for too long, they fail in which ever position they were in, and they are stuck solid! If Essex uses the same bay door actuators Trimark 'used', your never going to get them to move with a key. When I replaced the module and new keypad, I removed all the bay door actuators so I wouldn't find myself in the situation your in. Hi Ben: So do you think the best bet is to get the ones that are stuck shut and that I cant access from another bay will have to have the lock tumblers removed by a lock smith? I will then be able to open them and drive it but just not be able to lock them. I guess there are a few once I get one bay open I can crawl to from another bay and open them from the inside. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ivylog Posted October 9, 2021 Share Posted October 9, 2021 May not help but the door has 2 spring loaded pins, in the front door jam, that provides the power to the door lock. Make sure they move freely and come out when the door is open. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
96 EVO Posted October 9, 2021 Share Posted October 9, 2021 (edited) 2 hours ago, jenronn said: Hi Ben: So do you think the best bet is to get the ones that are stuck shut and that I cant access from another bay will have to have the lock tumblers removed by a lock smith? I will then be able to open them and drive it but just not be able to lock them. I guess there are a few once I get one bay open I can crawl to from another bay and open them from the inside. Yeah, the covers on the inside of the doors have to come off, a couple of screws holding the electric actuator , and the latch rod. Do'able while laying inside a bay, but very uncomfortable! What made me decide to remove the electric actuators was looking at my front bay. PS has the Aqua Hot mounted about 7" from the door, and DS has the fresh water tank about the same distance. Those actuators fail closed, your not getting in there! Edited October 9, 2021 by 96 EVO Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
96 EVO Posted October 9, 2021 Share Posted October 9, 2021 Trimark now sell actuators that are supposed to be thermally protected, so they kick out before the motor has a meltdown. Unfortunately, they are not a direct screw in replacement, and I would have to fabricate adapter plates for each door to make them fit and operate properly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jenronn Posted October 9, 2021 Author Share Posted October 9, 2021 Update on the problem. It appears as Ben said the actuators were in the locked position. I was able to go through the hole in the bottom of the electric bay where the AC cord for shore power comes out. Reaching up through there I was able to take of the backing plate to the lock and found the actuator frozen in the full lock position . I was able to bend the actuator rod enough to open the door and then removed the actuator and now the lock works fine with the key. I was able to access two other compartments that were also locked by Crawling through a couple of other compartments. Same story . Actuator frozen in the locked position - no 12 volt current present at the moment. I removed those actuators and disconnected the power on the three doors that were unlocked so now I am able to travel. Problem is the front electrical bay is locked and I have no access to get to the backside of the lock without cutting a hole in the floor!! Without access to the relays I can't fix anything. I have disconnected the key pad and probably will the remote module as well before leaving. Has anyone else had this problem? Is there another way to open the bay door lock with the actuator frozen in the locked position? put current to the frozen actuators but no response. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
96 EVO Posted October 9, 2021 Share Posted October 9, 2021 Wow! Well done! That was fast. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jenronn Posted October 12, 2021 Author Share Posted October 12, 2021 Have managed to get to every other bay door by crawling through except Still haven't figured how to open front electrical bay door without making a hole for access. Any Ideas? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LakeBob Posted January 24, 2023 Share Posted January 24, 2023 (edited) Anyone figure out how to open a stuck door latch? Drill a hole to access rod? We do not have access to the other side of any of the bays. Locked on both sides, key will not work, assume actuators are melted due to bad electrical pole at park. Bob EDIT….Moderator’s note added to prevent double responses…. This was.posted among other issues on the following new topic. Please respond here or there…not BOTH…..thanks for all your help Edited January 24, 2023 by Tom Cherry Same topic…different posting….see note Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ivylog Posted January 24, 2023 Share Posted January 24, 2023 (edited) Bob, what rig is having this problem…apparently it’s not your 09????? I’ll assume you tried unlocking from the keypad beside the bed??? When the wife pushes the unlocked button, the top multiplex relay in the closet… just below the 12 V fuse board lights up. I would make sure it lights up like pictured and that all the fuses are good on it. Edited January 24, 2023 by Ivylog Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom Cherry Posted January 24, 2023 Share Posted January 24, 2023 1 hour ago, LakeBob said: Anyone figure out how to open a stuck door latch? Drill a hole to access rod? We do not have access to the other side of any of the bays. Locked on both sides, key will not work, assume actuators are melted due to bad electrical pole at park. Thanks! Bob Bob, From an administrative standpoint, jumping around causes confusion and such. I put a link in your post in this old topic to your most recent post. That will keep folks from double posting. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LakeBob Posted January 24, 2023 Share Posted January 24, 2023 Thanks Tom for the keeping us inline! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LakeBob Posted January 24, 2023 Share Posted January 24, 2023 The rig is a 2006 Monaco Executive Denali The folks never used the electirc locks on the door or bays. There are no buttons to lock or unlock the bay doors on any of multiplex switch panels. I tried to reset and code the door handle system without success. We did find the programming/reset button under the cupholder. However we could not get the keypad to acknowledge any inputs. The rear bay with the inverter and Surgeguard Switch is open. Unfortunately, it does not provide any access to the adjacent bay. She had an old broken bay door handle that provides a good look at the inside operation of the lock mechanism. Looks like we could drill a 1/4 inch hole and use a screw driver to rotate the locking lever. Any ideas are welcome!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terry R Posted January 25, 2023 Share Posted January 25, 2023 I had a similar melted actuator experience with my 2007 Dynasty. I think I laid my hand against the door lock multiplexer button beside the bed while sleeping. In my case I was lucky in that the water bay door actuator did not melt for some reason. I was able to drill a small hole through the door frames, in line with the lock plunger on the adjacent door, and open the door by pushing in the plunger with a screw driver. I was able to get the door open and removed the actuators. I later found some better actuators that don't melt and replaced all. Sorry but I can't find the receipt for the replacements that I ordered but I think they came from CARID. I am going to attempt to add a couple pictures below. Good luck. Terry R 2007 Dynasty Greensboro, NC and Odessa, FL Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LakeBob Posted January 25, 2023 Share Posted January 25, 2023 Thanks Terry and Tom and all the others for the support, the bay doors on this coach open upwards so the latch handle is in the center. Looking at the one door without an actuator, I think we can drill a small hole and release the locking lever with a screw driver. Waiting for the coach owner to work a solution with the park before I dig in. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Twomed Posted January 25, 2023 Share Posted January 25, 2023 Can we assume you checked fuses? FRB and they are marked PS act //DS act for driver side, passenger side actuators...until you blow one you would probably not know what those markings are. Pretty sure the fob box gets power off ignition and the fuses are only from the actuators. Been a while since I dealt with that issue. After you get things working suggest you fashion a wire from the actual lock behind the black cover down to the bottom of the door so you can open when the handle breaks on those pantographic door. I used coated fishing leader wire with double ferrules. A loop at the bottom taped to the door below the weather seal will give you access for the next great event. Especially for the utility bay so your departure is not delayed, or any other door that you can't crawl through. I did all of mine as unloading for the crawl is a major event, very entertaining for other campers. Test them ahead of time to make sure ferrules don't slip it takes a really good pull to release, eespecially if an actuator is binding. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LakeBob Posted January 26, 2023 Share Posted January 26, 2023 Yes, checked all the fuses in the FRB, found the D/S Act blown and the P/S Act blown. Replaced both, no effect. The fuses did not blow again once we powered the coach back up. The real challenge in my eyes is they never used the electric locks, and as far as I know the only acutation of the locks is through the outside touch pad, which I cannot get to program. It lights up and beeps, however, cannot get the keypad into learning mode, and the keys don't respond. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
96 EVO Posted January 26, 2023 Share Posted January 26, 2023 (edited) The key FOB should also lock / unlock the bay doors. Unless the electric actuators have melted down, which mine did. Edited January 26, 2023 by 96 EVO Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LakeBob Posted January 26, 2023 Share Posted January 26, 2023 Thanks you for the reminder, we did try the fob, however I did not check the battery. I believe they said they always used the key to unlock all the doors.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Georgia Mike Posted January 26, 2023 Share Posted January 26, 2023 Man, I didn’t know this could be a real problem. Terry R if you have any info on the actuators you bought that would be great or if anyone else has any information on ones that will work without locking you out. I would like to start replacing them starting at the most critical doors. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
96 EVO Posted January 27, 2023 Share Posted January 27, 2023 1 hour ago, Georgia Mike said: Man, I didn’t know this could be a real problem. Terry R if you have any info on the actuators you bought that would be great or if anyone else has any information on ones that will work without locking you out. I would like to start replacing them starting at the most critical doors. Trimark or Essex system? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terry R Posted January 27, 2023 Share Posted January 27, 2023 Mike et. al. I remembered that I had a spare actuator. See pictures below. I purchased the TriMark brand units as they were advertised to have motors equipped with thermal protection; to prevent melt down like the cheap ones that Monaco put in my Dynasty. The part number is 33990-02. It has been a few years but I remember that I had to move the electrical connector from the old to the new and as I recall I had to drill or re-drill a hole to install. Whatever it was, it was not a big deal. It looks like CamperiD (CARiD) no longer sells them but several dealers show up with google. These units worked well in my particular 2007 Dynasty door latches (see picture in my previous post). No idea if they will work in any others. Good luck, Terry R Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Georgia Mike Posted January 28, 2023 Share Posted January 28, 2023 I have the Essex system Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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