First Trip with our First RV-Issues

[Larry Dedrick]

We took our first short trip close to home as advised by all of our Rving friends.  We had several issues arise some of which I already posted questions on.  Ours is a 2001 Beaver Marquis Amethyst.  We have done the following to it so far:
Put all new tires on coach Michelin XZA2
New shocks installed front and rear
All axels aligned
New coach batteries ordered to be installed next week
Changed windshield wipers
Ordered key fob for remote entry...thought this was standard on this model but dealer did not have this.
Having the engine checked out at CAT next week with all fluids and hoses changed out.

Issues from our first trip.
Aqua hot not heating one zone but started working after we set up at camp ground.  Dealer has ordered a new pump?
Lights flickering on and off when disconnected from external power source and generator is not running.
Silverleaf monitor froze on drive home (seemed to happen after we turned off the generator). It started working again just before we arrived home.
Water supply in coach had large variances in flow rate...this may be normal?  Water temp would change drastically as well.
Dash heat shut down on the way to campground.  Started working again next time engine was turned on.
Had water leak in at the front of the main slide at the top of the wall.  Was a rainy two days for our first trip.
Vent fans worked intermittently.  Could not get one to stop trying to close without turning off breaker power to them all.
Bay doors would not open and close properly.  Dealer changed some of the hinges with some of the new ones that were left on the coach but need to change them all out.
Appears to be an issue with the shower dome leaking between the two layers.

We will be setting out for a three month trip soon so want to get things settled as best we can before we head out so any suggestions you all may have would be much appreciated as this is our first coach.  Could also use advice on towing...we will want to bring either our Flex or F350 and Harley Ultra Classic with us.  Hitch is rated at 5,000 lbs.
Thanks,
Laura

[William Brosam]

I Tow my 3500 SRW dodge diesel behind me but i had a custom 4" tube hitch made for the coach as the stock/oem one was junk.
I use a BLue OX Tow Bar rated at 10k as its the same price as the lower model one.
Blue OX seems to have the best base plate designs for the vehicle.


get that slide leak fixed or it will haunt you later. i didn't know i had a slide leak until it damaged some of the wood. if you cant fix the slide seal leak (likely about a 1000$) pull the slide in when it rains.

for the lights i switched the flourescent ones out with LED bulbs less power drain and better light. simple wire in job

[Joel Ashley]

Several of your symptoms appear to point to a poor connection in the 12v system, which commonly comes down to the ground side.  You also mentioned new batteries are coming, and your existing ones just may not have the ability to supply full current to operate anything properly anymore.  And I'd have that alternator checked out;  people regularly over stress and damage alternators after dry camping by not first recharging battery banks with their gensets before starting their engines.

Both the Flex and the truck may be pushing your hitch capacity, so be very careful there.  The manufacturer rated your coach's GCWR not only by the physical nature of the hitch, but also by the cohesive nature of the engine, axles, tranny, brakes, and frame of your coach.  Many safety-conscious companies configure their frames such that owners can't easily retrofit heavier hitches on them, and for good reason.   For example our old Pace Arrow had a 3000 lb hitch and easily handled our 2800 lb small pickup.  I couldn't tow our F-150 nor our 3400 lb Explorer after we got them, and discovered a 5000 lb hitch would not fit the coach frame members due to how Fleetwood built them.

Changing out the skylight is not difficult nor prohibitively expensive, but it did take BCS awhile to order in the correct one when they switched out ours in 2012.  The total cost wasn't as bad as I thought, so I just let them do it.  Water vapor leaks in via micro-cracks or bad seals.  In the summer the vapor causes fogging, and in winter it condenses out and pools at the bottom edges.

Joel

[Steve Jewell]

Laura,  If you need 4 button entry remotes I have a bunch of them.

Steve J

[Steve Huber Co-Admin]

Laura,
Comments on your list of issues:

1. Bad pump is high probability. There is a pump for each zone. Other possibility is a malfunctioning thermostat.
2. Sounds like bad connection in 12V circuit. Make sure you've got good connections at house batteries. See if any other 12V appliances have problems; e.g. smoke detectors.  If not, problem in is lighting circuit only. Check connections in 12v fuse bay.
3. Siverleaf can be sensitive to voltage spikes. Mine would freeze up when I turned the windshield fan off. Fixed by putting a diode from low speed connection to ground at the fan. This could be connected to the lighting problem you noted as both are 12V related.
4a. Water flow variation sounds like either a bad pump or clogged filter. Both are located in panel between 2nd & 3rd bay on passenger side.
4b. Variations in water temp most likely caused by a faulty mixing valve in the Aqua Hot. The AQ produces very HOT water and the mixing valve mixes in enough cold water to give you the"correct" (e.g. 120 degree) water temp. When it start to fail it can add too much or not enough cold water intermittently. If your flow rate variation is only the hot water, the mixing valve may be the culprit for both problems.
5. Suspect that the heater "dashpot" is malfunctioning. There are 2 that you can check, one is by the driver's feet and opens a door that takes in return air from the coach interior. The door should open when the AC or heater is turned on. The other is behind the "firewall" in front of the driver. Need to be a thin contortionist to get to it but you may be able to see it with a mirror. It should open and close as teh heater is turned on and off. For both, be sure the vacuum lines are attached as intermittanc vacuum can cause the problem you describe.`
6. Slide water leak is probably faulty seal. Be sure they are not cracked or torn and that you don't/ didn't have debris on slide top that could cause water to fail to drain.
7. Sounds like bad control panels on the fans. You can order new one on line. Other possible temp fixes are to pull fuse on fan or disconnect wire that goes to remote switch and then operate fan in manual mode (pull control wheel down).
8. Bay doors, sounds like you've got it under control.
9. Break in shower dome seal between layers not surprising with age of coach. Get it fixed soon as the condensation between the layers can leak into the coach. Replacing the dome isn't too hard.

Good luck, Steve

[Joel Ashley]

You would really be pushing your limits towing either the Flex or the truck.  A Flex can weigh between 4400 and 4800 lbs with nothing carried as cargo, and most of us haul at least something in our toads.  The F350 is around 4700 lbs as a basic model;  anything beyond that such as diesel 4X4 or super/crew cab is gonna exceed your hitch rating, some models by a considerable amount.  Adding your bike is just not gonna happen  .

For the time being use the Flex, after verifying it and cargo can be held below 5000 lbs., and be on the lookout for a Beaver with a 10 grand hitch rating as a future option.  You could bring your Hog in a trailer on occasion as an alternative to any toad.  All that said, I'd consult with Ken at BCS to see if your Marquis can be retrofitted with a bigger hitch, and if it perhaps already has the other drivetrain and braking parameters to handle it.

Joel

[Gerald Farris]

Laura,
The water pressure fluctuations and the water temperature changes that you referred to are probably caused by a base model water pump that is cycling on and off. This can be corrected by installing an accumulator tank or just replacing the pump with a high line pump that is either variable speed like the Aquajet or has a bypass like the Shurflow Revolution.

Gerald  

[Bill Sprague]

"Aqua hot not heating one zone but started working after we set up at camp ground.  Dealer has ordered a new pump?"

Aqua Hots are very complex.  I do not know who your dealer is, but most dealers do not have anybody that really understands them.  If you are paying for the Hydro Hot work, seek a tech certified by Aqua Hot themselves.  I've learned this the hard way.  

A common heating zone issue is a stuck check valve from lack of regular and frequent use.  It can be unstuck with a light smack.  Installing a new pump and smacking the old check valve would appear to be a fix, but the pump replacement may have nothing to do with it.  

[Bill Sprague]

Laura,
The water pressure fluctuations and the water temperature changes that you referred to are probably caused by a base model water pump that is cycling on and off. This can be corrected by installing an accumulator tank or just replacing the pump with a high line pump that is either variable speed like the Aquajet or has a bypass like the Shurflow Revolution.

Gerald  

Gerald,

With all the other electrical things acting strange, could it not be a bad ground effecting the pump as well.  

We have the old style pump and do not have an accumulator.  The water pressure does not fluctuate much at all unless a faucet is set at a very low flow.  

[Edward Buker]

Laura,

I'm with Bill on the Aqua Hot pump. They charge dearly for the pumps. I would not have anyone change anything related to pumps on this system unless one has truly failed. If you run it repeatedly now and the pump continues to work then it should be fine. Right near the valves that sit on the top left of the Aqua Hot that are visible with the cover on are check valves. They are small brass fittings maybe two inches long with a brass cap fitting on them. Once in awhile from sitting one may get hung up in a closed position. I have a small hammer with a hard plastic covering over the metal and have on occasion had to give one a rap but not often. I consider this normal persuasion.....

Later Ed

[Gerald Farris]

Bill,
Anything is possible, but the ground system for the water pump is not associated with any of the other systems that are problematic. However, water pressure fluctuation is a common complaint among people who are new to RVing if they have a base model pump. With the high line pumps, the pressure is much more like the residential water pressure that they expect.

Gerald  

[Larry Dedrick]

Thanks to All for the advice.
I just want to set the record straight: My wife takes care of the Correspondence and I the Mechanics. Oh! let me not forget, and the Driving Too! for the time being.  
  I certainly wanted a project to work on when I retire ( march 31, 2014) and I do believe I have found one. Thats not to say our coach is full of problems, I feel these are issues that may creep up on any motorhome and I will enjoy preserving the integrity of ours. Until my retirement arrives, I will be doing these projects based on priority. Leaks first, electrical second, and I do think the aqua hot will continue to work just fine.
  There will be a 10,000 lb hitch installed one of these days, and I will, as Joel suggested, check with Ken at BCS. As far as the batteries are concerned , I had noticed a lot of boiling going on inside the batteries with electrolyte spattering in the immediate area. This is why I want them all replaced and also seeings they are 2010s. A bad cell can cause the charger to continue to charge all batteries, this was what I read in my research. Regardless, I will feel better with all new ones and then see how our lights then react, if at all. I'm not sure what an acceptable charge would be as far as amperage from the charger, I was getting a reading of 15.2, does this seem high to anyone.

                                     Larry

[Steve Huber Co-Admin]

Larry,
The issues you listed are not out of the ordinary. These coaches are complex with lots of systems so lots of opportunities for problems. Drive your house down the road and see what kind of problems arise.
15.2 amps doesn't seem high if the batteries are charging. 15.2 volts is a bit high but you will see it if the charge source is the solar panel as not much amperage is supplied.
Steve