Attention Alladdin experts help needed !

[neil omalley]

Situation: unplugged electrics from pole with A/c still on. Shut off a/c and started the genset. Alladin showedno a/c power on either leg and no indication of gen power selected. After discussion with Bill Sprague, came to conclusion all was ok with the power but Alladin was showing X's. Reset Alladin via the reset switch and was able to show the engine status. That went away and subsequent reset ttempt showed selection page but was unable to move the cursor to select a page,ie engine statu,coach tanks etc. Further attempts to move the cursor were to no avail. I have three position on the coach from which to turn on the Alladin screen. None of them are able to move the cursor.The screen is locked in the "select video position and cameras work properly with turn signals and flasher position.  Do I need a bigger hammer? Or is there another reset position to try ? Thanks all.

[Jerry Emert]

The Aladdin in my coach has two fuses in  a junction type box mounted in the bay just forward of the water bay on the Port side, next to the transfer switch.  I blew them when I plugged into a bad power pole and did about 5k damage to the coach.  My symptoms were a little different but this may help.  Good luck.
Jerry

[Joel Ashley]

Check the Aladdin Troubleshooting document, Neil, listed on the Coach Assist page of the Members Only section of the Forum.

Joel

[neil omalley]

Thanks,Joel. I wish I were smart enuf to understand eveything I know. This happened today - When I started the coach the Alladin screen came up and I was able to use it for engine info but electric and tank info were showing XX's. Everything else operated normally ( trip meter, clock engine,etc. ) Just the electric and tanks. Any guessers? Thanks.

[Joel Ashley]

Well this darned system just wiped out a lot of writing.  Shoulda followed my own advice on this one and copied and saved once in awhile.  All of a sudden the page just reset and up in smoke.  Aggravating!  Shades of what happens to Dave Atherton.

There are at least 5 Aladdin modules, Neil - Transfer Switch module for AC, DC module for 12v house and solar, tanks module, temp. & compass module, and the Video Coach Systems Monitor master module they all plug into ultimately.  There are also at least 3 Bus Taps (junction boxes) between the first 4 and the master module.  Four modules and 2 bus taps on my rig are in the waste tank bay with the solar controller, curbside just forward of the rear wheels - the bay with bottom edge latching instead of a handle.

I'm not up for writing my full thesis all over again, so will just say I think you might check first the lead from the master module to the bus tap that should be nearby it (according to my diagram).  I say that because you indicate the engine and camera side works okay.  There is an engine data lead plugging into to the master top left side, and the camera power lead left side bottom.  They are probably okay.  The main lead feeding data in from the other 4 modules plugs into the master module between the engine and camera connectors.  I'd check that lead, its connectors at both ends, and all the pins that may exhibit resistance-causing corrosion.

I wish I could tell you where the master module is.  I've never seen it, so I suspect it is either behind the panel the reset switch is on, or perhaps underneath the drivers left side switch console.  Depends on which coach model you have I suppose.  I know it's not in the electrical bay or under the top dash port on mine.  There is an Aladdin module in the electrical bay, but it is for engine data transfer I think;  it's not what we're looking for.  Maybe another member here can clue us in.

It's a place to start I guess if resetting doesn't work.  Hopefully its not something internal with the master controller module, since Aladdin parts are hard to find.  If it is haywire, I'd locate someone who can repair electronic circuits;   I've been learning how to repair circuit boards because its the world we live in now, and pcb's like these are spendy.  More often than not its a 2 cent resistor, or a micro-cracked solder point or something.  Better 2 cents than 200 bucks.

Joel (just my 2 cents)

[neil omalley]

Thanks,Joel. I'll start looking when I have mucho time. Your answer will keep me busy for a while In the meantime, I can live without the less than reliable tank gauges and I have figured a way to tell if power has become available. I'm just glad it wasn't something REAL serious - like the transfer switch or the inverter ,etc. Thanks again for your research.

[Joel Ashley]

I would again encourage you to read the Troubleshooting guide in the Coach Assist Section (for some reason it and many other documents aren't listed alphabetically there, so scroll down).  If your 4 satellite modules are in the tank bay, they are easily accessed.  When the Aladdin is turned on, they each should have a lit LED status lamp.  If it's solid, the module is getting power but not data.  If it's blinking rapidly, the module has both power and data and all is good at that end.

Because you mentioned your joysticks don't work, that is a clue that the problem is somewhere in the bus taps or connectors between the modules and the master control module (or possibly in the master itself), wherever it is -  the joysticks feed into the bus taps that are between the master and the other modules.

-Joel

[neil omalley]

Thanks Joel. We're on our way to Branson and may have some time to look for the modules of which you speak. Are they clearly marked as Alladin? Or are they just generic boxes which would be blinking or solid ? P.S. new development When I start the coach, the screen illuminates with the main menu page . In order to access the data page (s) I have to reset via the switch. Pretty clumsy., but workable.

[Joel Ashley]

I'll post a picture of the diagram, illustrating what you're looking for, in a bit.  But the troubleshooting guide here previously mentioned has pix, albeit not well-resolved ones, of the modules.

If you're gonna be at Branson, I'll wager some guys at the Rally will be more than glad to help you ferret this out.

Joel

[Dave Atherton]

Joel, the way our luck in sending a message than retype is a very big task, using two fingers
I would be hard pressed to do three words per minute typing. I can feel your pain. What about
Jerry and his google methods or is he chasing bad guys in FL. Wonder how many words he can do.
Dave

[Jerry Emert]

I've Googled the issue and come up with the following solutions.  The great thing is that no Elk will lose their lives using my method!  Two possibilities depending on your technical capabilities with computer programs.  1.  type your question or response in a word processing program such as Microsoft word.  When finished copy and paste into this "text box".
2. Use a speech to text program such as "Dragon Naturally Speaking."  You can just talk your question/response into a microphone.  It will type it for you.  Then copy and paste into this text box.  There is also a speech to text on most of the newer computers but not sure how good it is.  Dragon will actually work on a smart Phone also. 
See what Google can do for you?  Crap...gotta go get that guy!  See ya!
Jerry

[Joel Ashley]

Neil's looking for modules and bus taps.  In the unlikely event that he might want to Google taps, don't confuse him, Guys - we don't want him to bugle taps - that's an entirely different endeavor, a response reflecting his being far more despondent over his malfunctioning Aladdin system than he so far seems to be .

-Joel