Aladdin Problems

[Richard Rollnick]

We have a 2003 Monterey coach.  The Aladdin tank capacities screen (fresh, black and grey water) is completely inaccurate showing percentage empty/full that have no relevance.  I have read the manual and it talks about re-calibrating each tank but it is complicated and the instructions are not clear to me.  Can anyone help me?  What is really important to me is to know the level of fresh water.  If I attempt to fill the fresh water tank without knowing when it is close to being full, will the overflow begin to dump water (before damage to the tank occurs) to let me know I am full?  Thank You  

[Joel Ashley]

You might try resetting the Aladdin if you haven't already.  The reset switch varies in location between coaches, but ours is in the cabinet over the entry door.  Some rigs have it semi-hidden in a cabinet over the driver's seat.  

The overflow will alert you to the tank's being full, but you may be able to see the tank itself if your coach is like ours;  it's alongside the HydroHot in its bay and is translucent enough to see the water level.

Joel

[Paul Champagne]

Hi Joel

On the Alladin I tried to reset button but it still is not reading the mileage or fuel used on a trip all the other gauges seem to be working fine so not sure where to start to look??

[Joel Ashley]

Paul, I've not had problems with our Aladdin, so can't effectively help beyond the Guide I sent you.  Seems like I've read about this issue here in years past, so hopefully members with experience will chime in.

Richard, your problem is not uncommon, so I'm sure with patience someone here will try to assist you.  I would if I could, but I'd have to go by the instruction manual - someone with personal experience may be able to simplify things.

Joel

[Richard Rollnick]

Joel, thanks for your help.  I know where the reset switch is but I havent tried it yet.  Question, what does it do?  Will it affect the engine data read out info as I find that stuff very valuable?  Or, will it just reset the tank capacity displays?  One last question, does it eliminate the need to recalibrate the three water tanks?  Again I appreciate any help you can give me, thanks.

[Roy C Tyler]

We just purchased a 2003 Monterey this week and are on our first trip out.  The grey and black tanks were not reading as they should so I recalibrated them.  Go into the settings menu and go to system options.  Go to set calibration.  You must calibrate with a full tank and an empty tank.  I filled both tanks first and took a reading and then emptied them both and took another reading.  They are working correctly now. It does not matter if you take a full or empty reading first but you have to take both readings. My fresh water tank seemed to be working OK so I did not recalibrate it but it is done the same way.

[Joel Ashley]

Richard, at risk of seeming flippant... what he said.   . Roy put recalibrating simply enough, and I've not had experience recalibrating mine.  The only thing I've calibrated on the Aladdin is my compass a couple of times.

Paul, I'm not sure if there is a separate module involved for the mileage/fuel input that might be faulty, but I don't think there is.  A wire may be poorly connected somewhere also.

If you are getting engine temp and other data, then it is likely there is no problem with the data feed, which comes into the main Aladdin VCSM (Video Coach Systems Monitor) controller module as a 6 pin connector in its upper left corner.  You might, just in case, check the connector for clean conductibility.

I'm thinking it is more of an issue with the software that should be programmed to use that data to supply the trip mileage and predictable fuel use for each trip.  It's either that or we are misinterpreting how to get the trip info to function, though it seems simple enough.  As I've previously noted, I opt not to use it (so far) since I keep track of that stuff easily with pencil and paper anyway, and I was always forgetting to zero set the thing upon fill ups.  Mine does work, since its been ticking off mileage on a "trip" since the last time I used it some years back.

I keep hoping someone that's used it enough will chime in and help you more than I've been able to.  I think the reset switch in the overhead just gets a frozen screen up and rolling again, reverting to the Main Menu screen, so it shouldn't reset any other data values.  Keep in mind also that there are two trip statistic screens, Trip Leg and Trip Tank (aka Trip Fuel);  I think the Trip Tank Statistics screen is more useful.  The ignition must be ON when setting a beginning fuel quantity (hit Reset to signify a full tank) and it can take a few minutes for engine data and such to be factored in and provide an actual readout.  Also, the Aladdin fuel remaining amount reflects what would be left if you only used the engine, since the generator and hydronic unit don't send fuel use data to the Aladdin - so don't rely on the Aladdin-reported fuel in tank number when deciding when to stop for diesel.

Joel

[Rick Vyncke]

Had the same issue when we got our 2004 Beaver Marquis.  Didn't want to try and tackle the calibration myself for fear of making it worse.  Took to local dealer who re-calibrated the system and everything is working great now.  Quite frankly I was convinced that the issue was much worse than calibration.  In any event, you might see if your local repair shop has experience in calibrating them.  I don't recall the final cost but it seemed reasonable to me.

[Joel Ashley]

I think Roy provides the simplest procedure, and I wouldn't be intimidated, thinking calibration is too complex, although the manual may make it seem that way.  One difficulty might be with the black colored grey and black water tanks, where unlike the water tank they aren't translucent so you can't tell when they are precisely full.

Others please feel free to correct my perception that the sensors are likely weight sensitive, and they need to know when a tank is full initially to lock that weight in, and the same for an empty tank (I say that because on rare occasion, when I fail to monitor closely during clothes washing, our grey tank overfills;  at those times the Aladdin can read values like 120% or so, about the time the grey comes up the shower drain   ).  At any rate, once those values are set, you have completed calibration.  According to my manual you just key in the RAW values at the bottom of the Full and Empty calibration screens.

Roy, did you have to enter a code to get to the calibration screens?  

Joel

[Gerald Farris]

Joel,
The Aladdin sensors actually read the pressure that is exerted on the sensor by the liquid in the tank. The deeper the liquid, the higher the pressure.

Gerald

[Orman Claxton]

The Code should be  1218

[Joel Ashley]

Gerald-

That is what I meant by weight;  the heavier the liquid above the sensor, the more pressure it senses.

Joel

[Roy C Tyler]

I did not have to enter a code to get to the calibration screens.  I filled the black tank by looking down into the toilet.  Not a great experience but someone had to do it.  I filled the grey tank until it started backing up into the shower.  These may not be precise but it is close enough.  I usually try to dump before they hit 100% anyway.