Control Resources Monitor Panel MDS100

[Gayden.Peel]

When we purchased our coach the monitor panel wasn’t working. It looked like somebody had added a switch at some point or maybe that was from the factory. It’s hard to tell with the way it’s wired today. Naturally Control Resources is defunct now and I didn’t want to ship it off to an electronics repair service until I had a go at it. I searched around the site a bit and found some references to the technical information about the monitor panel wiring plug. This has the breakouts to the sensors and power reference in and out. When I opened the monitor panel up I did find some residue that had leaked out of a few components so it looks like at one point there might have been a power surge to it and maybe have blown up one of the capacitors. I ordered some new capacitors and a new transistor which was a TIP 30 C and proceeded to remove and replace the new components. After swapping those out the monitor turned on and read some values. I performed  the calibration reset and it seems to run thru its paces. Some of the values are off so there might still be some components that are messed up. I will go through and test the rest of the capacitors. There are some other suspect Components. Here are some pics for reference.

[Gayden.Peel]

This MDS100 panel has a lot of character with its vintage glass surface and capacitive touch buttons, so if I can make it work then I'd love to keep it since it matches the Magnum IntelliDrive System. If I continue to get weird readings from it after going back thru the components then I might search for a replacement. Most of the ones on the market are very lack luster and are simple membrane pad with led indicators. An LCD touch panel would be neat to find.

[Eric Maclean Co-Admin]

Gayden
It obvious you have some electronics experience
I believe that panel arrangement is 12volt dc feed as such it may have at sometime been reverse polarized by someone working on the battery banks.
The fact you got it up and running is a good step.
As with all vintage electronics of this age those electrolytic capacitors will be or have aged out developing a lower ESR which can mess with calibration of the circuit and effected readings.( The leakage on that electrolyte capacitor in the picture is evidence of this).
I would also go through and check all the transistors as they too can develop age / heat related problems.
I would also check the diodes in the system as a reverse polarity could have wipe one out somewhere .
Also be careful to control static as many of those ic chips will be static sensitive.

If you end up looking for another unit you could try here

https://usedrvparts.visonerv.com/

Looks good great work
Good luck
Eric