RE: Need Help with 1996 Allegro Bus 12V Disconnect Issue
Thanks for everyone's help. On the advice of @fr8trplt I posted this over at the Tiffin RV Forum and got several really good ideas on where to look.
It actually really makes sense now in retrospect. There is a fuse box upstream from the solenoids that are controlled by the Emergency Start Switch on the ignition battery side. This morning I found a blown fuse in that box. So the DC was not getting from the Ignition battery to the system, and when I pressed the E-Start switch, the house batteries were being dropped in parallel, which would power the camera, windows and jacks.
Even though it totally makes sense now, I definitely would not have figured this one out on my own.
Thanks again for everybody's help!
Ken
Need Help with 1996 Allegro Bus 12V Disconnect Issue
I recently had a weird electrical issue that I've tracked as far as I can on my own.
I was driving the MH and everything was working fine. I had some trouble cranking up the generator and through the process of getting it started, I lost the back-up camera, power windows, and the annoying alarm that goes off when the jacks are down. While messing around trying to find the problem, I noticed that the above mentioned systems came back on-line when I held down the Emergency Start Switch button.
It seems like something has gotten out of sequence with the solenoid, like it's operating backwards now.
I can hear the relay/solenoid clicking when I press the Emergency Start Switch, but it's just backwards!
In short, here are the symptoms:
Backup camera, power windows and jack alarm does not work in normal running mode.
If I hold down the Emergency Start Switch, everything operates normally.
Release the switch and everything stops working again.
It's a 1996 Allegro Bus 32' Gasser.
Any help will be huge!!! We're planning to head out in another week or so, but I don't wanna' go without my camera working!
Thanks!
Ken
RE: Stink Bug Eradication
We just got back from Richmond, VA, and they were all over the coach. I found a small colony hanging out inside the lid of the living room vent. We get them in Alabama, but they were much worse in VA.
RE: Can anyone identify this awning?
UPDATE:
We got the replacement material and swapped out the awning fabric. It was a surprisingly easy job... that is until I discovered that the rear tension spring inside the roller was broken.
We ordered a complete replacement assembly, and I finally got around to putting it in today. Of course, the stupid assembly showed up from the manufacturer (old new inventory) with the pin in the wrong side of the end cap.
All that to say that a lot of people were recommending that we just buy a whole new unit. We priced it, and it was going to cost $1500 for new hardware, material & installation.
I ended up replacing the fabric, rear tension spring assembly, and both of the release mechanisms on the support arms. My total expense out of pocket: $420.00.
Just an FYI for anyone considering the same dilemma.
RE: LCD TV mounting
I own a media systems integration company, and we have dealerships with hundreds of manufacturers. That being said, I buy my personal mounts from sellers on Amazon. It's crazy... Everything in our industry is made in China now. Sellers on Amazon have access to the exact same OEM manufacturers at a fraction of the price. Retail establishments like Best Buy and Wal-Mart mark this stuff up insanely.
Look around on Amazon. That's where you'll find the best deals.
RE: rv park near Birmingham, Alabama
We are at Oak Mountain State Park as I post this. The park itself is huge, but we feel like it's over-priced for what it is.
We are in Site #59. Our site was large and mostly flat. The majority of the park is gravel, and the way our site was built, it is impossible to get the sewer hose to lie flat. The sites are edged with large logs, and due to the terrain the connections sit up about 12-16" above ground level.
The playground left a lot to be desired (swings and a slide), but our kids still had a good time. Our site had a great view of the playground, and a good view of a large part of the park area which was great for watching younger kids ride bikes.
There is a swimming beach a decent walk from our site with a nice trail. However, some kind of animal (probably a raccoon or geese) had pooped literally all over the beach! This must happen often because there was a scooping bucket left on the beach!
No cable, no WiFi.
Due to previous pine-beetle outbreaks, you can't bring outside firewood in, but they do sell firewood at the office.
There are tons of biking/hiking trails and a free petting zoo with goats, peacocks, donkeys, etc. You can also rent boats, fish, and ride horses for a fee.
It's a LONG way from the park entrance to the campground, so pick up everything you need before going in. There's no quick trip once you're in!
It's $30/night for water, sewer and 30A hookups. From our previous camping experiences we felt like this park should have been about $20/night.
RE: Roof issue on Allegro: What the heck am I looking at?
It isn't the manufacturer that does the fiberglass replacement. It is a shop down the street that does a lot of repair work for Red Bay. At least that's who Tiffen sent me to. They quoted me about $6500 for my rig. That's a whole lot of $$$ for a 16yo MH.
My thought was that the original roof lasted 16 years, so the new roof should last at least another 10.
RE: Looking for ideas from other parents
We traveled extensively with a 1yo and a 4yo. We let down the dining table into bed position without the cushions for the pack-n-play. The 4yo slept on the sofa bed with pillows and cushions tucked all around.
For nap time, we surrounded the master bed with pillows and blacked out windows. We did have one incident where the 1yo rolled off of the bed onto some cushions between the wall and the bed. His Charlie-Brown-Head got stuck, and my wife was freaking out, but he never even woke up. We still laugh about that.
Two years later, our 3yo loves sleeping on the sofa bed with his 6yo sister. We haven't had any problems with these arrangements.
RE: Types and widths of Eternabond Tape for RV roofs?
Don't use 2". We had some problems with it, and the tech at Eternabond said 'you really shouldn't use 2" because you need more surface to adhere to. We recommend 4'. I'm not sure why the sell the 2" if that's the case, but...
RE: Niagara Falls Campgrounds
We stayed at this one in 2009:
http://www.niagarafallscampground.net/index.html
It was a bit pricey for what it was. They had a bit of a drainage issue across the whole park. Here is a video of our visit to the Falls which includes the slightly flooded campground.
Camping at Niagara Falls
RE: Roof issue on Allegro: What the heck am I looking at?
@00 Buck, Did you try the covers first and have those experiences, or was your decision the result of research?
I've kind of heard both arguments, and we're really leaning toward getting the cover. I know I did a good job on the roof, we left no stone unturned, but I've already seen how easily one lifted edge on Eternabond or a crack in a caulk seam can bring trouble in a hurry. My roof didn't suffer a lot of damage from the leaks in the original EPDM, but I can't help but think that a cover would have stopped a tremendous amount of the water that flowed down under the air horns and around the vent pipes for the years before we owned the unit.
I'd love to hear everybody's personal experience with the covers. We're really close to pulling the trigger on a purchase, but I want to know all the + & - before making that decision.
RE: Roof issue on Allegro: What the heck am I looking at?
Mike,
Here is the kit I got:
Flat Roof Solutions
The kit is based on you only having one trim piece on the front of the coach. I had a strip at the front and back, so I had to make provisions for covering one extra. They include a cover tape that is basically a piece of material (EPDM?) backed by a thick layer of Butyl. I opted to use that one for the front seam and a piece of 4" Eternabond for the rear. In retrospect, I really prefer the Butyl for that purpose. It worked quite well, and I feel really good about the seal.
I chose to cover my side rails (gutter/accessory) with 2" Eternabond as an over-the-top preventative measure to protect my screws and keep extra water off of the rail. I've had a few issues with the Eternabond, and after talking to their support people, they recommended that you always use at least 4". It's weird to me that they recommend you not use a product that they sell...
I used pretty much everything in the kit and had a few tubes of the EPDM caulk left over. I used it for the skylights/vents, which in retrospect was a mistake. It isn't self-leveling, and it looks like crap. I'm sure the seal is good, but it looks like my 6yo did it!
If you decide to take the project on, here is the absolute best piece of advice I can give:
When you are removing the old EPDM layer, don't try to pull of large swaths of the material. Use a razor knife to cut the material into 18" wide strips and then peel them off. It comes off like butter with little effort and minimizes the amount of plywood you remove in the process. I nearly killed myself on the front half of the coach tugging on the stuff. Once I figured out the trick, I skinned the back half in about an hour with almost no effort.
You're going to want to go straight for the jugular and peel the skin up front, but delay that gratification! Deal with the trim around the perimeter first. Clean remove trim strips, scrape off old butyl, etc. Next, remove all of the skylights, vents, AC, etc.
Once you've done all of the prep work, then take off the whole skin. I know my wife joked about being glad that the glue was holding her on to the roof, but I lost so much productivity (not to mention arm and leg hair) trying to pry my shoes and my tools off of the ceiling in the process. Also, every leaf and twig that fell on the camper during the process became a pain in the butt when it came time to apply the Luan.
Wow, that was a lot. I really should put together a page of observations. There is so much I can comment on!
RE: Roof issue on Allegro: What the heck am I looking at?
Thanks everyone. It was a big job.
Mike, I searched all over, and ultimately bought my EPDM from Flat Roof Solutions. Most of what you see around is 30-40 mils. Their rubber was 60 mils at a very competitive price. The stuff is about as thick as a quarter.
My only real complaint was that it was shipped folded in a box. I attribute the few bubbles that I ended up with specifically to the creases from the shipping. For some reason I expected it to be shipped on a tube. Ultimately it wasn't a big deal, but it did stress me out during the installation.
Feel free to message me if you have questions. I'd be happy to help anyone considering this project. I wish I had had someone to call when we were thinking about it.
RE: Replacement seal for toilet not holding water
Ours recently started leaking, and then degraded to the point where the blade would not close all the way. Whew! When I hit 60mph the stink hit.
I discovered that there was a bunch of toilet paper crammed into the 1/2" gap that the blade closes into. Two gloves, a coat hanger and 5 minutes later, and the toilet is holding water again. It's definitely worth checking that out first. It was a very easy fix.
RE: What's the best joint sealant?
Plus one on the no silicone. Just finished a roof re-do and was cursing the previous owners from dusk to dawn. Don't do it!
RE: Metal Awning cover and repeat posts
I'm pretty sure those metal covers are typically built in to the awning material itself. I believe you'll have to replace your awning material if you want the metal cover.
