cruise airs and Webasto

[gmcbuffalo]

I have three cruiseairs conrolled by three SMX controllers. Beaver coach made a black box that allows the SMX for the CruiseAirs to talk to the Webasto. I have one set of Webasto toe kick heater that no longer works from the SMX and they don't function anymore either. I have jumped 12 volts to the toe kick blowers and they work. They are not getting a signal from the SMX or the black box. CruiseAir said the black box is not thiers and can't help.

I know that Marathon uses the SMX controllers with the Webasto. Anyone out there with an older coach and likewise SMX have any ideas as to my problems? I can't find any fuses or loose wires, and I have not done anything in that area to upset the balance.

GregM

[Jon Wehrenberg]

Greg,

Can the current Beaver folks dig in the archives to get an answer?

Thinking out loud here, the SMX would have to be set in the heat/cool mode to do that? If so they likely tapped into the portion of the Cruise Air system that reverses the heat / cool cycle and instead of carrying the Webasto electric load they probably are using a relay that may no longer be functioning.

Where to look is beyond me because I am not even sure what I said was correct.

[truk4u]

Greg,

See of there is anything here that can help you...

http://www.cruisair.com/sheets/L-0634-LP12.pdf

[gmcbuffalo]

Tom
I have tried every combo buttons on the sheet, no luck.

Jon
You are right they are using either the reverse heat pump mode or the Aux heat to signal the use of the Webasto. Outside of the mistery black box I can find no fuses or relays. Got to be some somewhere and these converters really know how to hide things. With all the mergers and plant moves there is no one at Beaver/Monaco that worked on these coaches arounds anymore. I have talked to Lester Burgess who design a lot of these coaches when he worked for Beaver, but he has no knowledge of this box. I talked to Fred Pickering at AAP ( CruiseAir reps for RV) and he said at one time Beaver had someone design these boxes for this purpose. This box converts the 110 VAC signal of CruiseAir to 12VDC for the Webasto, this is why I think an early 90's Marathon or CC owner may have the answer.

Greg

[Jon Wehrenberg]

Greg,

One of my practices is to open everything up. If I am bored, or even if I am involved in a repair or a project I open up panels and poke around with a flashlight. I find things I file in my brain for future reference, like places various controls, relay, etc are located.

If I were to tap off the Cruise Air to switch 12V via a relay I would locate the relay close to the Cruise Air 120V or as an alternative next to the Webasto control. I'm thinking something to parallel the Webasto curcuit.

I don't know how Beaver tracks wires, but virtually every wire and cable in my coach has a number on it. Sometimes that is the only way I can make sense of some things, such as your puzzle.

[garyde]

Greg, usually any electronics guy should be able to figure it out. Anyone used to working on circuit boards , etc.

[Jerry Winchester]

Greg,

On the SMX controller in the Marathons, when you push the heat button once, you get the heat pump heat. Second push is the resistance heat and the third time gets you Webasto heat. Mike and I learned this the hard way when we brought his coach back from San Diego last winter and about froze our cajones off when the heat pump cycled off a night when the outside temp dropped under 40 degrees.

Looks like if you could get to the back of the SMX controller or ask Cruisair how that function works, that would at least let you determine if the signal was going from the controller to the box.

[gmcbuffalo]

There is one more guy that knows these Beavers and his name is Mike Flowerday and if I can find his # I may be in luck. Lester has been a great help in the past but this has even got him baffled. I keep poking around and asking questions.

Thanks Greg

[JIM CHALOUPKA]

Greg, Are you aware of the two pieces of SMX card info listed in this sites' Information Sharing section in the introduction to the forum?

Scroll down to them after calling up this page:http://www.prevostownersgroup.com/servicesuggestions.html ("http://www.prevostownersgroup.com/servicesuggestions.html")

[Ray Davis]

You might contact Nick Hessler (Omnitech on this forum), as I'm pretty sure he would know these systems. Let me know if you need a phone number, as it appears he's not visited the forums recently.

Ray

[gmcbuffalo]

Thanks Jim and Ray a phone number would be appreciated.
Greg

[BrianE]

Greg,

541 321 2545, omnitech_nick1@yahoo.com. Nick is located in Junction City. I spent some time with him at Rickreall and he seems very knowlegeable. He is also a sponsor of POG and his card is located on the home page. :rolleyes:

[Ray Davis]

Brian, thanks for passing that on. I so rarely go to the front page (I have the "new posts" link bookmarked), that I didn't realize it had been posted there.

Nick knows his stuff, and I'm sure will be able to advise you ...

Ray

[jello_jeep]

FWIW, my smx controllers will not operate the webastos or kicks.. They have seperate thermostats, and you have to kick power to them via the main control panel, where they are listed on the switches as "12 volt heat" for the webasto, and "110 heat" for the kicks.

My themostats operated itnermittently at best, and further research showed that Marathon used thermostats designed to run on 110VAC power, operating on 12VDC. The fellow who made the thermostats said he had no idea how they ever worked at all.

Had to replace them all, then things were fine.

As you can see, mine is a 96.

[gmcbuffalo]

Thanks guys. I must of talked to Nick at BUSnUSA but failed to bring up the question. I'll give him a call.
GregM