Dash Crash

[Jamie Bradford]

I was driving home this evening and my dash crashed......:eek: It went completely BLACK. I pulled over and turned everything off and then restarted the bus ... but the dash was still out. All of the swithes & lights around it are working fine. The picture shows what it should look like when it is working.

Any suggestions on where to start Sunday morning with this???:(

Thanks

Jamie

[merle&louise]

Jamie,

Does CC have a 24 hour hot line to call? If not, try them first thing Monday morning. Hope it is something simple.

Can you still drive it?

[dalej]

I think Tom's Truk-N-Bus has has 24/7 support, I would call him. :)



ps, if Nancy answers, hang up!

[dale farley]

Jamie,

I would assume you have a similar setup to mine. There should be a reset button on your dash. Mine is located to the right of the dash display. It is one of the square switches and says "Dash Reset".

If the reset doesn't work, I would look for a loose wire behind the dash. I had a loose wire on my dash dimmer switch one time, and that would cause me to loose the lights on the dash. My dimmer switch is also located to the right of the digital dash display.

[truk4u]

Jamie,

Ditto what Dale said, push the reset switch. The dash is held on with velcro. Just gently pull it out and check all plugs and connections.

[JIM KELLER]

Jamie, There is also a relay in the compartment under the drivers station. Top row on the right. A bad connection at the plug in location could cause this problem.

[Denny]

Jamie,
When I experienced the black hole, it was not an easy fix as the above posts indicate. I hope it is only a reset or loose connection. With mine, after much electrical testing, I found that my regulator was putting out over 18 volts. This fried the power distribution board which is located behind the dash. I contacted CC's original supplier, located in Greer, SC, and they send me a new one and CC sent me a new regulator.

If you have any questions call me on my cell, 330-550-6020. CC tech support was very helpful by faxing electrical diagrams and telling me what to check. There are three main areas to check: the dash circuit boards, the computer output located behind the drivers seat and the power coming into the inverters.

Again, call if you have any questions.

[truk4u]

Jamie,

If the reset switch didn't work, check for a blown fuse. There is a small panel opened with a key in the console to the right of the driver seat. There is a board in there with a couple fuses and it's one of the components of the dash.

Can you hear the computer start up and run?

[Jamie Bradford]

Thanks Tom - There is indeed a blown 5 amp fuse on the panel next to the computer. I wonder if the " loose wire " came loose when I pulled the dash back? Any way - I will get some fuses & call Country Coach - the scematics I have are confusing - to me at least. I have taken pictures of the issue so hopefully they will be able to figure out where the wire belongs.....

I will keep y'all posted

Thanks Alot for your input.......

[JIM KELLER]

Jamie, You will probably find out all of these problems with your dash, GFI, low voltage and Inverters are related to one failure.

[Jamie Bradford]

Hi Tech Support



I sent this Sunday but I have some updates:



I pulled the dash to see if there was a loose wire- which there is – I would like to know where this wire goes. (picture1 & 2) ( it may have come loose when I pulled the dash out?)



Apparently this is not the problem because the previous owner suggested to me today to check the fuses in the locked door where the computer is- I did this and found the middle fuse to be blown. I replaced it and the dash came to life when I turned the ing key – BUT – the dash went out again in about 30-40 seconds. The same fuse was blown. ( picture 3 )



Please call me at 423-321-2380.



I would like to thank you in advance for your help.



James Bradford

[JIM KELLER]

Jamie, If you don't get a response from Country Coach contact Miles Circo on this site. He has contacts at Country Coach and is very knowledgeable. He recently had a post with his phone # for anyone needing his help.

[mcirco]

Jamie, if the tech support guys don't come thru let me know. I have a couple of good contacts in engineering and manufacturing at Country Coach who are familiar with the Prevost Conversions. Feel free to e-mail me at mcirco@hughes.net

Miles & Laura Circo
2004 Country Coach 45' XLII D/S

[Jamie Bradford]

I checked the outputs Wednesday with my electrician & we figured the loose wire was the culprit. CC guy has been helpful but tells me they have no schematic for this part as it came to them as a plug in part, SO.... he has tried to contact Computer Dynamics , as have I , but no response yet:mad:

Just wondering........... If anyone has the same dash & vintage coach as I would the pins not be the same since they came in as a plug in part??

If anyone could look I would appreciate it.

Here are some pics of what my setupo looks like.

Thanks

Jamie

[truk4u]

Jamie,

Jim, Dale and Denny have 99's and they are probably the same. Hopefully one of those guys can pull his dash (being very careful) and match up the plug and loose wire for you. Although at Mobile, Dales didn't have the board with the fuses located in the console, so there may be some differences.

[garyde]

I know its probably been asked, but where else would the white wire terminate if not in the red block? If the white wire goes back to the sreen, I don't see any reason why it would be of harm to plug it in and give it a shot.

[JIM KELLER]

Jamie, I took my laptop with me and pulled the dash from the velcro to compare mine with the pictures you have posted. My configuration does not look like yours. My Bus is a 99 but the shell is a 98. I noticed several other differences in the two Coaches when I looked at your's when Tom had it. Sorry, I tried.

[mike kerley]

Jamie,

I cant tell you where the wire goes, but I can tell you that if its a stripped (no insulation on the end) wire, it most likely pulled out of a crimped pin in one of the connectors within range. Look closely at each pin connector inside the plastic and you should see one pin that has been crimped down but has no wire. That would be your baby. Seldom do they put two wires into one connector, and if they had, the second would probably also be loose now. It is possible that the pin was never crimped but not likely after this many years and that many miles of bouncing down the road. Look for the pin that has been crimped but is empty.

You might want to measure the voltage on that wire to ground just to see what is present as well. Anything from +5VDC to +24VDC means its feeding the panel. No voltage present could mean a return line and you can look for a pin with voltage present and nothing connected.

Good luck, Wish I was there to help...

Mike

[Jamie Bradford]

This is begining to resemble the JFK assassination. Each time I think I have figured something out the plot thickens......

It seems I am dealing with CC and TWO parts suppliers on a computer that was probably outdated when the bus was built. I have gone to the supplier"s websites to find drawings - but they are not there.. Newer ones are though.

I called Buddy Greg in Knoxville & they thought they had drawings but no word yet.( the guy there said these systems are doomed to "expire" and that a replacement was 15k)

All I need to know( I think) is where the loose wire goes. I do not want to play " plug & see "......yet.

So....... If anyone has a Sharp display screen(pn LQ10D344) on a Computer Dynamics SBC P54 computer system going to a Computer Dynamics Dimverter
(pn MT201833) made by Endicott Research Group (pn E1785 ) and you are able to see how the pins plug into the dimverter coming from upper cable (on the passenger side of the bus ) of the display ---- Please let me know.

Thanks

Jamie

[JIM KELLER]

Jamie, I thought Mike's suggestions were really good. Any luck on that approach ?

[Denny]

Jamie,
I checked my dash, and like Jim's, it is different from yours.

[Jamie Bradford]

Mike's suggestion is great --except the wires I am dealing with are not in a harness or ribbon pin---- they are "floaters" -- thus they are not exposed ends - they have crimped ends that fit into a harness - or - plug. Therin lies the "issue"--- It is difficult to determine where this "co#@su&%er" of a loose wire belongs:mad:

[LarryB]

Jamie, I'm looking at a 2000 CC and it also has the Compudash. I haven't,as yet, spoken with the preivous owner as to his problems with the dash, but the company selling the bus just replaced some of the componets [with the latest and greatest upgrades] to the tune of $5000. On my inspection of the bus the dash is working just fine.

The supplier of the componets is unknown to me but I can get that info if you would like. Perhaps they have a 'tech support' that can help.

If you have time, a question.
The bus I'm looking at has cracks at the rear salon windows, running from the back lower corner of the window down and aft, about 3" long. Wondering if your bus has this problem, and how have you dealt with it.

Anything that you would care to share about what I should be aware of as I get closer to accepting or rejecting the purchase?

Regards,Larry

[Jon Wehrenberg]

If the windows are cracked look at the cap across the top at the rivet line, and across the rear just above the engine doors. The cracks will be very fine and hard to see.

If you see such cracking I would almost guess that is the result of towing a very heavy stacker trailer with a high tongue weight.

If that was the case I would have Allison do a complete transmission diagnostics.

[Jamie Bradford]

Larryb

I just check my bus-- there are no cracks as you described.

If you don't mind I would like the info about the re-done compudash. Is there a contact where you are looking at the bus that would be knowledgable??

Thanks
Jamie

[truk4u]

Jamie,

I spoke to the owner of Silver Leaf while at the FMCA convention and he said the complete deal to convert to their system in 10K. He said if we got multiple POG members together so they could do several at one time at the same location, he could cut us a really good deal. What's a really good deal, who knows. http://www.silverleafelectronics.com/?q=node/7

3833
This is what their version looks like..

But, is it possible that your only problem now is finding where that single wire goes? If the blown fuse on the board has been corrected, isn't it now just a matter of the wire? I wouldn't throw in the towel yet on the dash.

Roger has a newer version and the dash maybe wired like yours.

Hey King, check it out and take a picture.;)

[LarryB]

jamie, I'll start collecting the dash info tomorrow and pass along what I find.

Glad you don't have the cracks! Told by a few, they see these often.

Larry

[mike kerley]

Jamie, OK, so you have a crimp fitting on the end of the wire that was most likely slid into a connector. Is there voltage on it? How many empty ports are available within reach of the fitting? Any voltage on those empty ports?

Any of the open ports ground? Unless that loose wire was touching something it should not have been, it most likely did not blow your fuse. Typically, shorts blow fuses, not opens. It may stop your dash from working, but should not blow the fuse.

Mike K.

[Jamie Bradford]

:)I got a new "dimverter" today and installed it and DASH CRASH is fixed!!!

THANKS to all for helping me through this.:D


Jamie;)

[Joe Cannarozzi]

Thats gotta make you feel good.

[JIM KELLER]

Jamie, What is a Dimverter ? What does it look like and where does it go ? Computer dash owners need to know.

[dale farley]

Jamie, I second Jim's question. I thought it might be the dimmer switch that I mentioned in an earlier post, but I'm not sure either?

[Ray Davis]

And what happened to the lone wire?

[Jamie Bradford]

The loose wire simply went into the block on the botttom right. I do not really know what it did or did not do. It seems the dimverter shorted out somehow or " just got old"?? The " Dimverter" controls the backlight for the screen-- I was told the screen was still working I just could not see it. Anyway-- here is a picture of it. Ps I was refered to Nick Hessler who was a HUGE help with this.

Jamie:cool:

[Denny]

Jamie,
Where did you get the new Dimveter board from?

[Jamie Bradford]

I got it from Computer Dynamics :cool: I have all the info if needed.

[Joe Wilhelmi]

Not sure how many Country Coach glass dashes are still in use. Hopefully this info can help someone with this type of failure.

We left home the end of December. Towards the end of the first day the dash went black. Continued on using a stand-alone Silverleaf VMS-200EL for engine gauges that was installed by a previous owner and a Garmin GPS for a speedometer. After removing the glass dash panel I found a blown 5 amp fuse in the +12v power to the screen power supply. I traced the short to the dimverter board. When I called Computer Dynamics (the original board supplier) the next day they said that board was no longer available. The main component on the dimverter board is produced by Endicott Research Group. Endicott had a replacement component (R202243 - 10 lamp DC to AC inverter) as the original part had been superseded. I ordered it and had it shipped to a FedEx facility on our route. I desoldered the old one and soldered in the new one at the kitchen table in the coach. The dash is working once again. It's been working like it should for 15 hours of driving so far. If it quits I'll update this thread.
161561615416155

[Joe Camper]

What would happen to the average RVer who isint savy and not a forum participant with a failure like this. Imho Joe does not fit this description but I think most do.

Thank God for silverleaf and gps.

[Gil_J]

That dimverter board is likely the #1 failure item with the CC glass dash.

What great effort to find a replacement item. How lucky the replacement item has the same form factor and pin placement.

Thanks for sharing. Did you contact Miles to see if he still has dimverter modules?

[Joe Wilhelmi]

I know this forum is essential to me if I'm going to be able to keep our bus in good repair. That and a lot of good luck!

I tried to contact Miles via e-mail around a year ago to ask him a question and never heard back. Does he still participate here on POG?

[Gil_J]

Joe, Miles is still out there but likely doesn't spend any time on the forum. I know he is still providing support. I also know he's a busy guy. I'll see him Sunday and ask if he's still available to help.