Dometic A/C controller

[Jeff Bayley]

This Dometic controller is starting to get more and more erratic. Turns itself off and sometimes back on again. Any tips ? Replace the head unit or did someone comment there's yet again another controller somewhere ? The buttons are weird. Have to press them numerous times to get them to respond, especially the up / down arrow buttons for the temperature setting. Do others have this problem or it just time to replace it ?

[JIM CHALOUPKA]

Jeff, this is a guess as I have no idea, but wondering does the controller cover open to maybe a battery that needs to be replaced??

Good luck, JIM

[Danss]

The four button controls are no longer av. I replaced mine with 5 button. No more 2 finger stabbing. Good luck

[Jeff Bayley]

Jim-

Good idea. I went and gave it a tug and pull and it does appear that the cover comes off or in my case, might break off. Does anyone know the answer to the battery question being in the controller before I go and break it and make it worse ?

Danns- The upgrade sounds good but can you elaborate ? I don't know what "av" stands for in this application and also........the 5 button........ ? Is that a straight replacement from Dometic ? Order it from them I presume or is there some generic controller you refer to ? Would love to find a photo of it or more online if you can give me some key words to search with.

Anyone know if there is a control board between the controller and the A/C's and where that is located ? I've got a Royal. Too bad the Royal Coach Club (which I haven't joined) doesn't have a forum.

[CAPT MOGUL & Sandy]

Jeff, "av" means available. "5 Button" means that there are 5 buttons to push on the new control. You don't have to push the first two buttons together to select. Only one button on the "5 button" changes the units.
Sandy

[lewpopp]

Jeff,

I may be far out of the loop but is that the controller to the exhaust fan? If so, and it isn't a Fantastic I would call them anyways because they are sharp guys. They know their competition well. I'll bet they would help you with your problem.

[CAPT MOGUL & Sandy]

Lew, we have the exact controls for our AC,furnace,heat pump,etc. Ours is still working fine on our 97 Royale. It is in the exact location just like Jeff's bus. On the wall behind the driver's seat . Our fan in the bathroom is different than Jeff's.
Sandy

[garyde]

Hi Jeff. The t-stat controller can be purchased from Grainger. It is probably a 4 or 5 wire connection. There may be abatterry which you can change by removing the cover carefully. Its usually by finding the release tabs on the sides or top and bottom.

[Larry W]

I have one of the thermostats that has to be pushed a number of times to get the setting. There was an article in a FMCA magazine about how a person repaired his. He was quoted $450 for a new one. I can't find it now, but am still looking. The problem is the contacts inside get bent. The person took it apart and carefully got things back in shape. If I find the article will let you know. The release to take it off the wall is on the very bottom and the wire on mine looks like a phone jack. I plan to try the repair next week.

[Jeff Bayley]

Lew- No, that has nothing to do with the fans. Like CAPT MOGUL & Sandy said, it's A/C and heat controls only. It does control which Aqua Hot go on and off in the 3 zones.

Gary- Did you guy a replacement 5 button controller from Grainger ? If so, how many wires do you have to deal with, figure out to change it over. Is it a Dometic brand or a generic upgrade / replacement ?

CAPT MOGUL & Sandy- I'm confused a little. Help me out. You said you had the exact same unit that is still working fine on your 97 Royal but then again I think you said you have a 5 button..........that you replaced the one I have with a 5 button. Was it $450 as Larry say's ? If you got it from Dometic, did it come with instructions on what how to modify it to work with 5 button or is all color coded and just "cut and paste" type of replacement ?

Still no comment on any control board that was made mention of somewhere along the way that goes between this wall controller and the A/C's. Also, no comment on the remote thermostats (I think I had that is another thread) which are the brown, round, remotes in each zone. Do these things all just blow or is there an adjustment one can make when replacing the wall unit (ie, a screw for each zone maybe ?).

[billbunch47]

Jeff, the five button is not a plug and play replacement piece. The control unit is not much money less than a hundred from dometic or any dealer. The expence comes with your haveing to change the electronic control panels in each AC unit to make it work. I asked about doing this at Parliament in Jan. and was told it was not to bad and could be done by most POGers with just a little patience. Bill

[Jeff Bayley]

I have a great mechanic friend coming to visit us from the other side of Florida in a week or so and am trying to collect as many parts as possible to get as much stuff done on the bus as possible. I've got the outlet vents on my A/C's depositing dirt at each and every outlet. He thinks the A/C's need to be resealed on top. I already put a new 1" wide and thick soft sticky weather stripping up there between the cover/cowl and the base unit and it didn't help. Maybe there's another place it's getting in. ??? Anyway, this would be an ideal time to change the controllers. I guess at this point I have to call Dometic and get a price for one wall uniit and 3 controllers. It would be nice if they had an upgrade to a Thermostat conroller that had timers on it and could turn units on and off programed in case you wanted to leave for the day and return to a cold bus in the summer without leaving the units on all the time. Just guessing, I'll bet those boards and new wall unit will add up to $300-$500 all together. Guessing. I want to wait and see where Larry get's with trying to tune up his wall unit. If I can just give that a PM then I'll be all set.

[Danss]

My replacement was done by Parliment and is now 100% better !!!!!!

[CAPT MOGUL & Sandy]

Lew- No, that has nothing to do with the fans. Like CAPT MOGUL & Sandy said, it's A/C and heat controls only. It does control which Aqua Hot go on and off in the 3 zones.

Gary- Did you guy a replacement 5 button controller from Grainger ? If so, how many wires do you have to deal with, figure out to change it over. Is it a Dometic brand or a generic upgrade / replacement ?

CAPT MOGUL & Sandy- I'm confused a little. Help me out. You said you had the exact same unit that is still working fine on your 97 Royal but then again I think you said you have a 5 button..........that you replaced the one I have with a 5 button. Was it $450 as Larry say's ? If you got it from Dometic, did it come with instructions on what how to modify it to work with 5 button or is all color coded and just "cut and paste" type of replacement ?

Still no comment on any control board that was made mention of somewhere along the way that goes between this wall controller and the A/C's. Also, no comment on the remote thermostats (I think I had that is another thread) which are the brown, round, remotes in each zone. Do these things all just blow or is there an adjustment one can make when replacing the wall unit (ie, a screw for each zone maybe ?).
Jeff, We just have the 4 button one. No problems as of yet. DANNS had the 4 button removed and replaced it with the 5 button. He took it to Parliament Coach and they did the work.
Sandy

[dale farley]

We've had the four-button (just like Jeff's picture) in our last two buses, and so far, we've never had a problem. If mine went out, I would replace it with a similar one if I could find it.