getting stuff done!

[sandz]

Been very busy working on the Wishing Star.

Got 8 new tires installed today. Yokohama 104ZR in 12r22.5. Spin balanced and torque tubed.
Left front rim was badly bent so got a new accuride rim too. Replaced all drive studs and new nuts all around. There were 10 rounded over nuts in all and the drive studs were found to be too short. No threads showing.
Reliable tire in W Sac was great. Out the door for less than $5k.

Got 4 new Northstar SMS-AGM-480 batteries to feed the Trace 4024 from Battery Systems in Sacramento.

Greased the chassis.

Installed new ride leveling valve left rear to replace the leaking one.

Changed the oil in 8v92.

Replaced some hoses on 8v92.

Rewired messed up and redundant battery cables in engine compartment.

I installed a new 12 volt alternator and 12 volt house bank (4 grp 27 fla) plus a new 12 volt genset start battery. I installed a new 60 amp 12 volt "boondocker" 4 stage converter from best converter. It also has a manual mode with a user set constant voltage.

The coach also has a 24 volt alternator and a new 24 volt starting pack (4 grp 31 fla) and a new 24 volt inverter pack (the 4 northstar smsagm-480 @215ah each for 430ah @24 volts.

I installed 2 new blue sea systems automatic charging relays.
The 7610 SI-ACR connects the 12v house pack and genset battery when charging and separates them when either discharges.
The 7623 ML-ACR connects the 24v chassis and inverter packs the same way and has a overide switch up in the house for manual combine or separate. Wiring is full bussbar. I am watching the voltages.
I also picked up a balmar smartgauge soc meter (from marine how to) to help me keep an eye on things.

I gutted the inverter battery pack area in one of the bays to bare metal due to lots of acid damage to the plywood. As found there were 6 grp 27 fla being boiled away by a 75 amp triad dumb converter/charger. Cables and romex everywhere. An old isolator with about 8 cables on it and a vanner 100 that was hooked up but not attached. A real mess! Cleaned up well. Lost the triad. Lost the vanner. Lost the isolator. I lined the bay with new ply and frp and a rubber floor. Installed the 4 Northstars. Built new ventilated battery box with fans and a thermostat. Full Busbar system. Trace is happy again😄.

Other work.

Replaced generator water pump.
Replaced all belts on engine and genset.
Replaced two obsolete and non repairable macerator toilets (raritans) with jabscos.
Repaired the leaky front shower valve.
Pulled up over 30 loose floor tiles and installed new ones and regrouted.
Got the webasto working. Bad switch. Installed new nozzle. Works good!

Got the headlights and wipers working. Still puzzled by horn. It worked once about a week ago but that was it.

Pulled out the stuck pocket bedroom door and installed new hd hardware. What a bi_ch! The solid wood door had 1/4 inch plate glass mirrors on both sides and was just too heavy for the track. Screws pulled through the track. We replaced the mirror with mahogany ply. Looks better and much lighter. New latch too. Getting the door out required major effort and dissassembly.

Went through the dash replacing burnt out bulbs and recrimping shoddy connections. Replaced old tiny backlight bulbs with leds. Cleaned and lubed the many switches and connectors. Replaced the old fuzzy greyscale crt backup camera and monitor with a wired color kit w/infared.

Replaced all 120 volt bulbs throughout the coach with led and replaced old touch dimmers with new leviton dimmers.
Replacing most of the 12 volt bulbs with led as well.

Replaced nice old 220 volt 4 burner gaggenau cooktop with two new vertical 2 burner induction cooktops @120 volts each. Together they fit in the existing hole perfectly. Only have the one Trace @120 volts and we wanted to cook sometimes without having to start the generator or being plugged in.

Removed dishwasher and trash compactor and icemaker. What do we need these for? Building in some big pantry drawers in the spaces.

We will be replacing the stupid Norcold absorption fridge... 120 volt and propane! What were they thinking? All electric coach. Anyway we will get a new Novakool rfu9000 to fit in the existing hole. It will fit perfect and be a 12/24 volt compressor unit and be 3 cf bigger inside and front venting and much more efficient. We have to stick with the same size refer as there is a baseboard heater below and a cruisair evap unit above.

The 3 cruisairs are working well. Need to get in there and clean them up but for now I am pooped!

Will be posting some before and after pics when I get a chance. Have a wonderful holiday and be safe!

[Gil_J]

Wow, you've been busy!

Why di yoy have 12V and 24V house banks? The Vanner equalizer is what is used to satisfy 12V needs from a 24V bank.

I recommend you give serious consideration to a residential refrigerator. Trace inverters are up to the task of powering the fridge.

A bent aluminum wheel. I wonder how often one of these gets bent?

Pictures...we want pictures.

[sandz]

Pictures will be forthcoming Gil.
Really busy right now but see the light at the end of the tunnel.

The vanner was putting out 17+ volts with a 26.5 input. Beats me why. I take it that the 12v output gets connected to loads only and I really don't need 12v batteries. I had it connected to the positive 12v busbar. Oops.

If I knew why this coach was set up like this I would tell you believe me. I guess the client wanted Royal to build it this way.

It all works good with the 12 volt pack supplying all the 12 volt loads and the 24 volt running the Trace. The trace does run some electric heaters and the center cruisair.
It will also be required to run the induction range and the existing norcold fridge once I get them on the right circuits. I could really use some help!

I agree it would be nice to rely on the vanner instead of carting 4 12 volt batteries around.

I like the idea of a residential fridge but there is none that would fit. The Novakool is 12/24 volt so I could feed it
from the house 12v or the 24v agm northstars or the starting (chassis) batteries if needed.
Plus it is an exact fit for the spot. I plan on installing some solar too. Did I mention we don't really plug in much.
We prefer to find a nice spot in the desert or mountains with no one around and enjoy nature. Not something we
have found in a rv park or resort. On our Airstream Landyacht we got along fine with 2 group 29 napa's and a 1000 watt magnum for the residential fridge. But then we had 500 watts of solar to keep food cold with.

I get it that this is a whole new ballgame with the Prevost. And I admit I really do not know what I am doing.
But I am learning thanks to this site and each problem I come across. Biggest problem right now is the horn nkt working an me knowing nothing about how to troubleshoot it. So if you can shed some light???

[Gil_J]

Gotcha on boondocking. I've never looked at power use between a residential fridge and a DC powered unit. Of course, fit means a lot.

I've seen a couple Prevosts with solar panels. One covered most of the roof. I wonder why I haven't seen wind generators installed, like those used by sailboats. Sure, it would have to be stowed for travel, but they aren't that big.

[Joe Camper]

Solar Fabric. The possibilities r endless. Awnings, window shades I've even seen purse flaps with it for phone charging.

[sandz]

"Figured out" the horn issue.

There is a 3 way switch on the dash that I could not figure out what it did. Center off. Up for air horns. Down for city horn.

Figures! Horns work now! I might put a label on these switches when I figure out what they do.

Prevosts can make one be humble can't they.

[John L]

Stephen, That's a lot of work, good for sticking with it.

Another request for pics here and also.. which particular cooktop did you go with. I am exploring possible replacements for a Gaggenau 2 burner as well.

[Gil_J]

John,

Many owners have switched out their cooktop for an induction cooktop. There's a seller on eBay out of St Pete with a German made unit many use because it fits.

My coach's cooktop was a 120V unit, so it was worthless. I got a deal on a Wolf, but had to have a SS plate made to put under it to cover the slight gap it had on one end of the opening used by the original unit.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/Qnuiinjs5zg2q16z7

[sandz]

I used 2 two burner units side by side ...NutriChef Model : PKSTIND52 ...found on amazon. They are 120 volts each. 1800 watts. I have one of them powered by the trace inverter. Works great! I did have to cut 1/4" off the side of the cutput in the corian.

[Gil_J]

Stephen, that's an interesting find. I can't remember ever seeing an appliance with two power inputs. I assume it's two 1,800 watt burners. If so, that's 20A each. It should perform well.

[Dtjoint]

We replaced the ineffective Gaganeau quartz unit with a 220vac two burner induction unit that was the same size so no need to cut anything. Simple to remove the wires from the old G unit and wire in the new unit. When parked dry camping without the generator, or on 120vac 30 amp shore power, we keep a portable unit in a kitchen drawer (look for one that fits the width and length of your drawers). That sits on top of the kitchen counter when needed. While using it off the inverter it draws 144 amps indicated on one of the Magnum inverters when on high. Boils water for French press coffee in about 5 minutes depending on altitude so consumes about 12 amp hours to make a pot of coffee. We also keep another one in a drawer in the outdoor entertainment center for use outdoors. So far, we have not seen much difference in performance or reliability brand to brand. All are far, far better than the old G unit.

[BadFitter]

Our previous coach had a 120V cooktop and when we converted over to induction I could only find two burner units that "shared" the circuit. If one burner was on high, the second burner could only be on warm. We recently upgraded our 240V cooktop on our 2006 Country Coach XLII with induction and it allows full unrestricted control of both burners.

[Seabyrd]

Gil..I have installed 2 of the German induction cooktops in our H3s, one in the Vantare and one in the Liberty.
We have had huge one in our home for years and just love it... heats fast like gas and cools very quickly too..best cooktops ever !!

[sandz]

Here is a pic of our solution...no 220 volt in the bus so we used the two 120 volt units side by side. True each unit is 1800 watts but no problem so far sharing. We have been able to cook everything just fine.
Again when not running genset and not plugged in we just ust the left side unit off the inverter.

The two units are plugged into two separate 20 amp 115 volt recepticles.

15377

15378

[Gil_J]

Stephen, I misread your previous post. I got it now. As you said, and I missed it, you installed 2 units. That seems to serve your need to use the unit while on inverter power.

All coaches that have a 50A shore cord have 240V. It just might not be used. It's also possible your generator is only 120V.

For others than don't currently have any 240V appliances, it's easy to rewire your cooktop to 240V. But if your generator is 120V you may not want to introduce 240V appliances.

[John L]

Thanks Gil. I bought one from K&H (located someplace in Florida?)...It's 220v. I had it installed in about 20 minutes it looks great and it works fantastic.