Unidentified Objects on my Bus

[dale farley]

I am hoping someone who has a bus similar to my 93 Marathon XL 40' can help me identify a few buttons and switches. I have been through my manuals with no success. I have attached 3 pictures.

The first picture shows some of the yellow switches on the dash. I am trying to determine what the one on the right side that says "B/A" is for. It is the one just below my "Jump Start" switch.

The second picture is of a rheostat and a small pushbutton switch that are mounted on a small plate under the dash. They are in front of my right leg under the edge of the dash. When I push the small switch, I hear a beeping sound, but I have no idea what the rheostat or the switch does.

The 3rd picture is of a little red light on the passenger side of the front of the bus. I assume it is part of my security system, but I have no idea how it works or if it works. The description in my manual does not match anything that I see in the bus. I also have a miniature remote control that I assume is part of the security system, but when I press the button, nothing happens. I did change the battery in the remote. The small red light on the front of the bus stays on most of the time. For the last couple days, it has been blinking continuously.

If anyone knows about any of these three items, I would appreciate some input. Thanks. Dale

[JIM CHALOUPKA]

Dale, Is this in part the same question you asked under Posts: More Questions on 11/17/06? There is an answer on page two, maybe you didn't see it. Possibly it didn't work for you? JIM:confused:

[dale farley]

Jim,

The part about the red light is the same. I don't recall seeing it before, and don't know why I didn't. Unfortunately, I still can't figure out what is going on after reading the previous post. This is the first time I have seen the outside light blinking, and if it is armed, it doesn't do anything when I open the door. Maybe I have a problem with some part of the system?

I still don't know about the rheostat & pushbutton switch or the B/A switch. Thanks for pointing out the previous post. Sorry for the duplication.

[JIM CHALOUPKA]

Sorry I can't give you any more. When the West Coast wakes up I am sure they will have some ideas! JIM:confused:

[mwalker422]

B/A??? Could this be Backup Alarm?

Mark Walker
1988 40' XL Vulcan

[dale farley]

It may have to do with the backup alarm, but I don't think so, because I have another switch to disable the backup alarm.

[JIM CHALOUPKA]

Dale, Sometime I wake-up in the morning and feel a little hoarse!:p :D :D
JIM

[Petervs]

Hello Roadrunner Dale.

I have a 94 Marathon and it has the same buttons and switches.

The one labeled B/A is to turn off the siren if the burglar alarm goes off and you do not have the key handy. It is so embarrassing when you are making all that noise in a confined campground.

The rheostat is one of two that you have, the other is mounted on the face of the dash and it controls the instrument lights brightness. The lower one controls the brightness of the lights in all those switches on the right half, including the B/A switch we were talking about. If you turn it to full brightness then if you turn a switch on it will not get brighter, so generally leave them about half way.

The little push button is also connected to the alarm system, but I forgot how, we never use it.

The red light on the outside front indicates the status of the alarm system. I think blinking means armed, steady on means ready to arm. Or the other way around. Lock and unlock your door with the remote and you will see it change.The alarm will start beeping inside the bus after 72 hours if you leave the door closed but unlocked. SO even though we park it inside a closed building when not using it, we lock the door. Then when you go do something in the bus you have to remember to bring the key.

You can call the Marathon 800 number anytime and they will gladly explain all these little details. These especially they get asked a lot.

[dale farley]

Peter,

Thanks so much for the explanation. My alarm must not be working properly, because my remote does not lock my door. My remote may not be working, and I don't know of any way to check it. The light has been blinking for 2 days now, but nothing happens when I open the door. Again thanks for the info. Dale

[dale farley]

Peter,

I talked to Marathon, and they told me the little pushbutton switch is to reset your alarm when you change the battery.

[mike kerley]

Dale, our 93 CC has the same small button. It is connected to the alarm system. Turn the ignition key to the "on" position and push that button to disarm or clear the system if the remote does not work. Our red light stays on solid when ready to arm, flashes steady when armed, and flashes out a code when its been "tripped". Your horn or siren may have been bypassed or disconnected (0urs was when we purchased the bus). We have one dimmer for all dash lights and switches on the dash. Our back up alarm mute is labeled as such.

so many buttons, so little time!

Mike K

[dale farley]

Mike,

I see that someone cut one of my alarm wires about 12 inches from where it comes out of the box over the door. Maybe they couldn't get it to go off or maybe it kept coming on at random. The problem is that I can't find the other end of the wire so I can reconnect it to see if I can find the cause for it being cut in the 1st place. Thanks for your input. Dale

[JIM CHALOUPKA]

Roadrunner;Mike,

I see that someone cut one of my alarm wires about 12 inches from where it comes out of the box over the door. Maybe they couldn't get it to go off or maybe it kept coming on at random. The problem is that I can't find the other end of the wire so I can reconnect it to see if I can find the cause for it being cut in the 1st place. Thanks for your input. Dale

Dale, Maybe if I understand what you said, you could connect to the wire you found by the door an extension wire and check for continuity to the alarm noise maker and to the box by the dash. Then you would know where the wire by the door was connected and step off through the system that way. When you know what goes where with external wires test things out in kind of a haywire setup and see if you even want it connected. If so then figure how to conceal the proper wired devices probably with new wire.:eek: Lota work just to keep your stuff safe.:(
:) JIM

[Joe Cannarozzi]

I think that very few with these busses can actually say everything is working, everything is perfect.

No matter who you are and how hard you try we have to surrender to the fact that there will ALWAYS be SOMETHING to fix:)

Thats one of the reasons I enjoy it so much!

[JIM CHALOUPKA]

Yah Joe, like the Space Shuttle.

[dale farley]

When I talked to Marathon, they said the security system is obsolete and there are no parts for repair. He recommended just getting another system installed.

I am not sure how important it is to have a security system. Maybe someone from Marathon will be at Kerrville and they can take a look at it. Or maybe one of the veteran bus guys knows where my wire should be connected.

[jello_jeep]

This might refresh your memory on the little alarm swtich.

http://www.prevostownersgroup.com/forum/showthread.php?t=574

The system was prolly powered down for awhile and you need to re program the remotes. I posted the sequences for doing it from the manual, on page two of the thread.

If you don't have the alarm manual, we could copy it at P3 if you are going. Also our coaches are likely similar so w could look at the wires your are talking about at P3 as well.

Good luck

[dale farley]

Warren,

I am embarrassed that I asked this same quesiton before and didn't even rembember it. I must be older than I think. One of my problems has been that I am keeping my bus in Alabama and I live in Florida, so I work on it a little then leave it for several days/weeks. To be in compliance with the regulations for having a Montana LLC, Florida requires that I keep the bus out of state for the first six months. This will end in April.

I definitely have some kind of a problem with my security system. Nothing that anyone has described seems to work on my system. We plan to be at POG III, and hopefully I can get some things clarified then. Maybe I can determine where the cut wire should be connected. Sorry for the duplication. Dale

[jello_jeep]

No worries Dale...

I keep mine in AZ, and live in CA,.. so don't get to fool around with it as much as I would like to either...

Look forward to meeting you @ P3 and will take a look at the alarm!!!

Thanks

[mike kerley]

Dale,

That wire that looks like it was cut off is most likely your antenna. My alarm has an RF transmitter and receiver, thus the need for an antenna. Mine hangs down under the dash (the antenna, that is). I found a guy in california to supply me with a new remote for mine. I'll find his name and send it to you.

Mike K

[dale farley]

Mike,
The wire that I am referring to that I think is cut is the bottom wire coming out of the control box for the system. It is mounted in the cabinet over my door. Of course, I am not really sure that it isn't an antenna, especially since someone else said the wire was cut on their alarm also. Since yours is a CC, I suppose your control box could be under the dash instead of over the door like mine.

My remote may be the problem. When I talked to Marathon, he didn't recognize my remote because it only has one button instead of three as he described. The remote I have is only about 1" wide and 1 1/2" long. Dale

[Ray Davis]

One of our presenters at POG3 will be Nick Hessler. Nick worked until just recently as a technician on the busses for Country Coach. He's also worked for Marathon in the not too distant past.

Nick recently has gone freelance, and is a "technician for hire". I've used him a couple of times to work out minor issues on my coach. I found it more cost effective to fly him in from Oregon, let him work, than to take my coach to a service facility!

Anyway, Nick will be presenting at POG3, and will also be available to help troubleshoot issues like this (for a reasonable fee). He's got drawings, and plans for many of the Country Coach units, and I'm reasonably certain he could help get you squared away.

Nick will also be presenting on Friday (I think), on batteries, inverters and equalizers.

[lewpopp]

Where do I start looking for the reason my doorbell stopped working. Is this too high tech. Would a new potentiometer help out? I have no more spares. Could I use a relay?

Seriously, where do I start to look for a bell that doesn't work? Under the dash somewhere?

Lew

[garyde]

Lew, it could be a transformer going bad although they do not usually. Ck also for loose connections at button,chime, etc. Try by passing the button and crossing the wires to see if the button is bad. Gary