H340 Wanted - "Update"

[jkbriggs]

EUREKA - I have found it! As an update to my prior post, I purchased a 91' Liberty H340 this weekend. Thanks for all your leads. I found it on Craig's List (go figure). Now, coming from a diesel pusher motorhome background, I'm over overwhelmed at how many different systems are present in this bus. As I purchased from someone who inherited the bus, I was unable to get great quantities of info on operating sys. But, I did get pretty good service records. Minor? things needed (speedometer is out of whack - shows 20mph while stopped). Is this an easy fix? One side of ceiling tivoli lights out?

But my immediate questions are this: (1) how do I start the generator manually? I see swithes (dash, bedroom, & power center), but nothing happens when I flip them. (2) how do I turn on the air-compressor (for toilet, pocket door, etc.) when dry camping (so I don't get locked in bathroom)?. (3) Can the air-pocket door be disabled? Thanks again.

p.s. haven't figured out yet how to post my name & bus info in POG signature line. My name is Jody Briggs. I live in the Arlington (Dallas/Ft.Worth) area.

[Jon Wehrenberg]

Jody,

Right now you don't know what you don't know. It seems overwhelming, but begin looking at the bus as nothing more than a collection of devices and systems that are located in one place. Try not to look at issues as a great big complex problem but individual matters to be dealt with one at a time.

Generally to start the Liberty generator you have to hold the button down until the two lights show the start cycle has been initiated. Do you have the "watchdog" for generator start? It is located in the electric bay over the generator start controls. If not check for fuses that may be blown, disconnected wires, bad relays, etc. Do not hesitate to contact Liberty. They offer superb product support and they can talk you through almost any problem as long as the coach hasn't been boogered up or modified.

The aux compressor should have its own circuit breaker in the 120 volt electric panel. That is the switch for it. If it does not work you need to trouble shoot the compressor, checking for power at the compressor pressure switch in the lower front steer compartment and then at the compressor.

The speedometer originally installed was not reliable. Prevost has a replacement and it is a 20 minute fix. It involves removing the dash panel screws, lifting the dash out and accessing the back of the speedometer for removal. Easy fix, and the most time consuming part is calibrating it. There are excellent instructions provided.

Check the fuses for the tivoli lights. If not that see if any of the terminals have come loose on the rear of the switches.

The air pocket doors will have an emergency procedure to open them. This is a good time for you to spend a day opening all panels, looking behind drawers, and generally snooping around to find out what is hidden out of sight. This will help you locate shut off valves, find the location of various devices you never knew you had, and to get to know the dark side of your coach.

The best and fastest way to learn your coach is to find other owners of your vintage coach and ask questions. As an alternative you should consider going to Liberty and POG rallies with the same objective in mind.

[rfoster]

Attn Texan: I have a buddy in Arlington, he wears a big hat, but no bus.

Check your breaker box for a circuit labeled air compressor, it will power you pocket doors. As Jon mentioned' if no breaker then go to the steering compartment and verify you have power to the pressure switch.

The generator in most Libertys has multiple points at which you can start the generator. It generally requires a cycle to heat the glow plugs before starting. Give it a couple of minutes after hitting the button. If nothing happens - check your generator battery. It the bus has been sitting it is posssible that the battery has died.

good luck and keep the questions coming, Jon will make up answers he doesnt know the question too. That is not a typo

[jkbriggs]

Thanks for the advice. I'll try it tonight when I get home (I'm one of those unfortunate people still encumbered by a job).

[Jon Wehrenberg]

That's your problem. Get rid of the job. Those of us without a job can dedicate the 16 to 20 hours a day it takes to keep the bus running.

[garyde]

Hi Jody. Under your sinks, there are usually removable panels and a lever to turn to turn off air to the pocket doors. There may be a hall cabinet with a removable panel as well. If the Air compressor worked when you initially boght the coach, there will be a circuit breaker labeled 'compressor' in your circuit breaker panel located inside the coach. If that is on and you have shore power and inverter power, and the compressor still does not turn on, either the air is full or your pressure switch outside under your drivers seat area is turned off or the pressure switch may need adjustment.
The tivoli lights are fused. If you have a owners booklet, it will list the wire number for the tivoli lights which will correspond with a fuse.
Because of the age of your Coach, I do not know if you have a 'watch dog' controller for your generator. Normally, a button or switch is held until a light turns on to indicate the start sequence has begun.

[Judi Brown]

For the Gen., There is a white switch just below keys that say aut. start.
We flick on and in a few minutes it cranks over the gen. set. There is a red
push button fuse in the bay next to gen. that kicks out if cranks to long with out starting. You have to reset manually. Our gen. had not run for a long time when we bought, and would not start. So my husband had me hold electric fuel shut off on and he started withscrew driver on gen. set. Oh the white switch shows green or else gen. bat. to low.There are 3 places to started gen. set. We keep them off and use front 1 mostly. We had problems figuring out lights to,but after you get it is pretty easy. 2 master switchs at
front door and then you can control from pretty well in any place on coach.
We went through what you are going through and where going to sell,but aftergot things figured out. Love the coach and it is perfect for us. You will be able to hear if compressor running. it has breaker in main panel. If no air can slide pocket door open by hand. You have safe under bed and that switch is under bathroom sink.
Jb

[jkbriggs]

As far as the air-compressor: it's actually working, I just wanted to know if it's possible to disable the pocket door (we think it would be easier for some who travel w/us if it were manually latched)? However, the door is sticking at the bottom and is difficult to close now.

Generator: I tried your suggestions w/o success. The amber light on the white "auto" gen switch does not light-up? What about the black knob in the main control panel area, should it be on generator or inverter or off? I have 3 gen switches inside (plus the auto gen switch), do all 3 have to be flipped to the on position?

Also, when you say check circuit breakers, which location? There appear to be several locations (port side) that have breakers/relays, etc.

p.s. Wife wants to know about the kitchen cabinet door latches "from hell" that are difficult to close.

Thanks again - Jody

[tdelorme]

Jody, I can't help you with the pocket door issue but someone else will.

Let's have a go at the generator. Forget the black selection switch until you get the get set running. The position of that switch makes no difference as far as getting it started. Nor does the amber auto start switch. The generator should start when any of the three start switches is flipped. Makes no difference what position the other switches are in, if you flip any of them to the reverse position from where they are, the get set should start within a short time. If is does not start, look in the bay that houses the generator radiator and see if the generator control box is in that bay. That box has a main breaker for the generator that may be turned off. Check the voltage of the gen. start battery. That battery will be by itself in the same bay as the control box. Your coach being an H may be slightly different from my XL so if the above doesn't get you up and running, call Liberty and have your coach number in hand when you call.
Somebody help with the latches, mine must have been replaced because they work fine.

[Jon Wehrenberg]

The black knob is a manual version of an automatic transfer switch. That knob should have four positions, "off", "shore", "generator", and "inverter".

Unless your bus has been modified that knob is used to select the power you have available for the 120 volt panel in your coach. For example, if you are plugged into a power outlet in a campground, select "shore".

As to the generator, assuming your bay configuration on the H3 is like the XL of the same vintage your second bay, driver's side should be the electric compartment. In that compartment will be a gray box on the RH side wall. Make sure the fuse on the side of the box has not tripped. You may also try to start the generator from that box. There should be a momentary toggle switch on the side of the box. Hold it until the two lights light. Ted's advice is also correct except I think the breakers are for the 120V output of the generator and for the remotely mounted radiator fan.

His advice to check that start battery is correct unless your generator uses the house batteries for starting.

If you cannot get it started the person to talk to is Bill Daugherty in Chicago at Liberty. He knows that vintage coach intimately.