Frozen and left for dead @ Prevost Nashville

[blacklab]

I left my coach at Prevost Nashville in early November for maintenance work. I picked up the coach this Saturday. Needless to say I was surprised to find the coach water systems FROZEN and ALL batteries dead. They did have it plugged into shore power but failed to switch on the main breaker! (In the same bay as the glendinning in/out switch and not hidden) No one from Prevost works on Saturday's so there was no one there for assistance. I got lucky when the driver of an entertainer coach showed up (parked next to me) and he had TWO 20' jumper cables. After 1/2 hour we got it started. I let it warm up and turned on the Aquahot. In about 1 1/2 hours I was able to get water to trickel out of the sinks and found no leaks (to date) except for the toilet. The plastic valves broke. I ran the gen all the way home, and never shut down the engine. It's now stored in my heated warehouse now and I am keeping a close eye on leakage from the holding tanks. Can I assume that all batteries are shot or will they come back. What about future problems with any/all water systems/tanks. What would you do............?? BTW, George from Nashville did apologize.

[Joe Cannarozzi]

As for the batteries they for sure did them no good. At best they're longevity was shortened. At worst some may have froze and will need to be replaced. I would isolate them and check them one at a time to make sure none did freeze. A charged battery can not freeze but if it is dead it can and if it does the lead plates often crack and create a short. In a set it will ruin the others by discharging them all.

I think it is nothing short of amazing that your plumbing was not damaged more severely, you were given a gift. That tells me it did not freeze "hard" because if it did you would have leaks everywhere.

[Ray Davis]

I think I would be telling Prevost that they owe you a complete set of new batteries, both house and chassis.

[truk4u]

Jamie experienced the same thing, but it was warm weather.

Blacklab - I'm really sorry you had this nightmare, it shouldn't have happened, but anyone leaving their bus for more than a day or two must understand the only one really responsible is the owner. I would have bet money that in a short period of time your bus would be dead as a door nail, because nobody really gives a rat's ass. I have been to Nashville many times, but the only one really looking out for me is myself and it's probably that way at most other places.

At least get them to step up and take care of the batteries. Sure glad you didn't have water squirting everywhere like Joe said, it's been really cold.

Good luck and keep us posted.

[garyde]

You gotta watch em like a HAWK.

[Jon Wehrenberg]

Blacklab,

It has been posted here often that owners who just leave their coach with a service company can expect problems.

You have just become the latest victim.

If the company does not vacuum all the money and lint from your wallet, it is a given they will not care as much about your coach as you do, and problems can be expected. And it appears to be getting worse.

The only solution is for the owner to remain with the coach, watch the work being performed and take possession of the coach as soon as the work is done. Apart from the frozen valves you may have other leaks, if they haven't been ruined the batteries (house and chassis) have suffered great harm and you are unlikely to get any compensation for the Prevost oversight (and yours).

[Alek&Lucia]

They did have it plugged into shore power but failed to switch on the main breaker! (In the same bay as the glendinning in/out switch and not hidden).

Blacklab,

Sorry for your problems, but I have to be on the Prevost side. Like you said your coach was plugged in to 50A outside post.
What Prevost tech did not do, he did not turn on, because he had no idea that we Royale owners have, is a secondary/safety breaker that is inside of the compartment/bay. I think it was your duty to turn the inside breaker on or inform Prevost about his existence.
Next you said that your chassis batteries where dead. There is no defference if your coach is plugged in or not. They are only charged when the engine is running. I think you have weak batteries, check how old they are.
Another thing, like Jon said we should always stay with our buses during the service. That is what I do. In case of power interruption: Summer (risk of food in the refrigerator going bad) or Winter (frozen pipes).
Also Entertainers pay for their hookups, for us it is only complimentary service, and we should be thankful for that.

Alek

[Jerry Winchester]

I don't think your suction is in the right pit. Last time I was at Prevost, I pulled up and the man was standing right by the coach with the keys. It had been washed and the carpet steam cleaned. And that was 5:45pm on a Friday before a holiday.

They exceeded my expectations.

[truk4u]

You gotta spend a night, day or two at Nashville! The place is like Grand Central Station for buses. Entertainers, Private Buses and other's renting parking space. The Techs do their shifts and go home. For the most part, they don't have a clue who or what's on the yard and the buses come and go 24/7.

I haven't had a bad experience there, but you couldn't pry me away from my bus with a crow bar. I don't think it's realistic to expect any repair facility to check your bus for Power, Heat, A/C, Water, Battery Charging and TLC!

Step up boy's, it's your responsibility!

[rbeecher]

Blacklab,

I have been through what you just went through with the exception of the issues caused by cold weather. Coach plugged in at a Prevost facility but no breaker switch flipped on in an 02 XLII that had batteries less than 3 months old. Spoiled the food in the fridge too.

Over six months later the bus is at the convertor for a generator no start issue that went on for over six months before the problem was solved. This means that I had no shore (and no auto gen to come on) when the voltage dropped in the house batteries while the bus was at that Prevost facility for a week plus.

While the convertor has the bus back to work on the gen issue again, (remember, this is many months later) I get a call saying my house batteries are only good for about 20 minutes with no significant load, i.e. A/C. I reply that I have been expecting this day to come for for sometime now. While the bus was at Prevost, my new batteries were largely killed off and my auto gen is trying to start the gen over and over and over again which is taxing the fuel pump, starter, etc. Indeed, the fuel pump failed while the bus was at the convertor for the gen service. I say to the service manager that he needs to speak to Prevost because the convertor took my bus to Prevost (many months before) and they both were responsible for the batteries. After two or maybe three emails, Prevost sent me a massage to let me know they were taking complete care of replacing the batteries. This after I was initially informed by the convertor that I would be paying a prorated portion of the cost. I politely reasoned out the history of how the batteries came to their demise and all was taken care of. I could have reqeusted the fuel pump be taken care of also by Prevost and in fact the convertor suggested I ask Prevost to cover it but I decided to pay for it.

I keep very detailed notes and all emails associated with all service on the bus whether I can stay with the bus or not and those notes have paid off because I can read them back play by play down to the exact time of day, who I talked to about what, what the reply or replies were, etc.

If you can't stay with the bus, leave written instructions and make sure they are put on your service order and take a copy with you so you have some documentation when you go back to pick up the bus.

In this case, you left the bus in their care and they should take care of you.

Good luck,

Richard