30-Amp Versus 50-Amp
Our 2004 Winnebago Adventurer 33V came with 30-amp electrical service. However, other similar coaches have 50-amp service. Prolonged use of the heat pump/air conditioner burns the contacts on the shore power plug. I recently had an electrician replace the burnt plug, and he stated that the problem was I had a 30-amp cord and should replace it with a 50-amp line. Is it that simple?
Information on my connection box reads: “Model ATS 5070, Auto line/Gen Switch rated 120/240 Vac 50A, Tungsten 50A Ballast Gen Neut rated 70A with op jumpers installed aux contacts rated 50A 240 vac, Type 1, op code MB.” I hope you can answer this, as I’ve had conflicting answers from other shops and I don’t want to damage anything. My electrician tells me I’m confusing volts with amps, and no harm will come with the 50-amp cord. I’m hoping he is right, as the 30-amp line is not sufficient to handle all the electrical demands of this coach.
G.D. Schott, F309095, Livingston, Texas
This question cannot be answered with a simple yes or no. It appears that you have a 50-amp/240-volt rated panel (possibly 50-amp from generator and 30-amp land line), which leads me to believe that it can be converted from 30-amp to 50-amp service. BUT not knowing how the coach is wired (generator versus land line) makes a simple answer impossible. My thought is that it can be converted to 50-amp service, but the transition should be performed by a skilled, experienced RV electrician to ensure it will comply with code and be done safely.
Amperage Display
In the “Control Center” letter that appeared in the December 2009 “Tech Talk” column (page 20), Wallace Isaac referred to an amp-draw display problem. I had a Holiday Rambler Ambassador with such a display on the dinette wall and found it to be very handy, especially when the motorhome was plugged into 30-amp shore power. Now I have a 2009 Alpine Coach and would like to install a similar display, but I am, as some would say, electronically challenged. Is such an amp-draw display available, and how difficult is the installation and hookup?
Carl Johnson, F299591, Etna, California
It’s possible that there is new technology available with digital circuitry that might make this an easier task, but I am really not up on what is happening in that arena. However, I am familiar with the electromechanical parts necessary to create such a display. First, find a good source to purchase the pieces. The components you would need would be a couple of pickup coils, one for each 120-volt leg; the panel to give the values; either meters or digital displays; and the connecting harness. The tricky part of putting such a system into operation is finding a path for the harness and deciding whether you want the display to provide amps for the land line only, or also to the generator and the inverter. This could really become involved, as the pickup coils would need to be on the 120-volt legs properly “” and if the inverter is involved, the system would need to read RMS (root-mean-square) values, as many inverters do not produce pure sine wave. My opinion is that you better want this feature badly, as I can see you employing the services of an expensive technician for many hours.
Continuous Wipers
We purchased our first motorhome, a 2005 National RV Sea Breeze, earlier this year. On our second trip out we encountered rain and needed to utilize the windshield wipers for several hours straight. Then when the rain stopped and we switched the wipers off, they continued to swipe back and forth. Even after several attempts to turn off the wipers, they continued to operate. When we arrived at our destination and turned off the engine, the wipers stopped moving, but as soon as the key was turned on “” even though the wiper switch was off “” the wipers started again. We then pulled the fuse to finally stop the wipers.
On the next trip, the wipers worked perfectly and turned off as expected. But, as you might guess, once it rained, we had the same problem with the wipers not turning off. Do you have any ideas about what we need to do to correct this? We would very much appreciate your assistance with this problem.
Mike & Mary Kozuch, F407792, Wheatfield, Indiana
Although I’ve never experienced a continuous wiper problem such as this, my guess is that the moisture from the rain is causing the circuit to ground out, thus making the wipers stay on. While determining the cause may be easy, the solution is not as simple. You’ll need a technician to trace the wiring for the wipers and seal the entire length to stop the grounding.
Vent Tube Extension
I have a 2005 Holiday Rambler Endeavor motorhome. It has a Cummins ISL 400-horsepower diesel engine with a rear-discharge radiator. I have become concerned because of recent information readers have shared in FMC magazine about cleaning the radiator and extending the crankcase vent tube so the radiator will not become blocked with oil/dirt. I do all of my own maintenance work but have never seen the vent tube. Can you tell me where it is located so I can extend it?
Art Gordon, F396421, Arnold, Missouri
I think the first thing you need to do is call Monaco customer service at (800) 634-0855. Ask for the service bulletin that addresses the radiator maintenance issue. Have all the information about your specific coach at hand, including the VIN, so the representative can give you the answers you need.
The crankcase vent tube, often referred to as a slobber tube, is the only large-diameter open hose coming from the engine. Once you find it, make an extension that takes the end behind the intake for the radiator shroud, but do not form a drip loop (dip), as this can cause engine damage in below-freezing temperatures.
Tank Odor Info
I’ve noticed that quite a few people have problems with black and gray tank odors coming into the motorhome when it is moving. I found that having the side windows open in the cab area creates an outflow of air from these windows, because of the faster-moving air around the front corners of the motorhome, which causes the Venturi effect. This pulls the air in from the roof vents and out the front windows, hence the odors in the coach. So I keep these windows closed and have the heater/air-conditioning system on “fresh air” mode with the blower on. This creates positive pressure in the motorhome and forces the air and odors out a slightly opened window in the rear of the coach or, better yet, out the tank’s roof vents.
Robert Micklick, F207044, Clifton, Colorado
In the “Moving Forward” letter in the January 2010 “House Calls” column (page 20), Ms. Horton complained of smelling a bad odor in the motorhome when it was moving but not when it was parked. We have a 2008 Country Coach motorhome that also had an odor while it was being driven but not while parked. It turned out that the vent pipe was never hooked up properly.
Marvin & Cynthia Parnell, F382056, Gleneden Beach, Oregon
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