2004 National Seabreeze help while work in progress.

[TJHUB]

I am about to take ownership of this 2004 Seabreeze LX in a couple of weeks. My retired parents bought it a couple of years ago, and have decided a motorhome is more than they want to deal with. They are selling it to me, and it needs some TLC to get back to being a great coach.

I joined this forum some years ago when we purchased a pop-up camper. Since then, I’ve owned 2 new travel trailers, a 2008, and a 2010. I sold the 2010 in August of 2016 planning to move to a class A as the kids are now basically 18 and 20, and are nearly done camping with us. The point of telling you all this is that I’m not new to working on campers, but the motorhome is seemingly intimidating. That said, I am VERY capable of doing almost anything, I am just not well practiced in everything.

I used the motorhome last year for a 4 day trip with the family. On this trip, I learned that I really like the motorhome, but it hasn’t seen the TLC it needs. There are also a few issues that need attention before serious damage starts. I need to both learn some things, and get recommendations on what to do. So I’m asking if I can start a thread to go through my entire process, or start numerous threads for each issue? Yes, I’ve been reading the forums the last week gathering information, but old threads don’t answer new questions.

I will stop this thread immediately if it is considered against forum etiquette.

To start, almost all of the roof caulking is dried out and cracked. There have been a couple of instances of water inside. This past summer, the shower skylight leaked. I fixed it by scrapping the old caulking off the best I could (read “did a very decent job, but probably not correct”) and re-caulked with new stuff. There is also evidence that there is/was a leak by front passenger seat, from what I think is the seam where the rubber roof meets the fiberglass front. I’d like to redo everything on the roof, but the 3 other skylights seem in rough condition. The plastic shroud on the inside looks yellowed and aged. The screens are in poor condition, the bathroom fan is broken, and the Fantastic Fan one in the kitchen area runs, but the fan doesn’t spin. Is now the right time for me to replace all 3 skylights with new ones?

Other things on my list are:

1. The AC outlets on the bedroom slide don’t work.
2. There is a sort of green crusty **** that grows on the rear fiberglass cap.
3. There are some rust stains on the fiberglass and plastic lower facia.
4. The hydraulic levelers don’t like to retract easily in the rear.
5. I don’t own a towable vehicle, so I’m thinking some sort of scooter to haul without a trailer????
6. Do I want a Sewer Solution (seems very interesting).
7. I’d like to clean up or sand down and paint the lower compartments while they are still in decent condition.
8. The engine (Workhorse chassis with an Allison transmission) AC doesn’t work, do I fix it or just live with running the AC units of the generator while driving (no more than 2 to 4 hour trips).

I’m sure there will be more, but these are where I need to start. I’m in Wisconsin, so the motorhome is in a storage building until the weather allows me to start working on things.

Thanks!

[TechWriter]

GHOST1750 wrote:
I'm getting ready to move to Newmar and sad feelings about leaving the National family.

Did the same thing. I don't think you'l regret it.

[GHOST1750]

Sounds like you have a lot of work ahead of you. I have been a proud National owner since 2001, both gas and diesel. Your Seabreeze sounds not only neglected but abused. I'm getting ready to move to Newmar and sad feelings about leaving the National family. Good luck with your project.

[TJHUB]

wildmanbaker wrote:
You mentioned you had a leak in the driver's area. Check the front clearance lights, as they can be a source of leakage. Use the self-leveling caulk around them.

Will do. Thanks!

[wildmanbaker]

You mentioned you had a leak in the driver's area. Check the front clearance lights, as they can be a source of leakage. Use the self-leveling caulk around them.

[TJHUB]

TechWriter wrote:
Here are some of my SeaBreeze docs that you might find useful:

- National SeaBreeze 8431 wiring

- National RV Vendors (released when National RV went Chapter 11 in 2007)

- National RV 12V/120V Wiring (all systems)

- National RV Plumbing Systems

- National RV Heating System

- National RV Hot & Cold Plumbing

- National RV LPG System

- 600W Inverter Option

Thank you so much for this! I also found the hydraulic leveling system manual and maintenance. This helps a lot.

[TechWriter]

Here are some of my SeaBreeze docs that you might find useful:

- National SeaBreeze 8431 wiring

- National RV Vendors (released when National RV went Chapter 11 in 2007)

- National RV 12V/120V Wiring (all systems)

- National RV Plumbing Systems

- National RV Heating System

- National RV Hot & Cold Plumbing

- National RV LPG System

- 600W Inverter Option

[subtroll]

As a very satisfied 2004 Tropical owner now in our 15th season and 155k miles, suggest the following.

Have the roof repaired with an Acrylic system installed by http://rvroofing.com/ (Alexandria, MN) or equivalent. The owner also does on-site repairs. Ten year warranty. He did our roof several years ago along with skylight, fans and lots of storm damage.

Our bedroom A/C outlets are on a GFI circuit and hair dryer in bathroom occasionally trips bedroom outlets.

Grease the back jacks and carry a wood block and iron pipe to "assist" the last 2 inches in cold weather.

[TechWriter]

TJHUB wrote:
To be clear on the levelers, the rears don’t want to retract all the way without assistance from a prybar of some sort.

As I remember, my 2004 SeaBreeze had a PowerGear leveling system which usually put down 3 of the 4 jacks. That's how it's designed. It's not like an HWH system which always puts down all four jacks.

[TJHUB]

Here's a pic just before I put it in storage:

[TJHUB]

jerseyjim wrote:
Good advice above, I can only add something regarding the lack of 110 in the bedroom outlets:
I have a 2001 Dolphin which is, I think, 1 step above the Seabreeze. For whatever reason, NationalRV had the very front outlets (TV and coffeemaker outlets) on the same circuit as the 2 bedroom outlets. They were controlled by the INverter. (Not to be confused with the CONverter) Presumably you have an INverter. If you do, check the circuit breaker on that. That could be your problem.

((Note: last fall, my INverter failed, and seeing I never used it, I removed (bypassed) it. Everything works fine, I just have to remember not to put any really heavy draws (like a space heater) on those outlets. No biggie.))

Stay with Fantastic Fan. Excellent customer service. So is their product.

G'luck!

I will work on understanding the systems to help figure things out. The only breaker panel I check over quickly was the one below the slide out panel. I didn’t find any obvious issue there.

[TJHUB]

GREGORYJ wrote:
Because its a fiberglass roof, its much easier to fix than a rubber roof. You can scrap off the old caulking with a putty knife without worrying about damaging it like a rubber roof. You can also completely clean off remaining caulking with varsol which you cannot use on a rubber roof. Replace all vents assemblies, even washroom vent assembly with motor, not too expensive. Use Dicor roof calking to re-seal vent assemblies and joints between front and rear caps, shower skylight,etc. maybe even replace the Fantastic fan as it uses a plastic frame which may be cracked and can leak.
As mentioned, the roof is the most important fix that should be done before using and risking water leaks.
Use an oxidation remover like Meguiars Mirror Glaze #49 Oxidation Remover Heavy Duty Cleaner to clean up and bring a shine back to any outside areas that look bad like lower doors, rear cap, lower fascia, etc. Don't sand.
The hydraulic levelers have springs that retract them. Try spraying silicon lub
on the hydraulic levelers when extended, this may allow them the retract correctly.
Not sure of the no AC problem on rear slide, Check AC breaker panel for tripped breaker to start with.

My thoughts on the vents are to get a standard small, noisy bathroom fan as the noise covers other sounds that happen in there. 😉 But for the kitchen and shower fans, I might want both be fantastic fans?

Thanks so much for the Meguires recommendation. I had no idea where to start with that. The motohome is in such nice shape, it’s so unfortunate that the outside has been so neglected.

[TJHUB]

ArchHoagland wrote:
4. The hydraulic levelers are slow.....Spray with WD 40 or use transmission fluid on them. I lube mine every year.

6. Do I want a Sewer Solution...... NO

8. The engine A/C doesn't work....can be anything from low on R134 ($20) to a bad compressor ($1200).

You should convert the transmission fluid to Transynd if it hasn't been done already.

Thank you. To be clear on the levelers, the rears don’t want to retract all the way without assistance from a prybar of some sort.

I will check into the trans fluid.

[jerseyjim]

Good advice above, I can only add something regarding the lack of 110 in the bedroom outlets:
I have a 2001 Dolphin which is, I think, 1 step above the Seabreeze. For whatever reason, NationalRV had the very front outlets (TV and coffeemaker outlets) on the same circuit as the 2 bedroom outlets. They were controlled by the INverter. (Not to be confused with the CONverter) Presumably you have an INverter. If you do, check the circuit breaker on that. That could be your problem.

((Note: last fall, my INverter failed, and seeing I never used it, I removed (bypassed) it. Everything works fine, I just have to remember not to put any really heavy draws (like a space heater) on those outlets. No biggie.))

Stay with Fantastic Fan. Excellent customer service. So is their product.

G'luck!

[GREGORYJ]

Because its a fiberglass roof, its much easier to fix than a rubber roof. You can scrap off the old caulking with a putty knife without worrying about damaging it like a rubber roof. You can also completely clean off remaining caulking with varsol which you cannot use on a rubber roof. Replace all vents assemblies, even washroom vent assembly with motor, not too expensive. Use Dicor roof calking to re-seal vent assemblies and joints between front and rear caps, shower skylight,etc. maybe even replace the Fantastic fan as it uses a plastic frame which may be cracked and can leak.
As mentioned, the roof is the most important fix that should be done before using and risking water leaks.
Use an oxidation remover like Meguiars Mirror Glaze #49 Oxidation Remover Heavy Duty Cleaner to clean up and bring a shine back to any outside areas that look bad like lower doors, rear cap, lower fascia, etc. Don't sand.
The hydraulic levelers have springs that retract them. Try spraying silicon lub
on the hydraulic levelers when extended, this may allow them the retract correctly.
Not sure of the no AC problem on rear slide, Check AC breaker panel for tripped breaker to start with.