Heavy_Metal_Doc
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Re: Lippert ground control / one control
Second Chance wrote: I have found Lippert Customer Care to be very responsive - they will walk you through anything they are able to over the phone: 432-547-7378. Rob I've already been dealing with them and they have been very helpful. But they really only offer canned answers to flow chart diagnostic questions. I'm looking for actual experienced ideas from the field, which is why I asked about any techs around here.326Views0likes0CommentsLippert ground control / one control
Any techs around here that are very familiar with these systems? I'm working though what we are fairly sure is a lightning strike / surge that has killed a lot of CAN system components. I can live without the one control stuff, but I'm trying to get the leveling back up and working.1.3KViews0likes3CommentsRe: Cracked frame Heartland/Lippert - Warranty but no help!
OH48Lt wrote: Get the repair specs and procedure from Lippert, and take it to a good frame or welding shop and get it done. This is about the best answer I've seen in this thread. Its the awful reality of the situation. I'd weld it all up solid and then have trailer specialist go over the alignment of the axles.587Views0likes0CommentsRe: Tech info / advice on 5th wheel generator install
dougrainer wrote: If Jayco prepped, you will see a 4 by 4 metal electrical box in that Gen compartment that houses the 120 wires going to the Transfer box IF there is a Transfer box. If no electrical box, it is not prepped. What Year/Model are do you have? Doug No metal junction box in the front compartment. 2019 Eagle 355MBQS.699Views0likes0CommentsRe: Tech info / advice on 5th wheel generator install
Lots of good responses / things to consider! dougrainer wrote: Jayco just installs an INVERTER ONLY for the Residential refer installs. That Inverter has PASS THRU power. That means when you are connected to Shore or gen Power, the 120 volts goes thru the Inverter and the Inverter if ON, goes to stand by. When the 120 input is disconnected the Inverter then starts Inverting 120 power to the refer. There is nothing you have to do other than install the Genset and connect the wiring to the Genset. IF the Jayco is prewired for a Genset, the 120 wiring and the Transfer box should already be installed. I have NEVER seen the Leveling system control box on a Jayco installed in the Genset compartment. This must be something new Jayco is doing. They usually install the Control module in the first Storage compartment ceiling in the middle between the sides of the RV. I know people complained of that because when they needed to access the fuses and such, they had to remove all their storage items they stored in that large compartment. Doug Thanks for that info. I wasn't sure about the inverter having a/c power to pass through. It sounds like I'll just leave that alone. I do not think my unit is prepped for a generator, but I'm hoping to open up some access points and check out the wiring / components this weekend. The issue on the leveling unit position is actually something I read about when looking up info before ordering any parts / generator. A commenter in a similar discussion said he was stranded when an auto leveling malfunction occurred and acessing that unit was blocked by the generator. Im hoping to preempt that situation. I understand the unit must be level with the unit, but I doubt it matters where it gets mounted. If its ok to be at the very front end of the RV, then I doubt I would care if its moved to right or left end of that compartment. I was also thinking of of just fabricating the heat shield box so its easy to remove the top to reach past / above that area.696Views0likes0CommentsTech info / advice on 5th wheel generator install
I attempted to search this topic every way I could think of and could not find any exact answers.....this might be a bit long and technical....here goes.... I have a new Jayco 5th wheel unit with a residential fridge which runs off of an inverter. As I understand it, it is essentially one 110V circuit which is wired separately from the rest of the unit and powered by the inverter so that the fridge stays powered off of the batteries at all times, regardless of outside power. The RV power panel keep the batteries topped off as long as there is shore power. I am about to install a Cummins / Onan QG 5500 LP generator. I'm wondering if there are any changes for the inverter that should be considered (or just a good idea / improvement) while messing around with all the wiring. Or, simply "tee" in the generator between the shore power and the existing RV power panel and let the rest stay as it is? I have seen Progressive Dynamics mentioned often as good power products for RV's (tell me if that's true or false), so I have found one of their transfer switches with built in surge protector I'm thinking of ordering for this setup. I'm also a bit confused on the generator mounting. I know the older units in a 5th wheel front compartment required a heat-shield box to be built to surround the generator, seal to the compartment door, and only allow air to circulate in that space and out the open bottom. But then I see the info on this new generator says that it's fully enclosed and doesn't require extra shielding. I've seen pictures of new units with / without the heat shield. I a have also heard / read that the batteries need to be separated from the generator, which mine are in their own steel box vented out the bottom of that compartment. This also leads to another minor issue -- my unit has an auto-leveling system which the MFR has chosen to mount the "brain" of the system dead center in the top of the compartment where the generator will be mounted. I have measured things out and would JUST BARELY be able to reach past the generator to get to fuses / wiring on the that module in the even of a failure. (I'm a technical service guy, so I plan to work on things and try to make service / repair easier on myself). IF I have to fabricate a heat shield box around the genny, there's no way I'd reach around it to that module in an emergency breakdown situation. In this case, I'll move the module somewhere else - possibly move to one end of the compartment or else move it to the other side of the wall into the "basement" and build a protective cage over it so it doesn't get beat up by gear stored in there.2.3KViews0likes9CommentsLCI One Control
We recently traded up to a new 5th wheel with the LCI One Control system. I quickly realized that it seems like a great system in theory, yet it appears to be a little limited in terms of how much is can actually do..... Being a technical / mechanical person, I have been cruising around the web attempting to find more info on the system and I've already found / looked over the components in our rig. As near as I can tell the module only has the capability to control 8 functions. It sounds great to have "lighting" control in the sales pitch, yet they only have one outside awning light connected. Being familiar with many CAN control systems, I'm wondering if maybe a second controller module can be piggy-backed into the system to gain more functions? So far, web research has only given me info on the core system, not any modifications.516Views0likes0CommentsRe: Does owning a camper make you rich or a cheap tightwad?
On one hand I don;t care what anyone thinks. I enjoy it. But for some bored / downtime discussion, here goes: I get both extremes from each end of the scale of my friends / coworkers. Family is all fine with any RV because there are many RV-ers in our family. My bosses, who are a bit on the snobby end of things (that is, they have enough money to live in the best part of any town, never drive a vehicle past about 3 years old, and own some expensive toys they don't even use just to keep as conversation pieces with other richy-rich business associates) kinda looks down their nose at RV's unless you spend a million or more on a custom Prevost bus. They can't understand driving more then 4 hours anywhere - they'd just book a flight...driving long distances is to be avoided and only and activity for "commoners"... So they think it's big waste of money and even have an attitude along the lines of "I must be paying you too much if you can waste money like that."...Funny, though, the one customer we all work with who owns that 1.5 Mil Prevost just loves to RV-travel and would have no problem with me parking my measly TT on the site next to them so we could all have dinner together. We chat often about trips and where we've been / planning to go. Then there are the rest of the "grunt" coworkers who get worked up over any mention of my TT and trips and RV's in general as being some super high end luxury that they could never afford. This somehow makes me the "big man" tha must be making twice the paycheck of any of them....But like others here have mentioned, they all do stuff like drive 3hrs to the beach every summer weekend to a rented condo and drop lots of cash of eating out and lots of alcohol...we all probably all spend about the same, we just have different ways to enjoy our off time.503Views0likes0CommentsRe: Some of y'all are scarin' me!
I am often amazed at the lack of vehicular common sense I see all around me, often by "professionals". We sell / service machinery mounted to heavy truck chassis. Just a day or two ago I got in a State DOT truck (I won't say which states big orange truck) that had been dropped off for service. In the 100 feet it took me to move it form where they parked it to my shop, I realized it had very little, if any, rear brake function. I could feel the weight shift and abrupt grabbing of the front axle as the pedal was nearly at the floor - going less than 10 MPH. I walked around it and saw new parts just replaced all around the brake system. Assorted air valves, a brake chamber on one rear axle...obviously they knew something was wrong and someone attempted to fix it....that's 66,000 pounds of barely able to stop rolling through traffic....246Views0likes0CommentsRe: Challenges with a long(er) trailer?
I have yet to run into any real trouble with a 35 foot (ball to bumper) TT. Some tight spots, yes. Like actually needing my wife to get out and spot for me backing into a campsite with lots of close-in tress, or a sweating it just a little bit when forced to get fuel at and in-town side street gas station, rather than a truck stop style station with acres of room around it along the highway. But that is more a matter of how comfortable you are with towing in general. I have professional trucker in-law who's overall length of truck and 5th wheel is nearly identical to my TV / TT and he has more trouble than I do because he's too used to tractor trailers. I'd say my largest pain-in-the-neck is leveling in sites that are sloped. I've had a few spots where one end is nearly on the ground, wheels have 6 inches of blocks under them and then 3 sets of leveling blocks under the other end to get the unit all set to live in. I ended up mounting and small truck tool box on the rear bumper just for all the leveling blocks / chocks I carry.585Views0likes0Comments
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