DC electrical circuit

[PDMcCripe@...]

Greetings all,

We recently began to experience intermittent failure of the old Dometic RM 3804 refrigerator, indicative of an impending circuit board replacement or repair. However, the problem has compounded in as much as I discovered also the failure of the essential DC electrical power to the rear of the refrigerator. Replacing the power source with an external 12 vdc battery restored operation to the refrigerator. I'm unable to locate the fuse or other protective device for that circuit in either the forward electrical bay or in any overhead compartments. Does anyone have an idea where this seemingly easy-to-find item would reside in a 1991 year/model PT40?

Also, back in September and October I was searching for replacement faucet cartridges for my shower/tub. All the responses I received referred me to Moen. Moen however has denied ownership of the design I presented them in a photograph, pointing out that Moen is plastic and my cartridge is all-metal. I'm still searching. I can't declare with certainty that what I'm trying to replace was an original part and it bears no manufacturer's name or number. This particular installation is somewhat difficult to access by any approach other than destructive.

Heading for Quartzsite in a week to join the Southwest Bluebirds and will continue the search there.

Regards,

Donn Borden

Montana

[Curt Sprenger]

This site has good appliance information. http://bryantrv.com/docs.html

 

See you at Quartzsite.

 

Curt Sprenger
1987 PT38 8V92 "MacAttack Racing"

Anaheim Hills, CA
"curtsprenger@gmail.com"
One of the "Birds of a Feather" (BoF) Organizers

On Sat, Jan 7, 2012 at 8:53 AM, <"PDMcCripe@aol.com"> wrote:

Dometic RM 3804

[BG]

Donn -

If the old Dometic has a good cooling unit, you can replace the Dometic board with a Dinosaur board. This has proved to be an effective repair and an upgrade as well. It saved our Dometic when the original board failed about 6 years ago. Performance has been flawless and it only took about an hour to change.

The 12 volt supply to the refer in our coachhad been replaced with a new cable and fuse wireddirectly to the battery when we got it.

Regarding the faucet - have you ever taken the old cartridge into a big-box store and compared it to all the cartridges hanging on the wall? This has worked for me when everything else failed.

Bob Griesel '84 FC31 WLII WA

---

From: WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com [mailto:WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of PDMcCripe@...
Sent: Saturday, January 07, 2012 8:53 AM
To: WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com
Subject: [WanderlodgeForum] DC electrical circuit

Greetings all,

We recently began to experience intermittent failure of the old Dometic RM 3804 refrigerator, indicative of an impending circuit board replacement or repair. However, the problem has compounded in as much as I discovered also the failure of the essential DC electrical power to the rear of the refrigerator. Replacing the power source with an external 12 vdc battery restored operation to the refrigerator. I'm unable to locate the fuse or other protective device for that circuit in either the forward electrical bay or in any overhead compartments. Does anyone have an idea where this seemingly easy-to-find item would reside in a 1991 year/model PT40?

Also, back in September and October I was searching for replacement faucet cartridges for my shower/tub. All the responses I received referred me to Moen. Moen however has denied ownership of the design I presented them in a photograph, pointing out that Moen is plastic and my cartridge is all-metal. I'm still searching. I can't declare with certainty that what I'm trying to replace was an original part and it bears no manufacturer's name or number. This particular installation is somewhat difficult to access by any approach other than destructive.

Heading for Quartzsite in a week to join the Southwest Bluebirds and will continue the search there.

Regards,

Donn Borden

Montana

[George F. VerDuin]

Hi Don.



On 01/07/2012 11:53 AM, "PDMcCripe@aol.com" wrote:

 

Greetings all,

    We
recently began to experience intermittent failure of
the old Dometic RM 3804 refrigerator, indicative of
an impending circuit board replacement or repair. 
However, the problem has compounded in as much as I
discovered also the failure of the essential DC
electrical power to the rear of the refrigerator.
Replacing the power source with an external 12 vdc
battery restored operation to the refrigerator. I'm
unable to locate the fuse or other protective device
for that circuit in either the forward electrical
bay or in any overhead compartments. Does anyone
have an idea where this seemingly easy-to-find item
would reside in a 1991 year/model PT40?

Mine is a 1995 BMC so we will not be a carbon copy.

The refer needs continuous power so the source should be

   after the battery disconnect switch

   before house and ignition master relays.

I believe the BMC feed point is adjacent to the charger/inverter on
a post with 8 wires.

There are a few, but perhaps not the refer, circuit breakers in the
road-side basement as well.

They are "mount on the wall" type devices, not part of a bus bar
distribution array.

I'll know better when I finish cleaning up the connections before
spring [I have some corrosion].



The intermittent nature of your failure sounds a bit like mine.

My issue is with 15+ years of open connection block exposure to
whatever.

The last straw was needing to hire a mechanic to find a bad
connection on the hydraulic pump for the levelers.

Now I have a "mission".

Protective devices also sometimes fail in this mode when they are
the self-reset type.

The worst-case failure might be vibration caused insulation failure
for a wire [tough to find and repair].

    Also, back
in September and October I was searching for
replacement faucet cartridges for my shower/tub. 
All the responses I received referred me to Moen. 
Moen however has denied ownership of the design I
presented them in a photograph, pointing out that
Moen is plastic and my cartridge is all-metal.  I'm
still searching.  I can't declare with certainty
that what I'm trying to replace was an original part
and it bears no manufacturer's name or number.  This
particular installation is somewhat difficult to
access by any approach other than destructive.

I wonder if there is not some private rule in the plumbing industry
to not identify the make and model on the device itself?

My experience is like yours to the extent that my only solution was
to take the "guts" of the shower valve to a plumbing supply house
for them to match.

I'm certain I pay more there than in one of the box stores...

    Heading
for Quartzsite in a week to join the Southwest
Bluebirds and will continue the search there.

 

Regards,

Donn Borden

Montana

Best of luck with your volt meter and pliers...

Skip

__

[mbulriss]

Donn,

If you don't get an answer, remind me of this next week when I will be back down
at South Padre Island on my 91. I had the replacment shower cartridge package
in my hand last week, so I will send you the part number. I can also check my
prints on the refrigerator wiring if you don't get an answer on that by then
also.

Mike Bulriss
1991 WB40 "Texas Minivan"
San Antonio, TX

--- In WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com, PDMcCripe@... wrote:
>
> Greetings all,
> We recently began to experience intermittent failure of the old
> Dometic RM 3804 refrigerator, indicative of an impending circuit board
> replacement or repair. However, the problem has compounded in as much as I
> discovered also the failure of the essential DC electrical power to the rear
of the
> refrigerator. Replacing the power source with an external 12 vdc battery
> restored operation to the refrigerator. I'm unable to locate the fuse or
> other protective device for that circuit in either the forward electrical bay
> or in any overhead compartments. Does anyone have an idea where this
> seemingly easy-to-find item would reside in a 1991 year/model PT40?
> Also, back in September and October I was searching for replacement
> faucet cartridges for my shower/tub. All the responses I received referred
> me to Moen. Moen however has denied ownership of the design I presented
> them in a photograph, pointing out that Moen is plastic and my cartridge is
> all-metal. I'm still searching. I can't declare with certainty that what
> I'm trying to replace was an original part and it bears no manufacturer's
> name or number. This particular installation is somewhat difficult to access
> by any approach other than destructive.
> Heading for Quartzsite in a week to join the Southwest Bluebirds and
> will continue the search there.
>
> Regards,
> Donn Borden
> Montana
>

[PDMcCripe@...]

Hi Mike, and thanks for that.

Donn

In a message dated 01/07/2012 12:29:18 Mountain Standard Time, mbulriss@... writes:

Donn,

If you don't get an answer, remind me of this next week when I will be back down at South Padre Island on my 91. I had the replacment shower cartridge package in my hand last week, so I will send you the part number. I can also check my prints on the refrigerator wiring if you don't get an answer on that by then also.

Mike Bulriss
1991 WB40 "Texas Minivan"
San Antonio, TX

"mbulriss@yahoo.com?subject=Re%3A%20DC%20electrical%20circuit" | "WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com?subject=Re%3A%20DC%20electrical%20circuit" | Reply via web post | Start a New Topic

Messages in this topic (5)

.

[Chuck Wheeler]

Donn,

Every Ace, True Value, and Lowes around
here has both the plastic and brass valves for the Moen. On our 82 FC all faucets
and the tub use the same cartridge. I have two cartridges here at the house.
Send me a picture and I will see if it looks like the same part.

Chuck Wheeler

1982 FC 31 SB

Fort Worth TX

---

From:
WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com [mailto:WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of George F. VerDuin

Sent: Saturday, January 07, 2012
11:46 AM

To:
WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com

Subject: Re: [WanderlodgeForum] DC
electrical circuit

Hi Don.



On 01/07/2012 11:53 AM, "PDMcCripe@aol.com"
wrote:

Greetings all,

We recently began
to experience intermittent failure of the old Dometic RM 3804 refrigerator,
indicative of an impending circuit board replacement or repair. However,
the problem has compounded in as much as I discovered also the failure of the
essential DC electrical power to the rear of the refrigerator. Replacing the
power source with an external 12 vdc battery restored operation to the
refrigerator. I'm unable to locate the fuse or other protective device for that
circuit in either the forward electrical bay or in any overhead compartments.
Does anyone have an idea where this seemingly easy-to-find item would reside in
a 1991 year/model PT40?

Mine is a 1995 BMC so we will not be a carbon copy.

The refer needs continuous power so the source should be

after the battery disconnect switch

before house and ignition master relays.

I believe the BMC feed point is adjacent to the charger/inverter on a post with
8 wires.

There are a few, but perhaps not the refer, circuit breakers in the road-side
basement as well.

They are "mount on the wall" type devices, not part of a bus bar
distribution array.

I'll know better when I finish cleaning up the connections before spring [I
have some corrosion].



The intermittent nature of your failure sounds a bit like mine.

My issue is with 15+ years of open connection block exposure to whatever.

The last straw was needing to hire a mechanic to find a bad connection on the
hydraulic pump for the levelers.

Now I have a "mission".

Protective devices also sometimes fail in this mode when they are the
self-reset type.

The worst-case failure might be vibration caused insulation failure for a wire
[tough to find and repair].

Also, back in
September and October I was searching for replacement faucet cartridges for my
shower/tub. All the responses I received referred me to Moen. Moen
however has denied ownership of the design I presented them in a photograph,
pointing out that Moen is plastic and my cartridge is all-metal. I'm
still searching. I can't declare with certainty that what I'm trying to
replace was an original part and it bears no manufacturer's name or number.
This particular installation is somewhat difficult to access by any approach
other than destructive.

I wonder if there is not some private rule in the plumbing industry to
not identify the make and model on the device itself?

My experience is like yours to the extent that my only solution was to take the
"guts" of the shower valve to a plumbing supply house for them to
match.

I'm certain I pay more there than in one of the box stores...

Heading for
Quartzsite in a week to join the Southwest Bluebirds and will continue the
search there.

Regards,

Donn Borden

Montana

Best of luck with your volt meter and pliers...

Skip

__

[PDMcCripe@...]

Thanks to everyone who responded to my call for identifying my perished tub/shower water valves. An in-depth search has indicated that my valves are Eljer cartridges, and definitely not Moen's. Eljer has long since gone the way of Wanderlodge coaches, however I located a distributor who had three in stock and I took two of those, with the agreementto accept return except the freight cost if they are incorrect.

However, I still have not located the fuse or CB for the Dometic refrigerator. I defeated that problem by installing a garden tractor 12vdc storage battery in the compartment behind the refrigerator. It has operated inside the carriage house without recharging for a week so far. Tomorrow we hit the road to the Las Vegas Shot Show and then to .Quartzsite, and the little battery will bask in the glow of the rooftop solar cells. For now all's well in the world.

[Curt Sprenger]

Glad to hear you've got things under control. We'll see you at Quartzsite. We plan to arrive Tuesday 1.17. What's your ETA?

Curt Sprenger
1987 PT38 8V92 "MacAttack Racing"

Anaheim Hills, CA
"curtsprenger@gmail.com"
One of the "Birds of a Feather" (BoF) Organizers

On Fri, Jan 13, 2012 at 3:29 PM, <"PDMcCripe@aol.com"> wrote:

 

Thanks to everyone who responded to my call for identifying my perished tub/shower water valves.  An in-depth search has indicated that my valves are Eljer cartridges, and definitely not Moen's.  Eljer has long since gone the way of Wanderlodge coaches, however I located a distributor who had three in stock and I took two of those, with the agreement to accept return except the freight cost if they are incorrect.

 

However, I still have not located the fuse or CB for the Dometic refrigerator.  I defeated that problem by installing a garden tractor 12vdc storage battery in the compartment behind the refrigerator.  It has operated inside the carriage house without recharging for a week so far.  Tomorrow we hit the road to the Las Vegas Shot Show and then to .Quartzsite, and the little battery will bask in the glow of the rooftop solar cells.  For now all's well in the world.

[mbulriss]

Eljer, huh? So much for supplier consistency in BB production. Glad you found
a replacement, as it is nice to have that shower going!

Mike Bulriss
1991 WB40 "Texas Minivan"
Current location South Padre Island, TX





--- In WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com, PDMcCripe@... wrote:
>
> Thanks to everyone who responded to my call for identifying my perished
> tub/shower water valves. An in-depth search has indicated that my valves are
> Eljer cartridges, and definitely not Moen's. Eljer has long since gone
> the way of Wanderlodge coaches, however I located a distributor who had three
> in stock and I took two of those, with the agreement to accept return
> except the freight cost if they are incorrect.
>
> However, I still have not located the fuse or CB for the Dometic
> refrigerator. I defeated that problem by installing a garden tractor 12vdc
storage
> battery in the compartment behind the refrigerator. It has operated inside
> the carriage house without recharging for a week so far. Tomorrow we hit
> the road to the Las Vegas Shot Show and then to .Quartzsite, and the little
> battery will bask in the glow of the rooftop solar cells. For now all's
> well in the world.
>