Community Forums

Dutch Star Don · 08-31-2018, 04:07 PM

I agree, nothing on the dash, is going to prevent me from driving it. If I'm on a trip and need to get home, I'm not going to worry about knowing the turn signal indicator is on or need to know I'm low on fuel. If there is an issue, it's going to derate and eventually shut down before doing damage. These are not airplanes where you may fall out of the sky and die if there is a failure.

When autos started converting to digital dashes, I doubt there was all this condemnation before the product was given a chance! If you want your coach to be modern and keep up with the times, things are going to change. I'm looking forward to the digital dash on my new coach.

I run the SilverLeaf program when I'm driving and can see everything the Cummins computer sees. So if you're desperate for redundancy, add the SilverLeaf.

lsodi · 08-31-2018, 09:26 PM

Hi all the problems have started. While drive today to the Keys the dash decided to reboot itself while driving (60mph) not just once but 4 times and on the 4 time the steering (Comfort Drive) deactivated for about 5 seconds. A little scary but recovered right away. Will keep everyone inform as to what Spartan says or does.

TwinDriver · 09-03-2018, 05:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lsodi

Hi all the problems have started. While drive today to the Keys the dash decided to reboot itself while driving (60mph) not just once but 4 times and on the 4 time the steering (Comfort Drive) deactivated for about 5 seconds. A little scary but recovered right away. Will keep everyone inform as to what Spartan says or does.

Was at the coach today. It was the first time I have been inside the coach since our maiden voyage during the 3rd week of August.

Turned the key to accessory and....the glass panel and the annunciator tone came to life.

The coach sat for 4 days at the park with FHU and when departing, the panel failed to come alive. Sat in my airplane hangar for a week and 1/2 since then, turn the key on and the panel (and accessory shriek) come back from the dead?

I have an appointment scheduled with the local FL shop next week. Will call them tomorrow to ask if I should come in or see if it fails again (maybe being hopeful). Not sure if they have the tools to determine what could be intermittent or a (hopeful) one-time problem.

NealC · 09-03-2018, 05:50 PM

These panels aren't new. They've been in the NA at least a year and other brands used them before Newmar. My concern is NEWMAR's build quality screwing this up. They assemble the chassis and electricals and I sure hope this isn't a representation of the higher build rates.

willipaul · 09-03-2018, 06:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NealC

These panels aren't new. They've been in the NA at least a year and other brands used them before Newmar. My concern is NEWMAR's build quality screwing this up. They assemble the chassis and electricals and I sure hope this isn't a representation of the higher build rates.

it's a representation of how well they do with electronics...of any kind.....

that's my opinion....

and just because they've been around for a little while, doesn't mean the bugs are worked out, either.....from both FL and SP.....

willipaul · 09-03-2018, 06:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TwinDriver

Was at the coach today. It was the first time I have been inside the coach since our maiden voyage during the 3rd week of August.

Turned the key to accessory and....the glass panel and the annunciator tone came to life.

The coach sat for 4 days at the park with FHU and when departing, the panel failed to come alive. Sat in my airplane hangar for a week and 1/2 since then, turn the key on and the panel (and accessory shriek) come back from the dead?

I have an appointment scheduled with the local FL shop next week. Will call them tomorrow to ask if I should come in or see if it fails again (maybe being hopeful). Not sure if they have the tools to determine what could be intermittent or a (hopeful) one-time problem.

did you hit the battery disconnect when you parked the coach ???

TwinDriver · 09-03-2018, 09:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by willipaul

did you hit the battery disconnect when you parked the coach ???

Willipaul,

I did consider what might have changed and also wondered about the role the battery (and chassis) disconnect might have played.

In answer to your question, I moved the battery disconnect to off when I returned from the trip and parked it at the hangar.

Today, I turned the chassis battery on, entered the coach, turned the battery disconnect to "on" and then tried the key in accessory...and the panel worked.

If the panel fails again, would be interesting to see if cycling the battery disconnect "off"/then "on" remedies the "failure" and brings the panel online.
(Doesn't seem like a loose connector or bad panel is the culprit? The coach didn't move nor were any of the wires touched after I parked it. If the panel itself has an issue, I assume it wouldn't have come back on...)

plane · 09-03-2018, 09:53 PM

That might be the method that you use to reboot.

TwinDriver · 09-05-2018, 12:24 PM

Looks like cycling the chassis battery is the likely reason the glass instrument panel came back online. If it occurs again, will verify.

According to Newmar customer service, the reboot provides a solution for several of the electrical gremlins which have occurred. Would be nice to know the cause of these "gremlins"!

BBelanger · 09-05-2018, 01:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TwinDriver

Looks like cycling the chassis battery is the likely reason the glass instrument panel came back online. If it occurs again, will verify.

According to Newmar customer service, the reboot provides a solution for several of the electrical gremlins which have occurred. Would be nice to know the cause of these "gremlins"!

I had a slide that would go out, but wouldn't come back in. Toggle of the disconnect fixed that problem. CS told me the electronics "forget".

Speaking of electronics, how do you suppose this happened? Had no lights in the wet bay, no wonder. Guess I should be thankful for no fire.

Stuart W · 09-05-2018, 01:43 PM

Maybe a result of the lights staying on?

Stuart W · 09-05-2018, 01:46 PM

I switched all of my bulbs to LED replacements

BBelanger · 09-05-2018, 01:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stuart W

Maybe a result of the lights staying on?

I wondered about that. Do you think that little bulb would burn the coach down? This basement lights on might be a much bigger problem than we thought...

Stuart W · 09-05-2018, 01:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BBelanger

I wondered about that. Do you think that little bulb would burn the coach down? This basement lights on might be a much bigger problem than we thought...

When changing mine out, I burned my fingers after just being on for a couple of minutes, pretty hot, if left on for a long time in a 100 degree + compartment, maybe could cause issues depending on nearby flammables. in addition this type of bulb sometimes get extremely bright just before going out.
Not to mention unlimited full battery voltage when plugged in