Mods/Upgrades to our 2003 Dynasty

[zmotorsports]

I had another Carling switch start acting up for my Aqua-Hot this past season. The unit never failed to ignite but occasionally I had to flip the switch a time or two for it to make contact. Upon inspection with my meter while we were in Capitol Reef I noticed the switch had some resistance between the contacts when closed until it was opened & closed a couple times. Then the light bulb burnt out when we were in Moab.[emoji35]

I have finally gotten caught up in the shop so I wanted to address this before next season, and before I forgot about it. [emoji45]

The switch is no longer available from either Aqua-Hot or Carling but I noticed on Roger Berke’s parts website he had the new style panel and switches from Aqua-Hot so I ended up purchasing one. I know I could have sourced a different brand switch easy enough but I did like the look of the new panel and switches.

OEM Monaco switch panel.


New Aqua-Hot panel.


I knew when I ordered it that it was larger than the original and not a direct bolt in deal but nothing I couldn’t modify.


I had to remove a sliver from the walnut cabinetry as the body of the switches are a little larger than the Carling.




After careful measuring I marked what I needed to trim off so it would just squeeze between the other two switch panels.


Panel trimmed, corners radiused, holes drilled and chamfered ready for installation.


Mocked in place to drill the pilot holes for mounting screws.


Panel installed and job completed.


Thanks for looking.

Mike

[10Boomer]

Originally Posted by zmotorsports

I had another Carling switch start acting up for my Aqua-Hot this past season. The unit never failed to ignite but occasionally I had to flip the switch a time or two for it to make contact. Upon inspection with my meter while we were in Capitol Reef I noticed the switch had some resistance between the contacts when closed until it was opened & closed a couple times. Then the light bulb burnt out when we were in Moab.[emoji35]

I have finally gotten caught up in the shop so I wanted to address this before next season, and before I forgot about it. [emoji45]

The switch is no longer available from either Aqua-Hot or Carling but I noticed on Roger Berke’s parts website he had the new style panel and switches from Aqua-Hot so I ended up purchasing one. I know I could have sourced a different brand switch easy enough but I did like the look of the new panel and switches.

OEM Monaco switch panel.
Attachment 180518

New Aqua-Hot panel.
Attachment 180519

I knew when I ordered it that it was larger than the original and not a direct bolt in deal but nothing I couldn’t modify.
Attachment 180520

I had to remove a sliver from the walnut cabinetry as the body of the switches are a little larger than the Carling.
Attachment 180521

Attachment 180522

After careful measuring I marked what I needed to trim off so it would just squeeze between the other two switch panels.
Attachment 180523

Panel trimmed, corners radiused, holes drilled and chamfered ready for installation.
Attachment 180524

Mocked in place to drill the pilot holes for mounting screws.
Attachment 180525

Panel installed and job completed.
Attachment 180526

Thanks for looking.

Mike

Great job Mike.

[zmotorsports]

Originally Posted by 10Boomer

Great job Mike.

Thanks Perry, I appreciate that.

Mike

[MHROOKIE]

Mike,
Is that panel a direct wiring swap as well? I was told it required a slight wiring change but the person lost the drawing/plan. So I went out to hunt and buy the proper carling switches. I'd rather do what you did! Please share the wiring info.
Thank you,
Kurt

[steined]

My switch is doing the same thing and the light burned out last trip! Thanks for saving me the time to try to hunt that switch down! I'll just order that kit and hope I can trim the cabinet without too much issue!

Wiring pretty straightforward?

Thanks for the post!

Originally Posted by zmotorsports

I had another Carling switch start acting up for my Aqua-Hot this past season. The unit never failed to ignite but occasionally I had to flip the switch a time or two for it to make contact. Upon inspection with my meter while we were in Capitol Reef I noticed the switch had some resistance between the contacts when closed until it was opened & closed a couple times. Then the light bulb burnt out when we were in Moab.[emoji35]

I have finally gotten caught up in the shop so I wanted to address this before next season, and before I forgot about it. [emoji45]

The switch is no longer available from either Aqua-Hot or Carling but I noticed on Roger Berke’s parts website he had the new style panel and switches from Aqua-Hot so I ended up purchasing one. I know I could have sourced a different brand switch easy enough but I did like the look of the new panel and switches.

OEM Monaco switch panel.
Attachment 180518

New Aqua-Hot panel.
Attachment 180519

I knew when I ordered it that it was larger than the original and not a direct bolt in deal but nothing I couldn’t modify.
Attachment 180520

I had to remove a sliver from the walnut cabinetry as the body of the switches are a little larger than the Carling.
Attachment 180521

Attachment 180522

After careful measuring I marked what I needed to trim off so it would just squeeze between the other two switch panels.
Attachment 180523

Panel trimmed, corners radiused, holes drilled and chamfered ready for installation.
Attachment 180524

Mocked in place to drill the pilot holes for mounting screws.
Attachment 180525

Panel installed and job completed.
Attachment 180526

Thanks for looking.

Mike

[zmotorsports]

Originally Posted by MHROOKIE

Mike,
Is that panel a direct wiring swap as well? I was told it required a slight wiring change but the person lost the drawing/plan. So I went out to hunt and buy the proper carling switches. I'd rather do what you did! Please share the wiring info.
Thank you,
Kurt

Originally Posted by steined

My switch is doing the same thing and the light burned out last trip! Thanks for saving me the time to try to hunt that switch down! I'll just order that kit and hope I can trim the cabinet without too much issue!

Wiring pretty straightforward?

Thanks for the post!

Thanks for the comments guys. If the switch is working properly you can replace just the light bulb, I have heard of people who sourced the bulb through either Radio Shack (if they are even still around) or other electronic supply store. Had mine merely been the bulb I may have gone that route.

As for the wiring it is very straightforward. The thing I like about updating these older panels is at least now the electrical and the diesel switches are the same. The original switch for the electrical element did not have an indicator light so you will have to jumper over a ground wire. I merely jumpered one from the diesel switch light circuit. The electrical switch is 12vdc that switches a relay that actually controls the 120vac of the element so you will also have to jump a positive 12vdc from the supply to the light as well in order for the light to illuminate when switched on.

Pretty easy job to do.

Thanks again for the comments and for following along on my coach thread.

Mike

[zmotorsports]

I have my Saturday’s work cut out for me. Time to service the coach and address a couple of other minor projects so she’s ready for next season.


Mike

[10Boomer]

Originally Posted by zmotorsports

I have my Saturday’s work cut out for me. Time to service the coach and address a couple of other minor projects so she’s ready for next season.
Attachment 181926

Mike

Right behind you Mike, getting everything together for next months work.

[QMThomas]

Hey Mike, what do you use as a drain bucket that fits under the oil pan? Getting ready to service my Sig and the drain bucket is the only thing left to acquire! I have lots of drain buckets but nothing big enough for the approx 15 gallons!

[zmotorsports]

Originally Posted by QMThomas

Hey Mike, what do you use as a drain bucket that fits under the oil pan? Getting ready to service my Sig and the drain bucket is the only thing left to acquire! I have lots of drain buckets but nothing big enough for the approx 15 gallons!

I merely us two 5-gallon buckets, nothing special. I do have to raise the rear of the coach about 6” to clear them though. Not enough to actually lift the tires off the ground, just to the top of the air bags basically. I place my two 5-gallon buckets on absorbent pads then open the petcock and keep an eye on it so when the first one is nearly full I close the petcock and push the next bucket under and repeat.

One thing I noticed about servicing it this year compared to past years is that now being inside a garage I don’t have the oil stringers that get blown around from having to drain the oil outside and having to chase the oil with the buckets. [emoji15]

Mike

[96 Wideglide]

Never fails does it . The day you've decided to do an oil change, the wind kicks up !!

[zmotorsports]

Finished servicing the Dynasty today.




One thing I noticed when removing the sediment bowl from the primary filter is there was an awful lot of debris so I cut the filters apart to inspect. Yep, a lot of debris for reason this time.


I then had to come up with a way to hold my A/V switchbox in place. I installed double sided tape to hold it to the top of the video player but the tape hasn’t been holding as well as in other applications. It is difficult to maneuver around the steering wheel to hold the switchbox with my right hand while pushing the buttons with my left. I also despise the slight rattle when I hit bumps so I wanted to address both.

I couldn’t access it enough to put a hold down clamp style like in the other cabinet that houses my satellite receiver and DVD player. I measured with a rule and have just over 3/8” between the top of the A/V switch box and the top of the compartment. I came up with a plan to use a piece of 1/2” square tube that I cut .080” off which left a U-channel that measured approx. .400” overall height. I then cut down a piece of 10-gauge to slip into the U-channel.






I then turned the channel over and drilled & tapped each end to accept a 10-32 socket head screw approx 1/2” in from each end.






The theory is that the two screws will push up on the 10-gauge piece while the channel will push downward on the switch box to keep it stuck down to the double sided tape resulting in a fairly rigid mounted component that I won’t have to listen to going down the road nor chase around the cabinet when switching it.

Next beadblasted and painted the two pieces semi-gloss Black to match the A/V equipment.


Completed and works great.


Thanks for looking.

Mike

[JohnBoyToo]

WOW - I've been chasing a rattle up in the overhead passenger cabinet and Dooooh ! I think you pointed it out to me - Thanks !

[zmotorsports]

Originally Posted by JohnBoyToo

WOW - I've been chasing a rattle up in the overhead passenger cabinet and Dooooh ! I think you pointed it out to me - Thanks !

You’re welcome. I hope you find your rattle. This one was pretty intermittent but the main thing I wanted to address was having to chase the switch box around the cabinet when pushing the buttons. Finding the rattle was merely the icing on the cake.

Mike