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Old 10-19-2018, 12:18 PM   #1
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Exclamation Coach Wiring Concern?

After taking possession of my new Newmar Ventana 4311 last Dec 7, I had faulty wiring on the patio light circuit. After working with electrical folks contracted by Newmar, we finally resolved the problem. We installed a new wire to by pass the shorted wire section. Just recently I needed to replace the door awning motor. To replace, some disassembly of the main awning is required. During reinstallation the screw or screws fastening the parts damaged a wire in the main awning and caused damage to a component of the main awning system. It was discovered that other wires were damaged during installation at the Newmar factory. These wires are all in close proximity to the screws. I have a major concern when two problems like this occur. Newmar doesn't seem to think such electrical wiring problems are serious. However, I worry there may be other potential short circuits and these could present a serious safety problem. Has anyone had similar experiences with coach wiring circuits and do your share my concern? As an engineer working with product development, I may have become too cautious? In addition, I've not been able to obtain wiring schematics/diagrams from Newmar. With such problems, this information would be very valuable.
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Old 10-19-2018, 12:50 PM   #2
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In my last coach, it kept popping the GIF circuits at a campground. Took me a while. but I found a screw holding a baseboard panel in place had gone right through a 110 volt cable shorting two wires. It's odd in that the problem didn't show itself until 6 years after the coach was built!

Everyone thinks the wire chases in these coaches are smooth and burr free. But it seems like if you just stick you hand near one, it will come out bloody.
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Old 10-19-2018, 01:42 PM   #3
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I think rubbing due to vibration can eventually wear thru to create a short.
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Old 10-20-2018, 12:24 PM   #4
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[moderator edit]

All the coaches built escape from the factories with a few imperfections. There are enough meth heads and whatever working there that pull some stupid stuff sometimes on purpose and other times just don't know better. I wouldn't worry about it at all and you will be lucky if you don't have a couple other issues. Almost everyone does.

I wouldn't worry but you should be able to get the diagrams. I have got everyone I have requested from Thor
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Old 10-20-2018, 01:15 PM   #5
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The houses where the employees live are required to run wires through conduit. The factory building must run all wires through conduit. The coaches that go bouncing down the road? No conduit. Go figure.
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Old 10-20-2018, 02:19 PM   #6
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[moderator edit]

All the coaches built escape from the factories with a few imperfections. There are enough meth heads and whatever working there that pull some stupid stuff sometimes on purpose and other times just don't know better. I wouldn't worry about it at all and you will be lucky if you don't have a couple other issues. Almost everyone does.

I wouldn't worry but you should be able to get the diagrams. I have got everyone I have requested from Thor
I feel that is a unsubstantiated and unrealistic view of the workers. Many companies have drug free standards and won't tolerate "meth heads". Not only that but they have inhouse training programs, and mentors when first placed on the floor. But as you said, a lot of coaches do escape from the factories with problems. The fault for these lie in many areas from designers, to top management down to shop floor managers and material suppliers. In touring a dozens different manufacturers I never saw any worker that wasn't interested in doing the best in his/her job.
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Old 10-20-2018, 02:31 PM   #7
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Next to planes and yachts, motorhomes are the next most complicated machines. I've counted about 500 systems on my Discovery. Then build them with antiquated quality controls. Its no wonder there aren't more problems. So far my electrical systems are good, but minor build quality isnt.
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Old 10-21-2018, 11:46 AM   #8
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I feel that is a unsubstantiated and unrealistic view of the workers. Many companies have drug free standards and won't tolerate "meth heads". Not only that but they have inhouse training programs, and mentors when first placed on the floor. But as you said, a lot of coaches do escape from the factories with problems. The fault for these lie in many areas from designers, to top management down to shop floor managers and material suppliers. In touring a dozens different manufacturers I never saw any worker that wasn't interested in doing the best in his/her job.
I have to agree with you to a point. I should have phrased that differently. I had just winterized my coach and watched the antifreeze drip down over the rear tires and was in a bit of a bad mood. We had a kinked heater hose that cost me thousands and a lot of aggravation as well as a kinked supply pex line that was a smaller problem not allowing city water and of course the drain not connected in the shower. Long story short version, months and months, hundreds of calls and still have a shower that drains over the wheels. I shouldn't have aired the frustration on the forum to appear as directed at all the employees. Most of the folks do a great job and I am sure they would like to eliminate the "problem workers" that think it is funny to put kinks in hoses and not connect drains that are very hard to get to.

And I should add on the first trip televator had the 120v from the tv wrapped through the mechanism so the TV failed. A little further down the road the passenger foot rest stuck in the open position and the cameras all shut down. Wiring for the motor in the seat was wound around the gear and shorted out burning out the breaker (very hard to find replacement breaker I might add) This was the first trip and in cold weather so no heater or defroster up front. Had to run the generator and use a small electric heater sitting on the dash for the next 5 weeks after finally finding the clamp that was left off the heater hose and letting the antifreeze slowly leak out. Missing clamp was on the return hose so leak fixed but no flow for the heater. Heater hose kink was finally found after visiting several dealers and coach sitting on repair dealers lot for months. Much more similar issues however these were the issues on the first trip.

The Technicians at Thor were very helpful during the hundreds of calls I should add, we just haven't got the most serious issue fixed yet.
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Old 10-21-2018, 12:30 PM   #9
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I became a owner of a RV that was on fire many years ago as a fixer upper



i found alot of bad wiring in this RV

so much so i pulled all of it out and rewire as much as i could with really good auto type wire



in the end it cost me over 2K in wire but i feel safer
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Old 10-21-2018, 02:07 PM   #10
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Originally Posted by lwmcguire View Post
I have to agree with you to a point. I should have phrased that differently. I had just winterized my coach and watched the antifreeze drip down over the rear tires and was in a bit of a bad mood. We had a kinked heater hose that cost me thousands and a lot of aggravation as well as a kinked supply pex line that was a smaller problem not allowing city water and of course the drain not connected in the shower. Long story short version, months and months, hundreds of calls and still have a shower that drains over the wheels. I shouldn't have aired the frustration on the forum to appear as directed at all the employees. Most of the folks do a great job and I am sure they would like to eliminate the "problem workers" that think it is funny to put kinks in hoses and not connect drains that are very hard to get to.

And I should add on the first trip televator had the 120v from the tv wrapped through the mechanism so the TV failed. A little further down the road the passenger foot rest stuck in the open position and the cameras all shut down. Wiring for the motor in the seat was wound around the gear and shorted out burning out the breaker (very hard to find replacement breaker I might add) This was the first trip and in cold weather so no heater or defroster up front. Had to run the generator and use a small electric heater sitting on the dash for the next 5 weeks after finally finding the clamp that was left off the heater hose and letting the antifreeze slowly leak out. Missing clamp was on the return hose so leak fixed but no flow for the heater. Heater hose kink was finally found after visiting several dealers and coach sitting on repair dealers lot for months. Much more similar issues however these were the issues on the first trip.

The Technicians at Thor were very helpful during the hundreds of calls I should add, we just haven't got the most serious issue fixed yet.
I can understand your frustration and sympathize with you. Everytime I begin to think that things couldn't be worse, I flash back to the mid 60's working on our 1963 Volkswagen Beetle. Now there was a car where NO thought was given to maintenance. It was shear frustration!

Honestly, when I was working (back a long time ago) and we were looking at QCQA (Quality Control Quality Assurance) we often found poor output was traceable back to poor employee attitude, which was traceable back to management. If employees are feeling worthless, or are frustrated then output will suffer. So all this to say, let your voice be heard all the way to the top. If a company wants to produce a good product, they can. Sloppiness like you describe is just not good business. BTW, QCQA cost next to nothing if done right. It is all in your employees, management and suppliers.
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