|
|
07-28-2013, 08:21 PM
|
#1
|
Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: Alabama
Posts: 144
|
Duo-Therm obsolete touchpad control
My front A/C has touchpad troubles, I've searched for replacements with no luck, a company makes an update for $389. ! it's on a '90 Hawkins so I imagine it's original, my local RV shop said they had been discontinued ages ago, does anyone know of a source for a used one or a fix ?, if I let it hang out out of the housing I can turn it on, but cannot change temp up or down, check room temp or turn it off, I have to switch the breaker to shut it off, any options please ?
__________________
1990 34' Hawkins Motor Coach, Oshkosh/460 Ford EFI. '97 Subaru Impreza 5 speed towd, NorthEast Alabama.
|
|
|
|
Join the #1 RV Forum Today - It's Totally Free!
iRV2.com RV Community - Are you about to start a new improvement on your RV or need some help with some maintenance? Do you need advice on what products to buy? Or maybe you can give others some advice? No matter where you fit in you'll find that iRV2 is a great community to join. Best of all it's totally FREE!
You are currently viewing our boards as a guest so you have limited access to our community. Please take the time to register and you will gain a lot of great new features including; the ability to participate in discussions, network with other RV owners, see fewer ads, upload photographs, create an RV blog, send private messages and so much, much more!
|
07-28-2013, 09:24 PM
|
#2
|
Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2012
Posts: 4,232
|
Wow. I've only been doing this a few years, but haven't run across this yet. Not even just in glance.
Is this on the wall or on the ceiling assy. of the AC?
|
|
|
07-29-2013, 06:20 AM
|
#3
|
Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2011
Location: Snowbird - Waterford Mi and Citrus Springs Fl.
Posts: 3,609
|
Last ditch effort on my part would involve checking to see how hard it would be to remove the black label/skin (without damaging it!)to expose the contact areas made when pushing on the surface? Not being an electronics wizard I'm not sure what you would find there, but my bet is that's where your difficulties lie. I've been able to disassemble and clean similar stuff in the past with reasonable chances for success?
If that fails, and the replacement is 400 bucks, I might be tempted to replace the entire AC if I were planning on keeping the coach for a while. Just the panel if not?
__________________
1997 37' HR Endeavor, 275hp Cat, Freightliner
03 CR-V Blue Ox, Ready Brake
|
|
|
07-29-2013, 09:59 PM
|
#4
|
Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: Alabama
Posts: 144
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by jesilvas
Wow. I've only been doing this a few years, but haven't run across this yet. Not even just in glance.
Is this on the wall or on the ceiling assy. of the AC?
|
It's in the housing of the ceiling unit.
__________________
1990 34' Hawkins Motor Coach, Oshkosh/460 Ford EFI. '97 Subaru Impreza 5 speed towd, NorthEast Alabama.
|
|
|
07-29-2013, 10:08 PM
|
#5
|
Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: Alabama
Posts: 144
|
[QUOTE=ahicks;1662466]Last ditch effort on my part would involve checking to see how hard it would be to remove the black label/skin (without damaging it!)to expose the contact areas made when pushing on the surface? QUOTE]
The black panel is not connected to the circuit board except by a ribbon cable, the back of the touchpad panel is flat and smooth with nothing exposed, when installed they slide into a slot together in the ceiling housing, if I put them in together nothing works at all, but if I let the black touchpad panel and circuit board hang out of the housing I can turn it on, but none of the other controls work, sometimes I bump into it when I forget it's hanging down, then the temp goes up to 80 degrees, I kill the power at the breaker and restart it and it comes back on at 72 degrees.
__________________
1990 34' Hawkins Motor Coach, Oshkosh/460 Ford EFI. '97 Subaru Impreza 5 speed towd, NorthEast Alabama.
|
|
|
07-30-2013, 05:08 AM
|
#6
|
Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2011
Location: Snowbird - Waterford Mi and Citrus Springs Fl.
Posts: 3,609
|
The fact you seem to gain partial control when the board is removed is troublesome. What's changing? Is there pressure on the board once installed that might be flexing the board? Flexing a connection enough to make/break a connection?
I'm assuming you've already checked that ribbon cable out carefully, and if there's a socketed connection at either end of the cable, you've pulled that apart and reseated it? This would also be true of any connections between the board and AC?
The front of the touch pad is a plastic membrane, held in place by contact cement or other adhesive (pliable in my experience) of some kind, generally just around the outside of it, to hold it in place. Under it are pressure switches (likely some very simple type of arrangement) for each of the marked functions. These switches/contacts are closed when you push in on the appropriate area of the membrane. I'm betting those switches/contacts are dirty/contaminated and no longer functional? My experience has been that if you can get to those switch contacts and clean them, you'll regain functionality. As mentioned, this is a last ditch effort. Something to try before giving up on the control/AC completely, and best approached with a degree of patience? You mess up, you're done. If you're game, you might start by taking a knife and checking out a corner of the membrane to see what you're going to run into lifting the membrane without damaging it? Best of luck! -Al
__________________
1997 37' HR Endeavor, 275hp Cat, Freightliner
03 CR-V Blue Ox, Ready Brake
|
|
|
07-30-2013, 07:39 AM
|
#7
|
Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: Alabama
Posts: 144
|
The rear of the touchpad is sealed, smooth plastic, and very thin too, no way to get inside it, I'm leaning towards the ribbon cable between the touchpad and circuit board, but I can see no bad solder joints or anything wrong,
__________________
1990 34' Hawkins Motor Coach, Oshkosh/460 Ford EFI. '97 Subaru Impreza 5 speed towd, NorthEast Alabama.
|
|
|
07-30-2013, 10:16 AM
|
#8
|
Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2011
Location: Snowbird - Waterford Mi and Citrus Springs Fl.
Posts: 3,609
|
The touch pad is made of laminated layers. What I'm talking about involves carefully delaminating the top one?
__________________
1997 37' HR Endeavor, 275hp Cat, Freightliner
03 CR-V Blue Ox, Ready Brake
|
|
|
07-30-2013, 05:37 PM
|
#9
|
Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2010
Posts: 4,654
|
We have used ones, two sets of controls, one good roof ac and one with bad compressor, central ca.
Was listed in classifieds for $400.00 for all.
Need a spare ac?
__________________
Tony & Lori
1989 Country Coach Savannah SE
|
|
|
07-31-2013, 04:38 PM
|
#10
|
Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: Alabama
Posts: 144
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by TQ60
We have used ones, two sets of controls, one good roof ac and one with bad compressor, central ca.
Was listed in classifieds for $400.00 for all.
Need a spare ac?
|
Would you sell the touchpad control ?
I have a set of 19.5 x 6 Alcoa wheels,6 lug Budd type lugs that I need to sell, and a '94 Chevy K5 Blazer 6.5L turbo Diesel intercooled, and a pile of other stuff that I need the money more than the objects,
__________________
1990 34' Hawkins Motor Coach, Oshkosh/460 Ford EFI. '97 Subaru Impreza 5 speed towd, NorthEast Alabama.
|
|
|
07-31-2013, 04:54 PM
|
#11
|
Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: Foley AL
Posts: 7,138
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by Manuel B
My front A/C has touchpad troubles, I've searched for replacements with no luck, a company makes an update for $389. ! it's on a '90 Hawkins so I imagine it's original, my local RV shop said they had been discontinued ages ago, does anyone know of a source for a used one or a fix ?, if I let it hang out out of the housing I can turn it on, but cannot change temp up or down, check room temp or turn it off, I have to switch the breaker to shut it off, any options please ?
|
You might want to contact Dometic and see if a manual air distribution box is adaptable.
Dometic 3314851.000 Air Distribution Box Polar White Manual Controls
__________________
2005 Newmar Essex 4502, 2013 Caddy SRX
1997 HR Endeavor 37, CAT, 1996 Geo Tracker
|
|
|
01-25-2014, 09:25 AM
|
#12
|
Member
Spartan Chassis
Join Date: Jan 2011
Posts: 71
|
manuel does your rear ac have the exact same setup?
doe you rear ac work?
|
|
|
01-26-2014, 12:42 PM
|
#13
|
Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: Alabama
Posts: 144
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by dulobast25
manuel does your rear ac have the exact same setup?
doe you rear ac work?
|
Yes they both are a match and I was going to swap ceiling panels before Springtime, the rear unit works great and during the heat of the day I'd want the cool up front, we can open windows in the bedroom at night,
Dometic wants $634. ! for a replacement/upgrade control unit, and I'd still have a 23 year old A/C, dey be nuts ! I also noticed the wires in my ribbon cable are separating from the plastic.
And the heat strips are useless when it's 6 deg. out.
My local RV shop has two big stacks of ceiling panels, but not a single one like mine, or that looks like it could be adapted.
Thanks to all that responded, I appreciate it.
__________________
1990 34' Hawkins Motor Coach, Oshkosh/460 Ford EFI. '97 Subaru Impreza 5 speed towd, NorthEast Alabama.
|
|
|
01-26-2014, 10:35 PM
|
#14
|
Member
Spartan Chassis
Join Date: Jan 2011
Posts: 71
|
ive only seen (2) exact ceiling covers in the last 4 years on ebay.
Dometic/duotherm no longer has them. The closet you will find will be the covers that have the mechanical rotary knobs or the covers for the heat pumps that have no control knockouts for touchpads, buttons, knob at all.
If your shroud still bolts up, and isnt broken but discolored, ids suggest painting it and order a pair of grilles, with filters.
regarding the keypad, i know a guy that can get you a dometic RF remote control control box with RF received and thermostat kit for about $120. There are analog analog control board/thermostat kits on ebay that can be trimmed to fit in the unique opening in the shroud.. last one I saw sold was here:
Dometic T Stat Kit 3102957 002 | eBay
I have the same setup and am looking for a company that can troublehsoot a working setup and find out what fails on these touchpad units.
|
|
|
|
|
Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)
|
|
Thread Tools |
Search this Thread |
|
|
Display Modes |
Linear Mode
|
Posting Rules
|
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts
HTML code is Off
|
|
|
|
» Recent Discussions |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|