Community Forums

deprived · 09-22-2019, 04:52 PM

Hey - I'm getting ready to install a GAMA controller to replace the goofy Atwood setup that came with my coach. I have the controller already and it looks to be very well-made. The install seems pretty simple, too.

Question: Have you, personally, installed this board? If you have actual first-hand experience with this install, what tips or advice do you have?

If you've done this job yourself, I'd love to hear from you. Like I said, it appears to be straightforward but I wanted to be sure there were not any issues I may have overlooked.

I will be taking power from the house batteries, per GAMA's email with an 8 gauge cable. I will repurpose the circuit breaker that used to protect the old Atwood board. The GAMA board does have a timeout that powers down the system but I will have a heavy-duty relay on the power source to make sure that it doesn't spontaneously get busy at the wrong time.

I know a few of you will be itching to jump in and and turn this in to a debate on whether or not this should be done or whatever. We're past that. It's settled. We have our reasons. We are doing this. So there.

Anywhoozle, glad to hear from anyone who has already done this job. THANKS!!! :-) <3

Gary RVRoamer · 09-22-2019, 08:50 PM

This is a control board for the Atwood jacks? As my question indicates, I have no personal knowledge to share, but would like to understand what is being discussed.

cwit · 09-23-2019, 05:14 AM

Me too

deprived · 09-23-2019, 10:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gary RVRoamer

This is a control board for the Atwood jacks?

Yes.

House Husband · 09-23-2019, 04:41 PM

https://www.gamainc.com/product/acjrelay/

deprived · 09-25-2019, 11:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by House Husband

https://www.gamainc.com/product/acjrelay/

No, not that one. This one: https://www.gamainc.com/product/rf340-4pr-asl/

deprived · 09-25-2019, 11:59 AM

Okay - the install is done and it was very easy and straightforward.

I thought there would be a bit of a curveball when it came to running power to the unit. I thought that the original power supply to the old Atwood board was switched through the now-unused Atwood dash control panel but that turned out not to be the case. The power supply is hot right off the house batteries. That saved me the inconvenience of having to fab up a cable.

The new control board has an adjustable timeout that shuts the board off after a defined interval. Right now I'm okay with that but I plan on adding a relay to the setup so I can cut the power definitively.

Of course the system is now entirely manual, which is fine by me. However I will have to be mindful of a few things.

First, I will have to manually observe that all jacks are retracted before speeding off into the sunset. This isn't too hard because I have to do myriad other external checks before we go, so this is just another thing.

Secondly, care has to be taken during the leveling procedure so as not to twist the frame. I've found this to be fairly easy, really. Just lower all of the jacks till they make contact with the ground. At that point, jacks are raised and lowered in pairs until level is achieved. I can also tell when the frame is uneven because the outside door doesn't close properly - although that is not the best way to be sure the frame is straight, it is a sort of fail-safe. I almost always use leveling blocks in conjunction with the auto levelers so I rarely have the jacks too extended.

Finally, I will have to use my eyes and ears to know when the jacks are fully extended or retracted. That's not too hard. Especially with the remote and optional extended-rage antenna.

So, for about 160 bucks and an hour of my day, I can hold off replacing my entire leveling system. As a full-timer , this is significant. A new leveling system could cost anywhere between 3-5k. If you seasonal RVrs are vexed by intermittent repairs, you can imagine what it's like when you are traveling full time. It's always something. I'm not bothered by this, but it is the reality.

I hope there's something here that can help anyone else trying to extend the life of their hinky old Atwood system by using the GAMA RF340-4PR-ASL.

The new control board is paired with a nifty little remote but I plan on adding a manual control panel because I think switches are cool.

If anyone else is going to attempt this install, let me know if you have any questions. I'll try to help.

Martind4 · 09-27-2019, 09:25 AM

How did you handle the air dump control?

deprived · 09-27-2019, 01:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Martind4

How did you handle the air dump control?

Good question!

My rig has a Freightliner chassis that does not use air suspension. But I've read other posts that indicate users (who have done this install) have added some kind of manually-operated solenoid that dumps the air. It's just a valve, so it's probably not too hard to modify. I imagine GAMA has some wireless doo-dad that could open and close a valve.

Revconguy · 09-27-2019, 05:12 PM

Nothing to specifically add other than I have a GAMA board setup in my spare parts supply to use when my controller inevitably fails.

deprived · 09-28-2019, 10:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Revconguy

Nothing to specifically add other than I have a GAMA board setup in my spare parts supply to use when my controller inevitably fails.

Yep. Inevitably.

I have been using my new setup over the past couple of moves and I have to say it is a lot easier and straightforward in practice than I thought it'd be.

I wish I'd replaced mine preemptively, to tell the truth. It would have saved me the trouble of disconnecting a jack motor in a puddle of a Flying J diesel lane, which is where mine decided to get weird.

deprived · 09-28-2019, 10:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Revconguy

when my controller inevitably fails.

I just saw you have a 2007 Tiffin. Yeah, you're on borrowed time!

Revconguy · 09-30-2019, 02:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by deprived

I just saw you have a 2007 Tiffin. Yeah, you're on borrowed time!

Yep, I recognize that. We have had the coach less than a year and have replaced the keypad and one front jack. I have a spare complete set of jacks in my shop on standby to use when I have individual jack failures. With the GAMA board in my spare part bin, I'm hoping I will be set for a little bit longer before I have to replace the entire system. The only drawback is that the spare jacks are too heavy and bulky to carry with me on the road. Instead, the trunk of our toad carries a couple of home made ramps made from 10x2 lumber and some scrap wood for emergency leveling.

The Atwood Levelegs jack system was a decent concept over hydraulic but unfortunately the design details and manufacturing were poorly implemented. Instead of standing by their problem child, Atwood just sold their problem child to someone else who just abandoned the product and existing customer base.

btolle · 09-30-2019, 08:31 AM

I had the GAMA board installed on my 2007 34TGA Tiffin and it did work as expected. Unfortunately within a year a couple of the jacks went bad so I did what I should have done in the first place and am having an Equalizer Systems jack system installed today.
I had the Equalizers on my old Allegro and consider them as the only way to go. Power up and power down hydraulic jacks that take less than a minute too deploy or retract.
The only waste of money was fooling with the Atwood jacks in the first place.
I installed the Equalizers on my old motorhome by myself and it was easy but that was about 10 years ago and my present physical condition won't allow me to this install myself.