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03-21-2014, 11:58 AM
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#1
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Senior Member
Entegra Owners Club
Join Date: Jun 2013
Location: Central Florida
Posts: 574
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New Coach Questions
Ok, from previous posts some will know we picked up our new 2014 Asppire 42DLQ in mid-February from a dealer in SW Mo. - we had to tuck it away instorage for the last month due to other commitments. This week we are using the coach for a couple of weeks. When we went to get it out of starage, the start batteries were dead. I had 'flicked' the sttart battery disconnect to the off position upon storing it, and had the main pwoer mastsr switch in the "off button".
I don't like the start battrey disconnect as it is obviuosly a pilot swtic, not a dirct disconect. so, any ideas how the start batteries drained even with this 'micro-disconnect' swtich in the off position? Oddly enough, the house batts seemd fairly hot still, but not enough to crank the main engine, had to jump start the bus....not happy.
i seem to be gettin an unusual movement when extending the jacks down as well, seems the front jacks "skate and skid" on their pads during the initial leveling process after first ground contact. It can be a bit disconcerting, as the bus moves about and you can hear the jack pads skate across the concrete. DW thought the bus was going to t-bone the toad, it jumped forward so much when leveling yessssterday, and she had the 'little' car parked in front of the coach. Never had this happen in our old bus, don't know if i should be worried or not!!! what would cause this? it seems as if the levelor is not quite level, either, stops when bus is down on left side and left front nose a bit...not terrible, but definitely noticable. My old HWH system in our Tiffin was "punch and forget"...hit the button and forget it! Now im not sure if it is me or the levelling system needing attention..??
and while on this jack and slide thing, as with Spartn/Entegra, they tell you to extend slides, drop jacks.....well, what do you do if you are set up and a heavy storm moves in, and you want to pull the slides in to keep rain/debris off the topper? do you retract the jacks first, or just go ahead and pull the slides in? seems counter-intuitive to me, but, hey, what do i know? what do you think?
__________________
Ernie and Dianna Northern
2015 Entegra Anthem 44 DLQ2017 Entegra Cornerstone 45B
2013 Equinox toad/2014 Jeep GC diesel - 2024 Renegade Verona 36VSB
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03-21-2014, 12:26 PM
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#2
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Senior Member
Vintage RV Owners Club Workhorse Chassis Owner
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: Orange County CA
Posts: 975
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No recommendations as I don't know the coach enough, but my sis has a new Cornerstone and they had some learning to do with theirs.
As you mention about the order of slide-outs then jacking, they cracked their kitchen counter doing it wrong. Entegra is paying for a new one anyway. So I guess it's kind of important. Can't advise you on a storm, but I would call their customer service for suggestions.
The other issue they had was getting ready to travel one day, slides in, engine fired, couldn't get the front shade screens to retract. No matter what they did. They called corp and learned the won't operate with the engine on. I suppose so you can't close them while you're driving. LOL.
They are also having battery problems - auto-gen fires too often and no battery life, so probably needs to be reset.
As far as starter batts, how long did it sit? They shouldn't have been flat in a month unless there was drain. Time for a call to customer service - I hear they are really good.
Really nice units BTW. Sis and B-in-law love theirs - they had two Tours they had nothing but problems with. The Entegra seems a LOT better.
__________________
Chris Brown -
2005 Itasca Sunrise 31W - W20 and 8.1
2021 Chevy Spark Toad
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03-21-2014, 12:40 PM
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#3
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Senior Member
Entegra Owners Club
Join Date: Nov 2012
Posts: 8,133
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Mymyst, your starting battery and sliding jack problems are NOT normal. You should talk to Entegra CS about them. The battery problem could be because you were parked indoors and the rooftop solar panel did not get any sun with which to offset the phantom loads on the batteries. In the future if you park indoors without plugging in, you may ewant to physically disconnet the batteries, but CS can advise you on this. The jacks on my coach are truly "press one button", so I don't know why yours is not.
As for the slides, the golden rule with Entegras is never move a slide with jacks down, so to answer your question, if you are parked and want to pull your slides in for wind, yes you must raise the jacks first, pull the slides in, and then you may re-level.
__________________
Marc and Jill, Wellington FL
2013 Entegra Anthem 44SL
2018 Lincoln MKX
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03-21-2014, 02:15 PM
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#4
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Member
Join Date: Oct 2013
Location: Lago Vista, Texas
Posts: 78
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Quote:
Originally Posted by mymyst
Ok, from previous posts some will know we picked up our new 2014 Asppire 42DLQ in mid-February from a dealer in SW Mo. - we had to tuck it away instorage for the last month due to other commitments. This week we are using the coach for a couple of weeks. When we went to get it out of starage, the start batteries were dead. I had 'flicked' the sttart battery disconnect to the off position upon storing it, and had the main pwoer mastsr switch in the "off button".
I don't like the start battrey disconnect as it is obviuosly a pilot swtic, not a dirct disconect. so, any ideas how the start batteries drained even with this 'micro-disconnect' swtich in the off position? Oddly enough, the house batts seemd fairly hot still, but not enough to crank the main engine, had to jump start the bus....not happy.
i seem to be gettin an unusual movement when extending the jacks down as well, seems the front jacks "skate and skid" on their pads during the initial leveling process after first ground contact. It can be a bit disconcerting, as the bus moves about and you can hear the jack pads skate across the concrete. DW thought the bus was going to t-bone the toad, it jumped forward so much when leveling yessssterday, and she had the 'little' car parked in front of the coach. Never had this happen in our old bus, don't know if i should be worried or not!!! what would cause this? it seems as if the levelor is not quite level, either, stops when bus is down on left side and left front nose a bit...not terrible, but definitely noticable. My old HWH system in our Tiffin was "punch and forget"...hit the button and forget it! Now im not sure if it is me or the levelling system needing attention..??
and while on this jack and slide thing, as with Spartn/Entegra, they tell you to extend slides, drop jacks.....well, what do you do if you are set up and a heavy storm moves in, and you want to pull the slides in to keep rain/debris off the topper? do you retract the jacks first, or just go ahead and pull the slides in? seems counter-intuitive to me, but, hey, what do i know? what do you think?
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This is my 4th mh with leveling systems, and the Entegra is the only one that "scoots" forward when leveling. It has become an expected movement as it happens every time during leveling process. I can hardly believe that this would be an acceptable norm, but was assured by techs at mhsrv that it is. As for the sequence of slides first, then level, I was told that this was because of possible torque of chassis frame when leveled that could interfere with the slides. It shouldn't be an issue if parking pad is level.
Dwd40
2014 Entegra Aspire 44U
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03-21-2014, 02:36 PM
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#5
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Senior Member
Entegra Owners Club
Join Date: Nov 2012
Posts: 8,133
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My jacks don't scoot. If yours do, I think soemthing is not right.
__________________
Marc and Jill, Wellington FL
2013 Entegra Anthem 44SL
2018 Lincoln MKX
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03-21-2014, 02:53 PM
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#6
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Registered User
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: Troy Mo
Posts: 1,951
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I had a Tiffin bus on a Spartan chassis and the jacks did the same as yours. There never was a fix and I don't remember what the cause was, but that mh would move forward 4-6 inches when the bags deflated. I don't think it's your jacks it's probably when the bags deflate. I don't notice the Entegra moving, but this seems to be a Spartan thing. Noel
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03-21-2014, 04:26 PM
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#7
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2013
Posts: 393
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My 2013 Aspire does "scoot" forward as auto level is used. I didn't experience this with my 03 Monaco, but I didn't have auto level.. It seems odd and I'm not comfortable with it. By the way, when I hit the all retract, the coach also, "scoots" forward..anyone else besides Dwd40??
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03-21-2014, 05:29 PM
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#8
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Senior Member
Monaco Owners Club Newmar Owners Club
Join Date: Aug 2000
Location: little rock, ar
Posts: 498
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moving
My k2 spartan chassis moves when retracting the jacks and always has. Needless to say you notice it more when on concrete as it is loud. I understand it is normal.
__________________
2007 Mountain Aire,2014 Mountain Aire
2016 King Aire,2020 Newmar Essex
2017 Ford Explorer toad
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03-21-2014, 07:11 PM
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#9
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Senior Member
Entegra Owners Club
Join Date: Sep 2013
Posts: 178
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The scoot is normal, I had LD, EC, and Spartin say yes, and nothing is being bent or damaged. Its because there are huge pads on the jacks and they have a slight angle for a more stable foundation when down in wind and movement. I was also told never ever extend or retract slides with jacks down. As for the power suckers.. I think I read clearly that you should excersize the generator monthly and you should plug in at least 110V if in sotrage for an extended period to keep batteries conditioned.
__________________
2014 Entegra Aspire 42DEQ
2012 bright orange Jeep Wrangler dinghy
1 Bald Sphynx cat (Harriet) 1 Pot Belly Pig 1 Ball and chain
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03-21-2014, 09:12 PM
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#10
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: Sun City Center, FL
Posts: 1,847
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I've heard there is a fix for the scooting jacks, but haven't any information what that might be. Put it on your punchlist. I had shutoff switches installed for house and inverter, but not chassis. Alternator?
__________________
Pat & Medarda Bauer; Tess and Tighe (our fur kids)
2017 Entegra Anthem/FL/Allison/Grand Cherokee
Entegra Coach Owners Association, President
Sun City Center, FL
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03-21-2014, 09:31 PM
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#11
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Senior Member
Freightliner Owners Club
Join Date: Oct 2002
Location: Fairview TX
Posts: 2,458
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The scooting is a result of dumping the air bags. As for the noise, take a look at the bolts holding the jacks to the frame. I had to re-tighten mine. Look around the bolts/brackets for unpainted areas which indicate movement.
__________________
Slabman
2019 Newmar Ventana 3717
2007 Lexus LX470 Toad
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03-22-2014, 05:39 AM
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#12
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Senior Member
Entegra Owners Club
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: SW FL
Posts: 31,717
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Both sets of batteries have gremlins that will drain the batteries. On the chassis batteries the radio/clock will drain the battery over a period of time. Not much you can do for long storage without being plugged in or installing a battery cutoff switch. The coach batteries even with the salesman switch tuned off still has gremlins those being the carbon monoxide and LP detectors and one on my old coach I could never find.
My previous MH also had Equalizer jacks that also had "scoot" of 2-3 inch. The more of an incline the more it is noticeable. I have to lay wood blocks on my textured driveway. When doing that I have to run around the coach as the jacks are coming down to move the blocks. The jacks swing 2-3 inches from there starting position as the are coming down. Going up, the same thing and you will feel it.
Put a mark on the ground at the center of one of the jacks while they are up. Hit auto level and watch how far the jacks move off of the center mark before contacting the ground. That is what is felt as "scoot". If yours is moving more than normal, might want to lay long the front, then the rear of the coach and watch what the jacks are doing while leveling.
__________________
Chuck in SW FL
Digital 2021 Cornerstone "B"
A "Digital" 2019 Cornerstone "B" Traded
A "Classic" 2014 Anthem 42 RBQ---Sold
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03-22-2014, 06:04 AM
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#13
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Senior Member
Entegra Owners Club
Join Date: Nov 2012
Posts: 8,133
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X2 on the power gremlins. That's why the coach has a small solar cell to offset these items. But if there is no sun that doesn't help. Was there sun where your coach was stored? You can also offset that by leaving auto gen start on, but if anyone turns the ignition on or runs the caoch it will cancel auto gen start.
Also be sure to turn inverters off when going into storage.
__________________
Marc and Jill, Wellington FL
2013 Entegra Anthem 44SL
2018 Lincoln MKX
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03-22-2014, 06:12 AM
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#14
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Senior Member
Newmar Owners Club
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: Polk City, FL
Posts: 3,368
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I posted about 8-10 months ago about battery drain vs storage. I guess not many folks park their Entegras absent a power plug except people like me. I think Pat Bauer also posted about it. What I have to do, if storing my RV for two weeks or longer, is;
1. On exiting turn off coach battery switch in stairwell
2. I installed a boat/yacht type rotary battery switch on coach batteries. Entegra manual says if storing RV for "extended" time (no definition) disconnect ground lead to battery bank. I installed disconnect switch on ground side. Turn off.
3. At rear of RV in aft right side compartment door turn off small, yellow tab, chassis battery switch.
RV is now inert like a brick. The downside is when turned back on CO2 detector go off until charge comes up. Sometimes lose radio memories. I've stored for 3-4 months this way and everything works on return.
__________________
Dave & Debbie
2021 Newmar DutchStar 4369
2016 Ford Edge&2019 Ford F-150 toads
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