Gulf Stream Owners RV Forum - View Single Post

03heritagerider · 05-24-2010, 02:03 PM

Unfortunately for me, we had the same problem. Fortunately for you, we had the same problem.

I can't guarantee the problem is the same, but it will cost nothing to look, and if it is the same, it's not too expensive to fix.

If you are slightly mechanical, you can do this.

The painful part is getting the unit out of, and back into the cabinet. And wear work gloves->>sharp edges.
Unplug it and disconnect the hoses first.

Once out, you need to remove the back (several sheet metal screws) and follow the wires to the printed circuit board. The board should be in the lower corner near the rear leg. Take a look at the board on both sides for any scorching or black spots, especially where the wires plug into the board. If you see any dark spots it means something shorted out on the board. On mine, the burn mark was quite obvious. Even if you don't see any burn marks, you will still probably need to replace the board.

The board is held in place by a few screws and the wires are bound together by wire ties. Remove the screws and cut the wire ties. Almost all of the wires are connected to the board with unique plug-in connectors that will only fit into one matching slot. Easy to replace in the correct order, but just to be safe, number the plugs and corresponding slots. You may have to cut one wire. Just mark each to be sure. You may also want to wait for the replacement to arrive before cutting any wires or disconnecting the board completely.

Call Splendide with the model and serial numbers for a replacement. There may or may not be a charge, but they are not terribly expensive.

Here is the big clue - Remove the top of the washer (Several sheet metal screws). Under the top is a galvanized metal plate almost the size of the top of the washer. It is a heat shield. My problem was the heat shield was sagging and making contact with the exposed ends of the wires under it. These wires came from the circuit board and plugged into the control dial and motor.

I covered each exposed wire end with electrical tape and made a support for the heat shield out of a plastic cap from a can of spray paint

I had to replace the board 4 times (they only charged me for the first one and overnighted the others) before we discovered the heat shield was the culprit. I did this with the help of the techs at Spledide. They stayed on the phone and walked me through the replacement and diagnostics as I did it.

Be patient and have band-aids handy.

Let us know what you find.

05-24-2010, 02:03 PM	#2
03heritagerider Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2008 Posts: 389	Unfortunately for me, we had the same problem. Fortunately for you, we had the same problem. I can't guarantee the problem is the same, but it will cost nothing to look, and if it is the same, it's not too expensive to fix. If you are slightly mechanical, you can do this. The painful part is getting the unit out of, and back into the cabinet. And wear work gloves->>sharp edges. Unplug it and disconnect the hoses first. Once out, you need to remove the back (several sheet metal screws) and follow the wires to the printed circuit board. The board should be in the lower corner near the rear leg. Take a look at the board on both sides for any scorching or black spots, especially where the wires plug into the board. If you see any dark spots it means something shorted out on the board. On mine, the burn mark was quite obvious. Even if you don't see any burn marks, you will still probably need to replace the board. The board is held in place by a few screws and the wires are bound together by wire ties. Remove the screws and cut the wire ties. Almost all of the wires are connected to the board with unique plug-in connectors that will only fit into one matching slot. Easy to replace in the correct order, but just to be safe, number the plugs and corresponding slots. You may have to cut one wire. Just mark each to be sure. You may also want to wait for the replacement to arrive before cutting any wires or disconnecting the board completely. Call Splendide with the model and serial numbers for a replacement. There may or may not be a charge, but they are not terribly expensive. Here is the big clue - Remove the top of the washer (Several sheet metal screws). Under the top is a galvanized metal plate almost the size of the top of the washer. It is a heat shield. My problem was the heat shield was sagging and making contact with the exposed ends of the wires under it. These wires came from the circuit board and plugged into the control dial and motor. I covered each exposed wire end with electrical tape and made a support for the heat shield out of a plastic cap from a can of spray paint I had to replace the board 4 times (they only charged me for the first one and overnighted the others) before we discovered the heat shield was the culprit. I did this with the help of the techs at Spledide. They stayed on the phone and walked me through the replacement and diagnostics as I did it. Be patient and have band-aids handy. Let us know what you find. __________________ '03 41' Friendship & 24' trailer with HIS '03 H-D Heritage Springer, HER '15 H-D Freewheeler Trike, and '08 Smart Car. "Adventure is found in the journey, not the destination."