2007 Gulf Stream Tourmaster electrical problem

[henryj-GSO]

I've had multiple RV people help me with our problem. They have decided that it is the kill-switch panel on the dashboard. One of them pulled it out, and now there is a loose wire. We don't know where that wire should connect. What I need is a wiring schematic of that kill-switch panel. Thanks! -Jim Henry, Oregon City, OR

 

[Chuck v]

Henry,


Are you talking about the kill switch to the generator? Does everything still function with the wire disconnected? If not, what are the symptoms?? What were the original symptoms that caused the switch to be suspect??


Chuck

 

[henryj-GSO]

There are two kill switches in front of the passenger seat. One is for the coach and one is for the chassis. The problem started when our coach electrical system went dead. An RV technician said it had to do with those kill switches and he put a jumper wire across one of the solenoids in the back. He said that would disable the kill switches, but that would not be a problem if we kept it plugged in when parked. The next technician said the jumper wire was not necessary and he removed it. Some time later the whole coach electrical system went dead again, so we put the jumper wire back on. The next technician tried to track down the problem and said it was in the kill switch panel. He removed the panel but it would not pull out more than a couple of inches. One of the wires to that panel was just laying there and he said he didn't know where it went without a wiring schematic of that panel. He was going to come back but I haven't been able to get him to return any of my calls (I hope he's ok). Yesterday, my brother-in-law, who is an RV technician, talked me through some trouble-shooting (remotely). There is a circuit breaker in the back that does not register on the voltmeter and he thinks that's because of that loose wire in the back of the kill switch panel. So he also thinks we need to find the wiring schematic for that panel to make sure that loose wire gets connected to the right spot. Thanks for replying - hope this helps. -Jim

 

[henryj-GSO]

I should add that the current symptom is that the ignition is completely dead (no dash lights, no clicking, can't start the engine). When I jumped a wire across that dead circuit breaker, that activated the ignition.

 

[henryj-GSO]

One more thing: My brother-in-law thinks that when the RV technician removed the kill-switch panel, that's when the loose wire got pulled out, and that is the reason the ignition and dashboard are dead.

 

[Chuck v]

Henry,


Thanks for the added information. These switches are most commonly referred to as "battery disconnect switches". I don't have a schematic for your coach in this area, but do know that the disconnect switches in the stairwell each operate a separate latching high current relay in the rear power bay near the battery banks. Each switch should have a wires going back to the relay -- the number of wires depends upon the type of relay in the power bay (latching relays are made by Intelletec and by Ki Typical wiring is shown below:

How many wires are on the step well switch?


Chuck

 

[henryj-GSO]

Thank you, Chuck, for the information and for correcting my terminology! I am anything but an RV technician, but I'm on a steep learning curve.

The RV is stored about 20 minutes from here so I can't directly answer your question about how many wires are on the step well switch. I can say that there are two switches on the panel labeled "Battery disconnects." One switch is labeled "coach" and the other is labeled "chassis." It seems likely that the loose wire should connect to the "chassis" switch because of the ignition and dashboard failures. There are quite a few wires attached to the back of each switch - I'm guessing 6 or 7 wires on each switch.

I've forwarded your information to my brother-in-law. He's done RV repairs for many years and that's his business. However, he lives in CA and I live in OR, so we're about 650 miles apart from each other. I'm sure he will use the information you sent and see if he can figure out what to do. Again, thank you!
-Jim

 

[Chuck v]

Henry,


I used to have a 2007 T-40C when I lived in Oregon and sold it when I moved to Idaho. The fellow that I sold it to in Portland has since re-sold it so you may have the very vehicle I once had. Does it have the modified under sink storage as shown here? I also added extra drawers in the walk-in closet as pictured...


Chuck

 

[henryj-GSO]

HI CHUCK! YES WE HAVE YOUR TOURMASTER! That's amazing.
-Jim

 

[Chuck v]

Jim,


Sorry to have been using the wrong first name in my earlier posts,and I guess Henry is probably your last name.


Yes, it is a small world!! I did quite a number of upgrades to that coach and hope you were made aware of them...here is a short list of the important ones.
1. Replaced the original inverter with a Magnum true sine wave model
2. Replaced the front TV with a 4K HDTV in a larger size
3. Replaced the stock stereo amp with newer Sony receiver/blu-ray player with all HDMI connectivity.
4. Replaced the state room TV with a bigger HDTV and local DVD player
5. Replaced the original washer with a multi-cycle Maytag unit.
6. Added watering system to the front generator/inverter batteries and the main house batteries. Be sure to top off the water at least every 3 to 4 months or so. All batteries including the diesel starting batteries were replaced shortly before I sold the unit in 2018... I also added a high quality float charger to the Chassis battery stack so it remains charged when on shore power.

7. Replaced all 6 tires with new quality tires about a year or so before that. You will likely never wear out the tread on the tires -- just replace them every 8 to 10 years at a maximum.


I have a comment on the issue you have been having with the disconnect relays -- I suspect that the root cause was not the loose wire (which is an artifact of the removal of the panel and tugging enough to have the connector come loose off the switch terminal...) but rather a failed latching relay. After reattaching the wire where it should be, you will very likely find that the chassis latching relay is failing. A good diagnostic method is to test the relay by applying 12 volts to the "latch on" and "latch off" terminals in turn to see if it cycles correctly.


Just like with a regular house, there are maintenance items to be attended to with a big diesel pusher coach. Add to that the vehicle maintenance and periodic service associated with a vehicle. But it is all worth it...I very much enjoyed the time I spent with this fine coach.



Let me know if you have any questions about the coach you "wished you could ask the owner" when changes were made...I should be able to recall a lot of it. There was a large file of documentation that went with the coach -- hopefully you got all of that.


Happy camping!!


Chuck

 

[henryj-GSO]

Chuck,

We purchased the RV from Greg Davis. My wife, Mary Jo, is chemically sensitive and she had no problem with any outgassing or smells in the RV. Plus, it appeared exceptionally well cared for. Greg went over the features and told us many of the things you did to improve it. Thanks for sending the list of the things you did.

We already have a small Class C motorhome, but we wanted a bigger one because we have property in Port Angeles, WA. We want to be able to live on the property, intermittently, while building our house there. With the cost of construction, we don't know when we'll be able to build the house. In the meantime, we're having an RV space prepared on the property and hope to stay on the property in the Tourmaster over July 4 weekend, and then periodically after that. First, we need to get it running!

We have had a number of electrical problems, which as you know we are still working on. I took the RV to Les Schwab, and they said 6 of the 8 batteries needed replacing, so all of the batteries except the two coach batteries in the back were replaced.

At Les Schwab, they said the tires were stamped 2013, and we were told (by a mechanic we trust--not by Les Schwab) that we should replace them after 10 years, so I'm assuming they should be replaced in 2023.

We drove the RV down to California and back. My brother-in-law, Wayne, is an RV mechanic. He fixed a number of things while we were there, including the main heater, water heater, and a few odds and ends. On the way back home, we spent the night at an RV park in Yreka, CA. In the morning, all the coach batteries were dead. We had an RV technician come over and he is the one who put the jump wire on the solenoid in the back. It worked fine after that.

We also had intermittent problems with the windshield wipers. They would run for a while and then just stop. Our mechanic friend replaced the motor and it now works fine.

We had trouble with the transmission, and it wouldn't run. So, we had Freightliner come out. They said the transmission computer needed replacing along with its wiring harness. All of that has been done. That was an expensive job.

The only problems we're dealing with now are the electrical problem that I've described, the main slide out creeps out when the RV is parked, and the bay door on the left hand side in front of the rear tires pops open when driving.

The RV person who came out and whom we cannot contact said he would order some parts to fix the slide-out-creep problem. He was also going to fix the bay door. The slide out is not a deal breaker, but we would like to have it fixed at some point. I can fix the bay door myself - our mechanic fixed a couple of others and so I learned from him what to do.

Thanks for your thoughts about our electrical problem. I will pass that along to our brother-in-law and continue to work with him to try to get it fixed.

So nice to make your acquaintance--virtually!
-Jim

 

[Chuck v]

Jim,


Yes, I bought those tires at Les Schwab and was surprised to see the date codes showed they had them in inventory for more than a year before they were installed...maybe you got the Schwab guarantee paperwork I believe I left with Greg Davis when I sold the rig to him. The tires never have had much UV exposure as I had tire covers for them...but a maximum of a 10 year replacement cycle is a good practice to stick to in any case.


The main heater was having an issue staying lit, but I thought Greg had that fixed...glad to hear you got it sorted. Never had an issue with the wipers, but the washers were not very reliable and the fittings/hoses were starting to show signs of weathering.


Sorry to hear of the transmission computer issue -- that does sound expensive. Allison is pretty proud of their stuff and even the periodic trans fluid change is a bit of a sticker shock due to the number of quarts needed.


The main slide has had a slow drift for the entire time I owned the rig. I looked into getting it fixed, but read that most of the techs had a hard time getting all the drift out. I am attaching a document that may help you test it all -- if it is not a leaking valve it may be the cylinders themselves and that is something you have to decide to fix or accommodate like so many other owners have. See the discussion beginning on page 27 of the attached...


The bay door latches should be adjustable...make sure the strike of the movable latch on the door lines up with the loop on the door frame. If the loop is misaligned, the strike will ride on the side leg and not latch reliably.



Chuck

 

[henryj-GSO]

Chuck - thanks for the further information. You are a wealth of knowledge concerning this particular RV. It's great to be in touch with you as we follow the journey of learning how to maintain such a complex machine. I still work full time so I don't have a ton of time to put into it. I'll be retiring within the next year, and I do look forward to really digging in and learning how to do as much as I can by myself.

The RV is currently parked under cover at an RV storage facility in Canby. I've ordered all the wiring parts to extend the wires on the battery-disconnect panel so that it can be worked on. I'll try to get that done this week and will then have my brother-in-law work with me to try to resolve all the electrical issues. I've already forwarded him your comments about that and he knows what you're speaking of. Thanks so much for that info.

I'll keep you apprised of our progress!
-Jim

 

[bharbison2500]

I had Custom Cylinders International in Winchester Ky rebuild my slide out cylinder. Their website is https://www.customcylindersintinc.com/.
I an issue with my slide out creeping out while driving. After rebuilding the cylinder it keep creeping out. I added a PO Check valve to the output side of the pump since it was apparent that the PO check valve in the pump failed and the pump was obsolete. I can get you the parts list if it is determined you have the same problem.

Brian

 

[proost]

Oh! I had a blast reading this thread. It feels like we’re the only Tour Master owners or former owners that are out there even though I know that’s not the case! We have been full-time on the road in our 2007 T40A for a year and a half and have owned the rig for 2 1/2 years and could not be happier. They are well-built but like any other RV, they need maintenance. We have seen only one other on the road.

Jim - sounds like you are working the bugs out of the rig. Depending on how many miles Greg drove since he bought it from Chuck, may tell you whether the coach sat for a while and as we all know, RVs don’t like to sit. Congrats on purchase

For the tires, I have been told that six years is the safe maximum life of an installed tire. When I bought my rig, I had some Les Schwab-installed Double Coin tires installed and they had sat on the shelf there for two years. I had to produce paperwork to show Firebird Tire in Phoenix that the tires had only been installed for four years. The following year, I replaced all of my tires with Sumitomo tires which Firebird swears by. I did this because I noticed some cracking on the side walls My philosophy is that you can never be too conservative on ensuring that your tires are in good condition.

Chuck, thanks so much for sticking with this board and being the sound and voice of experience with these rigs. You know I have used you countless times to help me with mine.

-Phil

 

[henryj-GSO]

Thanks to Brian for the info re: addressing the slide-out-creep problem. I had an RV technician come out to fix the electrical problem, which I think I described above. He was also going to order some parts to fix the creep-out problem. I never heard from him again and have given up leaving messages for him. The slide only creeps out when the RV is sitting, and not when being driven, which seems strange. So, it's not a safety concern - just a nuisance to keep pulling it in when it's parked.

I worked on the battery disconnect panel myself. I made up a bunch of extender wires and hooked them all up so that the back of the panel is now accessible. While doing that, I found two loose wires that I'm guessing were pulled off when the RV technician pulled the panel out. That's when the ignition system went dead. I attached one of those wires to a terminal on the chassis-disconnect switch, and the ignition system now works. I started the engine and ran it for a while.

There's still a problem with the coach-battery-disconnect system. There are two switches on the battery-disconnect panel. The chassis-disconnect switch works now, and the light comes on when switched to "connect." The coach-disconnect switch does not work - the light doesn't come on and switching it makes no difference. My brother-in-law (Wayne the RV expert) told me to replace the solenoid in the back that was originally jumped by a previous RV person to get our electrical system working. I went to NAPA and picked up a solenoid and installed it. That made no difference. We still have a problem. My brother-in-law just had shoulder reconstruction yesterday so he won't be available to help for awhile. In the meantime, the RV is unplugged from 110 and I'll head down there in the next day or two and see what works and what doesn't work.

Another problem I'm having is a bay door that pops open on its own, even when locked. It seems the latch on the door is a little low relative to the loop that it's supposed to latch onto. I took the latch apart but it could not be adjusted. The loop is also attached to the RV with five screws, and I don't see any way to adjust that loop (whatever it's called).

So thankful for all the help and advice!
-Jim

 

[Chuck v]

Jim,


That relay that functions as a house battery disconnect is a LATCHING relay -- I am surprised you can find an exact match locally at NAPA. Do you have pictures and the original manufacturer name and part number? It only gets a momentary pulse of control voltage from the panel mounted rocker switch, so the latching function is critical. Most "solenoids" do not function this way...


As to the bay door latches -- I recall the paddle latch housing on the door is clamped in place via the four screws or nuts on the corners of the assembly on the inside of the door. The whole latch can 'float' a bit in the slightly oversized cutout in the bay door, so you may be able to loosen the mounting hardware and adjust the position to get a better function. As regards the strike loop, its mount may also be able to move a bit if you loosen the mounting bolts/screws so check for that. Hope you can optimize engagement that way. Also check the other end of the bay door for any loose or maladjusted hinge mountings...


Good luck and keep posting back with your progress.



Chuck

 

[henryj-GSO]

Chuck - the man at NAPA said he had two solenoids that looked exactly like the one I pulled off the RV. He called my brother-in-law and they weren't sure, but selected the more expensive of the two ($50). I have the receipt but it only says Part # ST95, Line ECH, Description Solenoid. The solenoid box is down with the RV and I'll bring it back with me when I go down there--probably tomorrow night. Based on what you said, I probably got the wrong one.

Thanks for the suggestions re: the door latch. I did try to shift the latch on the door to line up better with the loop, but it didn't seem to make any difference. I'll loosen the screws on the bracket and see if there is any leeway to move the loop. I'll also check the hinges. The door was always "ajar" but it didn't start popping open while driving until recently.
-Jim

 

[Chuck v]

Jim,


Very curious to see if your existing latching relays are Intellitec or maybe KiB brand...as you may guess I did not pay any attention to these parts when I owned the coach. I would be floored if the Napa part was either of these brands/correct parts...


Chuck

 

[henryj-GSO]

Chuck - the solenoid I pulled out of the RV, which two RV technicians told me to replace, is only marked 87-12V and 6CB. The one that I purchased at NAPA is marked ST95 and M21038. It's a NAPA Echlin product. I just called the NAPA store. What I purchased was a "continuous duty" solenoid, and I could have purchased an "ignition-type" solenoid. I mentioned what you said about a "latching relay," but he didn't know what that meant. I guess my question is, should I take back the one I purchased, and where can I find the correct one?
-Jim