New to RVs and Hopeful Warp Core RoadTrekkers

[WingedRyno]

Did you ask about the Balmar lights?

A dealer tech and I saw the Balmar wasn't powered, wasn't showing any lights or LCD indications. We changed a fuse to see if that was it, and it wasn't. Then they took it into the garage to work on it. They know the Balmar not being powered is the issue but I'm not sure what they've discovered since then.

 

[cruising7388]

Doesn't the Balmar also have a 15 amp fuse for its main power, also? With no lights on at all, that would be a likely culprit.

http://www.balmar.net/wp-content/up...-Installation-Operation-Manual-For-Review.pdf'

Pins 1,2 & 3 need to be checked to determine that the module has power, ground and ignition inputs. If they are good, the module is bad.

If the module has fuse protection for the power input, it's internal.

 

[cruising7388]

A dealer tech and I saw the Balmar wasn't powered, wasn't showing any lights or LCD indications. We changed a fuse to see if that was it, and it wasn't. Then they took it into the garage to work on it. They know the Balmar not being powered is the issue but I'm not sure what they've discovered since then.

Not necessarily. Although not likely, it's possible that the display could be bad but the regulator still functions.

If the GU is non-functional from a bad regulator, the pregnant question is: how could the driver go 900+ miles without noticing this?

 

[booster]

A dealer tech and I saw the Balmar wasn't powered, wasn't showing any lights or LCD indications. We changed a fuse to see if that was it, and it wasn't. Then they took it into the garage to work on it. They know the Balmar not being powered is the issue but I'm not sure what they've discovered since then.

Of course, because nobody knows how a Roadtrek is wired. The regulator power could be controlled by an output from the BMS, and is just shut off when it shouldn't be.

 

[cruising7388]

A dealer tech and I saw the Balmar wasn't powered, wasn't showing any lights or LCD indications. We changed a fuse to see if that was it, and it wasn't. Then they took it into the garage to work on it. They know the Balmar not being powered is the issue but I'm not sure what they've discovered since then.

This is Friday. If the regulator is bad there is still time for Nations to overnight a replacement if the dealer doesn't have one.

 

[WingedRyno]

They said won't get fixed today, might have techs come in on a Saturday. So hotel for the weekend while I stand by.

Dealer was cool for letting me stay in the unit for a night on their lot to test it out. Wish these issues would have been discovered and fixed before I bought the airline ticket though.

Oh well. Hurry up and wait... Perhaps soon it will get fixed and then I'll give them the cash and drive it off the lot.

 

[cruising7388]

They said won't get fixed today, might have techs come in on a Saturday. So hotel for the weekend while I stand by.

Dealer was cool for letting me stay in the unit for a night on their lot to test it out. Wish these issues would have been discovered and fixed before I bought the airline ticket though.

Oh well. Hurry up and wait... Perhaps soon it will get fixed and then I'll give them the cash and drive it off the lot.

If stimulating pins 1,2 &3 doesn't bring the module to life, there's nothing to fix.

 

[booster]

http://www.balmar.net/wp-content/up...-Installation-Operation-Manual-For-Review.pdf'

Pins 1,2 & 3 need to be checked to determine that the module has power, ground and ignition inputs. If they are good, the module is bad.

If the module has fuse protection for the power input, it's internal.

They show a 10 amp fuse in the link you provided for the power. It probably should be 15 amps, though.

 

[WingedRyno]

Dealership called and said they won't bring in a tech tomorrow, so hotel until Monday at least. This trip to pick up the rig is starting to rack up significantly between hotel, airfare and uber costs.

But it was super cool of them to let me stay a night in the rig to test it out, and they did fix the frig and freezer quickly.

I'm probably just going to take the AC for now and get it worked on later (assuming I end up buying the rig, which I want to do once it's fixed). I guess RT says the intake air and the outlet air (both on the same roof mounted internal unit) are supposed to have a differential of at least 20 degrees and the outlet air is supposed to be no more than 40F. Using an IR gun this morning (ambient air temp in the 60s) the outlet air pointing IR gun right at the outlet vents was showing as low as 29F. Inlet air was in the 60s.

But yesterday with the AC on high for hours on shore power (air going straight down from unit) it was in the 90s in the van despite being 80s outside and for moments was blowing slightly warm air. I just can't imagine that is normal. I certainly can't live in the van like that.

And I can't find any indicator for the Alde "summer pump" switch to tell me if the pump is on or off.

 

[Bud-ClassB]

Dealership called and said they won't bring in a tech tomorrow, so hotel until Monday. This trip to pick up the rig is starting to rack up significantly between hotel, airfare and uber costs.


Wasn't that kind of expected WingedRyno?

From all that I've experienced on B forums, that is kind of par for course with an etrek if you travel to go pick one up.

Wishing you be the best come Monday.

Bud

 

[WingedRyno]

Dealership called and said they won't bring in a tech tomorrow, so hotel until Monday. This trip to pick up the rig is starting to rack up significantly between hotel, airfare and uber costs.


Wasn't that kind of expected WingedRyno?

From all that I've experienced on B forums, that is kind of par for course with an etrek if you travel to go pick one up.

Wishing you be the best come Monday.

Bud

I expected some things would need to be fixed. But when the dealer told me to wait on buying airline tickets until it passed the factory QA inspection, and told me they needed time with the rig before releasing to me, I started to think that somebody might have tested these systems out before giving me the green light for a plane ticket.

But yeah I certainly figured some things would need to be fixed. But the GU is surprising to me on a rig that is all electric with 1600 amp hours of lithium. Kinda surprised by that one.

 

[cruising7388]

They show a 10 amp fuse in the link you provided for the power. It probably should be 15 amps, though.

Correct. In; a conversation with Balmar they said they provide a 15 amp fuse for higher power alternators.

IMO, even if both the 10/ 15 amp field winding fuse and the 1 amp sensing fuse is removed, while there may be no regulator stimulation to the alternator, there should still be a visible display.

 

[WingedRyno]

Correct. In; a conversation with Balmar they said they provide a 15 amp fuse for higher power alternators.

IMO, even if both the 10/ 15 amp field winding fuse and the 1 amp sensing fuse is removed, while there may be no regulator stimulation to the alternator, there should still be a visible display.

Does the display in the RT look like this one, bright red?

 

[booster]

For those who want an emergency regulator in case the Balmar fails, they actually make one that many of the boaters carry. Cheap and small, fixed voltage, but it will let you charge again to get where you need for the complete repair. Carrying a big replacement multistage is expensive and takes more space.

We carry one with use, although we are more critical as our smart regulator runs both alternators and we lose all charging if it fails.

I think the spare is a plug in for a Balmar regulator, but we had to due our own splice in plugs for our Ample power regulator, so we can run either of the alternators depending on if only one is working.

https://www.fisheriessupply.com/balmar-ers-fixed-voltage-12-volt-regulator-ers

 

[WingedRyno]

For those who want an emergency regulator in case the Balmar fails, they actually make one that many of the boaters carry. Cheap and small, fixed voltage, but it will let you charge again to get where you need for the complete repair. Carrying a big replacement multistage is expensive and takes more space.

We carry one with use, although we are more critical as our smart regulator runs both alternators and we lose all charging if it fails.

I think the spare is a plug in for a Balmar regulator, but we had to due our own splice in plugs for our Ample power regulator, so we can run either of the alternators depending on if only one is working.

https://www.fisheriessupply.com/balmar-ers-fixed-voltage-12-volt-regulator-ers

Is it much of a job to install the replacement? Or do you take it to a local shop?

 

[booster]

Is it much of a job to install the replacement? Or do you take it to a local shop?

It probably would depend on the skill level of you, and what they are currently shipping for the regulator.

When I got ours, it came and didn't look like the pix or the instructions, including the wire colors. After a bunch of phone calls I did get the correct instructions from them and was able to figure out the connections to our Ample Power regulator.

If the setup is still the same, they give you the connectors to just plug the wires into the original Balmar regulator wiring, so it would be easy if the wiring is done the normal way.

Safest way, of course, is to have a shop do it, and also install and test it to make sure it works OK.

 

[gerrym51]

It probably would depend on the skill level of you, and what they are currently shipping for the regulator.

When I got ours, it came and didn't look like the pix or the instructions, including the wire colors. After a bunch of phone calls I did get the correct instructions from them and was able to figure out the connections to our Ample Power regulator.

If the setup is still the same, they give you the connectors to just plug the wires into the original Balmar regulator wiring, so it would be easy if the wiring is done the normal way.

Safest way, of course, is to have a shop do it, and also install and test it to make sure it works OK.

i would think that if you did this and something happened you are talking about voiding your warranty

 

[booster]

i would think that if you did this and something happened you are talking about voiding your warranty

In this case, if it still the same as it was, there is no modification of the wiring if it is going in to replace the Balmar regulator already there. It would plug into the original harness. If you were worried about that, I am sure you could have a Roadtrek dealer do it, or have Nations get one and make sure it is correct plus test it before you got it.

This is what Balmar suggests for an emergency regulator, so I doubt they would have any issue at all, and hopefully Roadtrek wouldn't get all high on the horse about it if Balmar recommends it as a drop in. If you are in the boonies with an all electric coach, being able to charge is pretty important.

 

[cruising7388]

Does the display in the RT look like this one, bright red?

The regulator they pulled from your coach is a Balmar ARS-5?

 

[gerrym51]

In this case, if it still the same as it was, there is no modification of the wiring if it is going in to replace the Balmar regulator already there. It would plug into the original harness. If you were worried about that, I am sure you could have a Roadtrek dealer do it, or have Nations get one and make sure it is correct plus test it before you got it.

This is what Balmar suggests for an emergency regulator, so I doubt they would have any issue at all, and hopefully Roadtrek wouldn't get all high on the horse about it if Balmar recommends it as a drop in. If you are in the boonies with an all electric coach, being able to charge is pretty important.

Booster-you twisted that around on me unfairly. Of course it's important to charge with no plug in to go to.So if Richard voids his warranty to extend a boonie trip is it worth it in the long run. You have been commenting on Roadtrek for as long as i can remember. You know they would look for ways to void his warranty if he did this and something went wrong.