Foretravel Owners' Forum

I previously posted about erratic  readings from my rear air system gauge.  As an example, on start-up, the Front air system gauge will settle out about 120PSI, but the Rear gauge pegs the needle at 150+.  This is while sitting and idling.  The abnormal reading usually lasts only a few seconds.  This same behavior occurs while driving.

The first round of trouble-shooting implicated the gauge itself.  This gauge was replaced but the abnormal readings did not change.  The definitive answer came from evaluation at Foretravel in Nacogdoches.

My U-270 has air lines routed up to, and behind,  the instrument panel, and terminating in a plastic box called  "The Blue Module".  This box is a "converter" in function, i.e., converts the air pressure into digital signals which are fed to another computer called the "Speedometer", and from there to the gauges and to the HWH Computer.

The trouble-shooting at Foretravel established that the Blue Module was failing.  And the bad news was/is that the component is part of a one-of-a-kind system that is no longer manufactured, and is not repairable or replaceable (all of Foretravel's "bench stock" in the Parts Department  has been used up).

It seems this in not "new" or a "surprise".  Just how many Coaches have developed this problem is not known.  I was told the "System" or "package" was used in 2001, 2002 and 2003 model years.  It seems the original manufacturer had only one customer, Foretravel, and quit making it because there wasn't any other business!

Initial solutions offered for me were a) do nothing because the faulty reading was intermittent, the source was known, and the second gauge provided a back-up,  b) replace the electronic gauge (or gauges) with direct reading pressure gauges, or c)  "re-wire" the Coach.  In discussion, it became clear that the "re-wire option" is only theoretical in that it has never been done or developed, and it was predicted to be very expensive because of the man-hours that would be involved. 

What was done to my Coach was replacing both electronic gauges with Stewart Warner direct reading gauges.  The air lines were transplanted from the Blue Module.  Then the lines were "tee'd" to feed the air signal to the Module because it was immediately obvious that without that signal, a Low Air Pressure alarm was activated.  [ I was assured that this signal was supplied to the HWH Leveling Computer to indicate the presence of adequate air for leveling purposes, and that, in a "worst case" scenario, could not leave me stranded on the side of the road]  The implication was that no other "downstream" functions in the network existed.

I do not have any other information on malfunctions.  I have received strong assurances that further trouble is not expected.  If anyone else has had problems with component failure in this electronic system, please share your experiences.  And particularly if anyone has located a source for electronic repair, let us know!

After taking my coach out of winter storage and after a couple days, I developed a problem with my rear air gauge where it would read zero then jump to 120lbs. It would go back and forth intermittently setting off the low air chime. I suspected loose wires to the gauge, but everything was tight.
I may be experiencing a similar problem as described above. The fix doesn't sound that simple. Will anything shut down if I drive the coach with the low air chime sounding?
Mike Preising
2002 u-270, 34'

My gauge never went down, only up, so I didn't have your problem. 

Foretravel obtained gauges which would read direct air pressure, and switched the air lines over to the new instruments, by-passing the "Blue Module" (BM).  They then discovered that the absence of air pressure in the BM caused the "Low Air" alarm to sound off.  They then :Tee-d" off the air lines and ran the signal back to the BM; that shut off the alarm.

I was repeatedly assured (Cory Rucker, Alton) that nothing else would happen or go wrong.
I realize that doesn't really answer your question, but I would talk to James Triana.  I suspect the answer is "No, nothing will happen", and if it were mine, I would put a piece of tape on the "sounder" until I had a better "fix".

Did you swap the leads from the two gauges to see if that would make any difference?

No,
I will swap the leads to make sure the gauge is not the problem.
Where is the chime located?
Thanks,
Mike Preising
2002 U-270

Mike,
The chime or annunciator (as uppities call it) is a round cylinder of about one inch diameter by about one inch long located under the dash.  Lift the dashboard panel and it should be somewhere there.  Exact locations vary.
Peter

I thought I had an air gauge go out also but it turned out to be the P1457001 Blue Module.
I ordered one from Gilmore Global Instruments in Texas and they said it had to made to order from the Company in Canada, Cost was  $343.00. It might be worth a call 713-946-9133. This was back in 2007.

If the purpose of the Blue Box is to convert psi to a voltage and you have a problem with the Pri and/or Sec air pressure readings, why not install the normal air pressure gauges, run the small pvc air line from the tank/s to the new gauge/s.

Not sure but think John S had that done some time ago.  A smart move, I will if/when the issue shows.

Dave M