Foretravel Owners' Forum

Foretravel Motorhome Forums => Foretravel Tech Talk => Topic started by: Gary Bouland (RIP) on July 25, 2012, 10:01:37 pm

Title: Dash Alarm
Post by: Gary Bouland (RIP) on July 25, 2012, 10:01:37 pm
Drove from Alanta to Little Rock T'day.  One minor problem that has me puzzled.  ROUGH expansion joint on Mississippi river bridge jarred the coach so hard that I got a warning buzzer.  No place to get off but buzzer quit after a dozen or so buzzes.  Can find nothing loose, oil and air pressure OK no heat problem, checked every connector under the dash.. nothing. Buzzer continues to go off at every rough bump and I40 has plenty of them.  Any Ideas ??
Gary B
Title: Re: Dash Alarm
Post by: txforetravel on July 25, 2012, 10:10:52 pm
Quote from: Gary Bouland
Buzzer continues to go off at every rough bump and I40 has plenty of them.  Any Ideas ??
Gary B

Hmm. Change roads?  Kidding!  I have driven I40 and I know exactly what you are talking about. 

It must be a connection someplace!
Title: Re: Dash Alarm
Post by: Dave and Nancy Abel on July 25, 2012, 10:25:17 pm
Howdy Gary,
 Wonder if it may be your OTA antenna up alarm??  Had a similiar issue on a Motorcoach I was transporting, and it turned out to be the antenna up sensor.
Good Luck, Dave Abel
Title: Re: Dash Alarm
Post by: J. D. Stevens on July 25, 2012, 10:44:05 pm
We had an intermittent alarm when a wiring connection in the HWH system was failing intermittently. The "Travel" lamp would go out briefly and the alarm would sound briefly.

It could be a loose connector in any number of systems. Look for a visit alarm that lights when the audible sounds.
Title: Re: Dash Alarm
Post by: David Smith on July 26, 2012, 06:28:06 am
Good luck with that Gary, at least your alarm works.......wish mine did.
Title: Re: Dash Alarm
Post by: Dave Cobb on July 26, 2012, 08:27:45 am
Good luck with that Gary, at least your alarm works.......wish mine did.

I read or was told that Radio Shack has the alarms.  On my coach, I adjusted the screw on the alarm to not sound, wife and puppy are much happier.  Hate the alarm sounding when just leveling coach, or getting ready to roll.
Title: Re: Dash Alarm
Post by: Steve & Kathy B on July 26, 2012, 08:57:08 am
After driving a section of that road, my wife turned on the ceiling fan and one of the blades almost fell off.  Most of them were very loose from the vibration, so check those blade bolts if you have a fan!
Title: Re: Dash Alarm
Post by: Keith and Joyce on July 26, 2012, 02:24:11 pm
On my 1995 U320 (bus style) I never hear an alarm for anything.  Anyone point me in the right direction as to where it is in that rats nest of wires?  Save me a lot of looking.

Keith
Title: Re: Dash Alarm
Post by: Dwayne on July 26, 2012, 03:59:46 pm
I used to get alarms but when my ECU failed (rebuilt at bargain price by Transmissioninstruments.com) I had alarms non-stop so I put tape over the little hole on the alarm box so I could get back without going crazy.  Alarm eventually stopped and after repair of ECU, I haven't heard a peep at any time.  I don't know what happened but I'm not complaining...I just watch the travel light & air before getting started and the idiot lights frequently.
Title: Re: Dash Alarm
Post by: Gary Bouland (RIP) on July 26, 2012, 04:55:10 pm
I have never heard ANY alarms before this trip.  I have looked under that dash many times and even though I find what looks like a little speaker ,other than the BUZZER for low air there have been no beeping alarms ever.  I will check the HWH connectors and the antennae up switch thanks to suggestions here.  It is just plain ANNOYING ( LIKE ALL CAPS ) !!!
I have not driven I 40 in years just because of its condition,  want to hear about 5 mile backups at the bridges east of Little Rock ?? I Though so.
We are at Riverside RV Park In North Little Rock, right on river across from Clinton Presidential center ( Think Trailer House on Stilts ), had interesting tour. Wish he was back given current presidential stock.
Gary B
Title: Re: Dash Alarm
Post by: Horace B. Cupp on July 26, 2012, 05:49:56 pm
Gary B.

I'll bet it is one of the leveling sensors that was damaged or got a short from the rough road. The enunciator, honest, that's what Foretravel calls it, on the older models was adjustable, I think. Mine is not but wrapping it with cotton and duct tape quietens it.
Title: Re: Dash Alarm
Post by: Kent Speers on July 26, 2012, 11:11:26 pm
Gary, aren't there any dash lights that also flash on? See what happens at night, if you dare.
Title: Re: Dash Alarm
Post by: Gary Bouland (RIP) on August 01, 2012, 03:21:59 pm
Good news .. Bad news
Well after two days of searching and looking at wiring diagrams til I was near blind.... nothing....  Then T'day over some of the roughest roads in W NE and E CO guess what ?  The warning beeper has cured itself.  I did nothing but swear at it and push pull jiggle every wire/connector/loom that I could get my hands om.
I am grateful it quit but mystified why..
Stay Tuned I bet this is not the last I hear of this warning beep.
Gary B
Title: Re: Dash Alarm
Post by: El_Dorado on August 01, 2012, 05:25:26 pm
intermittent electrical issues are nothing but pure frustration... I feel for ya, because for quit awhile in the future you will be diving and thinking about when is it going to happen again.......You my have temporarily fixed it by "messin round" with all those wires
Title: Re: Dash Alarm
Post by: Jerry Whiteaker on August 01, 2012, 05:38:10 pm
On my 1995 U320 (bus style) I never hear an alarm for anything.  Anyone point me in the right direction as to where it is in that rats nest of wires?  Save me a lot of looking.

It's most likely on the back side of the light bar.  The lights that come on when you turn the ignition key, oil pressure, air pressure, turn indicators, high beam, etc.  A little round thing with a hole in it, usually has a tiny volume control next to it that may require a screwdriver or tiny fingers to adjust.  Many of them don't work anymore, and a replacement light bar probably not available.  It should sound for low air pressure, low oil pressure, antenna up, not in travel mode, etc.  On my coach it is on the right end of the bar.  Mine was silenced at purchase because of a defective antenna  up switch, that is on the roof. 
Title: Re: Dash Alarm
Post by: philtravel on August 01, 2012, 06:39:08 pm
Re: where is the alarm located.

My alarm speaker is located to the left side of the gauges and can be accessed from the top when the dash is flipped up. It is round black plastic about 1" diameter.
Title: Re: Dash Alarm
Post by: Gary Bouland (RIP) on August 01, 2012, 08:20:28 pm
As far as I can tell the alarm is located in a flat black plastic module about 3 x 5 in size, there is a little speaker in the upper left but  I cannot find any adjustment on it. It is directly behind the speedometer.
Gary B
Title: Re: Dash Alarm
Post by: Keith and Joyce on August 02, 2012, 01:31:34 pm
Thanks for the location advice.  Next time I brave the spaghetti bowl of wires I will see if I can make it work - quietly!


Keith
Title: Re: Dash Alarm
Post by: jrdrag6396 on August 02, 2012, 05:03:19 pm
I had a little black module with 2 wires going to it.  Mine has been permanently silent since dealing with the HWH issues a few years ago (when it seemed like it was on all the time)... the blinker chime no longer works, but I know when they are on so I don't miss it at all.