Still lots to learn and appreciate any help.
What is the small rocker switch to the right of the retarder joy stick? The manual does not show it.
Looks like an aftermarket add-on by a previous owner. Could be almost anything. You could pull the panel and trace the wires.
That sounds like a fun weekend project....not! Apparently previous owners did not have a label maker or a sharpie! :o
Do you have electric door locks? I think that location is where the basement and passenger electric door lock switch is located our coach
Chris
Mine turns the Retarder on and off..
So not sure but does look aftermarket
We are the 5th owners of our coach. Each of the previous owners added their own personal touches to our coach. One of the joys of buying a old Foretravel is figuring out the "custom" mods made by previous owners. Doing so requires a equal mixture of mechanical/electrical sleuthing skills and blind dumb luck. Some things will be obvious, or self explanatory. Others (like your switch) may be a total mystery. The time that you spend poking around the coach looking for clues is well spent. You will eventually learn all the secrets, and by that time will feel better equipped to deal with unexpected surprises.
You are welcome to ask all your questions here. We may not always have a answer, but in most cases we can help or make a educated guess. Do you have the electrical wiring diagrams for your coach? They can be very helpful when investigating mystery circuits. The added-on wiring may not show up on the diagram, but sometimes you can get a idea of the function from the nearby wire I.D numbers.
Have fun!
It could be a switch for power shades like MCD for the windshield?
Best of luck figuring it out.................... ^.^d
What happens when you push the switch?
If the DW flies into orbit, you'll know it was the ejection switch.
I have a resister switch there and I'm not sure what it is for. I agree with David that it isn't a stock switch. I just found 3 more switches
today that I have no idea what they are for.
On mine, it turns the retarder on/off. Mine is lighted and labeled but yours may be an unlabeled replacement switch. The light comes on when the retarded is functioning.
Rich
There is NO SUCH THING as a dumb question. Ask away.
His retarder switch is labeled. Middle switch top row.
I would fasten my seat belt before activating that switch......ya never know :D :D :D
Maybe it's the "DOWNSIZE" switch. I wish I could locate mine. Just kidding.........not for a few years yet.
There are NO dumb questions! If there were I would have been banned by now... lol
Keep your questions coming, I learn from other people questions.
Welcome to the forum!!!
Keith
Agreed that it could be anything. Pull the panel, easy to do, and look at the wires. Are they foretravel wires or after market? See where they go, do they head aft towards the rear or up, or do they go forward towards the dash? It could be for a light, electric shades, a map light, only you will know when you find out. If it doesn't work now, a inline fuse may have blown. Trace the wires. But start with pulling that panel out. Its 4 screws. Lifts straight up. That's where I would start.
Bob
Does the retarder come on when you switch mystery switch on? What about when you hit the switch labeled retarder?
Does ANYTHING happen when you hit it? Click? Buzz?
Humm?
Is it still hooked up? Wires going to and coming from?
Does it get power still?
Stealth Bourbon dispenser activation system? (Ask Michelle)
I have not been able to find anything that comes on or goes off when I flip that switch. Does not seem to affect the retarder. Guess I will pull the cover one day and trace the wires. During those times when I am getting an ear full from the right seat driver, I might secretly pretend it is an James Bond inspired eject switch. :))
DayDreamer, if you do, make sure the door is secure, that may be what it is!
DayDreamer,
I have a 1995 U300 with exactly the same switch panel. On mine the mystery switch is labeled "defroster fan" - located up in the overhead compartment.
Jon
Thanks for that tip. I will check it out.
Please educated me on the air system. There are two gauges on the dash and the manual just says front and rear air gauges. I am assuming the top gauge is front and the bottom gauge is the rear. Is that correct?
The front (upper gauge) will hold pressure for over a week. Been at least a week and it is still at 70 PSI. The other is at zero, so assuming there are leaks I need to chase. Three air bags in the rear are very old, so that could be part of the source.
Thanks
David
If the rear gauge leaks down, it will be lines or valves. The air bags are isolated when it is parked
On our coaches the retarder when engaged turns on the brake lights. Maybe the switch is to bypass the brake lights from coming on when the reatarder engages. Some have bypassed the brake lights on the retarder.
John M.
You need to educate
yourself on your air system. You do this by studying the air system schematic for your coach. You look at the schematic, identify a component, and then go crawl under the coach (with safety stands installed, of course) and find the actual system component on the coach. Start at the engine driven air compressor, and follow the path of the air through the whole system. By doing this you will gain a thorough understanding of how all the parts of the system are supplied with air pressure. You can see where the air lines go, and how they interconnect. It will also give you a chance to check for leaks (using soap bubble solution).
Why do you assume the top dash gauge is for the front tank? Is that just a guess, or do you have some basis for that assumption? I'm not saying you are wrong - just wondering what gave you that idea. By studying the air system schematic, you can devise a simple test to determine which gauge is "front" and which is "rear".
For instance, you could run the engine and let the air system pressure up until the air compressor cuts out (dryer purges). Shut the engine off. Turn on your HWH panel, and drop the coach down to the stops with the "DUMP" button. Then using the "UP" arrows, try raising either end of the coach. Push the "UP" arrow for the front end, and watch the dash gauges. Which gauge shows decreasing pressure? That is your FRONT tank pressure gauge. Easy!
Good reading here: Air Suspension and HWH Explained (http://beamalarm.com/Documents/air_suspension_and_hwh_explained.html)
on the forum ;) technical:start [ForeForums Foretravel Motorcoach Wiki] (http://wiki.foreforums.com/doku.php?id=technical:start)
And online:
https://www.hwhcorp.com/ml20635.pdf
Thanks everyone for all of the links. I have started reading them. Lots to learn.
Yeah, but it's a fun journey learning about the coaches. And knowledge is something no one can ever take away from you ^.^d
It is a steep learning curve, and most of us learn by making mistakes or having stuff go sideways! There are NO DUMB QUESTIONS!! Don't ever be afraid to post something here, and often the answer will be something headsmackingly simple that will have you wondering why you didn't think of the answer yourself. But ... in no time, you will be answering those questions for others. Ask me anything about the Sealand Magnum Opus Turbo Turd 3000 commode. Anything!!
There is a special sub-group for those of us who have had a Foretravel with a Turbo Turd ;)