Re: Aux 12 volt compressor compartment "thumping" sound (actually air unloader)
Reply #15 –
All seems correct now. Raising the coach front end by driving up on one inch thick boards (that are supporting the entire tire footprint with no overhang) has stopped the HWH system from attempting to overpressure to fill the front air bags beyond design capability. There was no excess slope light at any time, but the yellow low front end light was "just barely" out. Max lift, front air bags fully inflated.
Note: Our current site has the back end dropped all the way and the front end lifted all the way to achieve level. Everything else about the site is good so we did not want to move to another site.
From reply #12 above: "James Trianna (at FOT) later told me that if you park on a slope that exceeds the limits for the HWH, "occasionally" the system will try to level until it over-pressures, which pops the valve (forward street-side bay on my '98) making the "very" loud report. It's never happened again. " ***This appears to be a true statement. It had never happened to us before, but is exactly what was happening on our 2003.
So part one of the fix was achieved just by driving the front tires up onto one inch thick boards.
I also rebuilt the #2 solonoid attached to the aux air compressor (2003 Foretravel, not all have this solonoid). The #2 solonoid is what the air tank switch by driver position controls. It can combine the aux 12 volt compressor air tank to other air tanks, or isolate them separately.
I was getting some slow leak though at this solonoid, mainly when the HWH was over pressurizing the system in an attempt to lift front end beyond system capability. The solonoid actually looked pretty good. No debris, o-ring ok, small dimple in the plastic head portion of the "piston". I cleaned it up with rubbing alcohol, dried it, put in new o-ring, new "piston", new spring. Reassembled. Tested overnight with air tank switch off and zero leak through.
So, new $20 delivered pressure switch for compressor installed, but actually not needed (now have a good spare). During trouble shooting I had adjusted this switch downward in pressure. Now cuts off at 75 PSI, which I think is just fine for the aux compressor air tank. (note: we had never used the air tank switch to combine brake front/rear tanks in the past to the aux system, might once in a while in the future). The pressure switch has a 20 pound range, so with cut off at 75, cut in should be 55 psi.
I don't have a pressure gauge in the basement next to the aux 12 volt compressor. I may install one in the future. I was testing the air pressure settings thus far by engaging the air tank switch to combine all air tanks, and reading pressure at the dash gauges for front/rear brake air pressure.
Tested leak through by pumping down the air brake tanks with air tank switch off, read dash gauges, then reading dash gauges again 12 hours later.
No moisture or debris in the air system (ever) when draining the tanks. Previous owners (Steve and Michelle Cook) took excellent care of this coach. And I also have maintained the main air drier and the aux system desiccant.
So bottom line, the front end was lifted to extreme limits, and HWH system was erroneously over pressurizing via the aux compressor in attempt to lift front end even higher.
Good troubleshooting. I saved your compressor electrical diagram, as I have never seen it before. Thanks.