Tech Talk Archives 1

[Neweller]

RecNo DateCreated TimeCreated DateModified Name Email Subject Message QA
58 8/14/2000 12:19:56 PM 11/7/2003 Newell staff engineering@newellcoach.com Proper Tire Inflation SUMMER SEASON TIRE CARE

The simple rule: proper inflation for Michelin 315/80 R 22.5 front tires on a Newell motor coach is 130 p.s.i. cold for 65 m.p.h. speed rating and 140 p.s.i. cold for 75 m.p.h. rating. Running at lower pressure decreases the load carrying capacity and speed rating of the tire and can result in a blowout. This is particularly critical running freeway speed in the heat of summer.

The majority of the weight supported by a tire is actually being carried by the air contained within the tire body rather than the rubber tire carcass. A tireÕs sidewalls are designed to contain air, not to support the weight of the vehicle. However, decreasing air pressure reduces the weight that the air can support, and causes the tire sidewalls to flex as the vehicle is driven. Excessive sidewall stress causes heat buildup, especially running in the heat of the summer.

When heat buildup reaches a critical stage, the rubber actually begins to liquify, the bond between the tire casing and tread will begin to degrade, particularly with higher centrifugal forces at high speed, and the tread can suddenly delaminate from the casing. This typically happens at freeway speeds without warning.

Running at 130 or 140 p.s.i., versus lower inflation pressures, reduces sidewall flex and heat buildup, contributing to reliable, safe tire performance.

[Neweller]

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67 8/21/2000 11:24:14 AM 10/11/2006 markallen marka@newellcoach.com Do not Erase THis Do not erase or approve this message

[Neweller]

Q
68 9/12/2000 1:43:59 PM 9/12/2000 art knapp agkcpa@hotmail.com Battery Relocation I am planning to install a Trace PS2512 sinewave inverter in my 1983 Newell (to replace the Rockwell "Power Generator"). The electrical wiring is already in place in the drivers side compartment just aft of the wheelwell. Trace says the maximum distance from the inverter to the batteries should be 5'. The house battereies are about 30' away (passenger side, front). The coach batteries (2 - 8D's) are also over 5' away (one battery on each side just in front of the wheel well).

In order to get the batteries closer to the inverter, I was planning on placing them in the engine compartment on the driver's side. Do you have any recommendations regarding the battery placement or the type of battery box? Or, any other part of this project?

Thanks,
Art Knapp

[Neweller]

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69 9/12/2000 2:32:36 PM 9/12/2000 Newell engineering service@newellcoach.com Battery Relocation We agree that placing the inverter as close as possible to the batteries is desirable. This is because minimizing cable length minimizes voltage drop from the batteries to the inverter, or from the charger to the batteries. If the inverter is also the battery charger, we also recommend that the inverter be wired to the batteries, and that the other 12 volt loads be on the far side of the batteries from the inverter/charger. That way, the batteries act as a filter for the somewhat "dirty" current that can be produced by a battery charger.

The exact placement of the batteries and the inverter is going to vary from coach to coach depending upon the space available, existing cabling, amount of work you want to put into it, etc. The battery box or rack should allow ample ventilation to the atmosphere, and the batteries should not be located where gassing that occurs during charging will corrode electronics or sensitive electrical connections. For example, the batteries and inverter should not be located in the same compartment.

We currently prefer the Statpower ProSine inverter over the Trace sine wave products. The ProSine uses different technology that substantially reduces the weight of the inverter compared to the Trace. In addition, the set-up and operation of the ProSine is simpler than the Trace, minimizing problems that might result from "operator error." Our preference is only that, and we have built a number of coaches at customer request with Trace sine wave inverters. Our customers with Trace inverters are happy. For the record, after a series of buyouts, the three major inverter manufacturers, Statpower, Trace, and Heart Interface, are now all owned by the same parent company.

Good luck with your project.

[Neweller]

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70 9/13/2000 10:32:51 AM 9/14/2000 ken thwaits ken@pdiusa.net Proper Tire Inflation Our coach is 1995 model with the taller front tires. What is the proper inflation for all the tires on this coach?

[Erika]

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71 9/13/2000 1:32:27 PM 9/14/2000 Newell Engineering engineering@newellcoach.com Proper Tire Inflation Your 1995 Newell was equipped new with 11R24.5 Load Range H tires all around. Make sure that the tires currently on the coach are Load Range H, as Load Range G tires do not have the load capacity required. In the front, these tires should normally be run at 120 psi. For an extra measure safety if you are running at interstate speeds in hot weather, tire engineers have advised that you should increase the inflation to 130 psi. The drive axle tires should be inflated at 105 psi minimum, and tag axle tires 90 psi minimum. These inflation specs are for cold tires. The inflation pressures will read higher warm or hot tires. Air should never be bled out of a warm tire to reduce the pressure to the cold specification.

[Erika]

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72 9/13/2000 3:02:34 PM 9/14/2000 charlie kokesh charlie@kokesh.com Proper Tire Inflation My coach is a 1996 with Bridgestone tires. When I picked the coach up two weeks ago I was told that the correct inflation was 105 to 110 for the rears and 110 to 115 for the front tires.

Is the difference between what I was told and the 130 psi to 140 psi mentioned above a function of the Bridgestones vs. Michelin?

Is there a difference in the basic size of the tire that would also make a difference?

[Erika]

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73 9/14/2000 3:05:49 PM 9/14/2000 newell engineering engineering@newellcoach.com Proper Tire Inflation Charlie, the inflation recommendation for the front tires depends on the size. The first message in this thread covers 315/80 R 22.5, with Michelin Load Range L being the only recommended brand and ply rating. The third message in the thread is our inflation recommendation for 11R24.5 Load Range H of any brand. We will remind the service staff of our inflation recommendations.

[Erika]

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75 9/25/2000 12:55:22 PM 9/25/2000 newell engineering engineering@newellcoach.com Proper Tire Inflation Wayne: Your 1994 Newell requires the load range H version of the 11R24.5 tire. Load range G does not have adequate weight capacity for the steering axle, although it can be used on the drive and tag axles. The proper cold inflation for load range H is 120 psi, increased to 130 psi for operation in high ambiant heat conditions. We will be in touch "off the board" to work out arrangements to change your coach to load range H tires on the steer axle.

[Erika]

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76 9/28/2000 4:29:14 PM 9/29/2000 Dan Niebojeski bojes@aol.com basement airs Do my basement air-conditioners have filters that need cleaning or replacing? If so, were are they?

[Erika]

78 10/5/2000 1:29:08 PM 10/5/2000 Newell Service service@newellcoach.com basement airs You have cleanable filters for the central air conditioners. They are in the return air duct located between your steps inside the entry door.

Our recommended service schedule includes cleaning the a/c filters "as required." Different conditions, such as whether you have pets that shed, often leave the door open while the a/c's are operating, or how often you use the air conditioning, make it impossible to establish a set interval for cleaning. You can normally clean the filters with hot water and soap. If they are exceptionally soiled and do not clean well, replace them with new. The filter material is available from hardware stores in larger sheets which must be cut to fit.

[Erika]

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79 10/5/2000 5:14:39 PM 10/6/2000 Art Knapp agkcpa@hotmail.com Alarming Sound We have a 1983 Newell (Bettin). While driving up an extremely steep detour in Alaska (and pulling our Dodge Caravan) a loud alarm (buzzer) started. I checked all the gauges (oil, water, air, and transmission) and we were ok. There was no place to pull over. The alarm sounded for about 1-2 minutes then stopped. My son trued to locate exactly where the alarm was, but could only narrow it to the dash area near the passenger side. The alarm stopped by itself and the coach went happily on its way. This has never happened before or since. Can you tell me what the alarm is for, what conditions set it off, and what to do when it does start? We do not have a manual for the 1983 Newell. We have a 1987 manual, but I can not find mention of this alarm. By the way, if there is anyway that I could get a copy of a 1983 Newell Manual, let me know.
Thanks for Your help.
Art Knapp

[Erika]

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80 10/5/2000 5:26:55 PM 10/6/2000 Art Knapp agkcpa@hotmail.com Sanitron Our 1983 Newell (Bettin) has a Sanitron electric odor control system. There are 12 volt wires connected to electrodes on the holding tank. The wires terminate in a small aluminum box in the holding tank compartment. The electrodes have become severely corroded. Some of the wires are broken and have been spliced or taped. The manual (1987) says there is a Sanitron control panel in the tankage compartment and that this panel has an on/off switch and a test switch. There is no such panel in my compartment. Can you give me some advice on restoring the Sanitron system and how to locate a Sanitron control panel?
Thanks for your help.
Art Knapp

[Neweller]

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81 10/6/2000 2:49:53 PM 10/6/2000 Newell Service service@newellcoach.com Sanitron In a word, we don't think parts are still available, but there is an easy, practical work around.

For many years, strong holding tank odors in the form of sewer gases vented into the interior of RVs when toilets were flushed. Therefore, most RV users added chemicals to holding tanks to suppress the formation of sewer gas.

From the early 1980s through the mid-1990s, Newell installed electronic odor control systems on the waste water holding tanks. With these systems, low voltage electrical current passes from electrodes on one side of the interior of the holding tank to electrodes on the other side. The production of sewer gas was substantially reduced and the need to use chemicals was eliminated.

In recent years, RV toilets featuring water barriers in the bottom of the bowls came into use. Because of these water barriers, sewer gas in the holding tank cannot vent to the interior as before. The use of odor control, either through chemicals or electronic odor control, has been eliminated.

Sanitron was the brand name of an odor control system Newell used in the early 1980s. Our recollection is that Sanitron did not have a control panel, although such a panel was furnished with later brand of odor control. While we are still checking our records for a telephone number or address, we do not believe that the company is still in business or that parts can still be sourced for Sanitron systems.

Our recommendation is to confirm that the system is not receiving power or is disconnected, and to use a good quality liquid chemical odor control product in the tank. We suggest Aqua Kem, a brand we have used most successfully through the years.

[Neweller]

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82 10/6/2000 3:11:02 PM 10/6/2000 Newell Engineering engineering@newellcoach.com Alarming Sound The only audible alarm used in Newells of this vintage was a high coolant temperature warning. Most of these alarms included an engine shut down feature if the temperature continued to escalate. If your instrument panel gauge appears to be working correctly and did not show a coolant temperature in excess of around 215 degrees F., the alarm is probably going off a bit prematurely.

We suggest that you confirm the accuracy of your dash gauge against a manual gauge that a mechanic can install at the engine. Further, from the circumstances you described, it sounds like the alarm indeed may have been warning of temperatures approaching the problem point. So you should exercise caution when the alarm sounds, as your engine may be getting close to overheating and damage, or the engine shut down may activate, with immediate loss of all engine power.

To cool properly, Newells of this vintage require regular, thorough radiator cleaning with a high pressure washer and engine degreaser.The condition of the radiator can be checked easily by using a mechanic's "trouble light" to shine through the core while looking through from the opposite side. The radiators eventually experience damage from small stones and debris in the air blast, and require recoring or replacement. We suggest that radiator maintenance, repair, and replacement as required is more economical than repairs that can be required after an overheat.

[Neweller]

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83 10/7/2000 2:40:25 PM 10/7/2000 Jim Weckman jweckman@hutchtel.net Battery Relocation You may have already gone this route, but I would suggest placing the battery box below the engine compartment floor as is done in the later built units. I used 1 X 1 SST angle to do a battery box for another coach, and it worked out well. The frame can be linned with SST, or poly, and the top with clear plexi or lexan. If you make the box water tight be sure and install drain holes and venting.

[Neweller]

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86 10/9/2000 1:17:54 PM 10/9/2000 Newell Engineering engineering@newellcoach.com Alarming Sound After further discussion, we believe that the most likely cause of your buzzer alarm was the TV antenna alarm giving a false warning rather than a high temp alarm. To verify this theory, you can raise the TV antenna and turn on the ignition key. If you hear the same sound, you have your mystery solved.

[Neweller]

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87 10/10/2000 12:19:15 PM 10/10/2000 Glinda Peek Glinda.peek@concert.com 1979 Newell fire..restore I need to find replacement windows for my 1979 Newell.
I also need an owner's manual. Any help!
Thanks

[Neweller]

Q
88 10/10/2000 2:14:23 PM 10/10/2000 Newell Service service@newellcoach.com 1979 Newell fire..restore Good news: Peninsula Glass in Vancouver, Washington can make custom windows for older Newells. You have the choice of standard or double pane insulated glass. You can reach Penisula Glass at 1-800-468-4323. Bad news: The was no owner's manual for a 1979 Newell. We still have the original build file on most coaches. If you'd like us to check the archives for your coach and mail you copies of what we have, e-mail your name, address, and coach serial number to Marcia Green at MarciaG@newellcoach.com . Good luck with your restoration.

[Neweller]

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89 10/11/2000 2:29:16 pm 10/11/2000 robert e. Crowl rcrowl@acdcom.com brakes what type of brakes are on the newell coaches, say from 1992 to present, i.e., air?, disc?, drum? On which axles?
Thanks