This topic contains 5 replies, has 3 voices, and was last updated by 
Drew 3 days, 9 hours ago.
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So far, in 2 other forum groups and a letter I sent to a blogger who helps people fix things, I havn’t gotten an answer. So here’s the problem….good luck, no one can answer my problem with a solution yet:
Last week I saw a problem on the display. It blinks intermittently- usually when “0″ load is indicated on it. It does this every few seconds or so for a random period of time (usually from 2 to 10 minutes and then works normally for hours at a time). It won’t blink all the time. It also seems to function completely normally and sheds load when 30a. is exceeded for any reason. It continues to accurately show any load I apply to my coach’s main as well. I have called Intellitec and the tech has never heard of this problem. I’ve double checked all grounds and conductors for tightness behind my main panel at at the utility bay J-box- there are no issues that I can see. There are no other electrical anomalies that I know of or have observed. All connections appear secure and tight at the control module located at the main panel. I have a Progressive surge protector that’s been in continuous use for over 5 years and it’s a portable unit plugged in at the utility post. I wanted to make sure this unit was not the problem so I removed it and observed the load display for the Intellitec unit. After 3 hours it began blinking again so I plugged the surge protector back in. I’ve also disconnected the electrical supply to the coach for fifteen minutes and disconnected the batteries for the same length of time…at re connection of the a/c electrical cord, the display started blinking right away. At this point, I believe the module is failing in some sort of way but I’m tempted to leave it in place until something more significant happens. In your opinion, is there any problem just leaving it there? Do you think the control module is the crux of the problem or is it something else? Although I’m sure the company still has these control modules, they appear expensive ($100.00 to $130.00). I’ve tried everything that fellow rv’ers have suggested on 2 forums with no positive results. Do you have any suggestions?Thanks in advance,DrewI wonder if it might just be an intermittent circuit connection in the display driver circuit. You can get some weird stuff with the micro-components on multi-layered cct boards these days. You can get a smaller than hair line crack on a surface mounted components and it can behave in all sorts of weird ways just from different heat and humidity. Only way to know for sure, unless you want to take things apart, would to have a known good display module to swap in for a while. Intermittents can be so hard sometimes to track down.
I’m an electronic tech so I would of course take it apart!
I would use cold spray and a hair dryer to see if I could get anything to react to temperature changes, I would also tap around the board to look for cracked connections.
Do they have any schematics or a service manual available for this unit?
Ray - Love Your RV!Hi Ray,
Thanks a million for responding. The only info. I have is provided here: http://www.flemingsalesoem.com/intellitec/PDF/53221241.pdf
My Winnebago owners case is very complete but as you know, it doesn’t go into any great technical troubleshooting. I thing you are right on as far as troubleshooting the problem, I’m just afraid to start taking things apart. As I said in my earlier post, I could replace the entire module if needed but my skills in “bench testing” and replacing small electronic components like resistors and resoldering boards is very limited. How would you like to fix mine for me? I’ll pay for you and Anne to stay here!
Drew
haha, that would be a long service call. Sounds like it is the remote display having the problem and the read out is just flaking out, but not with weird characters just blinking out. Makes me think intermittent 12v power or ground. If it was the main module you would think it would spit out some kinda error code.
Could be a problem with the cable to it or inside. My guess is either the 12volt supply is intermittent or a ground.
Would need to have the fault acting up and start measuring things to see if 12v power is there at the remote display and a good ground. If it has good power and ground to the display then it would likely be a circuit board problem inside the display.
Ray - Love Your RV!Molex makes good connectors, I agree with Ray that it sounds like an intermittent ground or power supply problem.
If there are no 120 vac circuits that are cutting in or out, you can conclude that the 12 v supply to the main board with your breakers is intact. The problem then would be downstream of that. With the 4 wire data cable attached to the connectors, look at the back of the plug where the wires enter. If you can see metal where the wires attach, one pin more than the others, you have a “pushed pin”, meaning that the female socket is not fully seated in the plastic plug. If this the case, GENTLY wiggle that wire and see if your monitor display blinks off and on. If so, you’ve found the problem. You can push the wire into the plug for now, but I would recommend you get a new data cable.
The other possibility is that the solder joint has cracked where the pins attach to the circuit board. I’ve uploaded two pictures of the Molex pins, if you have the one that has the red background at either end where the data cable plugs in, these are prone to cracking solder joints.
Attachments:
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Molex-26-60-5020
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molex156-1
Thanks to both of you guys! Roger, the pictures are great, the rig is stored off site right now but we’ll be up there during the week of the 4th. I might dive into this then. The display is housed in the “one place” panel that has all my other monitors and controls (for tank levels, generator functions, etc.) I think I’ll have to remove that whole thing from the wall a few inches so I can get my probes back there. Thanks again guys- this is the only place I’ve gotten good advice so far about this issue.
Drew
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