Bought FWC Grandby, first post

[Mongo]

Hello everyone I have been cruising this forum for about a week now. I made a really spontaneous decision to buy a FWC yesterday! I came accross one on cragislist about 3 hours away in central Nebraska wednesday and after doing a little research on this forum decided it was a really good deal I couldn't pass on. My main concerns going in were the condition of the pop up canvas (which is a 9 on a scale of 10!) and the plywood floor etc. Both are in great shape! It was much cleaner than I expected actually.hardly a stain on any of the cushions. stout and comfy. Some of the laminate ser

1999 FWC Grandby, $2300.00
Sink, Stove, couch, furnace, Dometic 3way fridge, add-on window AC, sliding front window, screen door, roof rack, floodlights, rear wall steps, Catalina awning,

I have lots of questions and will be in contact with the local RV place as well as FWC as I try to get some things ironed out. I hope to tap the wealth of information available here as well. The internet is really powerful this way, allowing a group of very specialized (off road camper enthusiast's) very widely dispersed people to connect like this. Awesome.

Issues I want to address:

1. The Fridge doesn't work. Makes noise like its trying on 110v but just doesn't. 12v nothing, LPG nothing. May have sat unused for a long time, I suspect the furnace and fridge just need a little TLC to get going. But I don't know where to start.

2. the furnace kicks on and both fans are running but no burner/heat (the stove works so gas is availible there, not sure about the furnace.

3. the FWC display for the water tank level and battery life as well as the waterpump swich are unresponsive. With a test light I confirmed there is 12v there but nothing gives me any LED readouts...

4. I only got a key for the deadbolt. There is a small door on the driverside above the LPF tank compartment that's locked (fresh water?), I don't have the key. Guess I'll have to go the locksmith route on that.

5. What's going on under the sink? is the long tube a filter? where's the water pump? I don't hear it running.

6. The linoleum floor is peeling up and brittle at both ends. Will probably replace that. May throw a carpet remnant over it short term.

Last thing I realize my truck is TOO SHORT! I have a GMC2500HD on order coming end of April. Although the the truck handled it fine (payload is rated at 1800lbs) coming home, it's just back heavy and you can get that tetter-totter rocking on the back axle on rough hwy. It's just not balanced on the axle (obviously) in a 5'-8" box.

Well I can't wait to be a part of the FWC brotherhood. Thats all the time I have right now. Thanks

 

[KILR0Y]

Welcome to the site Mongo, and yes - your truck is too short!!!

See you on the forums, I hope some FWC owners with better experience than I have can help you out with your laundry list.

Kilroy

 

[craig333]

Congrats on your purchase. Sounds like you did really well. Have you perused the heater thread ( I think its stickied) has tons of good info. Can't help on the fridge, no experience with three ways. Looks like someone added a water filter, very nice. Lift panels look almost new, you did good there. As for the compartment, those use a common key, I think its 651 or something like that. No security but terribly easy to get keys for.

 

[billharr]

Looks like you got a good buy, camper looks clean. All your problems can be sorted out and except the the fridge not to expensive. Do some Google searches on RV or propane fridges for help. It may be gone, last ditch thing to try is take it out and turn it over overnight. Turn it back wait a day and try again. I would not spend any $$ on a 3 way, I would go to a DC fridge first.

Congrats and welcome to WTW.

 

[jcfly]

Welcome Mongo. That camper looks like you scored big time ! Many fun times ahead. While not having a ton of expertise, I'll give you what I have.

#2 - Might be too much air in the furnace line - run the stove for a bit to help exhaust the trapped air and get the propane closer to the furnace.
#4 - New locks are easily ordered from FWC.
#5 - Pump switch must be on for pump to run, if you don't have an indicator light on when you hit that switch, you are missing voltage to the pump. Have you installed the necessary outlet in your truck for charging the camper battery ?

#7 - Don't leave the jacks on. Removing them shaves 100lbs. off the truck.

Good luck, and have fun with the new camper !

 

[craig333]

The key is ch751. Buy any lock from an rv place and you get a key that unlock 99% of those access hatches out there. Some people replace them but it doesn't bother me that someone can access my electrical or water hookup.

 

[RC Pilot Jim]

Great buy Mongo. Welcome to the family.

Contact Brenda Carey at FWC - Brenda@fourwh.com. She replaced Terry Budd as Service Manager.

If your not handy call around to the RV service shops in your town. They can help you get things running again....Except as Bill suggests don't spend any money of the fridge. To old. Repair costs can run hundreds of dollars and not worth the investment.

Take it out and replace it with an Engle or a Waco front door opener. Engle is the least amp draw at 2.5 amps start up. see link :
https://engel-usa.com/products/fridge-freezers Scroll down to the built-in refrigerators.

 

[Flyfisher]

Mongo - My three way fridge has a gas shut off in the line as it goes to the burner. It is accessible from the outside panel access. It is just a few inches in front of the burner and it is rather small. I would start there.

 

[Ted]

Mongo, congrats on the purchase. Like others have said - you got a great deal. The three-way fridges occasionally get air bubble in the ammonia line. This is probably why it won't work in any mode. Bill had the right call - remove it and flip it for a day. Then upright and reinstall. If that doesn't work replace as suggested.
The lino was peeling up on our camper also. I just installed quarter round molding around the edges to fix that.
The water pump is usually just under the sink. It was an option back then so there may not be one. The monitor display had the switch whether you got the pump or not.
I have no suggestions for the heater. I know if you turned ours on without gas it would make three attempts to start (you hear the clicking sound of the igniter) and then would shut itself off. If yours isn't shutting off, maybe it is getting gas but the igniter isn't working? Best to have that checked professionally.
No suggestions for the monitor either, but they are widely available online. Maybe just replace that.

Good luck and happy camping.

 

[MarkBC]

2. the furnace kicks on and both fans are running but no burner/heat (the stove works so gas is availible there, not sure about the furnace.

If the igniter is clicking and there's propane in the line but the furnace isn't lighting the problem may be the electrically-actuated valve that lets the propane into the furnace.
That was the problem that mine had -- the furnace propane valve was stuck/seized/dead-in-some-way. A local RV service place replaced the valve (wasn't cheap). They told me that it's a rare problem, in their experience...but it was the problem with mine. Still works great now, a year later.

If the fan turns on but you don't hear the igniter clicking then the fan may not be running fast enough to move the sail switch far enough to tell the furnace to light the fuel. That has happened when my battery charge is low, which causes the fan to spin slower.
If this is the symptom you're having -- no igniter clicking -- run the truck engine (to provide a temporarily high charge to the battery) while trying to start the furnace and see if the igniter clicks.

And welcome to WTW!

 

[Smokecreek1]

Might try checking out the therocouple on the fridge-mine went out in the field once and after clearning it didn't work, came into town and had it replaced (way to complicated for me-had to pull the fridge and other things), -after that just as long as it is sort of level it has worked. Don't laugh but do you you turn on the switch below the fridge?-I went my almost intire first trip with out it switched on and kept wondering why nothing was staying cold-called FWC and they told me what to do! One of the many new things to learn when changing from tents to campers. My water pump had a similar problem, bought a new pump- still didn't work, turned out that there is a two way valve that keeps the water from backing up in the water pipe ( a check valve?)-it was in backward so we got no pressure, but at least i have two water pumps incase one goes out! Hope this helps! Have fun with your new beast and welcome to the club!

Smoke

 

[Mongo]

Thanks for the welcome and all the great advice! Unfortunately I came down with the flu saturday and haven't been able to do much with it. Missed work today too. Just wanted to thank you all!

 

[Mongo]

Ok, I've been playing with the camper and here's what I've found.

Fridge-

I got the burner cleaned out and lit well. Burned on gas for 20 minutes, no cooling.... removed the fridge and turned it upside down overnight as suggested by someone here (WTW).... plugged it in to 110v next day and turned it on... nothing. So I think the fridge may be a lost cause. repair cost would quickly approch new low draw DC fridge. So I'd probably be better served going that route. Speaking of that, I thought it would be nice to have a built in because it would slide right in and look nice, but in reality for that kind of investment it'd be sweet if I could take in in and out too. Use it in the truck or boat, etc... I see some on here using portable cooler style units. I may consider that too, but it would mean a little remodeling. Although they seem to be a little more $$$ too.

Furnace- Well I have gas and blowers. After doing a little checking I discovered the sail switch is not closing. So I tought I'd bypass that with 12v (Jumper) and give that a try. Nope. So I thought I wonder if the gas valves even work or are they stuck? putt 12v to them and "click" smell gas..... So I think I need a sail switch and a control board. I think I'll get the Dinosaur brand version. It seems to have good reviews. "better than OE"

The water pump was removed. I found the cut wires under the sink and the water lines just spliced.....Nice. So someone have a model for me? shurflo 4008?

http://www.americanrvcompany.com/Shurflo-4008-101-E65-30-gpm-Revolution-Auto-Demand-Water-Pump-Trailer-Camper-RV

The battery health and water tank readout has me puzzled. Is there a water tank sending unit? How does this thing monitor the water level? I don't see wiring for that and I haven't pulled the range to inspect the tank. The battery side should work but it's dead. makes me wonder if lightning or something took out the boards in this whole camper.... furnace fridge and battery panel all out??? Heck maybe that's what happened to the original owner? Just know he bought it from a widow. don't know what happened.

Power- I have a rough idea of what i'd like to do but would like some expert advice on how to set up my battery power. I have a diesel pickup with dual 150 amp alternators to deliver plenty of current to what ever chargers/inverters I go with. I was planning on 2 house batteries for the camper. Now what charger, I'm not sure. I've had experience with marine chargers and I suppose a guy want's something similar so when I have available shorepower I can replenish/replace/charge the house batteries. I plan on an isolator to isolate the truck batteries. May be this one:

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00400IYTK/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pC_nS_ttl?_encoding=UTF8&colid=5ZW2I5W4WGD0&coliid=I1IPM1DINKQ82W

But what 120v charger?

Also on these DC fridge's is there and advantage to going 24v? Versus (2) 12v parallel?

I figure I'll run 6 or 8ga wire from the truck alternator/isolator to house batteries. So I'll have to come up with a big plug for that. Suggestions welcome.

Has anyone found a low draw LED type 1156 bulb worth trying in my interior lights? I have 4 1156 bulbs as ceiling lights. I'd like to get that amp draw down but don't want some waste of money CFL type experiment. Or just a replacement fixture that's reasonably priced and warm colored.