Purpose of Air System Switch - Printable Version
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Purpose of Air System Switch - Glenn and Laureen - 05-10-2019
Hello, everyone. Glenn Parker, of Austin TX, here with my first post. My wife (Laureen) and I recently bought a 1984 Newell 35' coach that had been posted on this site by the previous owner in Gridley, CA. My wife's BIL (Clarke Hockwald) is a member of this forum and helped us evaluate the coach thoroughly before the purchase and we are very happy with it. Put new tires on it in Gridley and had a little maintenance done at All Aboard America in Mesa, AZ before heading home to Texas. One thing that is puzzling me is that I don't know the function of one switch in the center console that seems to be related to the house air system (all the leveling switches are right there). It is unmarked and is the bottom switch in the photo (or the far right, depending on how the photo appears). I have had the switch in both positions and can't seem to tell any difference in operations. Any ideas as to its purpose?
RE: Purpose of Air System Switch - encantotom - 05-10-2019
the label is not visible in the picture. what does it say?
tom
RE: Purpose of Air System Switch - folivier - 05-11-2019
Welcome Glenn! Every coach has a mystery switch. Since it's not labeled like the others and probably not a factory install it could be for something not related to the air leveling system. Possibly a light somewhere that the previous owner added? Could be inside or outside?
Do you have a labeled switch for the Jake brake? Again if not factory the PO could have added that.
RE: Purpose of Air System Switch - Glenn and Laureen - 05-11-2019
It has no label at all, Tom. Clarke and I could not figure out its function. Maybe one day down the line I'll have that "ah ha" moment when it become obvious what that switch is for. If that's the biggest problem I have for the next year with this 35 year old Newell I will be one happy guy.
Forest, the Jake brake has a switch over near the driver side wall, so its not that.
RE: Purpose of Air System Switch - bikestuff - 05-11-2019
I don't know about that vintage coach...but maybe if you got behind the panel, someone marked the wires with a label??
RE: Purpose of Air System Switch - Richard - 05-11-2019
So the switch is located in the same vicinity as the manual air leveling system. Probably associated with the leveling system in some way.
The switch is unlike all the others, you could guess that either it is a replacement, add on, or has a special function. It appears to be one of those switches that you have to lift the lid to access the switch. Like the button used to scram a nuclear reactor. Do you have to lift the red lid to activate the switch or is that the actual switch in the photo.
The label under the switch appears to say “air dump”.
Given all the clues above, my guess is it is a switch to dump all the air in the air bags.
You say it does nothing when activated. Could it be that it and another switch need to be pressed to activate a function? In other words is the red switch a safety device. After all dumping all the air in the bags is not something you would want to do accidentally.
RE: Purpose of Air System Switch - whatsnewell - 05-11-2019
Richard, he is referring to the switch between the air dump switch and left rear leveling switch. It appears to have been added after factory, and nothing happens when you switch it back and forth. It is a mystery to me.
RE: Purpose of Air System Switch - Guy - 05-11-2019
You might try getting a Harbor Freight or similar wire tracer tool. About 25.00. Puts a signal on the wires from your mystery switch. and you then can go to the bay you think the wires might run thru or terminate in and locate them. You might then have the "ah ha" moment we have all had with out mystery switches.
www.harborfreight.com/cable-tracker-94181.html
Good luck,
Guy
RE: Purpose of Air System Switch - Richard - 05-12-2019
Oops, cain’t READ
RE: Purpose of Air System Switch - encantotom - 05-12-2019
could be the air leveling switch needs to be on for the dump switch to work.
tom