[encantotom]

Mine do not have a disconnect either.

Tom

[Parisjet]

Do you have to use DOT fittings on the 120V compressor and lines in that compartment?

Is there a one way valve between air tanks for the brakes and the other coach systems (door, potty etc)

What part did you use when you put the shutoff to the ram for the gen, where did you place the shutoff.

Just starting the process of finding leaks to reduce the interval between my compressor coming on, currently 16 minutes. Will order the Fluke Amprobe ULD-405 today Amazon Prime one day $575.  Looks like my front and rear brakes gauges stay at the same reading 110-115psi when the compressor runs the air supply to 125psi.  It appears that there are 2 programs currently for the air compressor 
B3 on at -120 off at 110 (that can’t be correct?)
B9 on 80 off 90

Is there a Siemens manual for programming the air compressor control box?

[Fulltiming]

The brake tanks have a check valve in them to allow them to hold pressure when the air supply/wet tank pressure drops. If your brake tanks are holding in the 110-115 range those check valves are working and your brake tanks are holding pressure as they should.

[SouthernDevGirl]

We just drove out to where our Newell is stored (the first time since buying) and somehow the air-system has gone bad in only a couple weeks!

The brake tanks won't reach more than 75-80psi, the supply gauge will never get above zero.  It takes 10+ minutes at high-idle to inflate the bags to travel-height, then begin filling the brake-tanks.

I've read many posts including @fulltiming Michael's above, which all suggest that if the brake tanks have pressure and supply is zero, it makes sense there is a substantial leak between the engine compressor and the tanks.

We're nowhere near as mechanically-inclined as others on the forum.  Plus, there are so many different areas with actuated-valves, manifolds, regulators, groups of things we don't understand, etc.  

It feels overwhelming where to begin or how to understand how so many different air-circuits/valves tie-together.

We plan on following @CaptainGizmo Steve Vance's guidance that we linked above for @Jack Houpe along and we've gone through the pneumatic-system videos from Richard; however, we still feel just as overwhelmed, if not more.

This is on a 2006 Coach#782.

-

To answer @ParisJet 
(based on what we've read here; none of the following is definitive by any means, merely trying to share what we've read) --

No, you do not require DOR fitting specifically.

Yes, there is a check-valve at the air-tanks for the front/rear brakes and amenity tank.

On the pneumatic ram to open the front-slide, double-check that yours is pneumatic.  Ours is an electric actuator and we're not that many builds away from yours.  If you do have a pneumatic ram, it sounds like @Jack Houpe placed the shutoff where it was convenient because there was no issue that required it to be placed anywhere specific in the line (as the leak was from the ram itself).

I haven't read anything about programming the Siemens control panel, but I'll go look at ours to identify the components.  The electronics/coding is an area we do understand and we'll try to figure something out there, to help, if we can.

[Jack Houpe]

Thank you! In the middle of my salon seal and rebuild project my 110v compressor quit working, this means I had use 20 ton jacks to keep the coach level to work on the slide seal. I had the chance to remove the compressor and take it apart and found the brushes were worn to a nub so a quick trip to the hardware store found new brushes and its back working but I'm keeping the jacks under the coach. These pneumatic systems are a bear to deal with.

It feels overwhelming where to begin or how to understand how so many different air-circuits/valves tie-together.

YEP!

[Fulltiming]

We're nowhere near as mechanically-inclined as others on the forum.  Plus, there are so many different areas with actuated-valves, manifolds, regulators, groups of things we don't understand, etc.  

If you haven't viewed Richard's series on the Newell air system, these may be worth your while.

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL...LLa2eq1PbT

[Richard]

So a couple of inputs;

I respectfully disagree that you do not need to use DOT fittings. We live in a litigious society. I personally don’t think it’s worth the additional cost of a DOT fitting over a standard plumbing fitting to protect yourself against a litigants attorney finding a non DOT fitting anywhere in the air system that feeds the braking system. Yeah, I know, an argument can be made that anything on the other side of the PPV doesn’t require DOT. This is MY opinion.

A word of caution about using a shutoff valve on the generator air cylinder. That is a double acting cylinder, meaning it requires air pressure to hold it open AND closed. When a shutoff valve is used, no air is holding the cylinder closed, and only the very light weight safety catch is keeping the generator from sliding out the front in a hard braking event. The whole pneumatic cylinders are hard to come by statement is flooey. Seals are readily available for rebuilding pneumatic and hydraulic cylinders if you can use a micrometer to measure the old ones, and McMaster Carr catalog.

[SouthernDevGirl]

Thank you Michael. I mentioned in my post that I watched Richard's series (and had posted the link earlier in this thread for Jack); however, my posts are long and I imagine these things get lost in the verboseness, lol.

Thank you Richard. I was not suggesting that I am in favor of non-DOT fittings; merely that I had read people have often used alternative fittings in the threads. Your perspective is far more valuable than mine; I merely attempted to answer questions with information I located in posts, none of that was first-hand.

[encantotom]

my two parts cases of air fittings are all dot. the parker store is now dubbed the 100 dollar store as i cant go there without spending 100 bucks on fittings or various air parts. the same for mcmaster carr or grainger.

as for being overwhelming.....as we have said in lots of posts.....break it into small chunks and it becomes manageable. start one place and work your way back. fix as you go. dawn soap, windex, (i like kids bubbles where you get a quart for a buck at the dollar store) and various electronic tools. (yes i have a whisper with headset).

tom

[hypoxia]

I go to FleetPride and get DOT fittings for $2.  Bomgaar's  is about that for regular compression fittings.  I don't think it matters what you use as long as you put a sleeve in the tubing.  I'm replacing as many elbows as I can with Street Ell's and straight compression fittings.  A straight fitting can usually be replaced without removing the part.  If you can buy a replacement valve with the same brand & part number there may be no need to replace the valve body since the wear item is in the stem, just replace the stem.  That makes for a quick easy repair.  I'm currently replacing entire valves just to get rid of those leaky push connect fittings but while travelling I just replace the stem.

One problem with DOT fittings is the built in sleeve.  If you get to the point where you cannot remove the hose from the sleeve you have to cut/file the olive off or the entire fitting must be removed while a non DOT fitting has a separate sleeve.

I can see why the videos can make it more confusing, especially when you don't know which system is in your coach.  There is such a variety.  In the Monaco Coach world they are called snowflakes since no two are alike.  The real problem is the lack of published technical data.  If there is one thing that makes me have thoughts of going back to a production coach is the lack of technical data availability.  I see no excuse for that.