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05-14-2023, 04:20 PM
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#1
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Junior Member
Join Date: Aug 2017
Posts: 21
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Waste Water Tank Level Indication Issues
We are the proud owners of a 2017 Dynamax 5-Series Isata 36DS. We have two issues. First, neither the black or gray tank will indicate a level above one third full. I think that fixing this issue is well within my skill level but I am unable to get to the sensors on the tanks - which leads to the second issue.
I can't remove the black plastic vanity cover that obscures a view of the two tanks. as indicated in the attached picture, the screws are behind sone sheet metal that holds the weatherstripping for the wet bay. So, how do I remove the plastic panel without cutting it out/off? I can see the screws that hold it in place but I can neither get the square screwdriver into the screws nor can I take a bit and get it into the screw and turn it with a wrench. I don't really want to remove the sheet-metal that holds the weatherstripping in place, nor do I want to cut the plastic panel out.
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05-14-2023, 05:02 PM
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#2
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Site Team
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: Goodyear, Arizona
Posts: 33,600
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Moved thread from the Tech and Repair section to the Dynamax sub-forum for better support from other Dynamax owners and factory reps.
Sent from my SM-G781U using Forest River Forums mobile app
__________________
Dan-Retired California Firefighter/EMT
Shawn-Musician/Entrepreneur/Wine Expert
and Zoe the Wonder Dog(R.I.P.)
2016 PrimeTime TracerAIR 255, pushing a 2014 Ford F150 SCREW XTR 4x4 3.5 Ecoboost w/Max Tow Package
4pt Equal-i-zer WDH and 1828lbs of payload capacity
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05-14-2023, 06:59 PM
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#3
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Commercial Member
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Bristol, IN
Posts: 18,905
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We put that plastic panel on after the doors are set...we must have used a 90 degree fitting or power ratchet with a bit.
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05-14-2023, 07:51 PM
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#4
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Junior Member
Join Date: Aug 2017
Posts: 21
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Thank you for moving my post to a more appropriate space!
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05-14-2023, 07:59 PM
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#5
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Junior Member
Join Date: Aug 2017
Posts: 21
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Quote:
Originally Posted by bclemens
We put that plastic panel on after the doors are set...we must have used a 90 degree fitting or power ratchet with a bit.
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As you can see from the picture, the screws are behind the weatherstrip gasket. The screws on the hinge side are even closer to the external sheet metal.
I am almost at the point that I want to cut the panel at either end to remove the obstruction to my access to the sensors and put it back up with screws into something backing on either side of the cuts to put the panel back into place. There is no way I can get any kind of appliance into the screws to remove them.
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05-15-2023, 07:19 PM
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#6
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Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2017
Posts: 240
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Maybe this small mini rachet could work for you. To loosen the panel screws.
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05-15-2023, 07:36 PM
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#7
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Junior Member
Join Date: Aug 2017
Posts: 21
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Thank you, HHL, for the tool suggestion. I can't even get a screwdriver bit into the hinge side much less have space to accommodate the length of the screw as there is about 1/2-inch of space there (the screws appear to be 1-inch long). Something must have shifted over the years to make the space between the exterior wall and the screws for the plastic panel less than what it was when it was installed. I am not sure how this could have happened, but it did. Brian Clemmons said that the panel was installed after the door was set and fitted in place but there is now no way to get the panel of that I can see without disassembling the sheet metal that holds the door and the weatherstripping in place. I am reluctant to do this. In fact, I will not do it.
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05-16-2023, 05:02 AM
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#8
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Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2019
Posts: 471
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Are you sure the two hex-head screws (left and right corners in the image) above the seal gasket and through the frame are not holding in the plastic panel? Mine is attached that way. It has four screws attaching the panel. They go through the cargo bay sheet metal frame into a piece of wood that is attached to the top of the panel.
__________________
-Brian
2020 Isata 5 30FW 4x4
2019 Jeep Grand Cherokee Summit
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05-16-2023, 05:08 AM
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#9
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Junior Member
Join Date: Aug 2017
Posts: 21
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Thanks for your suggestion. Yes, I am sure. Dynamax may have changed how they attach the panel after they manufactured my unit.
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05-16-2023, 07:50 AM
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#10
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Commercial Member
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Bristol, IN
Posts: 18,905
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Worse case, I think you can pull the door and then the metal panel. I do think they are designed to be removable in case tanks would need changed.
But I have asked to see how we used to install it.
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05-16-2023, 08:03 AM
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#11
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Commercial Member
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Bristol, IN
Posts: 18,905
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Engineering says the whole panel is mounted onto some aluminum frame. If you look UP, an angle is screwed into the perimeter. If you take those screws out, the whole thing drops down.
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05-16-2023, 08:24 AM
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#12
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Junior Member
Join Date: Aug 2017
Posts: 21
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Quote:
Originally Posted by bclemens
Engineering says the whole panel is mounted onto some aluminum frame. If you look UP, an angle is screwed into the perimeter. If you take those screws out, the whole thing drops down.
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Thanks for the information Brian. I have looked multiple times. There is nothing at the top holding the panel in place because the entire panel flexes except at the ends where you can see the screws shown in the second picture. The Precision Plex panel has some small blocks of 1/4-inch plywood that gives the screws that hold that small panel in place. The aluminum angle braces on either end of the wet bay are the only things that hold the larger plastic panel in place and they look to be glued or double sided taped in place. My rig is in for scheduled maintenance on the chassis right now (we are preparing for an 8000-mile trip) so I can't get more detailed pictures for you at this point. I should get it back sometime toward the end of the week and I will take pictures behind the panel for you. Right now I am reluctant to remove the sheet metal on the exterior of the wet bay.
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05-17-2023, 02:29 PM
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#13
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Junior Member
Join Date: Aug 2017
Posts: 21
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Quote:
Originally Posted by bclemens
Engineering says the whole panel is mounted onto some aluminum frame. If you look UP, an angle is screwed into the perimeter. If you take those screws out, the whole thing drops down.
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Hello Brian,
I took some additional pictures to give you an idea what I am working with. The first picture is of the plastic panel and I show my finger to give you a size reference. the second and third pictures are of the back side of the panel where they are mounted to the aluminum angle brackets through which you can see screws protruding.
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05-17-2023, 02:36 PM
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#14
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Commercial Member
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Bristol, IN
Posts: 18,905
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That is the aluminum angle they were talking about. can you get to those screws?
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05-17-2023, 02:37 PM
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#15
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Junior Member
Join Date: Aug 2017
Posts: 21
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Apology to Brian
Quote:
Originally Posted by bclemens
Engineering says the whole panel is mounted onto some aluminum frame. If you look UP, an angle is screwed into the perimeter. If you take those screws out, the whole thing drops down.
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Hi Brian, I looked closely at the pictures I took and it appears that there are, in fact, fasteners holding the angle brackets to the wet bay. I will work on the rig when I get it back from my mechanic. In any case, Jamie Justis says that it could be problems associated with the Precision Plex. Some people have reported that they had corrosion on the connections in the back of the unit in the wet bay, which is apparently the brains of the tank indications.
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05-17-2023, 02:39 PM
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#16
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Commercial Member
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Bristol, IN
Posts: 18,905
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also correct.
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05-17-2023, 02:39 PM
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#17
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Junior Member
Join Date: Aug 2017
Posts: 21
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Quote:
Originally Posted by bclemens
That is the aluminum angle they were talking about. can you get to those screws?
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Yes I can, I will remove those fasteners when I get my unit back from my mechanic.
Thanks for your help Brian! I just couldn't see that there were screws in what appeared to be holes to me.
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05-17-2023, 02:44 PM
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#18
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Commercial Member
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Bristol, IN
Posts: 18,905
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I would say...if you can't SEE the tank sensors detached or falling down, I would remove and inspect the digtial plex panel first. That is connected via data cable and it is daisy chained. If there is an issue with that plug (as Jamie mentioned) it causes other issues. NORMALLY when I see this, the LED read out is garbled as well (some missing characters or other oddities)
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05-17-2023, 02:49 PM
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#19
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Junior Member
Join Date: Aug 2017
Posts: 21
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Quote:
Originally Posted by bclemens
I would say...if you can't SEE the tank sensors detached or falling down, I would remove and inspect the digtial plex panel first. That is connected via data cable and it is daisy chained. If there is an issue with that plug (as Jamie mentioned) it causes other issues. NORMALLY when I see this, the LED read out is garbled as well (some missing characters or other oddities)
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Thanks Brian. none of the text is garbled on the panel. I have pulled the panel out without unplugging anything before I started this thread. Can I just unplug things while powered? I am afraid that I might cause problems doing that. Should I call the Precision Plex folks to ask that question?
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05-17-2023, 02:51 PM
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#20
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Commercial Member
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Bristol, IN
Posts: 18,905
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It's just a low voltage data cable...I don't think we have ever had an issue unplugging on the fly.
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