Inspecting the ATS

One of the items that has been  a common problem in the FUSE is the Automatic Transfer Switch (ATS) failing.  The ATS is the device that selects if the generator or the shore power plug is what is powering the FUSE 110v loads.   I wrote earlier about the ATS at: http://confusedrv.blogspot.com/2016/02/automatic-transfer-switch.html.  The one in our fuse is a 41300 and info can be found at:  https://rvpower.southwire.com/products/transfer-switches/30a-hardwire-model-41300-basic-automatic-transfer-switch/

Big problem is when the ATS fails you get 0 power from either.  Oh, and and an acrid smell comes out (and possibly a small amount of smoke). For me it happened just outside of Dallas, Texas and caused us to cut our trip a couple of days short.   BTW - your 12volt system will still work if this happens, just no recharging the batteries from the shore power or generator so the lights stilled work.

So how can you avoid this.  Well a good practice is to inspect the ATS once (or twice) a year.  What you are going to need is a flashlight, a small screwdriver and a 5/32" hex key/driver - Now let's go over the steps.  

The ATS is located in the electrical box with the shore power cord.  It is a pretty tight fit in there.

Important Note:  Make sure the shore power is unplugged and the generator is off.  This is electrical and you can get hurt if the power is on.

First step is to take the cover off of the ATS.  It unsnaps from the top of the cover.  There are some keys at the bottom of the unit.  Be gentle, but it comes off pretty easy.

Once open, you need to take a look at the wires.  If any of the wires looks burned, the wire insulation looks bubbled, there is any heat damage you have failed the inspection.  Get this fixed now.  If everything looks ok, then continue on.

The next thing you need to check is if the connections are tight.  On the ATS you will see several electrical relays with hex screws.  There are 8 of these connections.  Check to make sure these are tight.  Don't over tighten.  If they are already tight, you are good.  If they are loose tighten them down to 30 in-lbs.  This is listed on the cover so refer to what it says if there is a change between model revisions.  

 

How much is 30 in-lbs? What does that mean? Tighten, but do not crank it down.  Don't use any leverage from your wrist.  You will put that much force on the connector just by using your hand without any leverage.

I purchased a T-handle hex key just to do this with.  This was a tip that was pointed out at the last Fuse Rally.  It makes this job much easier than with traditional L shaped wrenches.

Also check the screws on the terminals on the top of the ATS.  On mine this required a small screwdriver.  If everything is tight then great, otherwise, tighten them down but again, do not over tighten.

At this point you are done.  Put the cover back on and you are good to go.  If you need repairs, take care of them.    

This is a good thing to inspect regularly. It only takes 5-10 min and can save you from trouble down the road.  At the Spring 2021 Fuse rally, Bob Garbe went around and inspected them for folks (13 if I recall correctly) and it was greatly appreciated by all. 

Fuse/Transit Cabin Air Filter

 Did you know that your you can install a cabin air filter in your Winnebago Fuse?  Though it did not come with one installed from the factory, the Ford Transit is equipped to have one.  Our vehicle is sold all over the world and in Europe they are required to have one.  In the US, not so much so Ford does not install it.   

So if you want cleaner cabin air, travel in a dusty area or just do not like so much exhaust smell from the interstate; it is a pretty easy thing to do.  There is not a Ford part number in the North America per my dealer, but thanks to the magic of Amazon they are readily available.  I purchased this one:

So once it arrived I needed to install it and it is a very easy project.  10 min or so.  If you have ever replaced the cabin air filter in your car you are already experienced since it is the same process.  Just like a car, the cabin air filter is located behind the glove box.

First step is to empty the glove box and swing it down out of the way.  To do this you push in the tabs at the top of the box and it will swing out of the way.  Remember to empty the box first or the contents will be all over the floor.

The cabin air filter is located in a closed compartment right behind the box.  To open it push in the tab at the left and it can be removed.

There is even room for your hands.  Very easy place to get into.

The next step is to install the filter.  It can go in only one way if you do not force it.   Note that the angled off portion of the filter is to the left.

Next step is to push it all the way in.  Remember, do not force it,  It should slide right in.

Next put the cover back on.  Once on make sure it is securely fashioned.  Sometimes it is easy to miss the latches.

It is now all back together.  

Put the glove compartment back in place and all the stuff back in and you are done.

This takes less than 5 min.   A very easy thing to install.   Now once it is installed you need to inspect and change it once a year.  Maybe more often if you are in a very dusty/dirty/smokey environment.  Just like your car.

And credit where credit is due.  This is another thing I was reminded about at the Spring 2021 Get Together.  I had been meaning to do it for several years, but I got reminded at the rally.

OBD-II

OBD-II - On-Board Diagnostic 2 is a diagnostic bus on all modern cars used by technicians to diagnose any errors and interface with the computer in  your vehicle.   It provides an interface to your cars computer to see what is going on and read the diagnostic logs that are kept.   All of the measurements that are on your dashboard and many more are available to see by interrogating the cars computer.

Your Winnebago Fuse has a OBD-II interface located below the steering wheel on the left.  It is accessed by opening a panel that exposes the interface.

I purchased a diagnostics adapter so I could see what was going on.  If the check engine light ever comes on I thought it would be nice to be able to see the error as opposed to just taking it on faith what the repair people told me.  

The adapter I purchased was a KOBRA Wireless OBD2 Car Code Reader Scan Tool OBD Scanner.  This one works with IOS and Android devices.   In the past, these devices were expensive pieces of test equipment.  They are now, very inexpensive.   Some cost as little at $10.00.

To do anything with the device you need some software as well.  I purchased "Dash Command". another $10.00 purchase.    There is free software, but after trying several, I decided to buy this app since it got high reviews.   It was the right decision.

How do you get it started?  With an iPhone/IOS device you connect to the Kobra scanner using WiFi.  Open your wifi settings and connect to the WIFI_ODBII SSID.

Then you start the software on the iPhone.   I had to input some settings for the Transit 350HD the first time.   Every other time, you just pressed go.  You start to app and then tell it to connect to the scanner.   There are a huge number of screens to get information from and they are customizable.   You can even download templates others have created.  I have stuck with the default screens.

I was very interested in several things.   For example, I can now get an idea on the Fuses current fuel utilization.  I really wanted to know how many gallons/hour the Fuse uses when at idle.  I now know.  0.3 gph.

Another question I wanted to know was if I had any diagnostic logs.  The important ones cause a check engine light.  I have not had this happen, but some of the minor ones are recorded so the Ford techs can see if anything out of the ordinary has happened since they were last cleared.  I looked and there were none.  Oh, and if you need to, you can clear the codes as well.

I purchased this for the Fuse, but I can use it on any car built since 1996.  For a total investment $10.00-$30.00 it is a great investment for those who are interested in some of the details of the automotive portion of the Fuse.

Fuse Backup Camera Mods

Editors note:  This is another article from Richard Kozloski who has a 2017 Winnebago Fuse and is a member of the Facebook group.     Please comment in the Facebook Winnebago Owners Group so Richard can respond to everyone directly:

This article with high resolution photos and suitable for printing is available for downloading as a pdf at:  https://drive.google.com/file/d/0By_GWZtlcHblZ1M0Q2l1Y3htbzQ/view?usp=sharing

2017 Fuse Backup Camera

Here is a simple fix for the clearance problem limiting the Backup Camera from being adjusted upward.

You will need a 3/32 inch hex wrench. Preferably one with the “ball end”.

Remove all screws from both sides of the camera.

Reposition the camera so that when a screw is placed in the middle hole on the bracket (the pivot hole) it will thread into the upper hole on the camera. Perform on both sides and tighten finger tight.
Thread a screw through the lower arc hole of the bracket into the middle hole of the camera. Perform on both sides.

Adjust camera to angle that makes you happy. Tighten screws. Don’t overdo it and strip the holes in the camera. You only get one screw up, pun intended.

On my RV i now have equal space above and below the camera and could adjust it for racoon hunting if I wanted. I set mine so that I can see everything from 20’ down to 2’ from the bumper. I wanted to see what’s behind me on the road more than what’s close on parking. I have a mobile remote obstacle detection system on my rig. (Wife yells when I get too close to things.)

Stock Camera

     Bumping against top

       Side View

Fixed Camera

       Side View (Note two screws)

        Note equal clearance

Stereo Video

I am still trying to figure out the Jensen stereo on the Fuse.   I have still not been able to get the ARC function to work.  The ARC function allows the TV to play through the speakers just using the HDMI cable.

Well I found this youtube video made by the Dynamax folks.  It is a pretty good overview of the radio.  Did not solve my problem, but I thought it was a good reference.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pGAi7_Gtd7M.

NuWave Induction Cooktop for the Fuse

This Summer we ran into a problem.  Using the gas stovetop in the Fuse during the hot Florida Summer was a fail.  It cooked fine, but the heat generated in 100 degree weather made the inside of the Fuse uncomfortable.   In a previous post, I talked about doing all the cooking in the microwave because of the the heat problem.    One of the readers suggested using an induction cooktop.

Well Santa was nice to us and under the Christmas tree we found a  NuWave Precision Induction Cooktop (PIC) and a carrying case  for it.  I actually helped Santa pick this one out.  It got decent reviews and most importantly it was not in my mind overpowered.  At maximum it only uses 1300 watts.  Some of the other ones can use 1500 watts or more making it cook faster.  But in the Fuse motorhome there is a power budget.  We need to stay cognizant of our power consumption, so bigger is not always better in our case. No use in getting something that could get me in trouble and pop breakers.   And since I am really only cooking for 2, we really don't need huge.

Power budget - When plugged into shore power (30 amps) only 2 big things at a time.  When on the generator 1 big thing at a time.  The A/C, Microwave, a hair dryer, and now the Induction cooktop count as big things.

Full disclosure, I have never before cooked using induction so I was a little apprehensive.

I had to shift up my style a little since my favorite pots and pans would not work on an induction cooktop.  To work on an induction cooktop they have to steel in them.  Most but not all of my favorite pans are aluminum.  How do you tell if they would work.   Take out your favorite Winnebago kitchen magnet and see if it will stick to the bottom of the pan.  If it does, you are good.

The second thing I had to remember was that it is different.  You get use to your stove and pots and pans.  Just remember how your grandmother cooked.  A little of this,  a dash of that and stick it in the oven until it looks right. Without that particular pan and that oven nothing ever tasted the same.   I knew this would cook different.

So far so good.   I had to learn a couple of things.  Once you press the button setting the heat you also have to press start.  I have walked away several times without doing this and found my pan cooler than when I started.  The second thing I have found is that the temperatures are very exact.  So low at 100 degrees is really 100 degrees.   That is not even a low simmer.

So what have we cooked so far?   Our first shot was white rice.  Worked fine.

So the next attempt was something a little more difficult.  Pancakes.  And they came out fine.  This is something I would never have tried on the stove, because I can never get the temperatures right.  With the induction cooktop, no problem.

So the next thing I tried was something I do pretty often.  Chicken and rice.  A pretty easy meal to put together.  A bag of yellow rice mix and some cut up chicken.  In this case, leftover Costco rotisserie chicken.    It came out great.

So now that I know that I can cook using the NuWave, the big question is did it solve our problem.  Did it produce the heat the LP burners produce.    Amazingly enough, there is almost no excess heat so long as the top is on the pot so steam stays in.  Even when using a skillet, there is almost no heat felt more than a foot away from the cooktop.

Now you do have to be careful.  The pans get just as hot as on a conventional stove so you can burn yourself if you touch them (don't ask).  Also the induction cooktop gets hot from the pan sitting on it.  You have to take care and let it cool down before you can move it around and put it up.

It only weighs 6 pounds.   Very light and movable.

RV WiFi Book

I started to explain a little about the WiFi setup in my Fuse, but by the time I got started I discovered I had too much to say for a blog post so I decided to create a book.   Well is it more of a pamphlet than a book, but let me think it is a book for my ego.

I created it with iBooks Author  and am making it available to the conFUSED rv blog readers as a pdf so you don't have to get iBooks to read it.

If you want to take a look it can be downloaded at:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0By_GWZtlcHblM3BlYUVWRVM4OXc/view?usp=sharing

Constructive criticism is welcomed since it is definitely a work in progress.  I intend to add some more to this book over time.  Version 2 of this document will include instructions for use of Microtik as well as Ubiquiti WiFi devices.

WiFi at Ft. Wilderness

I have been interested in using WiFi in the Fuse.  Mostly as a way to do streaming video and to make our Fuse as tech friendly as possible.   I also want to do everything we can not to go over our data plan with Verizon on our cell phones.

So I decided to take some notes while I was at Ft. Wilderness on how the WiFi there works.  I figured that they are probably one of the top parks, so they should have top notch WiFi.  And they do.

I walked around our loop looking for the WiFi Access Points (APs).  Disney did a good job of hiding them.  They painted them brown and mounted them on top of wooden poles designed to blend in with the wooded area.  Unless you are looking, you miss them.

There were several of these poles on our loop (1600).  I suspect that there are also some discretely placed in the bath houses and other structures. I never saw them, but the WiFi seemed pretty strong around the buildings.

The WiFi supported 802.11abgn.   That means that both 2.4 and 5ghz radios that are present on most modern devices worked.   My laptop seemed to want to use the 5ghz space, so I think they are using a feature called band steering. This is good since the 5ghz space has much less interference than 2.4.  But the 2.4ghz frequencies also worked well.

As far as speeds,  I used Speedtest on my iPhone and I was getting 10mbps down and 2mpbs up according to the app.  Very usable.  I was able to stream videos, watch Amazon Prime Videos on the Roku and pretty much everything else.

But there was a small problem.  There were dead spots in the Fuse where the iPhone would not work.   The Laptop worked everywhere.

If I moved a foot to two to either side, the iPhone would work fine.   In doing some testing it seems there are several items that were attenuating the signal creating a radio shadow.    The front TV and its mount is one,  the Microwave was another,  the metallic sun shade we use in the front window was a third.  This all made sense once I thought about it.

I don't think it impacted the laptop since the laptop has a much bigger antenna.  At no point did I not have full bars on the iPhone.  It always looked good.

So I think the problem was me sending, not me hearing.   WiFi has to work bi-directionally or you are stuck.  I believe that radio shadows were stopping the Disney WiFi APs from hearing my iPhone.

Not to worry,  I have been working on a solution to this.    I extended the WiFi inside and outside of the Fuse.   A subject for another post or two in the near future.

TV Rattle

For a while I have heard a rattle from the rear.  Metal on metal and I had figured it was from the kitchen or bathroom blinds.  Well on or last trip to Disney,  Sonya drove and I got some time to search for rattles.  This one was the loudest.

It was actually not coming from the kitchen blinds. I was concerned it might be from undressed cables since I had been behind the TV multiple times with headphones, the iPhone connection, and streaming sticks.  But it was not from that either.

It was coming from the TV.  More specifically the TV mount.

At the top of the mount,  a metal bracket on the TV slips over the mount on the wall.  There are some screws to hold it tight at the bottom of the mount but it just slides over at the top.

The problem seems to be the screws at the bottom of the TV are too long and not holding everything tight.  There is some play.  So when there is a bump there is metal on metal contact at the top making a rattle.

So how could I get some of the play out without replacing the screws?   How about a Q-Tip in the joint to take up the play and keep the metal hitting metal from happening.   Easy to try.  So I put a Q-Tip in the joint.  Voila - No more rattle.  We will see how well it holds up, but a pretty easy fix.   If it holds,  I will cut the Q-Tip flush and call it a day.

Amazon Fire TV Stick in the Fuse

Well I started the search for more entertainment by looking for a way to use Amazon Prime Video on the back TV on the Fuse.   We have talked a little about connecting directly from my iPhone to the TV using a HDMI adapter.   We talked about a little about using a Roku Streaming Stick.  And since Amazon is having a Christmas sale I figured I would try the native approach as well.  I purchased a Amazon Fire TV Stick   during the huge black Friday sale Amazon was having.

The cool thing was that since I ordered it directly from Amazon, once I had connected it to the WiFi, it auto configured it with my Amazon Prime  information.  A very nice touch from Amazon to make things easier.

From the setup and what is included in the box,  the Amazon Firestick seems to be more complete than the Roku Streaming Stick.   It comes with the small HDMI standoff cable I had to request from Roku support.  The WiFi is actually a dual band 802.11ac which is an improvement over the dual band 802.11abgn in the Roku.   The remote also supports Amazons Alexa voice assistant.  It is kind of cool and another feature that is only available on the more expensive Roku devices.

Size wise it is a little larger than the Roku.  About 1.5x the size of a standard USB thumb drive.    It also comes with a 110v to USB adapter to power the device.  I used the same  Roku Mini USB Cable  I purchased for the Roku to power it all from the TV and avoid the need for the AC adapter.

Amazon - The Grand Tour

It works very well.  I brought up our test video source, Amazon's own "The Grand Tour" and it ran great.  No drops and it looked beautiful.

If you are looking for Amazon content this is the device for you.  No question about it.   It also has a number of additional applications that can be downloaded giving you access to a number of other video sources.    But it is no where near the number available on the Roku.  For example both devices have the CNNgo application but only the Roku has the National Geographic app.  It will cost to watch some of the past National Geographic content on the Firestick where with your Cable TV credentials on the Roku you can watch for free.  

DirectTV now - Streaming the D-Life Channel

The decision point on all of these devices turns into what content you are wanting to watch.  This is the key differentiators.  They both support Amazon Prime content, Netflix, HBO and Youtube.  If you are wanting streaming live TV they both support Sling, Playstation Vue.  The Amazon Firestick supports  "DirectTV now" today with support promised for the Roku in the near future.

It is still a question on which RV park and other WiFi services will support streaming.  If you use your cellular data plan both the sticks seem to work about the same.

There is one other device I will review in the future.  This is the Apple AppleTV.  This is a much more expensive solution (3-4x the price) but it does something that no other device does - it supports Airplay - The Apple proprietary streaming solution which may be of use if you are using apple devices.