Jim Harper

You'd think that for 400 dollars they could have diagnosed a vacuum leak.......... Thanks for the tip! If I can't get it idling smoothly I'll go the vacuum leak route. All gaskets seem good though, hoses too.

I wish it were that simple. At the mower shop, I don't know what they did - they just said it needed a new carb. (OK. But I was too stupid to ask for the old one. Never again!) I had a new carb put in, and I put in a new fuel valve/filter. Tank strainer, fuel filter, debris cup, fuel inlet filter, and spark arrestor are clean. I pulled the jet on the new carb. Didn't need cleaning but I cleaned it. No joy. I have removed the blocking tabs from the carb with a Dremel and can now turn the mixture screw while the genset is running. Like you are supposed to be able to do. I backed it out 3/4 turn. Some improvement. It DOES work fine under a load, and with ECO throttle.

I am reluctant myself. It runs fine under a load but surges unless you pull the choke partway out when it is not under a load. Very common problem. New carb and fuel filters ($$$) did not fix the problem, so I am beginning to think I was screwed by the small engine shop. I set it up per the manual for long term storage, and now when hurricane season is approaching, it has begun surging again. After the 90 day warranty on the labor has expired. Because of course. Ethanol free gas + Stabil used exclusively and maintained every year, run every 6 weeks. I'm doing what I am supposed to do. Now, as I said, it runs fine under a load. But it USED to never surge under no load. I want that again, please. I spent 400 dollars, to not get it. Honda makes it VERY hard to adjust the mixture and they deliberately set it to run lean. EPA, dontcha know. That is the main culprit I suspect, except that it didn't surge until it was about 2 years old. I have taken a Dremel to the "guards" around the mixture screw and can now reach it, when the engine is running, with a needle nose pliers. Adjustments will be done soon. Honda does not want you adjusting the mix on their engines. Makes $$$ for their repairmen. "Oh, you need a new carb. Oh, you need a new circuit board." A new Predator is 1099, no sales tax in Florida soon. If it doesn't smooth out, I'll just buy the Predator. 400+1099 is still way less than the Honda and I will tinker with it until I can make it run. Hence my questions about the Predator.

Hello kids, I have been having trouble with my Honda genset and am thinking about going to a Predator 5000 wat dual fuel, now 1099 at Harbor Chinese Freight. Does anyone have experience with one of these units, and does it require a bonding plug? Thanks!

Have installed Dinosaur board, works fine for a while on gas then for some reason it stops, switches to electric. Probably overheating. I'm in Florida, thie trailer is on the West side of the house next to a fence on a rock hardscape. Fridge stays cold. More to come. I can live with it for now.

Hello kids. Over the past 3 years my Dometic RM 2454 eyebrow board was responding to a few tricks to get the fridge started; see previous posts in this thread. First, hold the "On" switch in for a few seconds. When that gave no joy, pull the panel out and unplug, then replug the connector. Finally, pull the panel out and shim the connector with a strip of paper towel. Once it started it never crapped out. Yesterday, it refused to respond to any of these. BUT....... I found the eyebrow and power boards are now manufactured at Dinosaur Electronics. Here is a link from a vendor that carries them, for the eyebrow board. You can find the replacement power board (Black Box outside) on the site easily. https://www.rvshop.com/Eyebrow-Board-Replacement-2-WAY-3-WAY-Dinosaur-Electronics-DE-ADJ_p_79109.html The Black Box Dometic boards should have the part number on the front of the box, in the smallest imagineable font. Mine is part number 385071201, and RVSHOP carries a Dinosaur board to replace it. The eyebrow board will supposedly will work with the OEM power board. I will order both in a few weeks and re-post. Just spent $4000 on my Jeep and F-250, tight right now. Jim PS: I am quite happy with my Oliver, but I will NEVER buy another RV without ordering a full set of boards that are proven to work. This will be a non-negotiable. This way, companies like Dometic can't stick you with garbage that breaks, with no repair parts available, so then it's "Whoopsie Poopsie, $2500 for a new fridge install!"

Yep. My Dometic is dated 2017, and they are already out of boards for it. I just hope it's a "permanent" fix. Jim

Hello All, Have tested the fridge for about two weeks, 5 days on, 3 days off, 5 days on. Each time to start I pushed the "on" button in and held it until the relays outside clicked and the eyebrow board lit up properly indicating that it had selected the power source. On the first test I ran through all three power modes, the second test was with AC only. The fridge worked fine without shutting down. My conclusion is that it's not time to replace the fridge as long as I can get it to work reliably by holding the on/off switch in on the board until it starts. (I know, this could change tomorrow). I'll keep testing it before our trip in March. This seems to be a hack that can keep your fridge working for a while. It may simply be the on/off switch module. I removed the board from the fridge and tested continuity across the terminals, but there was none in either the off or on position. Don't know if this is a bug or a feature, it may need to be plugged in for this to happen, I don't know. I could wire a simple SPST switch to replace it and can solder fairly well but this seems to be a bit beyond that. Looked everywhere for the board, no joy. See above in the thread. Anyway, hope this thread gives someone a tip they can use. I'll eventually replace the fridge with a compressor unit but I don't think I need to do it just now. Jim

I wish press and release had worked. I've waited several minutes with no joy, then had to pry the board out, remove the pin connection, reconnect, and try again. Jim

Sprayed contact cleaner on switches, then blew out with canned air. Will reinstall and go through new startup procedure (hold until it lights up) and then let everyone know how long it stays on. Reinstalled. Held switch down until AC was automatically selected, then released it, so far, so good. I'll check on it daily and keep you guys posted. Jim

Thanks, that trick may be the way to go. Jim

Here is the back of the eyebrow board, rotated 90 degrees, focusing on the power switch. The rows you see L to R are actually vertically disposed. I am getting no continuity from any terminal on the left (top) to any terminal on the right (bottom) when the switch is on, yet the board will still work when plugged back in and the power switch held firmly. I am assuming that the two center solder connections (double lumps) should show continuity when on. Next step? Contact cleaner and compressed air.

Update: Power into the ignitor (outside) board is OK, all fuses there (3 of them) OK. Appears to be the on/off switch itself. Must be pushed in for a while, firmly, to hear a relay click outside, then inside board lights up. Will not stay "ON" reliably though. Next step: Pull inside board and clean contacts, re test. This image might be rotated, the black AC power cord is at bottom.

Thanks for the help! I have bookmarked the suggested thread for troubleshooting ideas. I am going to troubleshoot, then try to replace one board only, if I can find it, this week, then order the TruckFridge and go with the swap by the end of Jan if no joy. Don't want this dragging on and I never trusted absorption fridges anyway, too complicated, too many things that could go wrong.......like having your unit "buss out in flames" and burn to ashes....... Note to self.......Insist on buying a full set of boards (Water Heater, Furnace, Fridge) with any new RV purchase. If they can't get them in a timely manner, then ask, "Why are you trying to sell me an RV that's hard to get parts for? Perhaps we should consider this in the price...." Would save a lot of grief. Jim

Yes I will. Today I have to limb up some trees, tomorrow through Fri I will try to revive/find a new board, if it works I'll pass along the methods, if no joy then I'll replace the Dometic with a TruckFridge and pass those ideas along too. I should have bought a complete set of boards when I bought the Oliver. I'm the dumbest smart kid on the block. Jim