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Old 11-06-2012, 12:31 AM   #1
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2013 Voltage 3950

We just had our first shakedown trip in the new 2013 3950. We took deliver last month. We are very pleased with the unit so far and the quality seems good for an RV. We have owned 4 Class A pushers over the years and decided to try a 5th wheel this time. We had fewer problems with this unit than our $550k Monaco Dynasty we had in 2007! The only things on the punch list are:
1. adjustments to the day night shades in the living room (I hate these things anyway and will probably replace with mini-blinds.) 2. Sani-Flush works but leaks lots of water around the inlet. 3. side door into garage needs adjusting as it hits the frame a bit. Thats it! Amazing! (Knock on wood, rub rabbits foot) Of course I did some quick adjustments on doors and locks but thats so typical I almost forgot about it. I also will comment on the NorCold 4 door refrigerator I ordered. It sucks, just like every other NorCold I have had in every RV. Here in FLorida you have to run it on 8 or 9 to get effective cooling for the refrigerator! Also the Dometic Microwave is scary when it first starts up! Sounds like 10,000 volts going into it! That will probably get replaced with a Sharp unit soon just for my own comfort. And finally, the bed, like most RV beds, is very hard. It will get replaced as well. Since I ordered the unit with some specific options I had to wait 4 months but it was worth it!
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Old 11-06-2012, 12:46 AM   #2
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So far we love our voltage. minor problems that was fixed. Hopefully it remains that way. Our Norcold is very cold on 9 but the biggest problem with it is the reserve ammonia canister must be almost level or it will not cool. I understand some of the other brands are engineered slightly different and need not be near level. It sucks being in the driveway on landing gear and the frig will not work because the front is elevated.
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Old 11-06-2012, 12:49 AM   #3
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Ours is adequate on 8 and very cold on 9 but it always scares me when you have to go to the max to get good ice cold beverages. I would expect say 5 or 6 to do that and 8 or 9 freeze everything in the refrigerator section! I was not aware of the canister issue but were were level anyway.
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Old 11-06-2012, 12:51 AM   #4
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I agree on the settings.. I found out about the canister the hard way and thought my frig was on the blink but come to find out all I needed to do was lower the front. arrrrrr
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Old 11-06-2012, 01:08 AM   #5
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Do you know which fuel tank filler cap is for the toys? Is it the one to the left of the pump switch (forward) or the one to the right (rear)?
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Old 11-06-2012, 01:10 AM   #6
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the one on the left is the toys and the one on the right is generator. The way I remember it is the gas hose will just reach the second filler hole. Just in case you need extra gas from the toys gas to the generator. Stupid but thats the way I remembered it.
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Old 11-06-2012, 03:33 AM   #7
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Thanks! On my 3950 they are very close together. Only need about 1/2 the hose to get to the one on the right. I only haul an electric golf cart so I will be using both my tanks for generator use. I should be able to run the gen a long time!
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Old 11-06-2012, 03:36 AM   #8
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As a suggestion, the gas these days SUCKS. With all the ethanol in it the gas seems to go bad faster and varnish faster. I suggest you put in Stabil in the extra tank unless you use your generator a whole lot.
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Old 11-06-2012, 12:02 PM   #9
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Thanks, thats a great idea. I will put some in today.
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Old 11-07-2012, 01:50 AM   #10
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Our Norcold works great. I never have had it above 5. Also our drive is not close to level and it works great. This is the 4 door one also.
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Old 11-07-2012, 02:00 AM   #11
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Our Norcold works great. I never have had it above 5. Also our drive is not close to level and it works great. This is the 4 door one also.
I must have a bad one. Will have dealer check it.
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Old 11-07-2012, 02:06 AM   #12
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I really think RV owners should push the government to require manufacturers to produce model specific owners manuals like they do cars & trucks. This nonsense of paying tens of thousands of dollars for an RV and getting a generic owners manual is ridiculous and probably dangerous. I have owned some Class A units that did have a model specific book but even those were outdated by a few model years. I find it very frustrating to have to go to the internet to find out where my kitchen grey water dump valve is located!
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Old 11-07-2012, 02:21 AM   #13
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I can't agree with you more! This has been a gripe of mine for years. I have put this on surveys before but nothing seems to change.
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Old 07-28-2013, 12:02 AM   #14
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Our Norcold works great. I never have had it above 5. Also our drive is not close to level and it works great. This is the 4 door one also.
It's interesting to note how things can be so different from unit to unit. Everyone on this thread has said their Norcolds aren't cold enough unless 8 or 9. Now this one says it's cold enough at lower level, and doesn't have to be level.

I'm just hoping the one I'm getting is going to work well. My 3950 is ready, just sitting there on the dealer lot. I pick it up August 10, hopefully.
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Old 07-28-2013, 04:34 PM   #15
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Having the canister level is important but one must remember, the canister is a part of the absorption unit so the entire unit works better when it's level.
If you know the process of the absorption unit you'll understand the need for level. A brief tut here, the burner heats the liquid to a boil, the boiling liquid perks up the perk tube, much like a perculator coffee pot. The liquid can only perk 'up' so much. Adding an unlevel absorption unit creates more work for the perk tube, therefore the perk tube can't overcome the back pressure created by the unlevel condition. The liquid doesn't get a chance to circulate through the entire system and only sits there and boils and boils and eventually damages the perk tube and therefore doesn't cool.
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Old 07-28-2013, 04:40 PM   #16
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Having the canister level is important but one must remember, the canister is a part of the absorption unit so the entire unit works better when it's level.
If you know the process of the absorption unit you'll understand the need for level. A brief tut here, the burner heats the liquid to a boil, the boiling liquid perks up the perk tube, much like a perculator coffee pot. The liquid can only perk 'up' so much. Adding an unlevel absorption unit creates more work for the perk tube, therefore the perk tube can't overcome the back pressure created by the unlevel condition. The liquid doesn't get a chance to circulate through the entire system and only sits there and boils and boils and eventually damages the perk tube and therefore doesn't cool.
Thanks for the tut. What I wonder is, how many degrees off of perfect level is too many? Let's assume front to back is off, but side to side is perfectly level. Two degrees front to back? Three? There must be a point as which the unit will operate nearly as efficiently as perfectly level. As the fridge is near the center of the coach, would the degree of tilt be minimized, much like sitting in the center of a teeter totter? Just wondering. When I get mine, I'll be able to experiment with this.

Your description of how the system works is helpful. Thanks.
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Old 07-28-2013, 05:14 PM   #17
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The perk tube runs along side the burner flue or chimney if you will. Towards the top of the refrigerator the perk tube makes a 90 degree tube where it runs across the back of the refrigerator.
Front to back is less important than side to side because the liquid has to get past the 90 degree turn so it can finish it's circuit where it eventually drops into the canister to start all over.
If the liquid can't easily make the turn the liquid drops in the tube and just sits and boils.
A good first hand look at the absorption unit can be found at your local RV repair shop. He should have a gaggle of dead ones out back for you to study. Then, to get the skinny on the whole deal find you an old RV refrigerator repairman if any are left. They can run it down for you and make it simple.
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Old 12-11-2013, 01:47 AM   #18
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Do you know which fuel tank filler cap is for the toys? Is it the one to the left of the pump switch (forward) or the one to the right (rear)?

I know this is an old post but I was under the understanding that the two tanks are connected. I say that because there is only one fuel gauge for two tanks. I can't imagine having a gauge for only one tank, how would you know when the other one was empty?


Thoughts?

(mine is a 2014)


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Old 12-11-2013, 02:00 AM   #19
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My tanks are not connected and I am not aware of any Voltage units where they are connected. There are actually 2 fuel gauges. The one on the outside at the filling station is for the toys tank. Then inside the coach is a push button for the generator fuel tank. Not real accurate but is show 1 to 4 lights based on how full it is.
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Old 12-11-2013, 03:02 AM   #20
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My tanks are not connected and I am not aware of any Voltage units where they are connected. There are actually 2 fuel gauges. The one on the outside at the filling station is for the toys tank. Then inside the coach is a push button for the generator fuel tank. Not real accurate but is show 1 to 4 lights based on how full it is.

Thank you so much. When I asked the service guy (an assistant) he said they were both joined but what you say makes perfect sense.

I thought I read somewhere on here that the rear tank was the generator and the front was the toy tank.

Can you confirm that?

Thanks,

Mark
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