2009 XT245 Radio Amp Issue, Black Tank Sensor issue

[bubbancolo]

Really like the trailer, first trip bed was big enough, comfort was good. Towed great. Everything worked great except for two issues.
The Radio is a Sony with ipod adaptor and CD player, it has a bass boast amplifier etc.
When playing CDs or iPod or Aux input devices only the outside speakers work. No bass boost, no inside speakers. Red LED on Amp unit is off.
If I switch over the radio all the speakers work and amp LED comes on.
I checked and amp unit is wired into front speaker out, nothing in rear speaker out. Seems to be a radio issue and not due to wiring since radio works and other inputs don't.
Any clues?

The black tank sensor always shows 3/4 full even when empty, didn't try filling it up to check if full indicator worked. Does the sensors work via a short between leads at differant levels in tank so water conducts current between lower sensor and other sensors or something. Not sure what to check for on this one. Hate to fill the black tank up....without warning.

 

[webslave]

Can't help you with the radio... The units all come/came with Jensen units if memory serves me correctly. But, I would have to agree with you that it is an "internal" radio issue since the unit works fine in the radio mode and your amp appears to be wired correctly. Most likely the Jensen died (they aren't the best units in the world even when new) and the previous owner replaced it with the Sony and it didn't fair any better... It really is hard to diagnose without actually looking at the wiring for the unit...the original Jensen had built-in control for which speakers or groups of speakers were to actually be "on" and there is no telling how the previous owner wired up the speakers to the Sony.

Your black tank sensors are, indeed, the short out style and they are presently being shorted by "crud" (use your imagination) that has glued itself to the side of the tank and that is not unusual with black tanks that have been around the block a few times. Comes from a couple of not so thorough flushings after being used. What you might try doing is loading the tank up with about 10 gallons of water and 3 or 4 bags of ice (the more the merrier) and then drive around for a little while (best done when going to a campground where you can dump the results). The ice sloshing around in the tank will scrub the tank walls, cleaning the sensors in the process. Not a 100% cure, but, is chemical free and does work in a lot of cases. Thorough tank flushing when dumping the black tank is the only way to prevent that from happening or recurring.

 

[bubbancolo]

Great advise on black tank! Makes sense!

Actually I have the Sony radio mine is a 2009. It's not a big deal, I can sleep comfortable, store food and toys and have a bathroom, TV and Radio are bonuses. I use a iPod or MP2 player or CD almost all the time if I have a choice. Power module or amp appears to be intergrated with Radio in some fashion meaning it's not a simply two channel out going into the amp if the amp only works when the radio is running. I'm guessing that the radio has standard out speakers through another connector which are wired to outside standard two speaker out and the other front speaker out is wired into amp. Radio is only driving the front speaker out to amp in Radio mode....

lots of time to look at this issue this summer, thanks for the info!

 

[bubbancolo]

Follow up, Sony CDX-GT420IP is the model number of radio.
outside speakers are wired to front speaker out, inside speakers are wired to the output of a power amp mounted under cabinet, sub or pre amp out is plugged into the front rca connectors. All speakers are running off front speaker out basiclly. So you can't turn off outside speakers. I moved these to the rear pre-amp out and now can fad from front to rear which turns down or off the outside speakers. Problem is still in unit, it will not feed any output to preamp out front of rear except in radio mode, all other inputs only use the basic front speaker output. Looking for new radio I'm pretty sure I'll need to find one which has a pre-amp out to continue to use amp which is installed in unit. I would wire the outside speakers to standard rear speaker out. This would allow someone to fad out the outside or inside speakers from controls.

 

[brackenlip]

The black tank sensor always shows 3/4 full even when empty, didn't try filling it up to check if full indicator worked. Does the sensors work via a short between leads at differant levels in tank so water conducts current between lower sensor and other sensors or something. Not sure what to check for on this one. Hate to fill the black tank up....without warning.

Does your trailer have an external "black tank flush" fitting ? On my 189FDS, it is on the curb side, about 18" up the sidewall. Screw the garden hose into it, open the dump valve and turn on the water. It has jets inside the tank that spray water around, and so far has worked pretty well at keeping my sensors clear of "crud", as Don calls it !

 

[roy-FUN]

My brand new 276 showed 2/3's full after only two days use. I knew it was not that full. 5 days later it showed the same thing when I pulled into a rest area to dump it. It could not have been even 1/3 full with the amount that came out but I hooked up the flush hose and let it go for a few minutes. Afterward it said empty but the dump station was not on level ground as usual. Got home checked it and it said 2/3's full again. No way but I live in the country so I hooked up the pipe and hose to the camper and let her rip down the hill behind my shop. Basically nothing came out but dirty water. So yea the sensor is overly sensitive I guess. I do use the blue chemical treatment stuff in the tank hoping that keeps it all clean. That worked okay in our old coachmen. Freaks my wife out after only two days and she thinks the tanks full which means she might have to go use a public restroom

 

[bubbancolo]

Since I'm new and own the 2009, XT245 model I may have this flush connection will look tonight. First reply to my post had a great idea on fixing this. see above

 

[webslave]

Even those with a black tank flush, won't have a gray tank flush and there is nothing like the scum that accumulates in the gray tanks...a well used gray tank, to me anyway, actually smells worse than a black tank that has been maintained properly. One of the early mods I made to my 210WBS was both a black and a gray Tornado rinser installed in the opposite side of the tank from the drains (installed in curb side of tank) with the sprayer connectors mounted to the frame near the main drain. Never had an issue with the senders on that trailer. Both tanks cleaned up nicely and no odors from either tank. My Cougar has a black tank rinse, but, no gray. Unfortunately, the Cougar also has two gray tanks. One of my future projects will be to look at how hard it would be to get to those gray tanks and to install Tornado rinsers in them. IMHO, they (all the waste tanks) should have rinsers and all manufacturers should either make them standard equipment, or at least options, as some of these tanks are a right, royal PITA to get to. I think the Cougar falls into that category

 

[bubbancolo]

Fixed Radio!
So I went to replace radio at Best Buy and Geek squad dude and me were discussing why the amp only worked in Radio mode...he said someone wired the amp enable line to the power ant instead of pre-amp in wire. Both are a blue wire, the wrong one is a blue solid, the right one is Blue with white stripe. Even better is this wire is switched on and off with unit and stays enabled for all inputs....crap I had to buy the iPod touch. Figured I saved money on radio so spent more on iPod Touch

Connected up the iPod and now radio rocks the casba you can switch albums and see part of the name in scrolling display you can play album in random or repeat. I left the amp connected to rear amp out so that I can fad from the front wired outside speakers to the rear wired/amp'd inside speakers. Sweet!