KIB Gray/Fresh water Panel issue

Jeffma

I have a 2022 Tab 320S Boondock and trying to troubleshoot a KIB panel gray and fresh water indicator issue.

Initial Problem:

-When freshwater tank was empty (on city water) both the fresh and gray water indicators showed increasing levels when only the the gray water tank was getting filled up. I opened the drain on fresh water tank just to make sure no water was there. Nope, it was empty even though the indicator was mirroring the gray water level. When gray water tank was emptied, both fresh and gray water indicators returned to empty.

- To test whether the same happened when filling the freshwater tank, I filled the freshwater tank and left gray water tank empty. The freshwater tank indicator registered proper levels and the gray water tank indicator stayed empty. Well that was good, but confounding.

Checked with NuCamp and they were thinking maybe the common wires had somehow been mis-connected at the tank/resistor harness down by the tank sensors. I dropped the bottom cover of the trailer (kind of a pain). All wiring at that end was connected properly per NuCamp and KIB specifications.

NuCamp recommended I take it to a dealership to get it resolved under warranty - which is a good idea in theory. The dealership I bought it from is 900 miles away and the local dealer won't touch it. They say since I'm not 'their customer' (i.e., I didn't buy it there) they have no capacity to deal with warranty work. Another bummer. Called every few months for the past 6 months to see if the local dealer had any openings coming up. Nope. Won't even give me a future appointment months out. So double bummer.

Follow-up issue:

- I checked the indicators the other day in prep for an upcoming trip and found that now ALL indicators (fresh, gray, N/A, and battery) show full even though both the fresh and gray water tanks are bone dry. Bummer yet again.

So kind of stuck trying to figure this out on my own. Anyone have suggestions?

Thanks - Jeff

As an aside - I found out the panel maker (KIB) has been bought out by American Technology Company (https://www.atcomp.com/news/elkhart-rv-parts-suppliers-merge) so difficult to get any info or advice from them. Thinking of changing out the circuit board but can't find a supplier for the one they use in the 2022 units.

Denny16

Having a local nüCamp TaB dealer say,  I'm not 'their (original) customer' (i.e., I didn't buy it there) (and) they have no capacity to deal with warranty work.  Is just BS, and is not true.  Any nüCamp dealer can do warranty work and get paid for doing so by nüCamp, if the work is pre-approved.

We bought our TaB 400 from its original owner, sold by a SoCal TaB dealer, and our NorCal local dealer has performed several warranty repairs to the trailer, all on nüCamp’s nickel.  Part of being a TaB (or any manufacturer’s) dealer, is to provide support for any nüCamp products and customers, regardless if they originally sold the trailer/vehicle or not.  Many nüCamp dealers provide support to TaB owners, regardless of where they bought the trailer.  

I can see putting a non original sale customer at the bottom of the repair list when the appointment is made, but there is no excuse for refusing to provide service warranty work or not.  This is just bad business, and any dealer doing this should be reported to nüCamp Customer Support.  

End of rant…. Now we return you to your originally scheduled program…
Cheers

ScottG

If you are certain all the wired connections are correct, than I'm guessing (and I do mean guessing) that maybe there is an internal short or some other flaw in the panel circuitry. I think you are on the right path--please keep us updated.

Sharon_is_SAM

Contact warranty@nucamprv.com and tell them about the refusal of the local TaB dealer to provide service.  They may be able to convince them to help with your warranty repair.

MuttonChops

 [ [ [   RANT  ] ] ]

IMHO the KIB Style Tank Monitors now being installed by nüCamp are next to useless!
   one of my OK I'll purchase items was the '18 model year had SeeLevel Tank Monitors.

While the  SeeLevel system were not (are not) 100%  accurate it is IHMO a far, far better system . . . . but it costs more at the OEM level and requires more production floor time to install & calibrate.

nüCamp switching to the KIB Style tank monitors was 1,000% a production cost choice and 1,000% not a 'best for the customer' choice or in keeping with nüCamp's claim of being an RV Builder with Quality above that seen in Forest Rivers or whatever out there.

New nüCamp Customers should tell their dealers they are Not Going to Buy an RV with the useless KIB style tank monitors !!

KIB uses a very simple and unreliable voltage compactor method that depends on measurable water resistance and the electrical component quality of resistors and ICs to compare the water resistance to an ideal value.  This system has been known to be useless for decades; but it is cheap and new RV (or recreational boat) buyers don't know enough to say NO . . . I will not pay for that.

Jeffma

Update.

After tracing and testing all the wiring from tanks to panel - all I could figure out was that the circuit board itself must have failed. I called the KIB number I found online. It was answered as "American Technology Company", the outfit that acquired KIB.

I was promptly routed to Sales/Service and talked to Walt. He spent time walking me me through the different issues I'd experienced and the trouble shooting I'd done to date. He ended up concluding that it probably was the circuit board. I ordered a new one from Walt for just $15.00 plus shipping and got it a few days later. Couldn't believe the cost was so reasonable.

I installed the board today and it solved the issues (initially mis-registering the gray/fresh water tank levels, and the subsequent issue of both tanks always showing full). Now when they are empty they show empty, and when only one tank or the other is filling, the level shows for the proper tank.

As far as the service from the local dealership - I had previously reported it to Megan at NuCamp. Apparently and unfortunately they have little actual control over dealership policies and practices. And with the boom in trailer sales these past few years - the dealer in question apparently has little motivation to be proactive.

Anyway happy to have the issue resolved and really happy with the service from Walt at KIB/ATC.

FYI - Jeff

Denny16

Glad you got it sorted out ok.
 Cheers