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Old 07-24-2014, 12:03 AM   #1
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Smile Micro Pulse Monitor Panel auto fix

For the last 2-3 months my panel has been acting up. Started with the fresh water showing empty when full, then gray water showing full when empty, and more. Heard from many people that the sensors were unreliable, so I resigned myself to just leaving it off since I just got out of warranty. Well...today I had to replace both of the 12v batteries because of 1 bad cell in each, and shazam the monitor works perfectly! So the weak batteries were the problem all along.

If you are having monitor problems you might want to check the batteries closely for good cells.

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Old 07-24-2014, 12:37 AM   #2
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It's strange that you would say this as I just had a similar experience with our 2014. Our first trip last year had the same problems and it was back in the shop for re calibration right away. They couldn't find anything wrong, and at the same time I complained of weak batteries. They hinted that I might not know what I was doing but this spring after having put 2 litres of distilled water in the batteries , they exchanged them for brand new, and re calibrated the micro pulse again. Wonder of wonders , the system now works perfectly. Hmmmm. Maybe you are on to something?


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Old 07-24-2014, 06:18 AM   #3
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When my batts were going bad several years ago, I noted that the "battery" led on the panel would flicker a bit.
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Old 07-24-2014, 06:32 AM   #4
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Interesting. Our Micro Pulse had been quirky since day one. Just figured we would live with it. We had to replace a dead battery this year and the monitor has been working just fine since then.
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Old 07-24-2014, 05:05 PM   #5
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If you are adding more than a cup or two of water every few months, and your batteries don't last more than 1-2 years, it sounds like you are boiling them dry. This can be avoided by buying a better multi-stage converter, or by adding a marine battery isolator switch (which is a much cheaper alternative).

We added a battery switch after the first year (and two ruined batteries), and now our batteries last 5-7 years. Plus, they don't go dead in extended storage.

See details at this link:

http://www.airforums.com/forums/f449...ch-109379.html
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Old 07-24-2014, 05:25 PM   #6
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Thumbs up Micro-Pulse

> ",,,Well...today I had to replace both of the 12v batteries because of 1 bad cell in each, and shazam the monitor works perfectly! So the weak batteries were the problem all along. "

This is excellent information to keep around. Thanks !!
Have a good one !
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Old 07-24-2014, 06:51 PM   #7
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While poor battery performance does cause flaky Micro-pulse issues.....it is not the cause of most monitor performance issues. IMO.

ALTHOUGH....it does make me wonder if it requires absolutely ROBUST 12 V feed and grounds.......hmmmmmmm.......
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Old 10-20-2014, 08:36 PM   #8
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Update time.
When last I wrote, I had 2 new Interstate batteries complements of my dealer and wonder of wonders, the Micropulse worked.
I have since installed the PD 4655 to stop any boiling problems and 8 months later I still haven't had to top up the cells.
I also added a Trimetric TM2030 to keep an eye on things.
So far so good with the Micropulse.
Last camping trip of 4 days, with full batteries and full fresh water ( no hookups) arrived at the site and, hmmmm, Micropulse says empty fresh water.
Here we go again.
Not only that , but after 4 days batteries are down to 66% ( minimal charging from solar as it was very cloudy up north) but Micropulse shows batteries to be full.
Came home and wrote a note to A/S customer service expressing my displeasure and waited for 3 days till I got a call.
They suggested several scenarios , but the best was suggesting that I must have had my battery switch set to store? Sure I always do that when I am boon docking to save the batteries.
So, I now have to drag it back to the dealership,because they must not know what they are doing, and have A/S tell them how to fix it.
I suggested a couple of ways they could fix it but they didn't think I was funny.
I did tell them that if they were going to show advertising of their trailers in the great outdoors, people would naturally assume that they could actually , safely and with great confidence in their monitoring systems, go and do it.
So back to the drawing board.
Good, full, healthy ( for Interstate) batteries do not guarantee a working Micropulse Monitor.



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Old 10-27-2014, 11:16 PM   #9
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Outstanding service

Well, I got the trailer down to Midtown in Penticton B.C. this morning by 8am.Boy is it dark out at 6am.
Went in to get the work order done and turned around and the trailer was already round the back.Actually talked to the service tech (Gord) who was going to do the work and went over all the micro pulse issues we had been through.Gord looked up the past issues and fixes and went to work. I could tell by the discussion that he was as OCD as I was about fixing stuff and went away knowing that it was really going to get a going over.
So off I went for 4 hours of much needed geocaching.
The first time they worked on it,the wiring from the factory was wrong,so everything was checked this time.Everything had to be changed from the head unit on down to the sensors. I don't know how many gallons of water were used to check and recheck after each session but I'm sure I don't want their water bill.
As of right now everything works,even the battery monitor.
We are headed out in 2 weeks for a magical mystery tour for about 4 months so it will get a good tryout. They even want to hear from me again,after all that.I'm a happy camper.
Hats off to Midtown from Shane the service manager and Gord the tech to Brenna in warranty.
By the way,Gord does the aluminum panel repair and replacement and is in the process of restoring a 67? Tradewind.
Midtown is apparently the only certified dealer for Western Canada for these panel repairs in case you are unfortunate enough to need it done.
And, thank you to Randy at Airstream for listening to my rants as well.
George
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Old 11-02-2014, 02:44 PM   #10
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Glad you got your issue fixed. I've given up on my Micropulse. I've tried several times to calibrate and it gives different results every time. Just tried calibrating again, drained all the tanks empty, started calibration procedure and the unit had a hard time getting into calibration mode. Finally after several attempts got all LEDs green. Got into Ready from Empty. Filled 4 gallons of water in each tank. Got into Ready for Full. Filled black tank to a couple of inches below the toilet flange, grey water filled to where the shower started to burn then let out a couple of gallons, filled fresh water until I could hear the tank was near the top. Pressed the Status button again and the system failed calibrating the grey and blank tanks. Water looks like it took but who knows if its working until I drain and fill it up.

I've decided just to turn off the POS Micropulse panel and never turn it on. It's given me fits and finally I've given up on it. Getting to the sensors is a pain on my Airstream and I'm not willing to start cutting holes in the bottom to change out sensors to fix this worthless monitor system.

Kelvin
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Old 11-03-2014, 01:10 AM   #11
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Kelvin, the reason that I dragged the unit back to my dealership ( only one hour away, and the reason I bought locally) was to put everything on record at A/S as to the fix this time. I honestly don't have much faith in it working properly for long, but I would be pleasantly surprised if it did.
I had a long chat with Randy at A/S about the usefulness of the system and that the reason a lot of people don't complain about is is that they don't dry camp, and that those of us who buy them with that purpose in mind have been very disappointed.
He asked me to get it back for the service so that A/S could monitor what was done at the dealership and if it works and for how long.
I am hoping that, if it fails again with the new parts,and my dealership can confirm this that they will help me move to the new system that they put in the Eddie Bauer that same year.
I mentioned that all their adds show our units blissfully camped out in nature and it would nice if we could actually do that and know the status of our tanks without having to open the toilet lid and put a measuring stick down.
We are about to head out for a 4 month trip south mostly dry camping and I am going to honestly keep track of how the system performs
And report back here and to Randy.


George
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Old 11-03-2014, 05:47 AM   #12
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I'll be interested in your report

Ours has acted up a number of times and other times seemed to work - leaves me worried about the accuracy - I need to soon to check their accuracy again


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Old 11-03-2014, 12:26 PM   #13
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Quote:
Originally Posted by PharmGeek View Post
I'll be interested in your report

Ours has acted up a number of times and other times seemed to work - leaves me worried about the accuracy - I need to soon to check their accuracy again


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I will provide an extensive report. Maybe A/S will be better able to provide answers?
I know on my first 19ft after the head unit was changed, the only problem I had was with the black tank if I didn't rinse properly, and my 20 ft didn't give me any grief for 6 years so I really don't know what is up with the 25.
We will see.


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Old 11-03-2014, 01:51 PM   #14
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I had once my grey tank read full when empty but last time I checked it it was spot in - I filled the grey tank a bit at a time until it read just full

Then I added one gallon at a time till water came up through shower - which was 5 gallons -

Fresh water tank last trip boondocking made me think I was having a leak and had "lost" more than half the volume in it when later I found out they may not have been the case at all

I'm going to meticulously test it again soon myself but it's puzzling


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Old 11-03-2014, 02:34 PM   #15
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The main concerns for us have been the fresh water which read full until We got where we were going and the battery which read full all the time.
Just a point here that the first time they looked at it they found that all the wiring was hooked up incorrectly from the factory. The second time they just did a recalibration, while the third time ( last one) they had to change the head and all the sensors because with the old sensors, every time they got one tank to work, another one quit. It is my understanding that they had to start over with everything new to get them all to work.
Cross your fingers.


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Old 11-15-2014, 08:54 PM   #16
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So , day one into our 120 day trip ( don't worry, I'll skip days).
Started this am by partially filling the tank as it's -8 C here in Kelowna and I don't need a full tank to head south.
I actually watched the light on the fresh water tank turn from red to orange as it hit the 3/4 mark. Cool! Have never noticed that before.
More in a few days, but so far so good.



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Old 11-18-2014, 09:48 AM   #17
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Well it's day 4 into the Micropulse test and I am unhappy to report a complete fail.
After arriving in Corbett Washington and checking my gauge and having it show less than half, I decided to fill so we could have showers and all.
Well after about 3 to 4 gallons in it overflowed!
Checked the gauge and it showed 1/2 to 3/4 red colour.
This morning after only using water for dishes ( minimal) and toilet, the gauge showed 2 bars and empty.
I hope someone at Airstream is reading this because if I can't trust a simple thing like a fresh water gauge how can I trust the rest of them.
Come on Airstream, we don't all go to RV parks where gauges are redundant.
For this kind of money I want a system from you that works.


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Old 11-18-2014, 10:03 AM   #18
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Sorry for the disappointing news.

My previous 17' Casita didn't have a holding tank monitoring system so I guess I'm going to have to used to that again with my Airstream.

My AS is winterized and in storage so I'll have to wait until spring.

Kelvin
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Old 11-18-2014, 10:22 AM   #19
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I fixed my Micro Pulse system once and for all by simply throwing it away!
I have never seen such a finicky, difficult to calibrate, unreliable piece of junk in my life! Btw, I checked voltage, I replaced the panel, I replaced sensors and even wires without luck before I simply installed a nice SeeLeveL system about a year and a half ago. Guess what? Everything works now just like the day I installed it!!!
No more excuses, no more guessing tank levels, just a nice working system.
Bruce

http://http://www.airforums.com/forums/f163/good-bye-micropulse-102968.html
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Old 11-18-2014, 10:59 AM   #20
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Bruce, I know about and read about your install.
My point with all this was to document exactly what was going wrong. When I called A/S on it they basically told me that they hadn't had many complaints and that they needed me to take it in and have s dealer fix it because they believe it is a good workable system.
This with the 6 hours spent fixing and replacing everything in the system may help to show them.
They put the See level in the Eddie Bauer in 2014 ( and earlier?)because they advertised it as a unit that one could dry camp in, so obviously they knew that the Micropulse was useless in that situation.
I want them to pay for the installation of a working monitor system worthy of an $80,000 trailer.
They need to be called on this by everyone who has a problem and then maybe we can get them recalled and fixed just like all the other manufacturers out there would have to do.


George
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