Bad Coax to Rear TV

coachmanrvr · 11-12-2011, 02:26 PM

I have a brand new 2012 Access that has a bad piece of coax going to the rear TV from the distribution amp in the front of the coach. I hate the thought of taking it in for warranty work to have someone tearing apart panels to replace that coax. Anyone ever pull a new cable in their coach?

Thanks for any advice.

ArmyEOD · 11-12-2011, 02:48 PM

Maybe just has bad fitted connectors. I would check them first. You can get the tools and the "Very Good" style connectors for around 40.00 bucks at the box store. Then you will have the tools if you need to make up some cables. If you do not want to do that, check with a local Dish/cable guy, and see if he wants to make a couple of bucks on the side. He can check the line and replace the ends for you. Hope this helps.

CHCam42 · 11-12-2011, 03:00 PM

I had similar problem with rear TV. Dish man put a meter on it and in two minutes he found a cable connector that was bad. He states that's a common problem. Look at the run from the front to rear where it dead ends they connect a new cable to run to the TV. What ever that male threaded part is is possibly bad. Good luck.

coachmanrvr · 11-12-2011, 03:39 PM

I ohm'd out the center conductor and it is open and not shorted out on the connector shield. Definitely a bad cable. I just looked over the Winne site and the wiring diagrams on the website don't really do a good job showing the routing of the coax. Looks like its going to be a tough job.

bobmac · 11-12-2011, 04:41 PM

I would go through the wiring diagrams to see if there are any splitters in the cable route. They are usually in reasonably accessible locations but not necessarily obvious locations. I had a similar problem with a video cable that was open in my Journey. Turned out to be a connector not connected and not shown on the wiring diagrams and was repaired in no time. I would call Owner Relations at Winnebago and ask for the routing of the coax and if there are any intermediate connections if you are comfortable trying to fix it yourself. They can often send you a drawing not available on line. I would be concerned a dealer might run a new cable without concern of how he gets it to where it should be.

dsbike · 11-12-2011, 04:50 PM

I ran a new cable along the undercarriage frame with the existing wire bundle. Used RG6 & have had no more problems. Both my front & rear TV cable needed to be replaced.

wa8yxm · 11-12-2011, 05:56 PM

#1 "Bad coax" is those cheap ***ed Crimp on connectors that come off if you sneeze hard... They are easily replaced either with a slightly better crimp on or a high quality compression connector (My choice when I can afford)

And if all else fails.. I did it the same way as DSBIKE As a ham radio operator I have coax all over the place.

HHIDan · 11-12-2011, 06:04 PM

If you have to run a new coax, why not run a HDMI cable at the same time. You might find it useful if you upgrade to HD eventually. Just an idea.

zippo · 11-12-2011, 06:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by coachmanrvr

I ohm'd out the center conductor and it is open and not shorted out on the connector shield. Definitely a bad cable. I just looked over the Winne site and the wiring diagrams on the website don't really do a good job showing the routing of the coax. Looks like its going to be a tough job.

The center wire in that coax is not crimped at any point. If you checked it
wire end to wire end and it's open there is a break. The shield is the only crimp. With your meter check the shield on that same coax run to make sure you are checking the ends of the same wire. You might be able to hook another run of new coax to one end of the old run and pull a new one through. I say let the dealer fix it.

FIRE UP · 11-14-2011, 07:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by zippo

The center wire in that coax is not crimped at any point. If you checked it
wire end to wire end and it's open there is a break. The shield is the only crimp. With your meter check the shield on that same coax run to make sure you are checking the ends of the same wire. You might be able to hook another run of new coax to one end of the old run and pull a new one through. I say let the dealer fix it.

While I too am leery of letting dealers touch our stuff, I kind of agree with Zippo above in advising to let the dealer handle it. You paid a phenomenal amount for warranty and, if you did your homework, and checked things out and found a broken coax center wire, then you simply tell them and let them handle it. In my opinion, they have no choice but to do the job in a such a manor that will satisfy both you and the dealership.

I suppose you could ask them how they plan of repairing the problem and, if they plan on "tearing" anything apart to do so. I hope you get this fixed, I hate issues like this.
Scott

mikf · 11-14-2011, 07:51 PM

do you have a outlet for an outside tv? if so does it work? there would be a splitter there that may not be hooked up. if there is cabinets close to the outside outlet take out the bottom drawers and look for a splitter. maybe you would only have to run it to there or from there. I think I also remember seeing coax behind the thermastat and monitor panel. I agree the other people that it is probably a bad connection some where. make sure and let us know what the fix was.

puttin · 11-15-2011, 07:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mikf

do you have a outlet for an outside tv? if so does it work? there would be a splitter there that may not be hooked up. if there is cabinets close to the outside outlet take out the bottom drawers and look for a splitter. maybe you would only have to run it to there or from there. I think I also remember seeing coax behind the thermastat and monitor panel. I agree the other people that it is probably a bad connection some where. make sure and let us know what the fix was.

This was the case when I did a splitter search on our Sightseer...nothing was wrong, I was just curious....

PHESPE · 11-21-2011, 06:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by coachmanrvr

I ohm'd out the center conductor and it is open and not shorted out on the connector shield. Definitely a bad cable. I just looked over the Winne site and the wiring diagrams on the website don't really do a good job showing the routing of the coax. Looks like its going to be a tough job.

Likely that the line you checked goes thru a splitter (to accommodate an additional TV - outside or some other location)

If so, all standard splitters are NOT voltage passing - so when you ohm'd out the center conductor you should get "open" just as you would get if the cable was disconnected.

PHESPE

mikf · 11-21-2011, 06:35 PM

you say you checked the center wire for continuity. what about the sheild?

skigramp · 11-21-2011, 09:54 PM

I had a similar issue when my 2004 was delivered. No cable TV anywhere in the coach ... discontinuity in the conductor between the switch box and connector in the bay ... the factory found the problem ... someone cut the connector off when installing.

They had to remove the medicine cabinet in the bathroom and an upper cupboard in the dining area to find the culprit ... the fix was easy ... finding it was hard

coachmanrvr · 11-22-2011, 10:29 AM

Well, did a good bit of digging to find the issue. There was a splitter under the sink that split off for the rear TV and the outside outlet by the door. The splitter was actually bad. Put in a new one and problem solved.

The route of the coax was a tough find. The coax leaves the distribution box and goes up in the roof. From their it comes down between the back of the shower and rear of the kitchen sink. It then hits a splitter and goes out through the floor along the drivers side frame rail. It runs toward the FRONT of the coach to about the rear of the transmission. It then crosses over and runs toward the rear of the coach down the pass. side frame rail. Comes up through the floor under the fridge for the outside coax and the other continues all the way to the rear.

Stupid splitter...

TBI · 11-22-2011, 07:16 PM

I thought I had a bad coax. Did some searching, emailed owner relations and the splitter that feeds the rear TV and the outside outlet in the basement was behind the control panel in the hallway outside the bathroom. Have no idea why it was there.