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Alert Firefly Should Be SWATTED!!

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Gordon1152

RVF Newbee
Joined
Sep 15, 2021
Messages
4
It’s been said many times that motorhome ownership is not for the faint of heart and our experience certainly bears that out. Things break, schedules change, weather doesn’t always cooperate … in general stuff happens and it’s usually expensive when it does. But you should be able to rely on at least a few things. Entegra, Spartan and a few of their suppliers have been great to deal with so far. Now that the warranty has ended we’ll see what happens.

Firefly Integration on the other hand, the guys that make the touch screen control panel in my coach, has been awful … to the point that Entegra should be actively seeking a new supplier in my humble opinion. Just give me some gauges that tell me what’s going on in my coach. Don’t imperil me or my family with circuit boards that can potentially burst into flames subjecting me to a cross country effort to get a safety campaign completed (I could write a book about that one). How tough is that really? I have another ongoing issue that’s at the finger pointing stage between Entegra and Firefly, but it’s not debilitating fortunately.

Yesterday was a new one for me however and if I had a choice it would be the last straw. Specifically, I dumped the two holding tanks and flushed the black tank twice in a failed attempt to get that particular gauge to read less than 100% … no such luck. But that wasn’t the surprise. I’ve come to expect that inaccuracy and will continue to try new sensor cleaning methods and products, I’m just that stubborn. Fortunately our full bath has a macerator toilet with idiot lights that are not tied into Firefly’s stuff and they keep the cup from overflowing as it were …

No the surprise was the fresh water tank reading right after I watched it fill completely. 33% is what Firefly tells me I have onboard … Huh! Well maybe in the scheme of things two out of four gauges reading correctly isn’t that bad. I do know how much grey water and propane I’m carrying after all, be happy with that I tell myself … NOT.

BTW, since I can’t trust Firefly to give me an accurate crap count I installed a Garnet SeeLevel II monitoring system with the display in the wet bay and it works GREAT!!! Firefly wants $1,250 to write software to integrate gauges that actually work into their display and I just can’t bring myself to reward bad behavior that way … maybe that’s just me.
 
I think the whole tank monitoring system is a dogs breakfast. I don't trust any of it. We had our FW tank sensor replaced at factory and it has a reading, but I verify it at tank. I'll dump B and G tanks and toilet lights will still indicate full. I monitor use and dump when experience tells me it is time.
I fill FW prior to departing home site, as well as dumping B and G so I can start each trip at a base level.

Shouldn't be this hard, or difficult. But, two different coach manufactures gave same performance
 
I now have SeeLevel II displays in the wet bay and half bath cabinet, so I don't even look at the Firefly nonsense anymore ...
 
Very sad for such expensive machines
 
It’s been said many times that motorhome ownership is not for the faint of heart and our experience certainly bears that out. Things break, schedules change, weather doesn’t always cooperate … in general stuff happens and it’s usually expensive when it does. But you should be able to rely on at least a few things. Entegra, Spartan and a few of their suppliers have been great to deal with so far. Now that the warranty has ended we’ll see what happens.

Firefly Integration on the other hand, the guys that make the touch screen control panel in my coach, has been awful … to the point that Entegra should be actively seeking a new supplier in my humble opinion. Just give me some gauges that tell me what’s going on in my coach. Don’t imperil me or my family with circuit boards that can potentially burst into flames subjecting me to a cross country effort to get a safety campaign completed (I could write a book about that one). How tough is that really? I have another ongoing issue that’s at the finger pointing stage between Entegra and Firefly, but it’s not debilitating fortunately.

Yesterday was a new one for me however and if I had a choice it would be the last straw. Specifically, I dumped the two holding tanks and flushed the black tank twice in a failed attempt to get that particular gauge to read less than 100% … no such luck. But that wasn’t the surprise. I’ve come to expect that inaccuracy and will continue to try new sensor cleaning methods and products, I’m just that stubborn. Fortunately our full bath has a macerator toilet with idiot lights that are not tied into Firefly’s stuff and they keep the cup from overflowing as it were …

No the surprise was the fresh water tank reading right after I watched it fill completely. 33% is what Firefly tells me I have onboard … Huh! Well maybe in the scheme of things two out of four gauges reading correctly isn’t that bad. I do know how much grey water and propane I’m carrying after all, be happy with that I tell myself … NOT.

BTW, since I can’t trust Firefly to give me an accurate crap count I installed a Garnet SeeLevel II monitoring system with the display in the wet bay and it works GREAT!!! Firefly wants $1,250 to write software to integrate gauges that actually work into their display and I just can’t bring myself to reward bad behavior that way … maybe that’s just me.
As an rv technician I have found that tank level monitors reading full or partially full on an empty tank is a very common occurrence for black and gray tanks on used trailers. A working black tank monitor system often doesn't function properly long term unless great lengths are taken to dump and flush often (no leaving waste in tank for longer than absolutely necessary). Failure is common for all brands of tank sensors. RV toilets, having no tank to dump large amounts of water into the system, like your home commode rely solely on The amount of water you release with the footfeed, so be generous with your water to solids ratio. If care isn't taken your new system will fail you as well. If your freshwater tank reads levels that seem inaccurate make sure you are on completely level ground as most tanks are not very deep and the sensors are only inches apart in height, it takes very little slope or angle to cause liquid to contact or lose contact with the next sensor in line. So far every freshwater tank Monitoring systems failure to read any Liquid level (in my experience- Whether used or new) Have been due to failure too connect wires to all monitor Sensors at tank Or a cut or broken sensor wire. Fresh tank Monitor sensors generally do not gum up since thay have no contact with waste material. If a filled fresh water tank Does not Read any level at the panel I Check the wires at the panel and then expose the tank To most often find disconnected wires. Remember with waste tanks use lots of water, dump often, flush flush flush And, if affordable use the paper that breaks down easily and Preventative chemicals in your tank If you want your system To keep functioning as long as possible. I feel your pain. Good luck and adventurous travels
 

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