Tiffin Tech Talk – Spring 2025

Upgrading Front Speakers

I am trying to upgrade the front speakers to my factory radio in the front of my Tiffin Phaeton 40QBH, 2011 year model. I cannot figure out how to get to the speakers behind the cloth fabric in the overhead cabinetry. Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Thank you in advance.
-Billy Cooper
2011 Phaeton 40 QBH

Dear Billy, You will need to open the cabinet directly behind each speaker. Once the cabinet is open, you will see the interior panels. The panel towards the front will need to be removed. They are held in by staples or screws. Once panel is removed, you can access the speaker from the opening.

Slide Out Tray Creeps Out

I have a Open road with a passenger side slide out tray. It gradually slides open and dumps the contents on the floor. How do I stop that? The freezer also opens when going around a corner. The fridge has a lock but not the lower freezer. How can I correct these?
-Steve Abraham
2024 Open Road Allegro 34 PA

Dear Steve, For the Slide-Out Tray: Your coach likely has a MORryde manual tray. If it’s sliding open, the latch may be worn out or not fully engaged. Check the alignment and latch tension; replacing the latch often solves the issue.

For the Freezer Door: You can add a grabber latch or a SouthCo latch to the freezer door to keep it securely closed while traveling. Easy fix and works great!

No Response to Rear Electric Slides

My rear electric slides are getting no response. I have new batteries. Put key in and turned to on, nothing. Checked all the fuses I think are for the slides… all check out good. Could it be the Solenoid for the slides, not sure where it is located and how to test.
-Michael Mayo
2013 Allegro RED 33 AA

Dear Michael, Please locate the control boxes for the Schwintek system and ensure the controller is receiving power. You should see LED lights that can help diagnose the issue. If you need further assistance, feel free to contact our tech support team. We’re happy to help you troubleshoot and identify the cause of the slide-out issue.

What Is Schrader Valve For?

There’s a SchraderValve near the generator on my 2020 Allegro Red. My RED is an all electric coach. What is that valve for?
-Robert Shawl
2020 Allegro RED 37 BA

Dear Robert, There could be a few different possibilities of what the Schrader Valve is there for; for example, if the valve is on the right hand side of the generator, it is used for the air suspension in a situation if you need to be towed. If you have further questions, please send [email protected] an email with a picture of the valve in question.

House Battery Question

I have a 2019 phaeton 40 IH all electric and would like to know during winter storage season i am plugged into a 20 amp outlet in a climate controlled garage at approximately 43 degrees Fahrenheit, i shut off my chassis batteries but leave my house and inverter switch in the on position, if I shut off my inside battery switch (salesman) switch will my house batteries still be charging?
-George Smith
2019 Phaeton 40 IH

Dear George, Yes, your house batteries will still charge. The salesman switch shuts off 12V to interior systems but doesn’t stop charging. As long as you’re plugged into shore power and the inverter is on, you’re good!

Black and Gray Tank Sensors

We recently upgraded from 2024 Tiffin Allegro Open Road to 2024 Tiffin Byway and love the difference. My question is I located the black and grey and freshwater tanks however the black and grey have sensors but one also has additional 50% sensor (red light always on) and 100% sensor (no red light on), which tank is this one?
-Joseph Shouse
2024 Byway 38 CL

Dear Joseph, The sensors reading 50% and 100% are located on the black tank. These sensors communicate with the commode control board, preventing operation if the black tank reaches 100%

Hydronic Reservoir Reading

My hydronic reservoir reads a little low on the reservoir when the slides and levels are up and in. I looked carefully in the bays and do not see or smell any leaks. One camper told me that air temperature can cause the hydraulic fluid to shrink and heat makes it expand. Should I add fluid or wait for it to warm up then check the levels?
-Renald Devine
2016 Open Road Allegro 34 PA

Dear Renald, Check the fluid with all jacks and slides fully retracted. Cold temperatures can lower the level slightly, so re-check when it’s warmer before adding and only top off if it is still showing low to avoid overfilling.

A/C and Heat Units Coming On When Unit Is Off

With air conditioners and heat off, why do units come on for a minute or two?
-Richard Frechette
2023 Phaeton

Dear Richard, If both the front and rear A/C units are cycling on and off, even though they appear to be turned off on the Spyder control screen, check the A/C override switch wich can usually be found in the rear closet. Make sure this switch is in the OFF position. If the override switch is already off, then the issue may be with the temperature module, which is in the return duct of the A/C system. This module can operate the front and rear roof A/C units independently of the touchpad controls, so it should be inspected by a technician.

Heat Pump Stop Blowing Warm Air

The heat pump on our 2019 Tiffin 34PA has quit blowing warm air. Is there anything I can check or fix to resolve this issue?
-Barry Gullekson
2019 Open Road Allegro 34 PA

Dear Barry, Check the outside temperature, as the heat pumps will not blow warm air if the outside temperature is below approximately 40°F. Make sure your thermostat is set to “HEAT PUMP” and check breakers and filters. Tiffin uses hermetically sealed units, so the refrigerant can’t be replaced. If it’s still not working, contact a service center for further assistance.

Slide Operation – Ignition On or Off?

I have a 2007 Tiffin Phaeton 40QDH that is new to me (brought last spring) my question is the slides on the passenger side will work with the ignition switch in the off position, but the drivers side slides require the key to be in the on position. Why is this?
Also does the inverter have to be in on position for shore power to charge the house batteries?
-Tommy Brown
2007 Phaeton 40 QDH

Dear Tommy, The passenger slides on your coach are hydraulic and the park brake negative signal is needed as a safety interlock to prevent the slides from being operated during travel. The driver slides are operated by 12VDC and also have a safety interlock. The ignition positive signal, as well as a park brake negative signal, must be applied to the slide solenoid coil (located in the passenger rear storage compartment) which closes contacts, allowing the slide to operate. The inverter/charger is a two-in-one combo unit, so you can enable the inverter while on shore power or generator power. If the inverter recognizes incoming AC power, then the inverter will go into a standby mode and let AC power pass through to the breaker box. If you lose AC power, the inverter will automatically switch to invert mode. Yes, if you are connected to shore power, you can press the button on the control panel to disable invert mode and leave the charger enabled so the house batteries will charge.

Adding Lithium House Batteries

I have 2021 33AA want to put a lithium house battery in . Want to put a 50A DC-DC charger in to protect alternator can I install one in parallel with the merge solenoid ?
-Timothy Brown
2021 Allegro RED 33 AA

Dear Timothy, Our model year 2021 Allegro Red did not have the option for lithium batteries. The alternator charging cycle is regulated through the Spyder control PPM, which is located in the driver’s front compartment. This PPM will merge batteries with the ignition signal under specific conditions and also allow the auxiliary start to engage the merge solenoid. Your service provider will need to take these things into consideration.

Kenwood Navigation Menu

While scrolling through the Kenwood navigation menu, I turned the radio on,now I can’t figure out how to turn it off. I don’t see anything in the manual about turning the radio on and off.
-John Kashuba
2021 Phaeton 40 IH

Dear John, If you are needing the GPS to remain on, but do not want the radio in the background, go to the menu settings and put in standby.

Shades Will Not Stay Down

We have a 2019 Open Road 36UA. The day/night pull down shades over the windows at the dining table and the drivers window will not stay down. Is there a way to repair them or do we need to purchase new shades?
-Rick Carr
2019 Open Road Allegro 36 UA

Dear Rick, Your shades likely just need a tension adjustment; there is a spring system inside. If they still won’t stay down, the auto lock (which holds them in place) may be defective. Both the spring and auto lock are replaceable, so no need to buy new shades unless they are damaged.

Magnum Automatic Generator

After getting the Magnum automatic generator start fixed at Tiffin Service Center I was finally able to set it up. Problem was it didn’t heed the quiet hours I put in. Any info?
-Edward LaCroix
2019 Open Road Allegro 34 PA

Dear Edward, If AGS ignored quiet hours, check that “Quiet Time Enabled” is selected in the settings, not just “Enabled.” Also double check your AM/PM or 24-hr format and voltage triggers. Reprogramming or a soft reset may help.

Rear Closet Battery Low

Main panel says rear closet switch battery is low and needs to be changed.
-Ian Simpson
2021 Allegro Bus 45 OPP

Dear Ian, The rear closet switch pops off the wall. Inside you will find a number 2032 coin cell battery you can easily replace.

Installing Starlink Pro

Can Tiffin in Red Bay install the new starlink in my coach so it looks factory?
-Jarrod Lewis
2020 Allegro Bus 45 OPP

Dear Jarron, Yes, Tiffin in Red Bay can install Starlink on your coach with a factory quality finish. You can add the install to your service paperwork, and we’ll get you set up with Starlink!