Seneca Trimark Keypad Not Working

[clduke72]

Weird problem with my keyless entry on my 2013 Seneca. The keypad stopped working recently and it appears to be a low voltage issue. I've tested the keypad with a new 12VDC battery and it works great so I know the keypad works. The issue seems to be the voltage on the door frame pads. I am only getting 9VDC on the two pads. I am plugged into shore power, have brand new batteries, and everything else seems to work fine. Does anyone know what circuit the door lock is on? Could something be loose or drawing the voltage down?

[Robbbyr]

Originally Posted by clduke72

Weird problem with my keyless entry on my 2013 Seneca. The keypad stopped working recently and it appears to be a low voltage issue. I've tested the keypad with a new 12VDC battery and it works great so I know the keypad works. The issue seems to be the voltage on the door frame pads. I am only getting 9VDC on the two pads. I am plugged into shore power, have brand new batteries, and everything else seems to work fine. Does anyone know what circuit the door lock is on? Could something be loose or drawing the voltage down?

My 2014 TS originally had the Trimark keypad and it had a old-style inline glass fuse located in the coach battery tray area against the front wall of that compartment. The power side was connected to one the two solenoids there to a terminal "hot" at all times. The fuse/fuse holder was just a few inches from where it was connected to the terminal. Exposed to the weather and out-gassing of the coach batteries, my fuse holder was quite corroded just months after I got my unit and started giving me voltage problems. Cleaning things up there solved that problem at that time.

However I later had problems with the TriMark keypad itself, there must have been a bad batch manufactured. Mine quit and was replaced several times, the dealer put about 4 on my unit over a period of 6 months or so. Then the final straw was when (what ended being) the last keypad actually caught fire and damaged the door! It happened at the dealer luckily and Jayco ended up replacing the whole door and frame, removing the jamb contact pads and the wiring in the process. Now I have a new-style Bauer EM keypad lock powered by AA batteries like newer units have.

[rgolding]

RobbbyR,
Always appreciate your experience. Have never had our key pad work for more than a week. It is original equipment and was replaced once. How long have you had the new keypad in and what is the exact model, please? When you replaced it did you end up replacing keys, also? Thank you fort he input and all that you share.

[clduke72]

Thanks for the quick reply. I think I saw those fuses when I was replacing my batteries. I'll have a look this weekend.

Appreciate the help, that makes total sense.

[Robbbyr]

Originally Posted by rgolding

RobbbyR,
Always appreciate your experience. Have never had our key pad work for more than a week. It is original equipment and was replaced once. How long have you had the new keypad in and what is the exact model, please? When you replaced it did you end up replacing keys, also? Thank you fort he input and all that you share.

Hey Ric!
I got the new lock assembly in early 2016 after the 4th replacement keypad shorted and burned up, damaging the door in the process. Jayco shipped my dealer a whole new door assembly but they never got a chance to install it since I had to take my unit back "home" to Jayco to have my kitchen slide repaired. So the Jayco Service Center actually replaced and repainted the door, installing the Bauer EM keyless lockset in the door. I got new keys at that time and then later order several additional keys directly from Bauer.

However in May of 2017 I started having trouble with that new Bauer, so I emailed them and they instantly agreed to send me their newest version, the Bauer EM AlSentist HSS. That AlSentist version uses a different "touch" technology that promised longer battery life and did not require a "wake up" touch like the first EM version did prior to code entry. That EM AlSentist has worked fantastic since then. When I de-winterize the unit I put 4 new lithium AA batteries in in and I am good.

And when I spoke to Bauer about the first defective EM I told them I had recently invested in spare keys, so they sent me the new AlSentist lockset with the same keycode as the previous. So I did not have to replace the keys twice!

Here is a link to the lockset I have now: https://www.bauerproducts.com/produc...r-em-alsentis/

Here is my door now, I also replaced the smaller original window with a frameless version like the newer (than mine) Senecas have. You can see the new lockset, it is also what the newer Senecas use. So now all my window match instead of the entry door being different!

[SloPoke]

Our 2015 has the Bauer, and it quit in the first 8-months we owned the Seneca. We took it back to CW 3-4 times before they agreed to warranty repairs and they finally did replace the unit with a later model that Robbbyr describes... it has worked fantastic ever since (as long as the batteries are good)

CW did not treat us the same way robbby was at his dealership - CW changed the lock that had a different key, but would only give us one key. CW wanted us to buy the spare keys, saying the lock only comes with one key. We bought the spare keys elsewhere!

Sorry I can't offer much help on the Trimark.

[clduke72]

Update: I did find a corroded fuse holder that was all brittle and actually broke off when I touched it. Replaced with a new one and all is good now.

It was actually a blessing in disguise as I found that one of my main power cables had been shorting out on my battery tray and was almost eaten in half.

I guess it's a good idea to get under these units once and a while.

Thanks for the help RobbbyR