An elderly friend has a 2013 Keystone Cougar fifth wheel that he and his
wife snowbird to Florida in during the winter. When he came back this
year the main control panel that controls slides, lights, displays
fresh, grey and black water levels, etc. stopped working. Doesn't even
light up like it's supposed to. He asked me if I had any ideas and,
being the friendly, helpful sort I offered to see if I could find the
problem.

Not that simple. For a couple of years Keystone made these panels using
a membrane type switch panel that transmits wirelessly to a "brain" in
one of the forward compartments. Worse, there are no manuals, wiring
diagrams or schematics for the system. Worse yet, they had so many
problems with this system that they no longer make it or support it.
Checked a few places on the Internet in hopes of finding some kind of
documentation and all I found was horror story after horror story of
people with this system. Some failed shortly after they bought the
fifth wheel and never worked again.

I realized it was wireless while checking some voltages. When I checked
in the area of the "brain" my digital meter would initially read
12.something volts but then start slowly climbing to as high as 18
volts. I thought the meter was bad but when checking voltages at the
other end of the fifth wheel where the control panel is, the readings
were rock solid. Then I noticed a strange wire going nowhere that came
out of the "brain" and realized it was an antenna. The whole system
operates wirelessly and my meter was being affected by the RF noise.

The manufacturer of the wireless system is of no help either. No
diagrams available, no schematics, no replacement PC boards (everything
is surface mount). They basically have disowned anything to do with
this system.

My friend contacted a third party supplier who said they can send a
"kit" to replace the main control panel - no wireing diagrams though and
but will not guarantee it will work and no returns. The kit is $500.

I wish I never offered to help him. Now I own the damn problem.

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