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Old 03-05-2018, 03:26 PM   #1
Mosnowman
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Keystone Satellite Wiring Failures...

I recently purchased a 2018 Montana 3721RL. I have had Direct TV for years and can tune my slim line dish in about 2 minutes every time. I use it tailgating, and have used it on my previous campers through the camper wiring. My last Fiver was a Cougar and it worked perfectly. Now I buy my dream Fiver which costs more than most of my other campers combined, and the wiring for the Direct TV doesn’t work, though I know it’s tuned perfectly since I tune it outside with a small TV. My SWM is also outside plugged in by The dish. So my question is for you experienced Direct TV guys..

I unscrewed the plugs at the convenience center and there are 3 different colored wires ( 1 cable & 2 satellite) going into a splitter and 3 white wires coming out that travel to my 3 TV’s. Obviously the splitter is one problem, and the probable reason you can’t run satellite in despite the plug that says satellite.
I tried using a multiswitch and wiring directly to the white wires bypassing the colored wires. Still no signal at my receiver. I finally gave up and ran the wire through my window directly to the receiver.

After searching the thousands of satellite threads on here I still can’t figure it out. Anyone have detailed instructions on how they fixed theirs? I have checked all connections and done all the basic stuff so I really could use some advice. I am not interested in drilling holes in a new camper through the slideouts to direct wire the thing instead of through the convenience center.

If Keystone reads this all I have to say is really? You build a high dollar Fiver and can’t seem to get some simple wiring done?

Thanks in advance.
 
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Old 03-05-2018, 03:51 PM   #2
DQDick
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On my 2017 Keystone put a splitter right behind the convienence center to send signals to the outside TV and who knows what other reason. I took the splitter out and hooked the bedroom and Livingroom up direct and haven't had an issue since.
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Old 03-05-2018, 05:30 PM   #3
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Originally Posted by Mosnowman View Post
I recently purchased a 2018 Montana 3721RL. I have had Direct TV for years and can tune my slim line dish in about 2 minutes every time. I use it tailgating, and have used it on my previous campers through the camper wiring. My last Fiver was a Cougar and it worked perfectly. Now I buy my dream Fiver which costs more than most of my other campers combined, and the wiring for the Direct TV doesn’t work, though I know it’s tuned perfectly since I tune it outside with a small TV. My SWM is also outside plugged in by The dish. So my question is for you experienced Direct TV guys..

I unscrewed the plugs at the convenience center and there are 3 different colored wires ( 1 cable & 2 satellite) going into a splitter and 3 white wires coming out that travel to my 3 TV’s. Obviously the splitter is one problem, and the probable reason you can’t run satellite in despite the plug that says satellite.
I tried using a multiswitch and wiring directly to the white wires bypassing the colored wires. Still no signal at my receiver. I finally gave up and ran the wire through my window directly to the receiver.

After searching the thousands of satellite threads on here I still can’t figure it out. Anyone have detailed instructions on how they fixed theirs? I have checked all connections and done all the basic stuff so I really could use some advice. I am not interested in drilling holes in a new camper through the slideouts to direct wire the thing instead of through the convenience center.

If Keystone reads this all I have to say is really? You build a high dollar Fiver and can’t seem to get some simple wiring done?

Thanks in advance.
I pulled new coax into ghe living room ent ctr. And ran it to the convenience center. Works great and you can’t see it where I ran it. The bedroom TV I didn’t fool with but should be easy enough to trace out and run a single coax possibly just cutting the factory one and hooking it into the convenience ctr.

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Old 03-05-2018, 05:59 PM   #4
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Couple of questions for you guys that replied thus far:

After removing splitter did you use the white wires or colored ones to hook into?

When you say you pulled Coax in...did you hook up the new cable to the existing wire with duct tape etc and then hope for the best pulling it towards TV, or exactly how did you do it?

Thanks for the replies thus far...
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Old 03-05-2018, 06:17 PM   #5
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My Sat cable and my CATV cable outlets were mis-marked behind my Living Room TV. I connected my DirecTv to the Cable outlet and found it was actually the SAT connection.
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Old 03-05-2018, 06:37 PM   #6
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I cut their end off and pulled the new one down with the old one yes. A little soap and water in a spray bottle lubes stuff up good where it comes out the bottom corner of the slide. Look at it this way, it doesn’t work now, you can’t hurt anything!
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Old 03-05-2018, 07:37 PM   #7
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The three external coax connections going into a splitter with three outputs makes no sense at all. One sat input should go direct to an inside coax connector to connect one sat receiver. And the second direct to another inside connector to connect to a second sat receiver. And the one labeled cable should go to your antenna amp switch plate for switching between cable and air.

I would ring out those white coax cables to see which ones go to your inside sat connections. Then, if there is enough length, pull those to connect direct to the convenience center. If not enough length, try a coax “butt splice” to connect the correct white cables to the appropriate cables from the conv center.
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Old 03-06-2018, 08:03 AM   #8
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I have a 2018, and had same problem with new Carryout. It appears the problem is Keystone used the a combiner/splitter at each TV. The Carryout needs to send power to the antenna to operate and this combiner/splitter limits it. I had to run a new dedicate cable to operate it.
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Old 03-06-2018, 09:02 AM   #9
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Originally Posted by BB_TX View Post
The three external coax connections going into a splitter with three outputs makes no sense at all. One sat input should go direct to an inside coax connector to connect one sat receiver. And the second direct to another inside connector to connect to a second sat receiver. And the one labeled cable should go to your antenna amp switch plate for switching between cable and air.

I would ring out those white coax cables to see which ones go to your inside sat connections. Then, if there is enough length, pull those to connect direct to the convenience center. If not enough length, try a coax “butt splice” to connect the correct white cables to the appropriate cables from the conv center.
BB TX, What exactly is "ring out"...is that a check for continuity with a multimeter?

And, can you explain "butt splice" please?

I am dealing with this exact same problem as the original poster, and would so appreciate the help with this.

Since the day I spent trying to figure this out, I found the antenna booster all the way in the bedroom (tail end of my 3731FL) and it was on. Turning it off, I solved the problem with campground cable connection...And am wondering if it also might have interfered with the satellite connection? What do you think?

Thank you again for your input...
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Old 03-06-2018, 10:14 AM   #10
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I experienced a similar issue on out HC 353. I ended up cutting the coax under the slide and connecting direct to the SAT connection behind the TV - Works great and I only have one SAT box anyway. Kind of like the inverter wiring that is supposed to run the the frig, but runs the TV. Go figure! Gonna correct wiring soon!
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Old 03-06-2018, 11:44 AM   #11
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BB TX, What exactly is "ring out"...is that a check for continuity with a multimeter?

And, can you explain "butt splice" please?
....
Yes, ring out simply means checking continuity. Old electrical technician's term. Find the coax connector near the TV that is for connecting a sat receiver. Then jumper the center wire of that coax to the connector nut, which is the shield for that wire. A jumper wire with small alligator clips works fine. If you don't have one, you could take a piece of aluminum foil and stuff in the nut so that it touches both the middle wire and the nut. Then go to the convenience center and, using an ohm meter, check to see which coax connector there is a direct short center to shield. A meter with a buzzer or tone for a short circuit makes it easy.
Then, while one person holds the meter on that end, another person can remove and replace the jumper at the other end a couple times to verify the short appears and disappears.
And I would make sure that coax behind the convenience center does not connect to any splitter or box of any kind.

By "butt splice" I mean one of the small dual ended coax connectors used to connect two coax cables together. I don't think butt splice is the proper term for that device. Get the best quality one you can find.
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Old 03-06-2018, 04:54 PM   #12
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I got my dish receiver today with the tailgater 3 satellite dish. I did a direct connect to prove the hardware and that went well. I then plugged into the satellite hookup in the command center and no signal. I pulled the wall off in the basement and found a Steiner Enterprise satellite multiswitch 3X4. I isolated the satellite input coax and the living room coax and attached them with a butt connector and all worked well. I left the bedroom TV and the outside TV connected to the multiswitch and will use those for over the air channels.
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Old 03-06-2018, 06:08 PM   #13
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Mosnowman View Post
Couple of questions for you guys that replied thus far:

After removing splitter did you use the white wires or colored ones to hook into?

When you say you pulled Coax in...did you hook up the new cable to the existing wire with duct tape etc and then hope for the best pulling it towards TV, or exactly how did you do it?

Thanks for the replies thus far...
It's been a while back, but I believe the white ones.
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Old 03-06-2018, 07:12 PM   #14
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Originally Posted by Mosnowman View Post
.....
When you say you pulled Coax in...did you hook up the new cable to the existing wire with duct tape etc and then hope for the best pulling it towards TV, or exactly how did you do it?
......
I have not tried pulling one. But if I did, I would use one of these adapters to connect the two together to make sure they did not come apart. Then if it would not pull all the way, you could hope you could pull it back.

https://www.lowes.com/pd/IDEAL-10-Pa...iABEgL94fD_BwE
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Old 03-06-2018, 07:37 PM   #15
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I have not tried pulling one. But if I did, I would use one of these adapters to connect the two together to make sure they did not come apart. Then if it would not pull all the way, you could hope you could pull it back.

https://www.lowes.com/pd/IDEAL-10-Pa...iABEgL94fD_BwE
If his factory fittings are as ‘professionally’ installed as mine were he’ll pull the ends right off.

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Old 03-07-2018, 06:24 AM   #16
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Originally Posted by Mosnowman View Post
I recently purchased a 2018 Montana 3721RL. I have had Direct TV for years and can tune my slim line dish in about 2 minutes every time. I use it tailgating, and have used it on my previous campers through the camper wiring. My last Fiver was a Cougar and it worked perfectly. Now I buy my dream Fiver which costs more than most of my other campers combined, and the wiring for the Direct TV doesn’t work, though I know it’s tuned perfectly since I tune it outside with a small TV. My SWM is also outside plugged in by The dish. So my question is for you experienced Direct TV guys..

I unscrewed the plugs at the convenience center and there are 3 different colored wires ( 1 cable & 2 satellite) going into a splitter and 3 white wires coming out that travel to my 3 TV’s. Obviously the splitter is one problem, and the probable reason you can’t run satellite in despite the plug that says satellite.
I tried using a multiswitch and wiring directly to the white wires bypassing the colored wires. Still no signal at my receiver. I finally gave up and ran the wire through my window directly to the receiver.

After searching the thousands of satellite threads on here I still can’t figure it out. Anyone have detailed instructions on how they fixed theirs? I have checked all connections and done all the basic stuff so I really could use some advice. I am not interested in drilling holes in a new camper through the slideouts to direct wire the thing instead of through the convenience center.

If Keystone reads this all I have to say is really? You build a high dollar Fiver and can’t seem to get some simple wiring done?

Thanks in advance.
Same issue - I was told that if you use an 18" parabolic dish, it would work. I have a tailgater (King) for Dish. Both King Support, and Keystone told me it is as if the Tailgater doesn't have enough power to flip the splitters to the frequency range needed.

I ended up pulling my multi-media unit from the TV center, and ran a dedicated cable from under the slide to my receiver. Now, instead of picking up the connection in the convenience center, I connect direct under the slide. Still clean, but you would think for the amount of money paid for the 5th Wheel, it would just work as designed!

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Old 03-07-2018, 07:58 AM   #17
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Originally Posted by Mosnowman View Post
.....
I unscrewed the plugs at the convenience center and there are 3 different colored wires ( 1 cable & 2 satellite) going into a splitter and 3 white wires coming out that travel to my 3 TV’s. Obviously the splitter is one problem, and the probable reason you can’t run satellite in despite the plug that says satellite.
.......
Does that splitter box have a manufacturer name and model number on it? I would be interested in reading about how it is supposed to work. I can't find anything similar thru a google search.
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Old 03-07-2018, 09:06 AM   #18
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I'll bet it is the same splitter I have. It is Steiner Enterprise satellite multiswitch 3X4 model 16087-002
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Old 03-07-2018, 09:18 AM   #19
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I'll bet it is the same splitter I have. It is Steiner Enterprise satellite multiswitch 3X4 model 16087-002
Yep! Although not tested by me, from what King and Keystone told me, a full size dish (18" like for home use) vs. a Tailgater type would work. Lame is all I have to say as I'm not a full timer, in place for more than a week anywhere, and would NOT consider setting up an 18" dish each time! Tailgater (auto-homing) portable platform works for me, but just needing a home run vs. running though the splitter(s)
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Old 03-07-2018, 11:05 AM   #20
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I could not find info on that particular splitter. But similar ones state that they allow connecting a Dual LNB satellite dish to multiple sat receivers. The key word being dual LNB. Would probably work with a tripod mounted manual point dual LNB antenna. The problem is that they apparently do not work with automatic receivers/antennas such as the Tailgater or similar that most people use. This is probably a case of keystone and "seemed like a good idea at the time" design. Probably someone designing a system who does not actually use it real time in the field.
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