Need to find replacement switch

Hi,
I've searched the threads but have been unsuccessful finding the answer I'm looking for. The level indicator switch on for the freshwater/gray-water/battery charge is bad on my panel located on the cabinet below the sink. I removed the switch and touched the wires together a few weeks back when we took our maiden voyage, and the battery level checked out fine, the gray water tank level went up to 2/3 full, and the freshwater tank registered empty (it was). I checked the switch with an ammeter and there is no continuity when the switch is pushed, so I know it's the switch. I checked radio shack for a replacement but they did not have the same size switch. Does anyone know who the manufacturer of the panel is or where I can find a replacement switch? I called Trailmanor a few weeks back, but the parts guy was on vacation and he never called me back. I just called today, and he is out giving a tour so I had to leave another voice mail message. I really want to get this fixed soon as we will be going on another trip next weekend. Thanks in advance.
Tony

[Bill]

Sounds like you've done the right stuff.

The panel draws only a small amount of current, so I wouldn't expect to see any reading on an ammeter. (I think you actually meant an ohmmeter, since you were looking for continuity.) You might switch your meter to milliamps (maybe 100 ma full scale) and put the probes across the switch teminals. The panel should come on, and the meter will tell you how much current is normally drawn when you push the switch. But that is just for the sake of interest.

To find a switch that matches the physical size and mounting, you should pull the switch out of the panel, and look for a manufacturer name (probably just a logo) and model number. Then go to the web site of an electronics house such as Mouser.com or AlliedElec.com, and see if you can get an exact match. Some of these houses have a minimum order, so beware.

If you can't get an exact match, you will need to measure the opening that it fits into, and find another switch that fits the same opening. It shouldn't be a hard thing to do. I think the old switch just snaps into the opening, so the new one will, too.

By the way, TM doesn't make the panel, so TM won't have spare parts for it. It's like expecting that BestBuy will have a carburetor for that new Ariens snowblower you just bought. T'ain't gonna happen. You have to go to Ariens.

Let us know if you need to go further.

Bill

Some of the major RV dealers have these switches you can check if you have one near you. If not you will either need the part # off the switch or measurements then go to Digikey.com or mouser.com.

Thanks guys,
I know I'm just a newbie but I didn't think TM would have just the switch alone. I had called TM with the hope that they could at least give me the manufacturer's name and contact information since I could not find much on the panel to go by...all it says is "Custom Designed by KIB" and I'm not even really sure if the "KIB" is indeed KIB, or K1B, or KI Beta, or whatever else.
And yes, it was actually a multimeter set to measure resistance in ohms...I guess I really wasn't thinking about what I was typing when I wrote ammeter.
When I pulled the switch out and took it to Radio Shack I checked to see if there was anything on the switch itself that might help, but it only says "singapore" on one side, and "SU" (or possibly "UR" backwards") on the other side along with its current rating of 16A at 12VDC. I checked with mouser and of the 2,900+ switches they have available, none are current rated like this one...and just going by any of the other filters still leaves a whole lot of switches. I've looked at a couple dozen so far but none of them are even the right size...all too big...and there is no filter for size.
It's very hard to find the right switch without knowing who makes the panel...that is what I am looking for, that is unless someone knows EXACTLY what switch can be used as a replacement, of course.
I guess I'm at the mercy of TM until they call me back. Thanks anyway.

[mbd4kids]

Hi,
I don't know if you have any good RV dealers around you, but we have some that have all sorts of parts. I also found that if I went in and explained what I was looking for, they were pretty helpful. Camping World is another good place to look if there's one near you. Good Luck.

[Bill]

http://www.kibenterprises.com/monitorpanels.html

That's IT! Thanks, Bill, you da man!!