RV Repair: Electrical, fuse panel, rv shop


Question
I believe this panel is called a monitor panel. I found out that the section on the far right is just a clock but the display does not come on. The middle section is to start the generator and has a little Odometer type thing that tells how many hours are on the generator. The far left section has indicators about the level of tanks, water, holding, etc..

The local RV shop here is telling me it may just be a bad monitor panel and to replace it. Is there anything else that may be the cause of this panel not lighting up. I would hate to buy a new a panel and have the same condidtion

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Followup To
Question -
We own a 1985 23' Jamboree. Above the frig is a panel that has 3 sections of switches.One section: press a switch a light comes on to tell you how much water you have and how full is your waste tanks etc.... Next Section, switches to turn on the generator? not sure what the other section does, but at any rate this panel does not appear to be working. We have taken it off to see if there are in line fuses and there doesn't appear to be. We have checked allother fuses in the main fuse panel for the motor home but none seem to be bad. Do you have any idea on how to trouble shoot this? We just bought the thing and it has no manual to tell us about this paticular unit. Have everything else but not that.
Answer -
Since many different parts from a variety of manufacturers are used in most motorhomes, I could only guess that the third switch might be the main power switch for the rear of the motor home.  Try turning it on and see if the other two switches work, if not, I have no idea.

Answer
That's a typical answer from an RV shop.  The generator switch should be a separate circuit and has nothing else to do with the panel other than that's where the switch is.  If the switch will not start the generator, it's a switch, wiring or other problem with the generator.
I would start by seeing if you have power to the panel and if not, trace back from there to the source.
If you do, the something in the panel is probably defective and since there are a hundred different types of panels, it's impossible to tell what does what to what and why.  Try to get a manufacturers name from the panel, see if they are still in existance and go from there.