kurtswen
NJ
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We are traveling and during the day when I expect the house batteries to be under charge from the engine alternator. We just stopped and I found my house batteries to be very low on charge. Last night the same issue happened but we had stopped earlier and we ran the generator for four hours and that charged the batteries for the night to run the heater through the night. (30 degrees last night) I have checked a bunch of fuses and found no problems. Workhouse chassis with 2 six volt interstate batteries in series for 12 volts. I do not have a meter with me right now to check things further.
Anyone else had this happen?
Thank you for your help.
2007 Winnebago Sightseer 35J
Workhorse
Towing 1995 Jeep Wrangler
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Jagtech
Alberta, Canada
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Perhaps the battery isolator has failed? That prevents your engine battery from draining down when using the coach batteries.
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CloudDriver
New Jersey Shore
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We had the same problem with our Minnie a couple of years ago. Called Winnebago Customer Service and they said it was probably the "Battery Mode Solenoid". I replaced it and problem resolved. Picture below (sorry about poor focus).
2003 Winnebago Minnie 24F - Ford E-450
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wny_pat
Western NYS
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Kurk,
Don't know where you are traveling at right now, but you probably had all your lights on, and the dash fan for the heater, and the radio, along with the other goodies that we don't even think about. If your coach batteries were low to begin with and your chassis battery maybe a bit low, your alternator (125 amp maybe) was probably working overtime to try to keep up with everything. You probably have to run the generator about 4 hours to bring the coach batteries up to 80%, and a lot longer to get them up to 100%. Check your battery fluid levels, both coach and chassis. Check each cell with a hydrometer to make sure they are up where they ought to be. And yes, check the battery isolator, but you should be able to tell if your coach batteries are charging, at least I can on my Allegro. Good luck. And I think your will have to run the generator to help charge those coach batteries. Give it about 4 hours before you stop for the night. Only uses about a gallon, or less, per hour.
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hotbyte
Barnesville GA
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Similar problem with our class C. I had to replace the solenoid (isolator). I used a Napa ST-85 solenoid as replacement and its working great. From what I learned here at rv.net, be sure to get a continous duty solenoid and not an intermittent duty one. A golf cart solenoid vs an auto starting solenoid is another way to look at it. Here's pic of the ST-85 I bought.
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2006 Yellowstone SE, 1998 Dodge Durango SLT 5.2L and 2002 Glastron GX205
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pianotuna
Regina, SK, Canada
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Hi Kurtswen,
Check the fuse for the charging circuit to the house batteries. Mine was a sixty amp fuse--and it was blown. The fuse was located under the hood.
kurtswen wrote:We are traveling and during the day when I expect the house batteries to be under charge from the engine alternator. We just stopped and I found my house batteries to be very low on charge. Last night the same issue happened but we had stopped earlier and we ran the generator for four hours and that charged the batteries for the night to run the heater through the night. (30 degrees last night) I have checked a bunch of fuses and found no problems. Workhouse chassis with 2 six volt interstate batteries in series for 12 volts. I do not have a meter with me right now to check things further.
Anyone else had this happen?
Thank you for your help.
Regards, Don
Kustom Koach Class C 28'5" 256 watts solar, 875 amp hours in two battery banks 12 volt batteries 2500 watt inverter.
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Rick-Texas
Texas
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I had the same problem, mine turned out to be the key switch wasnt turning on the contact.
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big dave
Soldotna, Alaska, USA
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A jumper cable between the pos. terminal of the starting battery and the pos. terminal of the house battery (or across the solenoid) could get you out of a bind. Just remember to remove it at nite, so you don't run the starting battery down.
Dave & Rose C
90 Safari Ivory 34' DP
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EmergencyNrse
San Diego, Ca
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hotbyte wrote:Similar problem with our class C. I had to replace the solenoid (isolator). I used a Napa ST-85 solenoid as replacement and its working great. From what I learned here at rv.net, be sure to get a continous duty solenoid and not an intermittent duty one. A golf cart solenoid vs an auto starting solenoid is another way to look at it. Here's pic of the ST-85 I bought.
So if there is no isolator installed on the circuit from alternator to House batteries should you install one?
Or do you interrupt the circuit from the engine batteries to the house batteries?
No solenoid is visible anywhere in the electrical pathway from front end to rear in mine...
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big dave
Soldotna, Alaska, USA
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EmergencyNrse wrote:hotbyte wrote:Similar problem with our class C. I had to replace the solenoid (isolator). I used a Napa ST-85 solenoid as replacement and its working great. From what I learned here at rv.net, be sure to get a continous duty solenoid and not an intermittent duty one. A golf cart solenoid vs an auto starting solenoid is another way to look at it. Here's pic of the ST-85 I bought.
So if there is no isolator installed on the circuit from alternator to House batteries should you install one?
Or do you interrupt the circuit from the engine batteries to the house batteries?
No solenoid is visible anywhere in the electrical pathway from front end to rear in mine... It has to have something to keep you from running your starting battery dead with your furnace at nite, and still charge it with the alternator. And yes, it goes between the batteries. (ties them together when the engine is running, and seperates them when it isn't).
* This post was
edited 11/03/09 02:17pm by big dave *
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