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BillHoughton
West of the Mississippi
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Two questions on our 2007 Itasca Navion. I've asked these questions of Winnebago Friday, and will surely hear back next week, but I'll appreciate hearing from the brain trust here, too. Later edit: I talked with a Winnebago rep yesterday and got some good advice; and then learned some more by inspecting the RV. I'm posting what I learned here as a reply down below, for the use of future folks with these issues.
Fridge oops and testing: at the end of a camping trip recently, I accidentally left the fridge (Norcold NS series) on, running on propane (even left the propane valve open), while parking twice, for periods of 20 minutes or so each time, at front-to-back angles for the RV of more than two degrees - probably more like five, although I didn’t look. The manual calls for side-to-side tolerances for the fridge (and thus front-to-back for the RV) of two degrees. As soon as we realized the problem, we pulled over and turned off the fridge and propane.
The RV is now parked in its level parking spot. Can I safely test whether I fried the refrigerator by turning it on to run on propane for several days? Are there tests I can perform/components I can examine to determine whether I broke it?
Boost relay: This relay connects the house battery to the motor battery, to jump-start the RV if the motor battery’s gone flat. It hasn’t worked since we bought the RV used; I can hear it “hit” somewhere near the cab when I sit in the driver’s seat and toggle the dash switch, but I’m not clear that it’s connecting the two batteries.
I thought having one of those boost packs would make repairing this unnecessary; but the battery went bad recently (at home, yay!), and I found that Mercedes, and the battery manufacturer, make it almost impossible to get alligator clamps on the battery terminals. So fixing the boost relay is now on the “must do” list.
The parts manual, often helpful here, doesn’t call anything a boost relay, as best I can tell. There’s a part, #008188-01-000, that looks like it might be the part, from the drawing; but the manual doesn’t show the location.
So, to test it, I have to find it first; any ideas where it is?
I think I know how to test it for function: trace the cable from the house battery to the relay, then pull the battery-size cable from the other terminal and activate the relay; I should find voltage on the "out" terminal when it's engaged. If not, it's relay replacement time. If the relay's OK, I then trace the cable from the relay to the motor battery and run the same test, with the cable disconnected from the motor battery. If that's not showing voltage, the cable's bad. Yes?
* This post was
edited 10/25/22 02:39pm by BillHoughton *
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MDKMDK
Free(er), for now, until the next "variant"
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Sometimes the relay will be located under the passenger side seat, which is relatively close to the coach batteries, if they're located under the side entry steps. The 2007 Navion Operator Manual calls it the "Battery Boost Switch". I don't know what the parts manual calls it.
Is the fridge a Dometic 3-way? (AC, DC, LPG)? Odds are it's fine, and you can test it any way you want. Just keep an eye on it, in case there is a problem.
I had a 3-way in my Roadtrek and we were rarely 2 degrees from level, and it ran like that for years. I think they're pretty forgiving for that, like the Shurflo water pumps are for running dry for hours. They're bulletproof, too.
Mike. Comments are anecdotal or personal opinions, and worth what you paid for them.
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Ed_Gee
Central Oregon coast
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Technically, that relay is called a solenoid. It should likely be silver in color, cylindrical in shape, and have two large terminal posts on opposite sides and a smaller terminal post ( switching control ) in the middle. It should also be providing a path when the engine is running for the alternator to charge your house batteries as well as being a path for the engine battery boost feature.
Ed - on the Central Oregon coast
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BillHoughton
West of the Mississippi
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MDKMDK wrote:Is the fridge a Dometic 3-way?
No, Norcold NS series.
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TenOC
On the road -- Full time
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BillHoughton wrote:
The RV is now parked in its level parking spot. Can I safely test whether I fried the refrigerator by turning it on to run on propane for several days? Are there tests I can perform/components I can examine to determine whether I broke it?
Test it what is the worst thing that can happen? IMO it should still work.
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StarkNaked
West Seattle, WA
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Fridge oops - Can you smell ammonia, or see yellow stains anywhere inside fridge or in the compartment on rear of fridge?
While the smell of ammonia is oftentimes enough to alert your senses that something is off, there is something else you can look out for: yellow staining near the refrigerator. If you notice yellow coming from your refrigerator and yellow stains begin to appear in and around your fridge, it is pointing to a likely ammonia leak.
If you have a leak, you will need a replacement.
https://www.rvtravel.com/rv-leaking-ammonia-1918/
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CloudDriver
New Jersey Shore
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Go to this link at Winnebago.
https://www.winnebago.com/owners/owner-resources/guides-and-diagrams
Scroll down to Wiring Diagrams then select your year and Itasca model. Find the diagram that shows the "Battery Mode Solenoid", which is what Winnebago calls the solenoid that connects the House and Chassis batteries when the ignition switch is on.
2003 Winnebago Minnie 24F - Ford E-450">
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bobndot
USA
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Have another person repeatedly push the switch and you listen to where the solenoid is clicking.
Its usually near the house batteries in a protected area out of the weather. It might be behind a plate with screws. A wire may be loose from bouncing down the road not allowing the house bank to fire up the starter.
You might also have a BIM that might be bad. Don’t worry, a BIM is not a medical condition , its a Battery Isolation Manager. Sometimes looks like a black box the size of a pack of cigarette's located near that emergency solenoid. If you don’t have a BIM you can add one.
Its the brain the directs current between the batteries. Some brands are junk others are better. If you have one , it should be wired to control the charging of the house and vehicle batteries be it while driving, parked while plugged into shore power or generator. The BIM flip flops the current between the batteries to reduce the load from the alternator.
If you add a solar panel, that will also keep all batteries charged through the BIM while parked. Hopefully then, you’ll never need that emergency switch bc your batteries should stay charged if you have solar. You only need one panel to keep it all topped off. I use a single 100w panel for 3 sometimes 4 grp 27’s.
Fridge should be ok. I have done the same a lot more often than 2x for 20 mins. An NR model too. Turn it on for 8 hrs with a thermometer inside. See if it reaches a satisfiable temp in the fridge and freezer.
The gas must flow thru the fridge tubes. When parked off level the gas can crystalize inside the tubes eventually building up causing a blockage. Over time bc of off level use, the fridge will not run as cold as when new.
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Grit dog
Black Diamond, WA
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There’s nothing wrong with the fridge and you can stop fretting that.
You’re mis interpreting something with the fridge angles.
Re-research the reccomended max operational angles and also understand which direction is which. Also makes no difference what “mode” the fridge is operating under.
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Grit dog
Black Diamond, WA
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Maybe you have side to side and front to back correct. I can’t believe you just shut the fridge off at that point and never turned it back on.
Just go turn it on. It will work. And then you can sleep better.
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