Cruisers Forum
Main Forum => General Discussion => Topic started by: bgolden on March 20, 2011, 05:25:03 pm
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:help
During this past cold and snowy winter my coach battery continued to go dead on me. I would start the MH every 2 weeks, and at times the battery was dead. I checked the water level, filled as needed. Yet the problem still occurred.
My neighbor and I did all we could to locate anything drawing juice. I tried to jump it from the house batteries, but nothing happened. When I pressed the emergency start switch I would get one click, and then nothing at all.
When I attached my battery jump box to the battery, it started without fail. I let the engine run for 30 minutes or better.
To make this story short. Each time that I tried to use my emergency start switch it failed to work.
I pulled the switch off and put a 12v tester on the 2 wires. Both wires were LIVE.
So my question is.......Are Both Wires Supposed To Be Live?
I have disconnected the switch, taped the wire ends for now.
Any help will be greatly appreciated.
Bill Golden
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I'm a new owner here, but on my walk-thru I was told that that emergency start switch on the dash was to be turned on and left for about 30 minutes before it would be able to work with the engine battery to start the vehicle motor. I stress that I am NEW to this, but thought I'd offer you what I could on the subject.
Glenn
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You said the factory told you to leave the switch on for 30 minutes. The switch on my 2010 2350 doesn't stay on. It springs back when I release it. I wonder if I have a defective switch, or is that the way they're supposed to work?
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I had the 'emergency start' switch on 7 motorhomes and they were all momentary.
You only need to press the switch, which energizes a solenoid paralleling chassis & house batteries, long enough to start the engine.
It is a momentary switch in all cases I know of.
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I agree. When I have used them in the past, I just held the switch down and turned the key at at the same time. I have not tried the switch on my Phoenix, but made a note to do just that. In any case it does sound like you chasis battery is starting to go. For the few bucks they cost I would switch it out before spring camping.
David
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tymote
Thanks to all for your replies.....
It seem like I have a bad isolator switch (solenoid) between the switch and the battery. It is stuck in an open position and current is by pasiing the interior switch.
I will replace it before hitting the road'
Thanks again
Bill Golden
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Bill,
As best I know, both sides of the Solenoid switch contacts will be hot (one cable goes to the positive terminal of the Chassis battery and the other cable to the positive terminal of the House batteries). When the solenoid actuates (closes), it parallels the positive terminals of the Chassis and House batteries. The negative terminals of the batteries are connected directly to the Chassis, which is a common ground.
The dash switch, on the other hand, will have only one hot side (usually from the House batteries) when in it’s normal position. The cold side of the dash switch goes to the coil of the Solenoid switch and will actuate (close) the Solenoid switch when the dash switch is closed, paralleling the Chassis and House batteries.
Note: when using jumpers, most people connect them to the terminals of the battery, not the battery posts themselves. This method, in fact, simply bypasses the “dead” battery with the battery used for jumping. It does nothing to prove the terminals are secure.
If it were I, before doing anything else, I'd check the connections to the Chassis battery, especially the Negative terminal. If the terminals are not truly secure, using the "E" start switch will not help much. If this proves true, there's a very good chance the Chassis battery is not be getting a complete charge.
Suggestion: the next time this happens, open the hood and twist the connections while pushing them down hard. Then first try to start it just using the Chassis battery. If the Chassis battery won't do it alone, then try using the "E" start switch to bring the House batteries on line.
Let us know what happens.
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Bill, call Kermit at the factory, he will know. All this is good advice, but Kermit will know what you need to check.
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Another vote for calling Kermit. The man has a superabundance of knowledge.
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:-D Problem Solved, Easy Fix
It turns out to be a bad circuit breaker located below the coolant tank.
This breaker is between the dashboard switch and the isolator.
The circuit breaker is exposed to weather....... snow, rain etc.
New England weather can do crazy things to a vehicle.
I sprayed the replacement with silicone, but am hoping to come up with some type of protective covering for it
Thanks to all for your replies
Bill Golden 2o2
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OK Bill how did you find that circuit breaker? Did you call Kermit?
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No Tom
My neighbor, a retired Truck Mechanic spent some time with testers and found the problem.
Cost for part was $13.00 Labor Cost Lunch.
Bill Golden :)(: