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06-30-2018, 10:44 AM
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#1
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Senior Member
Winnebago Owners Club
Join Date: Jun 2016
Location: Doylestown, Ohio
Posts: 128
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Generator won't start - house batteries dead?
2006 Journey 36G. Generator won't start today - just clicks. Meter does not read ANY voltage on panel. I think we drained the house batteries somehow last night but it was connected to shore power all night and the surge unit shows both legs as having power. It went from clicking and not starting to nothing and then back to clicking after I ran the engine for 15 or so minutes. I am assuming house batteries are dead - dont understand how I would have killed them.. There is a switch is shutoff the inverter on the panel - if that was off would it keep the house batteries from charging while on shore power?
Second day owning our first coach and already questions.....
Thanks everyone!
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06-30-2018, 11:08 AM
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#2
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Senior Member
Ford Super Duty Owner
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: Buxton, North Dakota
Posts: 3,940
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Hold the Boost Switch on the dash while starting the generator. That will connect the chassis battery to the house batteries. Sounds like your converter/charger is off. On yours it may be a converter/charger with inverter. Verify that the converter/charger is on. Could be a breaker or fuse either in the main Power Panel or on the inverter.
__________________
2003 Winnebago Adventurer 38G F53/ V10 605 watts of Solar
1999 Winnebago Brave 35C F53V10 Handicap Equipped
1999 Jeep Cherokee, 1991 Jeep Wrangler Renegade and 2018 Chevrolet Equinox Diesel
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06-30-2018, 11:09 AM
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#3
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Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2017
Location: Sarnialabad, Peoples Republik of Canuckistan
Posts: 2,223
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If it's got a 3-way fridge (propane/AC/DC) and it was set to 12VDC overnight, that would hammer the batteries. It's possible the converter may not have been able to keep up with the demand.
__________________
2018 (2017 Sprinter Cab Chassis) Navion24V + 2016 Wrangler JKU (sold @ ????) - 2016 Sunstar 26HE (sold @ 4600 miles) - 2002 Roadtrek C190P (sold @ 315,000kms)
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06-30-2018, 11:31 AM
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#4
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2014
Posts: 35,317
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Don't say what brand of inverter, and if its a inverter/charger, but you may have turned off the charger portion of it.
Most inverter/chargers also have circuit breakers right on the unit. If they trip, you will get no charging. Worth a look.
Sent from my VS835 using iRV2 - RV Forum mobile app
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06-30-2018, 02:12 PM
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#5
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Senior Member
Winnebago Owners Club
Join Date: Jun 2016
Location: Doylestown, Ohio
Posts: 128
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Started Generator using AUX switch. I may have very well turned off the inverter - there are so many switches and buttons.. OMG!!! I spent an hour last nite figuring out how to turn the drivers side map light off - it was the dimmer / dash lights LOL!
Going to check on inverter and will post. It does have a switch on the control panel - inverter on/off labeled Dimension.. The switch is on..
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06-30-2018, 02:29 PM
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#6
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Senior Member
Gulf Streamers Club Ford Super Duty Owner
Join Date: Aug 2015
Location: Memphis, TN
Posts: 4,292
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INVERTER/ CONVERTER, confusing, huh? Well, we know a CONVERTER changes 120vac shoreline or GEN Power to 12-VDC and charges Battery/ ies; and no experience with INVERTERS, but know they can give (LIMITED) 120-VAC from Battery Power when Boon-docking without a shoreline. BUT, I have read that some are multi-function INVERTER/ CHARGERS, so turning it off may well have turned off the CHARGER.
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(TerryH.) 2000-GS Conquest Limited 6266 Class-C 99-E450SD V10
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06-30-2018, 02:55 PM
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#7
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Senior Member
Winnebago Owners Club
Join Date: Jun 2016
Location: Doylestown, Ohio
Posts: 128
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OK.. I'm reading the manuals now :-) Just read that the INVERTER switch is supposed to be OFF unless being used.. I had it ON - probably been discharging the batteries all night and all day...
It is a 2000 watt Inverter/Charger by Dimensions
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07-01-2018, 01:59 PM
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#8
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Senior Member
Winnebago Owners Club
Join Date: Jun 2016
Location: Doylestown, Ohio
Posts: 128
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I guess it will be back to the dealer while it is under the warranty... I replaced the house batteries with new group 31 batteries, cleaned all the terminals and still just rapid clicks when trying to start generator - unless I use the Aux switch to pull off the chassis batts - then it cranks right up.. I guess it could be a chassis ground but I'm not in the mood to crawl under the coach and I just bought it Friday (has a 30 day warranty plus a 5yr coach warranty)..
If you watch the batt voltage when you hit the gen start it pulls the voltage down to about 7.5 volts when it tries to turn it over - does that sound normal?
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07-01-2018, 02:27 PM
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#9
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Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2017
Location: Sarnialabad, Peoples Republik of Canuckistan
Posts: 2,223
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Quote:
Originally Posted by smp005
I guess it will be back to the dealer while it is under the warranty... I replaced the house batteries with new group 31 batteries, cleaned all the terminals and still just rapid clicks when trying to start generator - unless I use the Aux switch to pull off the chassis batts - then it cranks right up.. I guess it could be a chassis ground but I'm not in the mood to crawl under the coach and I just bought it Friday (has a 30 day warranty plus a 5yr coach warranty)..
If you watch the batt voltage when you hit the gen start it pulls the voltage down to about 7.5 volts when it tries to turn it over - does that sound normal?
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When you replaced the batteries, did you inspect the cables where they enter the clamps for corrosion? Sometimes (it's happened to me) they will start to corrode under the cable clamp portion of the battery clamp, and that will create connectivity problems. It's not always obvious when it happens. Remove the clamps from the battery posts, and give them a good pull or try to twist the cable with the clamp, to see if it gives at all. Or, if you've got the time remove them if they're this type.
https://www.alibaba.com/product-deta...402799991.html
Worth a try unless you've already scheduled a service appointment?
__________________
2018 (2017 Sprinter Cab Chassis) Navion24V + 2016 Wrangler JKU (sold @ ????) - 2016 Sunstar 26HE (sold @ 4600 miles) - 2002 Roadtrek C190P (sold @ 315,000kms)
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07-01-2018, 08:05 PM
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#10
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Senior Member
Winnebago Owners Club
Join Date: Jun 2016
Location: Doylestown, Ohio
Posts: 128
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So another update... The house batteries are fine - I simply have no power in the coach from the batteries - absolutely nothing on the gauge. When I was trying to start the genny it clicked when I was connected to shore power. If I disconnect from shore power then I have nothing at all..
Did I unknowing flip a disconnect somewhere or trip a breaker I cant find? When I have shore power connected I have lights, fridge, fan, water pump, etc.. but its not enough to turn over the genny.
It seems like there is a disconnected flipped somewhere...
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07-01-2018, 08:23 PM
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#11
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Senior Member
Winnebago Owners Club
Join Date: Jun 2016
Location: Doylestown, Ohio
Posts: 128
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OMG ... I’m an idiot!!!! So the “AUX BATT” switch on the dash is actually the "host battery disconnect"... Now who would not have known that ugh!!! and its a relay, not an on/off type switch - hit it once, relays disconnects batteries, hit it again and it turns them back on!!!
Amazing what happens when you read the manual LOL!!!
Thanks for everyone's input - it kept me digging :-)
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07-01-2018, 09:58 PM
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#12
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Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2010
Posts: 211
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btw you'll be replacing that pos Dimensions with something better soon...I used a Magnum...
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