Community Forums

dshogman · 07-14-2008, 07:12 AM

Above the batteries on the '05 MD.
After seeing the post on swollen batteries, decided it was the right time of year to check on mine - all sealed - and hose off everything. Noticed this large box when I took the battery cover off, attached vertically to the frame above the batteries. It has small wingnuts on it so I guess the cover is meant to come off. Being a non-mechanical type, I hesitate to take things apart when I don't know what I'll find. Couldn't locate anything on the schematics to answer my question.
So, all you mechanical types, what's in the box??
Thanks.

dshogman · 07-14-2008, 07:12 AM

Above the batteries on the '05 MD.
After seeing the post on swollen batteries, decided it was the right time of year to check on mine - all sealed - and hose off everything. Noticed this large box when I took the battery cover off, attached vertically to the frame above the batteries. It has small wingnuts on it so I guess the cover is meant to come off. Being a non-mechanical type, I hesitate to take things apart when I don't know what I'll find. Couldn't locate anything on the schematics to answer my question.
So, all you mechanical types, what's in the box??
Thanks.

Mike & Mike · 07-14-2008, 02:30 PM

David,

There are a bunch of fuses in there as well as some 12 volt cabling. You might want to take good note of the list (on the inside of the wing-nutted cover) of fuses as it could help you later. Maybe even photograph the paper list.

For instance: one time I had an engine problem and the tech wanted to use the engine diagnostic port to attach to his computer but he wasn't getting any readings from either the front or the rear port. At the same time, the cigarette lighter port on the dash (power point outlet for 12V accessories) was without voltage. I phoned WRV and they told me to turn off the master switches for 1 minute and then turn them back on and that'd reset the Vansco units and power up everything again. WRV told me that there was no fuse for the cigarette lighter outlet on the dash. But, the box you mention does have a fuse that controls both the cig. lighter and the engine diagnostic port. So, I paid about a half hour of tech time to determine that I had a blown fuse! Once the fuse was replaced, the diagnostic ports worked properly.

Good luck,

Ted III · 07-15-2008, 02:33 AM

David H. Where is the black box? Is it on the back wall as you open the hatch? Do you look directly at it? If so it should have a solenoid for the house batteries and the chassis batteries. It controls what batteries get charged when. The house batteries get charged first & the chassis second. The voltage from the house batteries dictates to the solenoid when they are charged enough and switches to the chassis batteries.

dshogman · 07-15-2008, 05:06 AM

Thanks Mike & Ted - I think I see the connection with another "unknown" from when I got the coach last year - one of those labels that shows what's below/behind - it was just lying in one of the drawers, and it hasn't moved until I just got it out of the drawer, since I could never find a fuse block that wasn't already labeled. It's labeled with a WRV number and "Fuse Block Label". On the left side of the label is a large box labeled Ignition Relay, and the middle and right side shows fuses and their locations. Perhaps this belongs on the box, looks like there used to be label on the front of the box, just about the right size. I will open the box and take a few pictures today to see if this is the label for the box.
Thanks again.