Battery Boost (Big-Boy)

[Jeff_S]

How is the Battery Boost button supposed to work? Pressing it in either direction produces no movement at the Big-Boy selenoid in the Batt compartment.

Then several months later while re-doing the batt cabling, the capacitor connected to the Big-Boy broke off on one side.

If I remember correctly, the Big-Boy connects to the Chassis batts on one side, and the house on the other side. Then there is a single white wire coming from under the frame rail that goes to one of the Fat-boy control terminals. The capacitor connects across the two control terminals.

Any help would be appreciated.

[Jeff_S]

How is the Battery Boost button supposed to work? Pressing it in either direction produces no movement at the Big-Boy selenoid in the Batt compartment.

Then several months later while re-doing the batt cabling, the capacitor connected to the Big-Boy broke off on one side.

If I remember correctly, the Big-Boy connects to the Chassis batts on one side, and the house on the other side. Then there is a single white wire coming from under the frame rail that goes to one of the Fat-boy control terminals. The capacitor connects across the two control terminals.

Any help would be appreciated.

[Stretch]

You r right that the big boy solenoid connects the two battery banks together to provide emergency power if either the cranking battery or the house batterys go dead. I dont understand what the capacitors are for. its a simple switch that connects both bank together or not.

[Jim A]

The capacitors are most likely there to prevent arcing.

[hrhuggie]

You got it right Jim

[Jeff_S]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Jeff S.:
How is the Battery Boost button supposed to work? Pressing it in either direction produces no movement at the Big-Boy selenoid in the Batt compartment. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>So does the dash Batt Boost switch toggle between chassis +12v, OFF and house +12v? If so, either battery bank could then power the Big-boy to close its contacts.

[Jim A]

Hugh,

I will have to print this page for posterity. Not often that I am right!!

[rmmpe]

OK. I give up.

In all my other Motorhomes the boost switch was in plain sight and readily accessible.

I've looked all over and cannot find the Parallel switch on the 1999 Alpine I just bought.

Also, just under the instrument cluster, to the right of the steering column, there is a panel having a switch for high idle and 2 what look like connector covers. What are they?

Any clues?
Or should I go get my glasses replaced?

[Jeff_S]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">I've looked all over and cannot find the Parallel switch on the 1999 Alpine I just bought.

... there is a panel having a switch for high idle and 2 what look like connector covers. What are they? </div></BLOCKQUOTE>On our 2000, the Battery Boost switch is in the line of switches to the left of the steering column (along w/ gen start).

On the right of the column below the dash is the idle toggle switch, the engine diag port (used for VMSpc) and another covered engine/trans/ABS port used for maintenance only.

But has anybody tried their Batt Boost switch since this topic was opened?

[rmmpe]

My Coach does not have the boost switch on the left side of the panel.Anyone else?

Thank you for the info about the diagnostic panel below the steering column. That's 1 thing that makes sense of it. However, when I toggle the fast idle switch.....Nada, Zero, Zip, Bupkus. Is it temperature sensitive?

[Jim A]

I have not tried my boost switch lately, but I did use it a couple of years ago, and it worked fine. Just like it is supposed to work. On my '04 the switch is on the dashboard to the left of the steering column.

[Jeff_S]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by rmmpe:
... when I toggle the fast idle switch.....Nada, Zero, Zip, Bupkus. Is it temperature sensitive? </div></BLOCKQUOTE>Pushing the fast idle toggle up raises the idle, at most 50 rpm each press, for maybe 800rpm max. Toggling down to return to normal idle. Don't know about it being temp sensitive.

[rmmpe]

The switch labeled as "High Idle" is a single-throw toggle type. Either up or down. Also, not a momentary toggle. That's what has me a bit confused.

If it were a push-button or momentary switch I couold probably figure it out.

I guess I'll have to go deeper into it after I pick it up.

Until then, I suppose there is not much sense in belaboring this forum with my consternation.

Regardless, thank you all for the responses. They have served to demonstrate I'm not as smart as I'd like to believe.

[gary85]

Having just read Bob's post I went out to look at the toogles by the diagnostic plug on my '99. There are 2 toggles. The one on the left is marked "Eng. Diagnostics" and has either on or off positions. The other, unlabeled, has an up, middle, and down positions. I was told by the previous owner that these switches were for maintainence(Cummins, etc.) and I have left them alone. As for fast idle, I use the cruise control - clicking it on increases the idle slightly. However, this is not progressive and only increases idle by approx. 100 rpms.

Battery Boost. I can't find anything relating to battery boost on this coach and don't think it had one in '99. Hopefully, someone can prove me wrong as I would like to have this feature.