Community Forums

dick skeers · 03-20-2011, 06:15 PM

After dry camping for a few days at the recent Desert Rat Rally, when i turned on the ignition key to leave, absolutely nothing happened. i checked my engine batteries and they seemed charged so i hit the crossover switch and it fired right up. and then being curious (especially with so much qualified help nearby) i shut it off. then it started again right away with the normal ignition switch, w/o using the crossover. it has since reocurred once. somewhere in the sequence i hear a switch open or close behind the dash. any ideas?

'04 Alpine 36fds

Renipladlo · 03-20-2011, 08:10 PM

Check for lose connections under the dash, and then report back unless someone else has a better idea. Lose connections can be there, the battery connections, the solenoids PS Rear in the rear compartment. Hope this helps.

wa8yxm · 03-21-2011, 10:53 AM

I have to clean the battery connections every couple of years on my coach.. Seems the used the wrong metal on one of them so it gets all nasty and has to be cleaned and polished.

kraig · 03-21-2011, 11:38 PM

I am assuming your batteries tested ok. To me, it sounds like it could be the starter solenoid, right behind the battery compartment. When you turn the key for the starter, the small wire energizes the solenoid. The solenoid can be intermittent, not working sometimes and works other times. You have voltage coming into the solenoid, then when you turn the starter switch on, it energizes and goes to the starter. If you have problem starting, have someone is back there, your can hear and feel it clicking. You can check the small stud and see if you are getting voltage to it. If it is not working you can also bypass it by touching a wire between the two large studs. You do have make sure the key is in the run position. It is not expensive and easy to replace. If it were me, I would just replace the solenoid.

If that is working fine, It could be your starter solenoid (mounted to top of the starter). They can be intermittent too.

Renipladlo · 03-23-2011, 11:38 AM

All - I don't know for sure if it affects all the coaches, but at DRR-X one pre-starter solenoid failed, would not release and the starter motor ran for 15 minutes. It almost caused a fire, because you cannot hear that motor run if you are in the cockpit.

We had some electrical issues last year in Branson, MO, and I checked the tightness on those units, some were lose. I cleaned them all off, and replaced them back, with some electrical grease on them to keep them from corroding. So far, no repeat issues we were having.