Community Forums

cseidel2 · 12-31-2009, 07:47 AM

Does anyone have any idea who supplied the 12 volt distribution panel in the 99 Tropical on a F53 chassie. If so do you have a link or a phone number.

When the coach is plugged in I am only getting 12.8 volts to the house batterys. The converter is putting out 14.2 volts. When the engine is running I only get 13.0 volts to the house batterys even though the chassie battery is getting 14.1 volts. I have checked and cleaned all connections and nothing has changed. The only thing I can figure is I have a problem wiyh the 12 volt distribution panel. Any other ideas????

Thanks Chuck

wa8yxm · 12-31-2009, 09:33 AM

I seriously doubt it is the 12 volt distribution panel unless it is an old Magnetek 6300 or one like it

On the panel there will be a maker's name and/or model number (normallY) but the 12 volt panel is nothing more than a fuse block.. Unless it has an intergrated converter, it's just a fuse block, consists of a couple of brass or copper bars and some sockets for fuses.. Not much that can possibly go wrong with it.

cseidel2 · 12-31-2009, 10:40 AM

the Tropical has a very complex distribution panel that decides when to charge house and chassie batteries and houses a lot of circuitery. The name on the panel is RV Custom Products but nothing comes up on a internet search.

GaryKD · 12-31-2009, 10:49 AM

Hi Chuck,
Before doing any repairs, consider measuring the VDC input right at the distribution panel. Then measure the output, right at the distribution panel.

Rick Long · 12-31-2009, 11:07 AM

RV Custom Products is alive and well in souther Calif.

14000 Anson Ave.
Santa Fe Springs, CA. 90670
Phone: (562) 921-8353

Ask for Mary...
Teller her the board model you have in your BCC (Battery Control Center) and she will FAX.. and yes I said fax you over the info on ALL of their boards!!

Sorry but they do NOT have a web page... it would be soooo much easier if they did.

Your BCC should be under the hood, in a box of some type... here is a pic of a board. The red circle and arrow, highlight the Model and Rev number.

Note: Disregard the highlighted text except for the CAUTION... your relays may not be behind the board.
CLICK the picture to enlarge.

wa8yxm · 01-01-2010, 09:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cseidel2

the Tropical has a very complex distribution panel that decides when to charge house and chassie batteries and houses a lot of circuitery. The name on the panel is RV Custom Products but nothing comes up on a internet search.

Ah, that one is what I call a Battery Control Center.. It is not so much the distribution panel (Which is, as I said, nothing more than a fuse block) as it is the battery disconnect and control system. Mine is made by intelletech and is.. as you describe.

Now, it does have a "Distribution" (Fuse block) panel or two as part of it's contents.

But the distribution panel in my rig is about 20 feet to the rear of it.. I know.. I added fuses there.

This panel has nothign to do with charging voltages. as those are set by the converter.

However there are two or three things that can cause the lower voltage at the batteries you see.

One is if the batteries are DISCONNECTED, this may be by your mistake (and for the record has been by mine) or due to the failure of the battery control solenoid or it's control switch (yup, had that too)

The second is a 2 parter (a/b) that being a shorted cell on the battery, turning your 12 volt battery into a 10 volt.. Likewise very very very low batteries,, In these cases so much current is drawn that the difference is due to the wire loss.

The third, which is kind of related to the 2nd, is a poor connection (IE: Screw loose.. I'm fond of saying we RVers have a few screws loose.. The Metal kind not the Mental kind,,, though I won't arge on the latter) causing higher than normal resistance in the wires.

And that.. just about exhausts the suspects

On my coach this is what happened.

I pulled into a Flying-J and approached the propane pump (Cause I needed GAS, not Gasoline, well needed that too but later)

Hit the "STORE" side of the "use/store" (Battery disconnect) switch as this turns off the water heater, fridge, furnace and.. well, everything (Even air conditioner since it uses 12vdc for control) provided I don't have shore or generator power. Got a nice confirming CLUNK from the BCC under the hood.

Gassed up and pulled away from the pump.. Hit the "USE" side of the switch......

NOTHING

Switch had failed

I got the service manual from the manufacturer's support site, followed the trouble shoot, determined it was the switch, and fixed the switch.

I can tell you the easy way to trouble shoot that switch

Find the actual Battery Solenoid... Hook a test lamp across the two SMALL terminals

operate the switch If the light comes on in both USE and STORE positions.. Switch is working

IN my case it only came on in STORE.

Comes on both ways now.

cseidel2 · 01-01-2010, 09:59 AM

Thanks to everyone for their help and suggestions. It turned out the problem was the battery interconnect solenoid. Although it energized and closed normaly it was not making good contact across the main posts. Replaced with a ST85 from NAPA. Higher anperage and copper contacts that the original did not have. Everything works great now.

Chuck

dogiewal · 12-07-2011, 11:20 AM

How did you go about getting to that solenoied? Did you have to remove the PC board in front of it? Ugh. that must have been difficult. Was it? I have a sinilar problem with that solenoid. Wally G

michelb · 12-07-2011, 12:36 PM

What exactly does the interconnect solenoid look like or how is it identified and where is it? (I don't see anything like what I thought it would look like in the above picture) (sounds like I have the same symptoms but I'm not sure what to look for).

millers-cave · 12-07-2011, 02:04 PM

I changed mine in my 2000 National Dolphin last apring as the old one wasn't doing the job and went to the same Napa one that cseidel2 did. There sure a lot of wierd things happen when the relay or solonoid packs it in. I guess it is a part that is cheap from the beginning and that's the way it goes! Mine is located in the front right compartment along with the converter. Yes it takes a lot of patience to change it without taking the front circuit board off. Disconnest the batteries first, important! Then get out your little stool and tools and get at her, no special tools but it went a lot smoother than I thought it would. Have fun! Harry from Vancouver Island B.C. Canada.

garym114 · 12-07-2011, 02:29 PM

The solenoid looks like the pic below, example.
My interconnect solenoid is mounted behind the fuse panel circuit board. Before you start replacing it disconnect the chassis and coach battery ground cables.

michelb · 12-08-2011, 08:50 AM

Thanks for the info. As Gary detailed, it was behind the circuit board so I never even noticed it.

jlyon69 · 12-09-2011, 09:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dogiewal

How did you go about getting to that solenoied? Did you have to remove the PC board in front of it? Ugh. that must have been difficult. Was it? I have a sinilar problem with that solenoid. Wally G

A month or so ago I had to replace the PC Board. I called RV Custom Products to order one. I was told (as least in my case, 99 Dolphin) that I could only order the entire unit (Board, chassis battery solenoid and the battery disconnect and associated hardware/mounting unit ($325.00). I was told just to keep track of the wires and locations. As I disassembled I just drew a schematic as I went.

The entire process took about 1 1/2 hrs as I took my time. I had to remove the PB Board to disconnect all the connections, it was not difficult at all. If I had to change out a solenoid, I wouldn't even attempt to without removing the board.

LVJ58 · 12-09-2011, 09:49 AM

In our BCC, house and chassis disconnect solenoids as well as the Isolator solenoid is located behind the circuit board. Had to replace our isolator solenoid twice in 11 years.