Bounder: 1995 Fleetwood Bounder electrical issue

[butterfish]

Hi everyone. Thank you for reading. We have replaced our alternator and it seems to be working ok but when its at an idle the volt gauge drops and the check engine light comes on. I was told it might need an isolator. Does anyone know where to find this part and how to test it?

[mel s]

Originally Posted by butterfish

Hi everyone. Thank you for reading. We have replaced our alternator and it seems to be working ok but when its at an idle the volt gauge drops and the check engine light comes on. I was told it might need an isolator. Does anyone know how to test it?

butterfish
If yours is a solid state isolator see:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oqCUyJ2P3yI

[Old Bounder]

Originally Posted by mel s

butterfish
If yours is a solid state isolator see: (LINK)

The '95 Bounder does not use a diode based ISOLATER, it uses the RV-CP BCC with a solenoid isolater.

[twinboat]

Did someone with some experience in isolators tell you that ?

You can test your isolator but what your experencing is not isolator related.

An isolator simply splits and sends power to both, chassis and house, battery banks. If bad, the alternator would have nothing to charge.

At idle speed, the alternator will have a very low output. If you have one or more bad batteries, that could be dragging down your voltage.

You may just need to charge up all of the batteries, since I would guess you changed the alternator for a no charge condition.

You may also have some high amp items on, using more power then the alternator is capable of producing, at idle.

I would check the belt tension, turn off anything that don't need to be on and try it.

Next I would have the batteries tested.

[Old Bounder]

Originally Posted by butterfish

Hi everyone. Thank you for reading. We have replaced our alternator and it seems to be working ok but when its at an idle the volt gauge drops and the check engine light comes on. I was told it might need an isolator. Does anyone know where to find this part and how to test it?

Your Bounder already has an isolator as part of the BCC. The isolator relay (solenoid) is the same solenoid that connects the batteries together when you use the Aux Start/Boost switch to aid in starting the vehicle.

If that solenoid happened to be defective (always closed), and your house batteries are extremely under charged, there is a possibility of that putting such a load on the alternator that it might cause your indications, but that's highly unlikely.

A more likely scenario is that the chassis (starting) battery is going bad, or swimply undercharged, and drawing a lot of current in an attempt to charge. This would be very noticeable at idle.

Have the batteries tested and replaced if necessary.

[butterfish]

Thank you everyone who is reading and replying. So all 3 batteries are new and have been tested. I was told that the isolator when it goes bad can cause the batteries to drain. When we first start up the rv the belt squeals for a little bit but the belt does look fine. This is the second alternator this rv has had in a year so whatever the problem it is seeming to kill the alternator. From what I can find this is the isolator i think my rv has fwc.fl/plant91Files/014573.jpgeetwoodrv.com

[twinboat]

The link didn't help but if your isolator looks like this you may have the wrong alternator installed.

With isolators, not isolator solenoids, the alternator needs a specific style of control.

They are called Du-Vac Alternators.

Without the Du-Vac wire, the alternator will charge full output.

This over heats it and over stresses the belt. It will also overcharge your batteries.

A volt check on the batteries, while running, at high idle, will confirm over charging. Anything more than 14.8 volts is a strong indication.

You will probably need an old time alternator shop to figure it out.

[butterfish]

I called fleetwood to get the part number for the alternator. They had me call chevy with my vin number so the alternator should be right buy I'm not guaranteeing this. Here is the pic I was trying to post

[twinboat]

OK , that controls the solenoid style isolator. If it didn't work, your house batteries wouldn't charge with the engine running.

It connects the start battery, which is always charging from the alternator, to the house battery, when the engine battery reachs 13.4 volts or more. Sort of like using a jumper cable between the batteries.

You are back to adjusting the belt, it should NEVER squeal, and testing your batteries.

If the belt is a multi-rib and adjusted by an automatic tensioner, that may be bad.

[butterfish]

Ok. I talked to the husband. The belt's not bad and it doesn't have an automatic tensioner. Any other ideas? Someone suggested a bad ground could that be the case?

[butterfish]

Also I don't know if this provided any clues but when the voltage meter is on the batteries they are putting out 13 amp but the voltage gauge inside the coach only reads 10-12 amps

[House Husband]

butterfish, listen to what Old Bounder tells you. He is the most knowledgeable person on the forum, when it comes to the Battery Control Center and how the batteries are charged. The other posters don't have a clue how Your bounder works. Alternator belt squeal, on start up, is an indication of high alternator current output. Tighten the belt a little and that noise will go away.

Richard
95 Bounder

[butterfish]

I understand what you are saying about the belt. I will take it back to the mechanic tomorrow and see if it needs tightened. But would that cause the check engine light to come when at an idle? Maybe a little more background would help. We bought the rv this spring. The people we bought it from had just replaced all 3 batteries and the alternator last August. So a year later now we have just done the same steps they did (replaced all 3 batteries and alternator) Obviously 3 batteries and an alternator should not go bad in a year so there is a problem somewhere. I can't find an Rv mechanic in my area so this is where we are. We are afraid to drive the RV because of not knowing if we are going to lose all power again. Last time we only made it 5 miles from home when it died. I am just about to give up and sell the thing on craigslist which is really sad as we've only had it 5 months.

[mel s]

Originally Posted by RLS7201

butterfish, listen to what Old Bounder tells you. He is the most knowledgeable person on the forum, when it comes to the Battery Control Center and how the batteries are charged. The other posters don't have a clue how Your bounder works.
Richard
95 Bounder

Originally Posted by butterfish

I understand what you are saying about the belt. I will take it back to the mechanic tomorrow and see if it needs tightened. But would that cause the check engine light to come when at an idle? Maybe a little more background would help. We bought the rv this spring. The people we bought it from had just replaced all 3 batteries and the alternator last August. So a year later now we have just done the same steps they did (replaced all 3 batteries and alternator) Obviously 3 batteries and an alternator should not go bad in a year so there is a problem somewhere. I can't find an Rv mechanic in my area so this is where we are. We are afraid to drive the RV because of not knowing if we are going to lose all power again. Last time we only made it 5 miles from home when it died. I am just about to give up and sell the thing on craigslist which is really sad as we've only had it 5 months.

butterfish
Methinks either the alternator you have is not compatible with the Intelletic Battery Isolator Controller in your coach.... or someone wired something incorrectly.

(However since I'm one of those "other posters don't have a clue how Your bounder works" I must be wrong).

Mel
'96 Safari