Community Forums

gigamanx · 07-30-2015, 08:09 AM

Hi all,
I walked into my RV the other day to find the shore power had tripped the breaker in my house. I turned on the generator and saw I could get 110v power throughout the RV (lights turn on, power plugs work). Next, I pressed the little AUX switch that turns on the converter/inverter under the fridge. I hear the solanoid click on and the converter fan turns on. As soon as I let go of the switch, it turns back off. If I turn off the generator, all lights turn off but holding the switch in turns it all back on (I'm assuming running off house battery). The fridge also reports no AC when I'm connected to shore power or running under generator. I have confirmed that the multimeter shows I am not charging if the AUX switch is held in the on position which, in the past, would always show 13.2 or higher (charging)

What should I be troubleshooting? It looks like I have 110v through gen or shore power but can't switch to the house battery. Darn gremlins in my electrical system again!

BFlinn181 · 07-30-2015, 01:09 PM

Have you removed and cleaned all battery connections, including grounds? If the cables or not making good contact, the converter/charger might not be seeing the battery state of charge. You said, "lights turn on, power plugs work." but which lights? The 12 v overhead lights or the few 120 v lights in the RV? Which power plugs, 12 v lighter sockets or 120 v outlets?

gigamanx · 07-30-2015, 08:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BFlinn181

Have you removed and cleaned all battery connections, including grounds? If the cables or not making good contact, the converter/charger might not be seeing the battery state of charge. You said, "lights turn on, power plugs work." but which lights? The 12 v overhead lights or the few 120 v lights in the RV? Which power plugs, 12 v lighter sockets or 120 v outlets?

Great questions. I'll do some more digging this weekend. I do need to check grounds. Terminals and wiring look pretty clean on the house battery. I did throw it on an external trickle charger to make sure the house battery had juice.

Old Bounder · 07-31-2015, 09:33 AM

What "AUX" switch are you talking about?
The AUX START switch on the dash is a momentary switch and is designed to OPEN when you release it.
If you are talking about the AUX Battery Disconnect switch, located by the entry door, it should close a latching solenoid in the BCC that should remain energized when the switch is released. Pressing the TOP of the switch turns the house batteries ON and pressing the BOTTOM turns the house batteries OFF.

Something obviously happened to trip your house breaker, so I would trip, and then RESET, all the circuit breakers in the RV. This should reset everything.

More questions after you get the answers to these.

BFlinn181 · 07-31-2015, 09:54 AM

The OP said, "I pressed the little AUX switch that turns on the converter/inverter under the fridge. I hear the solanoid click on and the converter fan turns on. As soon as I let go of the switch, it turns back off." It too sounds like a momentary on switch that is supposed to signal a latching relay to connect. Something is then triggering the solenoid to shut off or the solenoid is bad. The location under the refrigerator would be consistent with a switch to control the converter/inverter(probably located under the refrigerator), not the battery isolation switch, usually near the entrance.

Old Bounder · 07-31-2015, 10:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BFlinn181

The OP said, "I pressed the little AUX switch that turns on the converter/inverter under the fridge. I hear the solanoid click on and the converter fan turns on. As soon as I let go of the switch, it turns back off." It too sounds like a momentary on switch that is supposed to signal a latching relay to connect. Something is then triggering the solenoid to shut off or the solenoid is bad. The location under the refrigerator would be consistent with a switch to control the converter/inverter(probably located under the refrigerator), not the battery isolation switch, usually near the entrance.

He didn't say the "switch" was under the fridge, he said it turned on the converter, which IS under the fridge. There is no such momentary switch used to turn ON the converter in a Fleetwood Pace Arrow. (it would have to be a user added mod)

If he is NOT meaning the House Battery Disconnect switch, then he most likely is pressing the Aux Start switch, which would close the isolator solenoid, bridging the house and chassis batteries, thus causing the chassis battery to supply voltage to the house lights and DC side of the converter. Again, the Pace did NOT come with an inverter/charger, so that too, would be a user mod.

More detailed, and accurate, info is definitely required............

gigamanx · 07-31-2015, 06:27 PM

Problem solved: You know what they say about assumptions!

I assumed the chassis battery had nothing to do with giving a signal to the solenoid when I turn on the AUX. I also had no trouble starting the RV earlier in troubleshooting. I charged the house battery and didn't solve the issue. Today, I checked the solenoid with a multimeter to test the ground and make sure I was seeing voltage. Low and behold, 11.6v. Not a good sign. I plugged my standalone charger into the chassis battery and tested the solenoid again...12.8v. Sweet! After about 2hrs of charging I checked the AUX on/off and voila it flicked right on. Now I feel dumb lol.

To answer the previous posters. Yes, it is the AUX battery disconnect switch to turn on/off house battery. There is no on/off switch for the converter which is located under a drawer that is under my fridge. The solenoid I mentioned clicking on and off is in the front engine compartment (F53 chassis) somewhere around the battery command center or in it.

Old Bounder · 07-31-2015, 07:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gigamanx

Problem solved: You know what they say about assumptions!

I assumed the chassis battery had nothing to do with giving a signal to the solenoid when I turn on the AUX. I also had no trouble starting the RV earlier in troubleshooting. I charged the house battery and didn't solve the issue. Today, I checked the solenoid with a multimeter to test the ground and make sure I was seeing voltage. Low and behold, 11.6v. Not a good sign. I plugged my standalone charger into the chassis battery and tested the solenoid again...12.8v. Sweet! After about 2hrs of charging I checked the AUX on/off and voila it flicked right on. Now I feel dumb lol.

To answer the previous posters. Yes, it is the AUX battery disconnect switch to turn on/off house battery. There is no on/off switch for the converter which is located under a drawer that is under my fridge. The solenoid I mentioned clicking on and off is in the front engine compartment (F53 chassis) somewhere around the battery command center or in it.

You should leave that AUX battery switch ON all the time unless you plan to store the coach for long periods without shore power. This will ensure that all batteries stay charged when shore power or generator are available.

If the chassis battery doesn't stay charged with this arrangement, you have a problem in the BCC, and we can help with that too.