Pace Arrow and the mystery of the banjaxed electrical

[twinboat]

After looking over your pictures, just to clear some things up, picture #1 shows a solenoid.
That is most likely the Boost / AUX start solenoid. It is typically, manually activated by a switch on the dash. You don't need that to work right now.

Picture #3 shows the isolator. It's the blue finned thing with 3 terminal posts on it.
The alternator output should come from the alternator to the center terminal of it. The other terminals will go to each battery, in effect splitting the charge to them.

If you have a charging problem, while the engine is running, you can temporary jump the center terminal of the isolator, to the one that feeds the chassis or start battery.

Google " Diode Isolator " and there should be some simple instructions to check it with an OHM meter.

Keep in mind while checking the wiring, if there was a tiny crack in the insulation, salt water would have gotten in and corroded the copper. Don't assume that electricity is making it thru any wire.

[computerguy]

Sometimes one really needs to think things through without rose colored glasses.
You purchased an RV not knowing much about them.
The RV doesn't run and the systems are FUBAR.
You don't have a multi meter and don't have a lot of money to throw at the problem.
My 2 cents is to walk away.
If you don't want that 2 cents then this will take a lot of time to diagnose each of the problems. And a ton more patience. Will most likely cost more than you paid for it.
Start with the biggest problem and go from there one problem at a time.
My guess is the batteries are dead at this point and why nothing works.
I agree with jrbuck2. Way too complex and way too many issues to get proper help from a forum.
Let us know how it progresses

[WallHaxx]

Originally Posted by twinboat

That looks like salt water damage your encountering. I'v seen it on boats.

Was this MH submerged during a weather event ?

God I hope not. There is a lot of corrosion on the frame, but I'm blaming Florida's ungodly humidity for that. She has been in the elements in an rv park for who knows how long, but there isn't much in the way of water damage in the interior (other than a few obvious places, window frames, AC, vents, etc but it's all minor). I think water may have been getting trapped in the tape around this bundle. I noticed some moisture while unwrapping it.

Originally Posted by SCVJeff

Looks like you'll be learning to crimp too..

Get a tube of Dielectric and squirt a dab in the new crimps you replace, or buy the proper size of heat shrink, and make sure it's adhesive lined.

I'll be getting new connectors, fuses, and some dielectric grease today. I may get some of those breaker fuses too.

Originally Posted by Dutch Star Don

Just eliminate the isolator if it's giving you issues.

Clean up as much of the crappy wiring and connections and then see what works. Whatever doesn't work, start chasing down by priority.

This is my plan. Since the current functionality of the isolator and charging systems is unknown, and since it seems the previous owners may have done something similar, I plan on manually isolating and charging the batteries separately with the intention of adding a manual isolator knob in the future.

If anyone has any info on how the converter AC to DC charging works, I would appreciate it. That's the part that's still eluding me. I also have a 12 volt solar panel that I have considered using as a maintainer, but I assume I need some kind of charge controller to not boil my cells. Any advice on that would also be great.

Thanks for all the help and encouragement.

[SCVJeff]

Mine was a 27Y and the converter was under the fridge. If I were you I would disconnect it and press on with the 12V before hanging that back on.

I would agree that there appears to have been salt in there, or it's been parked on a beach, allot. Usually don't see green corrosion without a little salt in the mix

[mojoracing]

Those old converters are as simple as they come. They receive a/c power from either a shore power connection (your cord) or the generator if you have one. They internally convert that a/c power into 12v dc and send it out to the batteries to charge them. Here is a basic diagram
https://www.google.com/url?sa=i&rct=...91991922874185

[WallHaxx]

Originally Posted by twinboat

That is most likely the Boost / AUX start solenoid. It is typically, manually activated by a switch on the dash. You don't need that to work right now.

I know, and I'm pretty sure it's not working. I have a manual battery disconnect that came with the RV that I plan to use as a manual emergency start switch

Picture #3 shows the isolator. It's the blue finned thing with 3 terminal posts on it.
The alternator output should come from the alternator to the center terminal of it. The other terminals will go to each battery, in effect splitting the charge to them.

If you have a charging problem, while the engine is running, you can temporary jump the center terminal of the isolator, to the one that feeds the chassis or start battery.

I know this too. The weird part is that one wire goes to a battery, and the other one follows the center wire to the alternator, splits in two, and then comes back out and up into the in-dash fuse block.
How can I check charging function? Start it, and probe the charge cable (that I know of) to the positive?

I'm learning all this as I go. I have a great capacity for learning from the internet and youtube, but I'm running out of time. I'm trying to get a mechanic to help me without blowing my wad. I'm very close to calling it good, but I need to get the fridge working and deal with this mystery ground fault.

Originally Posted by computerguy

"The RV doesn't run"
"You don't have a multi meter"

Actually, it does run and I do have a multimeter. I've managed to manually isolate the batteries and still get it to start and have DC power inside. My batteries are good (Just bought the starter battery), it's just the charging that I'm not sure about. The other big problem is that something on the chassis side DC is grounding to the frame. with nothing on and only the positive starter cable attached, I get over 12 volts between the ground cable and the negative pole. There are a bunch of wires stretched all over the engine and I found and fixed two wires that had been exposed BEFORE I discovered the leak, so I can only assume that there's another one somewhere. I just have to find it.

Originally Posted by SCVJeff

or it's been parked on a beach, allot.

It may have been. I really don't know. It was in Kissimmee when I got it.

Originally Posted by mojoracing

Those old converters are as simple as they come. They receive a/c power from either a shore power connection (your cord) or the generator if you have one. They internally convert that a/c power into 12v dc and send it out to the batteries to charge them. Here is a basic diagram
https://www.google.com/url?sa=i&rct=...91991922874185

I actually have that page open in another tab already. I understand the basics. It's just the specific wiring that eludes me. Does the converter charge the battery on the same wires that supply power FROM the battery TO the converter? How can I test if it works? Can I use generator power to do it?

[twinboat]

The weird part is that one wire goes to a battery, and the other one follows the center wire to the alternator, splits in two, and then comes back out and up into the in-dash fuse block.

They most likely cut the factory, alternator to starter wire, near the alternator, and extended both ends to the isolator. One to Alt. terminal and one to chassis or Batt 1 terminal.

I would look at all of the connections, in that circuit, if it's not charging from the alternator.

[Hgrace56]

The voltage you see between negative and chassis ground could just be return load of appliances.
Try pulling all fuses and turning potential loads off then test again.
If it is truly a short you will get a real spark when grounding the negative.
If it's just a gentle spark it could be some non fused load.

[WallHaxx]

Originally Posted by twinboat

if it's not charging from the alternator.

I'm not actually sure if It's not charging. I just can't make sense of how the charge get's back to the battery. How should I check? Just check the voltage, let it run for a few minutes and then check it again?

I also confirmed that the headlights and dash lights work on the isolated battery, but I have no tail lights. I found house wires running to the running lights along the side with direct connections to the batteries. They really borked this one up.

I'm making progress though. I will just stick battery powered bike lights on the back if I don't fix it before I move it. I plan on doing it around 3am to avoid as much traffic as possible.

[WallHaxx]

Originally Posted by Hgrace56

The voltage you see between negative and chassis ground could just be return load of appliances.
Try pulling all fuses and turning potential loads off then test again.
If it is truly a short you will get a real spark when grounding the negative.
If it's just a gentle spark it could be some non fused load.

Even if I have the house battery completely disconnected???

It is a fairly gentle spark though...

[Hgrace56]

Originally Posted by WallHaxx

Even if I have the house battery completely disconnected???

It is a fairly gentle spark though...

A gentle spark suggests some small draw or load and not a short.