Electrical Problems

[JFreitas]

Hi and Happy New Year. I’m in Scottsdale AZ at an RV park and a neighbor of mine has two electrical problems. He has a 2002 Gulf Stream Sun Voyager 80,000 miles on a W-22.

Problem 1. Inside lights are dim, heater fans don’t work. He tapped on the IOTA Model ITS-50A transfer switch and everything worked for a day.
Gen will not start with coach batt. Start coach engine everything works and the Gen will start. Checked coach batts and they are weak. Charging coach batt now to see if they will hold a charge.

I think that the transfer switch may be bad and not charging batt.

Problem 2. Blower for AC, heater power mirrors and overhead fans work interminably while driving hits a bump everything works hit another bump all goes bad.

Ground problem? If so where is the chassis ground located or could it be a ground under the dash?

I'm also posting this in the Workhorse forum.

[DriVer]

Quote:

Originally Posted by JFreitas Hi and Happy New Year. I’m in Scottsdale AZ at an RV park and a neighbor of mine has two electrical problems. He has a 2002 Gulf Stream Sun Voyager 80,000 miles on a W-22..

My vote is that you have bad coach batteries. 1 of the batteries could have a shorted cell and the bank may not be able to retain a charge.

What is the status of the LED on the IQ Smart Charge Controller ? Is it rapidly blinking, slowly blinking or steady?

[JFreitas]

Quote:

Originally Posted by DriVer My vote is that you have bad coach batteries. 1 of the batteries could have a shorted cell and the bank may not be able to retain a charge. What is the status of the LED on the IQ Smart Charge Controller ? Is it rapidly blinking, slowly blinking or steady?

He has a inteli power 9100. Where would the IQ smart Controller be located?

[DriVer]

Quote:

Originally Posted by JFreitas He has a inteli power 9100. Where would the IQ smart Controller be located?

OK, I'm sorry, I'm on the wrong page. I have an Iota Converter Charger that uses the IQ Smart Controller.

The DLS-55 Power Converter/Battery Charger from IOTA Engineering

The Smart Charge Controller allows you to monitor the charging output to the batteries and yields a status via an LED.

[RV Wizard]

I would recommend you (or your neighbor) start at the transfer switch, verifying the wiring connections are clean and tight. Measure voltage on the load side to verify current is sent into the coach. If not then repair or replace the transfer switch. Once you get good power into the coach check to be sure the converter/charger is charging the house battery bank. Let us know what you find.

[MasterTech]

• First of all you have a ground problem.
• On your battery on the negative side you have the big black ground cble then you see the smaller body feed wire. If the body feed wire terminal is corroded or loose it can cause didm lights.
• Also I unerstand you did not have the problem till you hooked up the extra circuit. At that point your new circuit shared the total voltage for that circuit (Voltage drop. This tells ne that circuit is series. I dont know how much you know about electrical.
• I am new to this site but if you get no results I will watch. and try to post some documents that may help you.
• Also go to you tube and in search type RV grounds and see your results and play and learn. You will like it. You tube is a great resource. Also wikapedia

[MasterTech]

* I am in agreement with RV Wizard.
* It is critical to all electrical you have a good ground path.
* I would put me a ground strap from the transmission mounting bolt to the frame. Make sure contact points are Clean.

Since you tap on the transfer switch and all works god for the day it appears you may have your source of the problem. Electrical connections must be tight and clean otherwise there will be high resistance which meets problems.

Note with engines running use a multi meter and measure the voltage at around 1500 rpm or so. 1500 rpm is max alternator output. If the + to - reads 13.8 to 15.8 volts the voltage regulator is functioning and batterie are charging. If you multimeter has min/max function. Hook meter up start engine the turn it off. Hit min the read, Hit max then read this will give to cranking amps. One of the test when looking at battery,charging starting system test.

Good info but back to source transfer switch is hit then functions for a day. Seems problem located.

[JFreitas]

thats what he is leaning toward. He found xfer sw and is going to order it.

[texastimbers2]

1998 gulf stream on ford chassis w/460. 34ft, Where is the converter/charger located at.

[wa8yxm]

Well. the transfer switch may or may not be bad but it does not charge the batteries.

The converter does that.

However. that said, the transfer switch DOES provide power to the converter.

At the circuit breaker box, with ye-old multi-meter set to AC-Volts at least 150 range.

Measure from the white wire bus to each of the circuit breakers

If half of them are dead, INDLUCING one of the MAIN breakers (Ganged breakers) or if all of them are dead, including both of the ganged main breakers, The Transfer switch and all the wires from the breaker box, to the transfer switch to the park pedestal and yes, the pedestal itself are all suspect.


if you get power on all breakers.. UNPLUG, tehn attack all screws in the breaker box with screwdrivers.. Many RVers have a few screws loose, Generally in this box. One of mine took in excess of two full turns to tighten it down when I did mine.

Then go looking for the converter, Since you have an IOTA transfer switch.. Odds are you ahve an IOTA converter.. These are very good converters generally but like all things made by man.. They can fail.

[jim and di]

Problem number 2

I had this problem, turns out it was the circuit breaker. Its in the first compartment under the driver. If the trip button has something leaning against it it will push enough to break the circuit. Trip it and reset and keep things away.
Jim