12volt House Problems

[jeepsrule]

I have read the previous posts on this subject and have a few more questions. The 12volt died the other day while I was away and my wife, quite expertly, checked all the breakers, campground power post, inverter breakers, etc. No problems, 120 power worked fine, but no 12volt. I had her play with the 12v house switch on the dash by the door and it had no red light on. After messing with it off and on a few times the 12v came back on. I'm guessing from all the posts that I'm starting to have trouble with the solenoid, but the red light is still not on, on the house switch.

Please share any thoughts you have on this:

1. Could it be a problem with the switch? I can't get it to duplicate the problem and volts seem fine everywhere I check.

2. Solenoid? If so I like the Blue Sea Systems solenoid but that creates more questions.
The current solenoid has more equipment attached to it than the Blue Sea's will handle. See picture of current below.

3. If you used the Blue Sea Solenoid what did you do with the rest?
4. See picture is empty fuse holder on the left side of solenoid a problem?



http://www.irv2.com/forums/attachmen...1&d=1299601030

[Mike Canter]

Not sure about what you mean by more equipment attached. You have three tereminals on the solenoid. The small one is what the switch sends 12 volts to so the solenoid energizes. One of the big terminals is for the main 12 volts in and the other one is the main 12 volts out. If the solenoid fails then first disconnect the negative from your house battery so the system does not have 12 volts on it. Now undo the nut on the right hand large terminal and move that large red cable over to the other large terminal. Now the solenoid is bypassed. Connect the negative back up on the battery and you will have 12 volt power.

If the cables will not reach from one side to the other then go to a loacl auto parts store and buy a short 12 volt battery cable that has lugs on both ends and use it as a jumper from one side to another.

[jeepsrule]

What I meant in my questions was the solenoid mentioned in earlier posts was the one below. It does not seem to have the same type of connections as the original. How did those of you who used it, connect to it? Or are we not seeing all the terminals in this picture?

http://www.irv2.com/forums/attachmen...1&d=1299677382

[Mike Canter]

What is hard to see is the small terminal in the middle. You can barely see the top of it. Take a look here
L-Series Solenoid Switches - Blue Sea Systems

I can see all three of the same terminals that you have.

[Mike Canter]

Let me add something I just found out. The Blue Sea L-Solenoid has two small terminals vice the one in your picture from the MH. What this means is that you have to run a small ground wire to a ground point. Since the solenoid currently in the motorhome doesn't have this second small terminal means that it is grounded via some other lug. All you would have to do is hook that small terminal on the Blue Sea to that same ground lug.

[jeepsrule]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mike Canter Let me add something I just found out. The Blue Sea L-Solenoid has two small terminals vice the one in your picture from the MH. What this means is that you have to run a small ground wire to a ground point. Since the solenoid currently in the motorhome doesn't have this second small terminal means that it is grounded via some other lug. All you would have to do is hook that small terminal on the Blue Sea to that same ground lug.

Ah thanks Mike that makes it simple.