Here's what I found. In the batter bay is my IRD and coil. It looks like my IRD failed.
That's what caused my alternator voltage to drop. The IRD failed and the frige was draining the house batteries. When the house batteries hit approx 11volts the IRD kicked it and put a big drain on the chassis batteries and the alternator. Once they charged up. Everything was fine. On my next trip I checked the house batteries voltage while the engine was running. They were not being charged.
I tested my booster switch. It activated the iso relay in the battery bay. What's strange is there is a AUX starter relay in my front bay under the driver seat on the big power board. I have no idea what that is for. It's labeled on the board aux starter relay. But the switch controls the one in the battery bay.
I ordered a diesel BIRD system today which I will install where the IRD is now. This way it should charge my batteries by alternator or inverter power. I checked the isolator relay and it seems to work fine. Does that sound like it will work?
I also was looking for the salesman relays. Any ideas where to look for them?
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Rick the relay you were looking at under your driver side compartment should be the salesman relay. Many people bypass that relay and a couple of people recently helped me bypass that relay on this forum about a month or little longer ago.
I'm thinking I'm having some similar problems as you but not as bad. My house batteries while under alternator power dot seem to be at 100% charge after a trip. I've never measured at my battery on the actual voltage. I always check using the digital dummy gauge in my control board.
I'll activate the salesman switch tomorrow and see if that's the relay that activates.
I'm really starting to understand the battery system and how it charges.
I think the BIRD system will work fine for charging while I'm driving and plugged in.
My house batteries are a year old. You may want to have them load checked before you go crazy, if they have some years on them. One bad cell can cause you a big enough drain to haunt you I think.
I'm also going to look into a 100 watt solar system. This way I'll have charging while parking without power. I'm not sure how it works with the BIRD. I'll see what kind if controller it has.
Thanks for your help
Rick
Glad you are figuring it out. These motorhomes seem like its never ending on the stuff you learn. The good thing is that there are a lot of smart people on this forum that have been there and done that. I don't know much about the bird but I know some that have tried it and change eventually to an echo charger instead. Not sure why but maybe the bird system fails too much?
As for the batteries, I don't load test them. I use an actual hydrometer which is much more accurate. The problem I'm having is that my control panel display will randomly start blinking every once in a while when plugged into shore power or running on genset. I won't go into detail and hijack this thread.
Glad you are figuring things out.
Rick the salesman switch is in the front run bay inside the large black box with fuses. On my coach it is in the center at the bottom of the printed circuit board everything is attached to. It will have two large terminals - one on each side with a large red cable attached. It will also have a smaller terminal with a purple wire attached to it. The purple wire is from the salesman switch by your entrance door which is labeled 'battery cut-off'. This relay is known to fail. Best thing to do is bypass it. In some coaches the large red cables were long enough that you could remove one from one side and connect it to the terminal on the other side of the relay. You can disconnect the purple wire and tape it up.
I don't think you can use the Bird system without lots of rewiring. How old are your batteries. It sounds like they were not full charged. If they are swelling on the sides, it is time to change them out. From your description I think your IRD was doing what is was designed to do.
In the 01 Diplomat the house batteries are NOT charged while driving. The chassis batteries are NOT charged when connected to shore power or from the generator. You need a battery maintainer for that.
Your fridge is wired to run of the inverter IF it is set for AC operation while you are driving. That will drain your house batteries a good bit depending on the length of time driving. Best to just run the fridge on LP when driving or dry camping and not use the inverter to power it.
I also heard good and bad about the BIRD. So I bought it. But I also bought a back up IRD and echo charger in case it doesn't work or breaks. I got my bases covered. I'm leaving on a 8 month trip out west and ill carry the spare parts.
I'm curious about your problem. Start a new thread if you want. I'd like to hear what's going on.
Rick
I also heard good and bad about the BIRD. So I bought it. But I also bought a back up IRD and echo charger in case it doesn't work or breaks. I got my bases covered. I'm leaving on a 8 month trip out west and ill carry the spare parts.
I'm curious about your problem. Start a new thread if you want. I'd like to hear what's going on.
Rick
Rick
Take suggestions and notes from Rex in the prior post. He is Very knowledgeable and that is an understatement. I think he has the same year coach as yours as well.
First thing I would do is take all the battery cables off one at a time and clean them shiny and new. Then follow any negative leads to the frame or tie points and clean and tighten them. Fix the obvious first. Fluctuating voltage is the obvious symptom.
I don't know when they started using chassis splices but there are a couple of them over the axel that have given some problems. I will find the pictures and add them.
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Certified Senior Electronic Technician, Telecommunications Engineer, Telecommunications repair Service Center Owner, Original owner HR 2008
I have seen many of your previous posts, Thanks for checking in.
I'll check on the salesman switch if the wires can be put on the same post. Great idea.
My house batteries are about 9 months old and my chassis batteries (bats) are 5 months old. I check their water level often.
I have an IRD in the battery compartment which was working. My house batteries were being charged when I drive by the alternator. I have checked that in the past. When parked with no power they sit around 12.5v on the inside panel by the door. While driving they would be at the 13.5v to 14.0v light level. I've run my refrig for 7 hours on the batteries while running and the voltage never came down.
However the house batteries do not charge when I have shore power. I've checked that several times.
From my reading the IRD is a uni- directional battery iOS relay controller. The BIRD is a bi-directional iOS relay controller. My understanding is it gets the chassis battery voltage from the ignition wire when it's on. It connects to the house battery to get its voltage. When the ignition is off and you are plugged in the inverter brings the house bats up to the 13.1v threshold and in 2 minutes closes the relay to keep the chassis bats charged.
When the ignition is on and motor running the alternator brings the ignition wire up to the 13.1v threshold and closes the relay and charges the house bats. You had mentioned extra wiring and circuits. What am I missing? Is that correct?
If the BIRD can't work then I could put a new IRD in that would charge my house bats while running and an echo charger in to charge the chassis bats while plugged in.
I will check the ground cables under my chassis before I do anything. I can understand the effects of a poor ground. Didn't think of that.
I just had another thought. Lets say I'm plugged in. My inverter is on and the IRD relay is closed. Thereby keeping the chassis bats charged. Then I start the rig while plugged in. Which I have done before. Now the alternator is also putting a charge on the batteries with the solenoid still closed since the IRD only senses the house bats. Never mind. I just answered my own question. When power is applied to the ignition wire the IRD opens the relay. Just figured that out.
I'm a little confused. You say my IRD is doing what it is suppose to. Then you say the house bats don't charge while driving and the chassis bats don't charge while plugged in. What exactly is the IRD doing? I'm thought the purpose of the IRD was to connect the batteries to keep both set charged while driving. Can you clarify?
Your help is really appreciated.
Thanks
Rick
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