Chassis electric and diesel shut off.

[CoryP]

Hello.

Last night on our way out of town, my RV just shut off while driving. All 12v was off. No diesel. No lights. No flashers. Nothing for the chassis. Our generator and inverter all still worked. I got it pulled over and checked to see if all the batteries where tight and everything visually looked good. Even my salesman switch clicked on and off which will stop the generator and inverter. About 5 minutes goes by and the power came back on. So i fired up the diesel and tried to figure out where we could turn around and head back home. We where in the mountains on US60 near Payson, AZ. We made it about another 15 minutes of driving and it shut down again. This time we sat for 30+ minutes until it would reenergize. Started driving again, made it almost home then it shut down again. This time it didn't come back on for 2hrs. Made it home. But not sure it will make it to Rocky Mountain Cummins which is on the other side of Phoenix.

My dash lights never came on and the volt meter was between 14-16 volts.

My coach is a 2000 Monaco Windsor w/ 8.3l Cummins.

Any ideas on what to look for?

Also this morning it fired right up.


Thank you,

Cory P.

[slickest1]

I would check in your rear electrical compartment (pass side) there are some breakers in there that may be suspect. Sounds like a breaker clicking off and after cooling resets. They should all be labeled and if I remember right there is 1 or more labeled ignition circut. If your engine is running something in there will probably be getting hot and that will be the problem.

[distaff]

The diesel and all the chassis lights will work with the batteries cut off once it is started. The lights will work if the starter solenoid on the main chassis panel (on mine this is in front of the drivers side front wheel).

I don't have better info to offer, but I can help you eliminate those two.

[ahicks]

I have no particular knowledge of that coach, but it seems to me like with all of those different systems shutting down at once, about the only thing they might all have in common would be a grounding problem(s)? That's where I'd start anyway....

[pcarrell]

Cory; Check the chassis battery cutoff switch. My '04 had one that brke inside. They are made out of plastic and not very durable.

[distaff]

You can check it, but I have a relay solenoid on my Beaver that fails intermittently. Since Monaco was out of business at the time I wired in a cutoff at the ignition relay because the engine would happily keep running with the batteries cut off.

It does not sound like it is the cutoff switch as his engine quit. The diesel should generate plenty of electricity to run the injectors with the just the alternator.

[pcarrell]

Paul; Mine did exactly as he said. Finally found bad switch and took it out and wired the cables together no more problems for 2 years,

[mahon1993]

I would look at the chassis disconnect switch. My 2000 Dip has the kind with a rotary knob. Loose connections or maybe bad contacts could do it. Take the switch off and look at the connections in back. CAREFULL!! Don't let the cables touch ground there is a lot of amps there. The other possibility could be a bad ground cable connection.
Greg

[RJay]

Could it be your chassis battery is not being charged, or charged enough, by the alternator?

[CoryP]

PART 2:

I was able to get the coach to Cummins Rocky Mountain here in Phoenix. I needed
the chassis and generator serviced anyway. They where unable to replicate the
problem. But it did it to me as I was pulling into their driveway.

Inside my engine compartment under the bed, I have 3 HI-AMP breakers. All 3 are
the manual resetable type. If I'm thinking right if they pop they can't reset
themselves? My RV would lose all chassis power then turn back on by itself.

[IMG]http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a142/coryz71/DSCN3112.jpg[/IMG]

[IMG]http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a142/coryz71/DSCN3111.jpg[/IMG]

I can't figure out where to look for the auto reset breakers.

Your guy's help is hugely appreciated!

Cory P.

[pcarrell]

Cory in picture 2 turn both of the two switches at the top right and see if they are loose.

[CoryP]

Paul the one to the right is for the chassis. It feels good but I'm going to try and find a new one tomorrow and replace it. If I turn it off it does kill 100% of the chassis power. Just like what happens while driving.

Does any body know of any other type breakers/switches that can do that?


Thank for you info.!

Cory P.

[YC1]

I don't have information on model numbers effected but these pictures show chassis splices that have done similiar things.

[pcarrell]

Cory just take it apart and bolt the 2 wires together and see if that fixes it. That is what I did to mine.