Community Forums

SailormanSD · 10-13-2014, 02:52 PM

Hello All,
I bought a 94 National Tropi-Cal 290 last year and it has been sitting in the storage yard most of that time. I went to start it, and of course the batteries are down. I found the house battery, but can't seem to find the motor battery. When I to start with the motor battery there is nothing, then I hit the Help button for the house batteries and it will barely turn over of click. I recharged the house battery, and need to do the same to the motor battery now. I looked for a place to jump it and can't even find it. Anybody know these particular motor homes? It is a 454 on the GM P30 Chassis. The house battery is on the driver's side, in the nose, easily accessible. The motor battery is a mystery. Thanks for any help you can provide.
Mark

96 Wideglide · 10-13-2014, 03:06 PM

You sure thats not your engine battery, and your house batteries under one of the entrance steps?

SailormanSD · 10-13-2014, 03:18 PM

Seems to be the house battery. When I disconnected it, I lost "house" functions.
I know there is another one hiding somewhere, but it isn't obvious.

96 Wideglide · 10-13-2014, 03:25 PM

Try lifting the front edge of your middle step. Thats where the house batteries were on my 2000 Nat Dolphin.

SailormanSD · 10-13-2014, 03:31 PM

I'll give that a try. Thanks for the help.

SailormanSD · 10-15-2014, 09:07 AM

Thanks for the help on this one. Found the house batteries under the step, can start fixing a few things now. The motor's battery is indeed the one in the front of the coach, but why they put in a deep cycle battery and attached a load of accessories to it is beyond me. I'll fix that in the near term. I really appreciate the help, saved a lot of crawling around on some very sharp gravel!

SailormanSD · 10-18-2014, 10:20 AM

I have the batteries sorted out now. So far I cannot find the house battery cutoff switch. Found the Isolator/solenoid in the storage compartment next to the steps but I've searched high and low for the switch. The "manual" says it is near the door, but no luck on the disconnect switch so far. Any ideas?
Oh, turns out the starter battery was in the compartment under the stairs and the one in the engine compartment and one in the compartment under the stairs are indeed the house batteries. I think previous owner re-wired it because the compartment would only take one large battery and one small one. Seems there has been quite a bit of rewiring and replacement in this thing, so it may be awhile before I understand it all. Thanks much for the help.

Fred and Bonnie · 10-18-2014, 01:42 PM

More info here:

National RV Owner's Forum - iRV2 Forums

Fred

stud357 · 12-08-2014, 05:56 PM

I had a 96 290 tropical and all the batteries were under the entrance steps. But if they aren't follow the battery cables from the starter to the battery and you'll find it.