Community Forums

ridgerunner1 · 08-22-2012, 11:01 AM

I have a 1990 Sportcoach IV diesel pusher that had a close encounter with a lightining strike, it was not actually hit by lightining but was very close to the strike, about 3 feet away. Since that time I have had several circuit board failures, the main one being the engine contoler on the diesel generator.

The other problems I have addressed and repaired or am repairing, but the problem with my water pump has me pulling what little hair I have left out by the roots. I have checked the pump, and there is power to the pump, and if I ground the negative wire the pump runs and stops as designed. The problem is the three switches that turn the pump on do not work. The switches, one in the gallay, one in the bath and one in the utillity cabinet,will not activate the pump. The wiring from the three switches is bell type wire an probably activate a relay or switching circuit board that completes the ground circuit to the pump. The switches all have a small circuit board as part of the switch but I do not think they are the problem as the wiring from the switch does not go to the pump, and they are too small to carry the pump electrical load.

My question is where is this relay, or circuit board located and what does it look like? I have searched for hours and it is impossible to trace the wiring to the relay or ? because the wires are all in a very large wireloom.

I really would appreciate any help in locating this so I can fix the pump switches.

Jim_HiTek · 08-22-2012, 01:27 PM

Mine is located on a side wall in the same compartment as the water pump.

Theberrys · 08-22-2012, 01:32 PM

Check this thread http://www.irv2.com/forums/f105/shur...se-132172.html post #7 has a link to the pump controller your looking for.

Dick

EngineerMike · 08-22-2012, 02:14 PM

RidgeRunner1-
1)

, You're going to find lots of helpful info here.
2) you can use a "tone generator" to follow the pump wire to the blown fuse or relay or circuit board. I just went to the iRV2 Forum home page and did a Search on "tone generator" which gave 28 threads. Of those, some are obviously useless, but the ones on coax cable or other wiring should give you some leads on what that is and how to use it to trace a circuit. Handy tool for a motorhomer. Saves having to break a wire loom apart in most circumstances.

ahicks · 08-23-2012, 06:25 AM

I would go to all 3 switches and listen for a click when you push them. If you hear the click, that's your relay or controller (whatever you want to call it)....

Unfortunately, it could be anywhere, but normally it would be clustered with a fuse panel or main wiring harness junction. I doubt it would be in the under dash or under the hood if that saves you any trouble.

ridgerunner1 · 08-23-2012, 04:20 PM

Thank you all for the helpful ideas. I now know what to look for and I have a tone generator that I think will work. I have checked the fuzes and they are ok, I think the lightning fried the pump controller just as it fried several other printed circuit devices.

I will check and see if i can find the controller when I get home tomorrow. Thanks again for the help, I will let you all know what I find.

Theberrys · 08-24-2012, 08:28 AM

Hand over Hand the wire on the '-' connector of the pump and it will take you right to the controller, most controllers are very close to the pump.

Dick

ridgerunner1 · 08-28-2012, 11:16 AM

Thank all of you for your help and information. I was able to find the pump controller once I knew what to look for. The controller is attached to the main breaker box in the electrical bay, next to the battery bay, on the passenger side of the motorhome. It is in plain sight and very accessible, but on the opposite side of the motorhome from the pump. I tested the controller and it is fried, so I will be ordering a new one.

Thank you all very much for the help and information. Problem solved for this part.