Community Forums

echo3 · 03-29-2012, 07:28 PM

I have had two occasions over winter where the chassis batteries got low enough that they would not start engine. In both cases, the battery boost switch did not connect the house & chassis batteries to start and I was able to just jump from the house to chassis and get started. The MH is now in shop and the tech says he hears the selenoid click and can't really check unless chass batts are down. He think selenoid is OK. Earlier, I had taken the salemans switch selenoid off and hardwired that and he is questioning whether or not the salesman seleniod needs to be in place for the battery boost to work (the is a Winebego dealer and not familiar with Monaco). Can anyone answer his question on the need for both? Also, is there a way to check the batt boost without a low battery?
David White
'05 Windsor PDQ

garym114 · 03-29-2012, 08:28 PM

I no reason why the coach battery disconnect solenoid, salesman, would be required to be in place. The connections to the boost solenoid come off on the battery side, not the load side of the disconnect solenoid.
If you took the positive cable off of the chassis battery you should be able to test the boost solenoid. Just because the solenoid clicks doesn't mean it is making electrical contact. If the contacts are burnt in the boost solenoid there would be no electrical contact. That is why they usually fail.

texnet · 03-29-2012, 08:52 PM

The tech should be able to disconnect the power cables from both sides, put ohm meter leads on each post then engage the solenoid to test it... you don't need the chassis battery to be low to do this.... Sounds to me like the solenoid is bad.

YC1 · 03-29-2012, 09:20 PM

Were you able to hear the solenoid clunk when you tried it with the batteries down? It is possible the dead batteries are the bank that supplies the voltage to the relay.

Find the solenoid that jumps the banks together and have someone press the aux start button while you listen for the clunk and measure the voltage on all of the contacts. If it clunks the large contacts should be exactly the same voltage. Not .5 volts off for example. Measure the small control terminals and find which one is hot when the button is pushed. Now write that on a piece of masking tape and wrap it around that wire like a little flag. Next time you need use the emergency start button and it does not work you can go back there with a small jumper wire and touch to either side of the large terminals and to the flagged wire. Don't touch the bare wire ends of the jumper or you will get bit and jump back. You should hear the solenoid clunk when you use the jumper. You can buy some jumpers at Radio Shack for future use or even use your imagination and just about anything will do the trick. Keep it jumpered for about 3 minutes before you actually try to start the vehicle. If it does not start and you have to jump the batteries again with cables you definitely know the solenoid is bad. I have repaired mine twice and replace it once on my 08 Endeavor. I can take mine apart and rebuilt it in a few minutes. The last time I decided the solenoid was mounted upsided down so the constant on and off heat/cooling would draw in air and eventually enough moisture to cause stuff to turn green and gooey. With it inverted now any moisture will be expelled out the bottom.

distaff · 03-30-2012, 04:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by echo3

The MH is now in shop and the tech says he hears the selenoid click and can't really check unless chass batts are down. He think selenoid is OK.

More than you need a new solenoid you need either a new shop or a new tech.

EDZ SIG · 01-02-2016, 02:16 PM

If the battery boost solenoid doesn't click or make any sound and may not be functioning, can simple jumper cables be attached between the chassis and house batteries to start the big diesel 525 engine if the chassis batteries are suspected to be low? We have an issue with the chassis battery draining after 3 or 4 weeks while the Sig is being stored and starting is a major problem. We switch all battery disconnects off and the also the 12 volt inside disconnect switch. Phantom losses certainly a problem. Monaco 2013 Signature Baroness.

EDZ SIG · 01-02-2016, 02:28 PM

Can the chassis and house batteries simply be jumpered using jumper cables if the battery boost solenoid is not clicking and may be defective? I've been having chassis battery issues when the Sig has been in storage 3-4 weeks and I can't start the 525 Diesel engine.

palehorse89 · 01-02-2016, 02:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by EDZ SIG

Can the chassis and house batteries simply be jumpered using jumper cables if the battery boost solenoid is not clicking and may be defective? I've been having chassis battery issues when the Sig has been in storage 3-4 weeks and I can't start the 525 Diesel engine.

You are best to one: start the genset up and run it till they are charged back up or remove them and use a charger to bring them back to full charge. Sounds like they are so dead that the boost will not work. Having them really dead and giving that job to your engines alternator will shorten its life.......if not heat it up and kill it. If you do jump the chassis from the house batteries, make sure the cables are hooked to the 12 VDC side output of your 6 VDC house batteries.
What are your voltage reading on your house and chassis batteries?

twinboat · 01-02-2016, 03:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by EDZ SIG

If the battery boost solenoid doesn't click or make any sound and may not be functioning, can simple jumper cables be attached between the chassis and house batteries to start the big diesel 525 engine if the chassis batteries are suspected to be low? We have an issue with the chassis battery draining after 3 or 4 weeks while the Sig is being stored and starting is a major problem. We switch all battery disconnects off and the also the 12 volt inside disconnect switch. Phantom losses certainly a problem. Monaco 2013 Signature Baroness.

If you started the generator and it didn't charge your batteries, the combining solenoid may be bad. It may be the same solenoid as your boost switch.

You can jump one battery to the other and let the generator run for an hour or so. Then try starting.

Once running keep the engine rev's around 1000 RPM. That way the alternator will bring the volts up without working to hard.

You may need to check the condition of your batteries and possibly pull the battery cable when stored or put in a disconnect, right at the battery.

OLYLEN · 01-02-2016, 05:55 PM

On most of the Monaco's the chassis battery energizes the solenoid, so if the chassis batteries are too low you get nothing.Seem counter to what one would think. Just like with the Emergency start switch if you jump, let the connection sit a couple before trying the start. This should put a surface charge on the start batteries from the house. I would start the Gen for a few, it should start from the house batteries, let the start batteries get a bit of charge, then hold the Emergency start switch for a few then start. This always seems to happen in cold weather when the grid heaters are needed too compounding the issue. The reason I say get a surface charge on the start batteries is they are built for the heavy draw if start and the house are built for the long slower draw.

LEN

jamador1010 · 01-02-2016, 11:24 PM

Ironically, just this week I had the same issue on my DP, but too keep a long story short, keep in mind there is sometimes a bi-directional (bird) switch that works in conjunction with solenoid. Although, there not the cheapest thing to buy on the planet they sure are made that way, and once I took my old one apart, it was obvious what my problem was...

EDZ SIG · 01-03-2016, 10:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by palehorse89

You are best to one: start the genset up and run it till they are charged back up or remove them and use a charger to bring them back to full charge. Sounds like they are so dead that the boost will not work. Having them really dead and giving that job to your engines alternator will shorten its life.......if not heat it up and kill it. If you do jump the chassis from the house batteries, make sure the cables are hooked to the 12 VDC side output of your 6 VDC house batteries.
What are your voltage reading on your house and chassis batteries?

The chassis batteries seem to be reading 12.5-12.6 volts using my meter then go down after an unsuccessful attempt to start the engine. I had to run the gen for 1.5 Hours the last time before getting the engine started. That is not an acceptable delay when I'm anxious to get started on a trip. While in storage, there is no shore power available to connect a battery charger. Interesting to note that the battery gauge on the dash read only 11-11.5 volts when I first attempted to start the engine and is a major clue to me I'm going to have a problem. Unfortunately, I didn't take a reading on the house batteries but my impression is they didn't drain very much while the Sig was in storage. That's why I thought jumping the chassis and house batteries might be effective in getting me on my way is the battery boost switch was not functioning properly.

jimbo2013 · 01-03-2016, 10:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by EDZ SIG

. That's why I thought jumping the chassis and house batteries might be effective in getting me on my way is the battery boost switch was not functioning properly.

I've done once, it will work.

EDZ SIG · 01-03-2016, 10:26 AM

The generator does charge the batteries but running it for 1-1.5 hours before getting a trip underway isn't my idea of having a good time on a short camping trip. Ideally, I'd like to come up with a solution knowing the Sig will start after a 3-4 week time while in storage. Unfortunately, storing it indoors with heat and electricity isn't a viable alternate where I live.