Electrical Help Needed!

[harv12]

OK, like most men, I don’t like being stumped by a mechanical thing, but apparently when you have all the amenities of a home on wheels it’s going to happen. It still doesn’t set well with a guy who makes his living as an HVAC & Electrical Contractor…

This is our first long trip {over two weeks} since we bought this beast in November of 2011 and we’ve had a multitude of issues. I won’t go into the new tire we needed due to a mishap in a large parking lot {$600} (don't tell her I told you), especially because I broke the Splendid® washer/dryer handle trying to be a big helper {$70}. I won’t even talk about the windshield wiper motor that had a mechanical failure in the first rain we hit and shorted out the “Smart Wheel” computer controller that’s part of the Wizz-Bang gadgets on the steering wheel…obviously not too smart of a controller. That cost us spending a week in Memphis waiting on parts and our $500 deductible.

Now, we’ve had the driver’s side head light go out about a week back and because we rarely are on the road at night I haven’t given it the attention it deserves. So, fighting my manly inadequacies, I decided to tackle this “easy problem”.

If I haven’t completely bored you to death thus far please read on and see if you can be of some assistance…
We have a 2007 Winnebago Vectra® with a Freightliner chassis and a Cummings® 400 HP Diesel Pusher. The bulb was good {I checked it in the passenger light socket} and I found the plug that connects to the head lamp to the light bulb had a burnt terminal. Checking backwards, the plug that all the driver’s side lights plug into also had the same burnt terminal. It’s the black wire which I would assume {big mistake I know} would be the ground. I was able to improvise an electrical connector for the plug that attaches to the head lamp itself and cut and wire nutted the black wire around the plug that feeds everything on the driver’s side. No way to really improvise that one, but still no workey. Continuing backwards the next plug had no indications of overheating or burns. What to do?

As a sidebar, before all the real wizards reply, the spotlight on the top of the coach, which our RV Tech said that he was surprised to see working in our walk-through, has worked { a guy has got to have something to play with}. However, the light decided to stay on a few days ago {too many towns for any exact timetable}. I replaced the batteries in the remote which is the only way to control the spot light, but still no workey. I wasn’t too concerned because we have either been running the engine, generator or plugged into a camp ground. With that part of this novel being said, after my expeditions with head lamp, the chassis battery would not start the engine. I thought that the spot light being on all the time might have discharged the chassis battery, but after reading the Freightliner owner’s manual, when we’re running the engine, generator or plugged in everything 12 volt DC should run off the converter and not kill the batteries.

I tried the “Battery Boost” to start the engine, which is supposed to let the coach batteries jump the chassis batteries, but no luck again. The coach batteries were reading 13.2 volts and chassis batteries were reading 11.9. No fuses are bad. No breakers are tripped.

So I know I’ve given you more details than real diagnostic specifics, but I sitting in Philipsburg, Montana hoping to get to Glacier National Park, Yellow Stone and on to Bad Lands of Dakota before heading back to Florida. By the way, not much to do in Philipsburg…

I can’t tell you how much I would appreciate someone helping me save my first real road trip and my manhood.

Thanks for any help you can be and may God Bless your testosterone!

Chris

[harv12]

My wife, who has kept her second maiden name, read my post and I hope to get out of the ER soon. I haven't mentioned it, but she's a double PhD, chemistry & physics. I asked her to read my last novel about the issues and not only did she correct my grammar, she also reminded me that she's more than capable of driving this rig. She really is and has proven it. She wouldn't even agree to buy it unless she could drive it. The tire cut was an anomaly (I hope I spelled that right) and I really did break the washer/dryer handle even after she told me to be sure the machine was totally off before trying to open it. As any man would, I didn't listen and broke it anyway.

I should have been able diagnose the windshield wiper motor and "Smart Wheel" myself and saved the $$$. The parts cost would have only been a fraction of the repair bill. She also told me the first time I checked the headlamps to swap the bulbs as a quick check...of course after a visual inspection and using my multi-meter on the bulb I immediately disregarded her advise until the RV tech told me same thing.

This is first time we've spent everyday together since we been together and I am now understanding just what an amazingly smart woman I managed to fool into loving me.

Honey, if you're reading this, I hope that you can look over my manly short comings and not leave me on the side of the road. Maybe if this counted as "fight" we can have make-up....Opps....I screwed again didn't I?

I SO love you and long to enjoy the rest of this trip and rest of my life with you. You truly are the smartest {minus falling for me} and most gorgeous women the world has ever known.

I Love you Babs....I mean Sweetie!

Christopher

[HR5thWl]

Goodness. When we had that problem we found that there was an extra reset switch within a few inches of the battery. Our generator would not crank until it was reset. We have a fifth wheel. Your rig is probably totally different. Your story caught my attention. Your wife most likely feels lucky to have you as well. I know that I am so fortunate to have my wonderful husband!