Community Forums

Dolphin34 · 02-20-2016, 05:04 PM

Hoping someone can help us out on a problem we are having.
The battery for the Chassis went to 5 volts but the two house batteries held at 11.9 volts. I used the aux switch to start the engine and let it run until the batteries all were above 12 volts. The next day the Chassis battery was down to 10 volts so I pulled it and set it on the charger to charge it back to 12.1 volts then let it set for a couple days. It has went down to 11.9 volts and has stayed there for a week. I put it back in but have no power at the dash plus it does not start even when I try to use the Aux switch. I checked the two relays in the battery box and seem to work okay. I have power on both sides then trip them and no power through them. Is there some other relay or fuse that I might be overlooking?
Thanks for any help you can give.
Dolphin34

JJH3rd · 02-20-2016, 05:34 PM

I know from personal experience that the chasis battery is heavy, but its time ot take to an suto parts store that wukk check the battery for a dying cell. Or just bit the bullet and buy a fresh battery,

Sorry

Fred and Bonnie · 02-20-2016, 05:38 PM

My idea is you have 3 dead batteries, replace all.

Fred

SKP Kirk · 02-20-2016, 06:51 PM

What chassis do you have? I'd have the battery load tested next just to be sure of it, but I have a couple of questions. When you put it back and had no power to the dash, did you check the battery at it's terminals again to see if it still reads 11.9V? There must be some open circuit between the battery and your measured point so I'd take the meter and start checking at points in between.

Fred and Bonnie · 02-21-2016, 12:38 PM

additional thoughts, 11.9V is a battery at 40% charge.

Fred

Dolphin34 · 02-21-2016, 06:42 PM

I took the Chassis battery to be tested and Autozone said it was 25% charged. The battery was four years old so I just bought a new one. Installed it but still no power to anything to do with the dash, no radio, lights nor would it start even with using the aux button. The generator starts and charges all three batteries. They were all charged to 13.8 volts but still no power to the dash area. I have looked for the fuse panel that the book says it is to the left of the steering column under the dash but cannot find on other than the block set up for the leveling system. I clean all battery connections along with the one to the frame. Wonder if there are any other relays or fuses I am missing.
It is a Ford F-53 Chassis with a V-10 .
Thanks for your help.
Don
Dolphin34

Fred and Bonnie · 02-21-2016, 08:12 PM

On our '05' the dash (Radio) is powered by coach batteries, power seats and generator by chassis battery. I know weird, I'm sure there is a reason, possibly just power sharing.

Fred

l1v3fr33ord1 · 02-21-2016, 08:46 PM

Don-

I am not a Dolphin owner, so take anything I say with a grain (or two) of salt.

A search of threads on iRV2 indicates that your coach's fuse block may be under a cover on the wall to the left of the driver, or under a cover on the top of the dash. The cover atop the dash may be held down with Velcro.

You should have manuals for the coach and chassis. If you don't have a chassis manual, information on fuses can be found in the Ford Body Builders Layout Book. Here's a link to the relevant section for a 2008 chassis; see pages 5 and 6 at that link. If your coach is built on a 2007 chassis, use that BBLB instead.

The fuse panel you are looking for inside the coach is what Ford calls the "Fuse Panel" in the BBLB. The "big" Ford fuses are in a "Power Distribution Box" under the hood, in the approximate center, near the top, against the firewall.

Is it important that you get the coach started (and perhaps moving) soon? It sounds as if you have two different problems: coach won't start and some dash functions don't work. (There may be an alternator/charging problem as well.) I could spend some time combing through the Ford chassis wiring diagrams I have, but my gut feeling is that there isn't a common fuse for starting and dash. If it were me, I'd ask a mechanic to diagnose and fix the starting side (the more serious problem) first, and chase the other stuff down if what he fixes to get the coach started doesn't resolve those other problems.

But hey, going after the fuses first, yourself, is certainly the less expensive option. I would do that too, if starting and moving the coach was not a priority.

Let us know if you find one or more fuse panels.

Dolphin34 · 02-22-2016, 02:17 PM

I did not have anything on wiring or fuse location. Yes the fuse location was just where you said, on top of the dash. Never wanted to pull the cover afraid I might be into somewhere I didn't belong. Thank you very much and also for the link for the F53 wiring and fuse location. This will be helpful
Don
Dolphin34

JJH3rd · 02-22-2016, 11:16 PM

Here the "universal" wiring diagram. Hope it helps.

Dolphin34 · 02-27-2016, 12:13 PM

Thanks for all the help. I found the problem, when I changed out the battery one of the cables slipped out of the battery box onto the frame. Got it hooked up and everything works. The Forum really is an important group of people that strive to help anyone asking for assistance. Thanks again.
Don
Dolphin34

edrudd · 04-09-2016, 12:47 AM

I have a 2004 Dolphin 34'.and have a power problem constantly. My problem is a circuit breaker in the right front storage compartment. This is where the inverter and main wiring comes together. Behind the back panel on the left side is a 50 amp. Breaker. If this trips you lose power and your engine batt. Won't charge. This breaker has a lever that should point to 3 o'clock. If it's pointing down to a 6 o'clock position, it's been triped. Set it back to point at 3 and you should be ok.