WE are brand new!

[Bill Carole & Oreo Gralia]

Hello Everyone,
Bill Carole & Oreo Gralia here. Found your site today and signed in. We live full time in Port St. Lucie, Florida in an over 55 Community called Savanna Club.
We just bought a 2000 Winnebago 36 ft. Journey and took delivery last Sunday. Been going over all the manuals and today (July 1 ) we got up early to take it for the first time out on a quiet Sunday for a spin and it would not start.
ARE WE STARTING OUT WELL OR WHAT?

Got 2 of the batteries on charges now and a deisel mechanic friend coming Tues. for a go over of the RV. So we wait again for the first maiden run. When your brand new to this and the thing does not turn over you sort of feel a bit down. A LOT TO LEARN.
Is there any other Journey owner out there we could chat with to peck brains on running this toy?
If so please e mail us at: sclub8155@aol.com

[Bill Carole & Oreo Gralia]

Hello Everyone,
Bill Carole & Oreo Gralia here. Found your site today and signed in. We live full time in Port St. Lucie, Florida in an over 55 Community called Savanna Club.
We just bought a 2000 Winnebago 36 ft. Journey and took delivery last Sunday. Been going over all the manuals and today (July 1 ) we got up early to take it for the first time out on a quiet Sunday for a spin and it would not start.
ARE WE STARTING OUT WELL OR WHAT?

Got 2 of the batteries on charges now and a deisel mechanic friend coming Tues. for a go over of the RV. So we wait again for the first maiden run. When your brand new to this and the thing does not turn over you sort of feel a bit down. A LOT TO LEARN.
Is there any other Journey owner out there we could chat with to peck brains on running this toy?
If so please e mail us at: sclub8155@aol.com

[rebelsbeach]

WELCOME to iRV2!!

I have linked your post to the Winnebago Owner's Forum in an attempt to get you some more responses...

We look forward to hearing more of your experiences with your "new to you" rig...

[tomsm]

Welcome! There are lots of Journey owners on this forum! Ask away with the questions. We all went through the learning process - in fact most of us are still learning. Guess that's part of the fun - just when you think you know it all, you get a surprise!

I think having your friend help with your starting problems is a good idea. There are so many possibilities it will be much easier with someone right there rather than trying to follow up on everyone's guesses. One thing to be aware of is that being plugged into shore power does not charge the engine (chassis) batteries. The parasite loads on the chassis batteries (engine & trans computer, etc.) will run down them down pretty quickly without a little help. Most of us use some sort of trickle charging device. I use Trik-l-start which steals a bit of the charge going to the house batteries and diverts it to the chassis batteries. Works well for me.

Welcome to the forum and post often. Let us know what your mechanic friend finds out.

["007"]

Welcome to irv2 Bill Carole & Oreo Gralia to irv2.
Congrats on your new to you Journey many happy and safe miles.
Good advise from tomsm the chassis batteries are the ones need to be charged.
Once you start useing the coach less problems.
Enjoy the forums and do post often.

[SteveG]

Welcome to the forum. We have certainly appreciated the insight and good advise we have received here at iRV2. Hope you will find it as helpful.

I will certainly affirm tomsm comments. I too installed a trik-L-Start and know it has been helpful in keeping the engine batteries up to charge. Winnebago is now installing these devices on the new motor homes.

Lots of information here on batteries and their maintenance. Good luck to you and hopefully you'll soon be powered up and rolling.

[Bill Davis]

Keep coming back! That's something I remember from another group I used to be affiliated with, the name escapes me. There is a lot of good info here, from people that have made the same mistakes and don't mind admitting it. There are no dumb questions. We all learn by doing, and are eager to share what we have learned. You will soon be providing help to others, and that's a good thing. Welcome.

[David K]

Welcome to the forum. I am sure that your friend will have you up and running soon. Just think of this as the first of several learning curves that you will experience. We have all been there. We bought our 2002 Ultimate Advantage last Fall and the curve has been fun so far and "boy" have I learned a lot about diesel engines, motor homes, batteries, converters, inverters, satellite systems, etc. etc. After all these "things" are rolling homes that work on batteries, a generator, and shore power. Don't let that get you down as I am sure you will have as much fun with yours as we have already had with ours.

[campernut2]

Hey welcome! Don;t worry it will start because there is too much brain power here for it not too....

[smlranger]

Welcome to the forum. There are many helpful folks here as you've already seen.

When your mechanic gets you going, please come back and tell us what he found.

Come back often for help and to share your RV experiences.

[bellsharbor]

Hi Bill and Oreo,

I purchased a Journey a year ago after 5 "other brand" motorhomes. With the help of this group, I have it back to brand new. We are very pleased with the coach and Winnebago.

If your batteries are not staying up, they are a couple of easy fixes. Don't get discouraged!

Let us know how you do and welcome aboard!

John

[Bill Carole & Oreo Gralia]

Hello Tom,

Thank you for your reply. OK as I stated our diesel mechanic friend is coming Tues. to check things on us. While we waited for him we had been going to the Rv and running the generatore to get AC while we did chores we wanted on it and all was fine till Sunday when.NOTHING! The RV has a solar system for battery charing BUT we are unsure if that is all batteries or only certain one's. Would you have a hint?
We are going out this a.m. to buy 1 new battery as we find 1 of the 2 is not taking charge well and getting to hot so assume it's gone bad. Got to be careful with batteries.
All help appreciated.
Thanks, Bill Carole & Oreo


<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by rebelsbeach:
WELCOME to iRV2!!

I have linked your post to the Winnebago Owner's Forum in an attempt to get you some more responses...

We look forward to hearing more of your experiences with your "new to you" rig... </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

[Bill Carole & Oreo Gralia]

Hi There,

Thank you so much for the good wishes. Will be back soon with good reports.....we sure hope. Ha ha

Bill Carole & Oreo



<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by David K:
Welcome to the forum. I am sure that your friend will have you up and running soon. Just think of this as the first of several learning curves that you will experience. We have all been there. We bought our 2002 Ultimate Advantage last Fall and the curve has been fun so far and "boy" have I learned a lot about diesel engines, motor homes, batteries, converters, inverters, satellite systems, etc. etc. After all these "things" are rolling homes that work on batteries, a generator, and shore power. Don't let that get you down as I am sure you will have as much fun with yours as we have already had with ours. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

[tomsm]

The solar charger only charges the house batteries. When you say "nothing", do you mean it wouldn't turn over or cranked but wouldn't run? If it cranks but doesn't run, check the level of your fuel tank. The generator can only draw fuel when the tank is above about 1/4 full. It's plumbed this way so it won't accidentally run you totally out of fuel.

If it won't crank, I can't remember at the moment is which batteries start the generator. Maybe someone else can jump in with that info...