Community Forums

SouthernGypsy · 07-11-2007, 02:36 PM

OK - Thanks for all the help but we've finally narrowed it down a little so maybe someone will know what's causing the problem.

Someone said to contact National RV, which I actually had tried before even searching and finding this site, took three calls but I FINALLY just got ahold of someone who helped me find the Hidden (and I do mean Hidden!) circut breaker with the reset flag on it - Talk about sticking your fingers in behind a place where you have no idea what they'll find (or what will find them!) and press them in by feel alone.

OK, So switch reset and now the generator starts.

But all is still not well... As soon as you try and deploy the leveling jacks BAM! the switch trips again instantly. You can turn ON the leveling system and it wont trip the breaker but as soon as you press the DOWN button there it goes! I have tried it with the Key on and Engine Running, Key on and Engine Not running, and the Disconnect switch both on and off. No difference, if you have a power light on the leveling system and hit that down button it's going to trip the breaker INSTANTLY.

Though we know the dealership had them deployed when we first showed up to look at the coach, I called and they do not remember how they did it though said it sat there for about two weeks before they advertized it on the internet so that was the last time anyone had messed with the system. They said they don't believe they would have turned on the generator to deploy the jacks (unless it just happend to have been on anyway from their test drive). All they remember doing was killing the engine after putting it in park and setting the brake and then returning the key to the run position without starting it and lowering them. Though they're NOT really sure and you can tell it when talking with them.

Sooo... any ideas on why the Leveling Jacks would trip the breaker instantly when you try and deploy them?

RV Wizard · 07-11-2007, 11:31 PM

I would check the connections, B+ & grounds to be sure they are good. Look for any wiring to the hydraulic pump that may have chaffed against the frame. Can you find out what size circuit breaker this tripping? It sounds like the main power to the pump. If all looks good, ohm out the pump to be sure it is not bad or shorted to ground.

Bob (WA0MQE) · 07-12-2007, 03:16 AM

Which circuit breaker are you talking about? There are circuit breaker/s on the generator itself. Is this the CB you mean?

I agree with RV Wizard, a poorly connected ground can cause some pretty weird problems. A circuit might try and go through somewhere it's not supposed to if a ground is bad.

vacation on wheels · 07-12-2007, 03:54 AM

Southern Gypsy,
Where is this reset switch you are talking about? Is it in your coach battery and charger/inverter compartment? Is it behind the circuit board on the left side?

full-timer · 07-12-2007, 05:37 AM

SouthernGypsy

Where are you located? Maybe someone is close to you that could help.

Joe

SouthernGypsy · 07-12-2007, 07:01 AM

The circut breaker I'm talking about is indeed behind the main 12v Distribution Pannel, or on the backside of it on the RH side to be specific. The pannel is located in the smaller storage compartment in between the door and front right wheel. It's mounted on the wall of the compartment that's back to back with the door of the coach and the switch is on the backside closest to the inside of the coach which would put in on the back RH side of the board itself if you climb in there and look at the circut board head on.

We found that if you leave the engine running and also press the START BOOST switch on the dash and hold it in while operating the jacks that they will work without tripping the breaker.

The guy at National RV says that to work the jacks we should be leaving the coach running with the transmission in neutral or park and the emgergency brake set but should NOT have to press that switch and that somehow it sounds like without the boost switch we're got getting enough power, amps, or somehting to operate the jacks. He also confirmed that the jacks operate off of the house batteries.

The old owners just put in all three batteries new a few months ago and the guy at Nartional said maybe they're wired wrong. They have them, wired where one battery has the Negative from the Coach attatched to it, the Positive from the Coach goes to the positive on the other battery, then they have two cables which cross connect the positive on one battery with the positive on the other and the same with the negatives.

They are supposed to be 12v batteries.

Richard S. · 07-12-2007, 01:41 PM

Do you you have 3 12 volt BAT. or 1 12 volt for the chassis and 2 6volt BAT. for the house.

The boost switch put all the BAT. power to starter motor.

SouthernGypsy · 07-12-2007, 03:56 PM

My setup appears to be three 12 volt batteries with the two 12v house batteries connected in Parallel.

I haven't gotten around (got busy with something else) to disconnecting them to check the voltage on each battery yet but am sure they're 12v. They are also new, and identical.

They were dead (all three were) when we first went to look at it on Saturday so I charged them last night hoping maybe the problem was they simply didn't get them charged well enough.

One thing I am confused on though is WHAT charges the house batteries, are they charged by the engine alternator like the starting battery, do they get charged only when the generator is running, or only when the RV is plugged into shore power (sorry, I'm a boat guy, do RV'ers use a different name for that?).
Or is it some combonation of the above?

Also if it is some combination of the above does charging only take place when certain switches (such as the Disconnect Switch) in certain positions... Part of what I'm trying to figgure out with that question is if the alternator or generator (or both) charge the house batteries and if the problem was they they were still too low when we got home to operate the leveling jacks, why wouldn't they have been fully charged? ...Since we drove nearly three hours home with both the generator and the engine running.

I hope I'm making sense with that question...

Ragman · 07-13-2007, 03:32 AM

SouthernGypsy,
Sorry to hear of your troubles. We have had a 2000 34-ft. Sea View for five years and I've done just about all needed repairs myself. I'll be glad to help you with any questions you might have now or in the future regarding your 2001. Feel free to email me at sorensontx@yahoo.com or call home phone 972-279-5234, cell 214-505-5234.
We've enjoyed our Sea View very much, so please don't let this get you down.

Larry

SouthernGypsy · 07-13-2007, 06:06 AM

Thanks. Well, after charging both the Starting and the House batteries very throughly plus it's been plugged into power for two days now I tried the Jack system last night and it worked without tripping the breaker and without using the Start Boost switch. Of course it was still plugged into power so that may be doing it but I guess we're going to find out this weekend as we're getting ready to go to a park at the lake with it that's about 45 minutes from where we live so we'll see how it does on it's own when we get there. This is also my chance to see how the Triton V10 pulls our 22 foot Ski boat as well. My wife is going to be following in our Jeep Grand Cherokee so we will have other transportation. We always switch the boat to it when we get there for putting in and out of the water, I can't get my wife to pull the boat going down the road though nor will she even think about driving the RV. She was just getting to where she'd move the Class C for very short distances around the park.

Richard S. · 07-13-2007, 06:13 AM

Sure glad for you that things are looking better. I'am sure that you have checked the water level in your battries, have a good weekend.

SouthernGypsy · 07-13-2007, 07:21 AM

Thanks.

We actually turned up a brand new problem this morning, we suddenly have NO water pressure at all, nothing but a few drops come out of any faucet when you turn them on. Even though the pump switch is turned on and the light is lit.
I can't seem to hear the pump running now.

It had been working fine before, in fact we had to drain the tanks yesterday to put in clean water and it ran perfect the whole time we were doing that.

Richard S. · 07-13-2007, 08:16 AM

First shut the pump off, make sure all the handles at the water service panel are in the normal operating position, they are marked with an *. open up the cold and hot faucets kitchen and bath. Turn the pump on, this should expel any air trapped in the lines. Water should start flowing. Make sure you have water in the fresh water tank. If that don't work hook up to city water and purge the lines, then shut off water supply. Now try the water pump one more time with faucets open.