Community Forums

astepahead97 · 09-28-2017, 03:26 PM

I have a 2006 Winnebago View. The auxiliary battery switch does not work. How do I find out if it is the on/off auxiliary battery switch (near the entrance door) or the solenoid by the circuit breakers. We have currently bypassed it by running a wire to both sides of the solenoid but I'd like it working again.
Thanks

twinboat · 09-28-2017, 03:44 PM

Flip it on and off and listen for the clunk, or use a volt meter, on the small terminals, to see if power is getting to them when the switch is flipped.

astepahead97 · 09-28-2017, 03:57 PM

Don't hear any noise when I flip the switch.

twinboat · 09-28-2017, 05:28 PM

There may be fuses right on the solenoid, did you check ?

There is a fuse somewhere in the switch circuit.

CharlesinGA · 09-28-2017, 11:38 PM

Do you mean the Boost switch on the LH side of the driver's panel? next to the radio power switch? If so, its a 95% chance that the solenoid in the box in the floor is bad. They do not hold up well at all on the View. WBO installs a 85 amp rated solenoid and its very likely that this is exceeded if the alternator is charging weak house batteries (which charge thru this same solenoid)

On my '07 it was bad when I bought the rig in '15 with 18K miles on it.

Do not waste your time troubleshooting this, especially if the existing solenoid is a three terminal (probably OEM) and not a four terminal. Even if a four terminal, there is a chance someone installed a low amp rated or non-continuous duty solenoid.

Buy a new Cole-Hersee 24213 200 amp rated continuous duty solenoid and install it. Only difference is you will need to fabricate a new 16 gauge lead about 4 to 6 inches long with a small ring terminal on one end for one of the small terminals, and the other end needs a large ring terminal for one of the solenoid mounting bolts. The original solenoid has one small terminal and is grounded thru the body, the C-H 24213 has two small terminals, one for hot and one for ground.

Cole Hersee 24213 solenoid

Disconnect both the house and chassis batteries when you install this.

Charles

CharlesinGA · 09-28-2017, 11:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by twinboat

There may be fuses right on the solenoid, did you check ?

There is a fuse somewhere in the switch circuit.

The boost solenoid control circuit is protected by a small circuit breaker accessible thru a door in the floor forward of the relay box when the alternator is operating. The boost function is protected by a different circuit breaker in this same set of breaker. There are no fuses in this circuit.

You open the door in the floor between the seats, and then remove a cover on the back wall of the compartment and that is where this row of breakers is found. To access the relays/solenoids and back side of the circuit breakers use a proper size torx screwdriver (T20 I think) to remove the cover to the relay compartment (cover is under aforementioned lift up door) and there it all is.

With the batteries disconnected do check the torque on the screws on the back of the breakers, I found several of mine loose and one screw too short and holding by only a thread or two. However my boost/charge solenoid was bad anyhow and I replaced it. C-H 24213 has silver tungsten contacts vs plain old copper for 85 amp original.

On member of the View/Navion Forum on Yahoo bought a new '06 View and after several years of weak house batteries, and doing a lot of troubleshooting, he found two wires on the back of the boost switch on the wrong terminals, preventing the house batteries from ever charging off the engine alternator. I did ring out all of the wires on mine (wiring diagrams on the WBO web site), but its doubtful you have a repeat of this.

OP does not say which model View he has, H or J so here are links to wiring diagrams for both models. (do not attempt to use Chrome to access the WBO industries menus for this and find anything, it will not work properly, use IE)

Model 523H '06 wire diagrams

Model 523J '06 wiring diagrams

Stan has lots of good information here........... http://06navion.weebly.com/

OP should also consider joining the View Navion Forum, the Techie forum and the Mods forum on Yahoo Groups. Lots of good info there too.

https://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/View-Navion/info

https://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/...avionTech/info

https://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/ViewNavionMods/info

Charles

astepahead97 · 09-29-2017, 10:36 AM

Thanks for all the great info.

wanderso · 10-01-2017, 11:56 PM

I have an 08 View -H. Do you know if they upgraded the solenoid by then? (08 has the revised chassis).

CharlesinGA · 10-02-2017, 08:36 PM

Nope, same crappy solenoid right up to the present. If it is three terminal its probably original, four terminal, its been replaced but could be replaced with an inferior or low amp solenoid. You want the Cole-Hersee 24213 for its high amp capacity and good quality contacts. Yours is located under the passenger seat, its the silver solenoid. The other one, with the two small 5 amp fuses in holders built on to it, is the coach battery solenoid.

Charles

CharlesinGA · 10-03-2017, 08:11 PM

Re-reading the original post, I totally missed the " the on/off auxiliary battery switch (near the entrance door)" statement and went straight to the boost/charge solenoid.

Clearly the op was asking about the Coach battery switch, aka "salesmans switch". How I missed this, I'll never know.

My info above still stands, however the solenoid for the coach batteries is a spring loaded over center type that is powered open or powered closed and then held in that position by an over center spring, so no power to keep it in either position. This solenoid DOES have two fuses right on the solenoid, but the problem is more likely a broke wire or a disconnected battery or such.

OP should also check the ground cable where it attaches to the chassis rail behind the pull out "fish tank", as WBO merely sanded off the paint and ran self threading screws into a hole punched in the frame. The area rusts, and can create problems. I had to remove all the grounds and screws and sand the area clean and prime and paint it (except for a dime sized spot around the screw holes) and then reinstall the wires using grease to prevent corrosion.

Charles

protege91 · 07-05-2018, 09:16 PM

Thank you for posting this. I have the same problem with the Aux Batt switch on my '07 Navion/View. Just started today. Slightly different twist, though! I turned off the switch, and it turned off my 12V power successfully. I then pulled the fuse on the solar charging cables into the house battery while I cleaned terminals, checked battery levels, etc. Somewhere along the line everything just turned back on! And no, I didn't bump the Aux Batt switch with my elbow! Because after everything turned on, it wouldn't turn off until I hit the switch many times.

I'll start tracking down that solenoid and at least tapping it a few times.

But also, Charles, thank you for mentioning the battery condition and terminal connections and chassis ground connection. My positive terminal from my battery bank has green corrosion, and my batt's are 5 years old but appear to be working. The ground connection appeared to be in good condition when I was under there for another reason, but thanks to your advice, I will check and clean/repair all of these.

Jake

DarlH · 04-20-2023, 08:57 AM

I hope no one minds if I reactive this thread for a somewhat different vehicle.

We purchased a 2006 Outlook 31C a year ago and the battery boost switch does not work. I have been unable to locate the solenoid and/or fuses.

Any help would be appreciated.

Jon_C · 04-20-2023, 11:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DarlH

I hope no one minds if I reactive this thread for a somewhat different vehicle.

We purchased a 2006 Outlook 31C a year ago and the battery boost switch does not work. I have been unable to locate the solenoid and/or fuses.

Any help would be appreciated.

It should be very close to the batteries with large red cables connecting to both battery banks.

Have someone press the aux button while your at batteries, if it’s working it will clunk. Just because it clunks doesn’t mean the contacts inside are good. If it clunks but doesn’t provide power as a jump start, contacts are probably bad and it needs to be replaced with new 200 amp continuous duty solenoid.

DarlH · 04-21-2023, 08:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jon_C

It should be very close to the batteries with large red cables connecting to both battery banks.

Have someone press the aux button while your at batteries, if it’s working it will clunk. Just because it clunks doesn’t mean the contacts inside are good. If it clunks but doesn’t provide power as a jump start, contacts are probably bad and it needs to be replaced with new 200 amp continuous duty solenoid.

Jon, thank you for the prompt reply. After checking some wiring under the dash, I now hear the solenoid whenever I press the switch. I will check the output of the solenoid to determine whether it is actually working. Thank you for the recommendation.