NEWBIES, Has everyone check their GND's lately?

["007"]

This has been asked by someone because I have been posting, on allot of topics lately,on the need to check ground locations on your chassis. Everyone has been having problems, to say the least,with wipers,cruise,displays,light ckts,etc,etc. Battery term locations never are overlooked,we all want good battery connections, but the return source for your battery ckt is not getting the same treatment. A poor gnd connection will raise havoc with all your batt operating ckts, even Workhorse recognizes this fact.

The following quote was taken from a service bulletin no: 80101-T

(Quote) Effective Jan. 29,2001 with vin 5B4LP57G713331060, all chassis wiring to frame grounds were improved by spot facing the ground terminal bolt. Oil was applied to connection to prevent rust. This change was made after it was determined that "improper grounding" was often the cause for some electrical component complaints.

RECOMMENDATIONS
Grounds should be checked before replacing any major electrical component such as fuel pumps and brake control modules. Also, grounds (including engine to frame) should be checked during diagnosis of an electrical complaint. Grounds can be intermittent and a simple continuity check may not be sufficient. It may be necessary to remove the ground bolt and clean the connection point to bare metal.(Quote)

So there you have it straight from the Horse's mouth. The other half of your battery ckt - is just as important as the + side to have a problem free motor home. Road salts an oils can raise havoc with loose GND connections.

May I also add as your motor home ages, plug connections exposed to the elements will also begin to develop problems due to moisture, dirt,oxidation of plug pins, these types of problems can be cleaned with a good contact spray than protected with a silicon di-elect grease.----"007"

[Freddy]

I have had three or four ground related problems, and fixed them all. I have no idea where all of the ground points are, or even where to start looking for them.

["007"]

Freddy,its cold up here right now an I can't get under MH., because of the snow, we all can't be in sunny Florida like Driver. The post gnd is easy to find but like you say the others will take some tracing out to find. When I first got my coach I check all my battery an gnd locations. You have to get on your back an under the chassis to find some of them. Battery to chassis, engine,elect steps, THERE ARE THREE FOR STEPS,Gen,converters,control units an motors for slides,inverters,etc,etc. I go to the item that will be checked an follow the batt & gnd leads to there origin. You will also have a gnd buss where your +12 volt fuses are, your 12 volt ckts are usually run back in paired wire to this location. Check the larger gage wires feeding fuses an gnd buss for screw tightness, plus screws for wire connections. When this has been done the results will surprise you. I believe by doing this, the problems you see posted by everyone, I will have eliminated from my coach.----"007"

["007"]

When the weather gets better an we all can get under our coachs to check on those gnd's, that are on the chassis, you can use a serrated star washer that digs into the metal, this will keep the bolt from looseing up from road vibrations. Just use the correct size for the bolt that you reattach. This is a tip from one of DriVer's old posts.----"007"

[BEBOP]

HI ALL,
This is a great helpful post, and thanks to "007".
My Motorhome was new in July and has had two of the three batteries replaced as they had defective cells in them. I have found the ground cable loose on the engine starting battery three times now. It works loose from driving the coach. I have stripped one of these connections in past years, so don't want to tighten them too tight now. The cables attach to the battery on the side with capscrews and not on posts at the top. AC Delco 7 year battery. The manufacturer of my coach quit using Exides due to the many failures. Only one more exide to fail and be replaced
Any ideas about how to keep this ground cable from coming loose?
Bill

["007"]

BEBOP
You could try the serrated star washer,an cable tie the battery cable to the positive to reduce the vibration while on the road. Plus you mentioned posts on the top, they sell post attachments with wing nuts for battery posts, these may also work for you, if you have enough slack in your cables. I would still tie cables to reduce cable vibration.---"007"

[BEBOP]

Thanks 007,
there are no posts on this battery at all, only threaded holes for capscrews on the side. from their the cables hand downward towards the ground so that every bump tends to unscrew the capscrews. Bummer. Not very good planning by the Manufacturer. I will have to tie them together and somehow secure them better to something above?
The deepcycle batteries do have posts on top, unused and the wingnut posts are used. The bare posts are insulated with plastic caps
Best to you,
Bill

["007"]

How bout you newbies , do you know you have an other half of your battery ckt that is often overlooked. Battery does not just flow thru one wire, check out your white gnd wires also. READ THE PREVIOUS POSTS to help you out.

["007"]

With the good weather slowly approching thought this thread might help some NEWBIE'S as to the other important side of your battery ckt's.
If you have used MH during winter months salt will raise some problems with these GND connections. "007"

[BEBOP]

I checked mine about a couple of weeks ago prior to a trip and found the batteries all corroded at the terminals and down on the battery carrier. The tie down metal clips were eaten away and the strap just lays on top of the batteries 2. I unlocked the metal battery tray and of course it is froze u and will not pull out. The batteries were low on electralyte also. The coach is only a year old but the chassis is 2 years old and the batteries are 3 years old. That is the way it comes to you. My experience is that these deep cycle batteris have a two year life so it is time to replace these two batteries
Bebop

[Full-Timers]

BEBOP, I have the original batteries in my 2003 Rexhal 3550BSL with a 2002 chassis and have had no problems at all.

["007"]

BEBOP it could be your converter is over charging your batteries, some converters have a telephone cable strap to increase the charge.