HELP!! 2004 vectra 40

[stevewitt1]

In the electrical bay there is a cord hanging down coming out of the box labeled Battery Mode
Solenoid and
Relays


There is also a receptical next to the grommet that the cord hangs through
What is this cord go to?
This coach doesn't seem to charge house batteries from either the engine nor the inverter/charger


Any help or suggestions appreciated

[JaminSamin]

Engine block heater? You probably have a switch somewhere inside the rv…on a panel or in a cub board that energizes that mystery receptacle.

[l1v3fr33ord1]

stevewitt1-

According to the wiring diagram for a typical 2004 Vectra (link here, select the correct Vectra model and "Body, 110 Volt Wiring Installation" diagram), the 120V plug is for the engine heater. It plugs into the receptacle that's next to the grommet. This unplugged plug should have nothing to do with the house battery charging problem.

[corprimo]

When we're parked in cold weather I unplug the Engine heater cord and plug in a small 500 watt heater that's plugged into a thermocube, which heats the adjacent wet area of that storage bay when temps get below freezing.

[jerichorick]

Originally Posted by stevewitt1

In the electrical bay there is a cord hanging down coming out of the box labeled Battery Mode
Solenoid and
Relays


There is also a receptical next to the grommet that the cord hangs through
What is this cord go to?
This coach doesn't seem to charge house batteries from either the engine nor the inverter/charger


Any help or suggestions appreciated

First, yes, the cord is for your block heater. You do have a switch at the meter panel labeled Engine heater that controls the outlet you refer to.
Check out this 12 V wiring diagram: https://www.winnebago.com/Files/File...ire_146567.pdf
To the right of the batteries is a AUX START SOLENOID. If I recall correctly this is where the house and start batteries receives charging. Try replacing this solenoid. They don't cost a lot but are a pain to install.
In your picture I see you have a Magnum inverter. Make certain it was installed correctly. I believe this replaced a Progressive MSW inverter.
Hope this helps.
Rick

[FIRE UP]

Originally Posted by stevewitt1

In the electrical bay there is a cord hanging down coming out of the box labeled Battery Mode
Solenoid and
Relays


There is also a receptical next to the grommet that the cord hangs through
What is this cord go to?
This coach doesn't seem to charge house batteries from either the engine nor the inverter/charger


Any help or suggestions appreciated

Ok Steve,
Here's the deal. Yes, that 120VAC plug is supposed to be plugged into the outlet INSIDE that compartment. It is a dedicated outlet for the engine BLOCK HEATER. The switch/control for it is at the very top of your "ONE PLACE" panel in the center of your coach. The switch will be right along side 120VAC switch for the water heater.

Now, as far as your house batteries not charging from either shore power or the engines alternator, well, you may have more than one problem. Here's how YOUR system works. In your shore power/Electrical bay, you have your inverter/charger, your 50A cord for plugging into shore power, your transfer switch, and, in the upper right corner of that compartment, is a HIDDEN compartment. Inside that hidden compartment are two important solenoids. The only way to gain access to those is by removing the panel in the front of that small compartment by removing the Phillips head screws.

Once you remove the panel cover, you will see those two solenoids. The one on the left, is the smaller one and is the house battery shut down solenoid. When you flip the AUX batter toggle on the vertical panel right to the right of the passengers right knee, that solenoid is what disconnects the house batteries from the 12V system in the coach.

The right solenoid is the DUAL DUTY solenoid. It has dual duty because:

1. When your chassis batteries are low, and do not have enough voltage/amperage to start your engine, you then can push that AUX BATTER BOOST toggle on your dash. When you do that, you send a signal to that larger solenoid in that hidden compartment. When that solenoid closes, it links the chassis batteries to the house batteries and that gives you the additional power to start your engine.

2. It's second duty is, when you start your engine, via an "ignition hot" wire, you again send a signal to that larger solenoid which closes and, now your HOUSE batteries are being charged by the engine alternator.


If in fact, you are not receiving a charge to your house batteries WITH THE ENGINE RUNNING, there is at least ONE major cause of this. And that is, that larger solenoid is not conveying 12V from one side to the other inside of it. You see, from literally hundreds of open and closing of that solenoid, those contacts inside it become carbon arced and will not conduct electricity. You can test to see and hear if it's actually physically working by having your environment around you as quiet as possible and, sitting in the drivers seat, push that AUX BATT BOOST toggle.

You should be able to hear that solenoid "clunk" as it closes. If your hearing is not so good, have someone push the toggle on the dash and YOU stand close to that compartment and listen. Now, that solenoid CAN function in terms of opening and closing. But that doesn't mean it's actually conducting electricity between the two main posts. Again, it could be carboned up. The way to test all this is to take readings on both sides of the solenoid when the engine is OFF. Then, start the engine and wait just a few seconds, maybe 10 or so, just to allow for things in the charging system to stabilize.

Then, while the engine is running, take readings again with your trusty VOM or Volt Ohm Meter. When the engine is running, the voltage on both large terminals should be the same, around 13.0 to 13.5 or so, plus or minus. If you see 13.? on one side but almost zero or only 12.0V on the other, AND, you've confirmed that the solenoid is in fact opening and closing, then you have a carboned up set of contacts. If you don't hear that solenoid open and close, you first need to confirm that it is receiving a signal from either the battery boost toggle or the ignition hot when the engine is running.

Don't just run out and buy one when you've not done any research to determine if the parameters that make it operate DON'T EXIST!


Now, that's just the engine side of charging and battery boost. There's still the matter of SHORE POWER charging. It's a whole different system. I see you have a *Magnum* inverter/charger. Well, maybe it's a charger too, it may be just an inverter and not a charger. I cannot see a model name or number to be able to tell if it's both, or just an inverter. Your coach, an '04 Winnebago Vectra, like just about every single Winne Vectra and Journey, and, the Itasca Horizon and Meridian of that era, came with a *DIMENSIONS* 2000 watt inverter/charger when it was new.

Some of those era coaches are still running the Dimensions units. Many, like mine, have been changed out to any number of available Inverter/Chargers on the market. My Dimensions unit lasted about 11 years or so before it quit charging. I replaced it with a Magnum ME2012 2000 watt modified sign wave inverter/charger. But, again, I cannot tell if the unit you have IS both an inverter AND a charger. If it is NOT a charger, then you have no way of charging your house batteries while on shore power.

If it is both an inverter and a charger, then if it's functioning correctly, it should be charging your house batteries while on shore power. Here's a very simple test. With your trusty VOM, take a reading of your house batteries WITHOUT being plugged into shore power. Note the readings. Then, plug your coach into shore power and let things stabilize for a few seconds and now, take another reading of your house batteries. Note the reading(s). Compare both sets of readings.

If your readings increased in voltage AFTER plugging into shore power, your inverter/charger is doing its job. If there is NO increase in voltage to them after plugging into shore power, then it's possible that inverter/charger is not doing its job due to various reasons. By the way, there is either a 200 amp or 300 amp fuse in the positive cable from your house batteries to that inverter. It's typically about a few inches away from the house batteries and is mounted on the battery compartment framing, just above them and to the right. Sorry for the long winded explanation of things but, this is how your systems work.

One more thing. In that 2004 and below Winne and Itasca diesels, the CHASSIS batteries DID NOT receive a charge when plugged into shore power. There are a few remedies for this if yours has not been altered to allow for shore power chassis battery charging. Ask if you need help on this.
Scott

[jerichorick]

Originally Posted by FIRE UP

Ok Steve,
Here's the deal. Yes, that 120VAC plug is supposed to be plugged into the outlet INSIDE that compartment. It is a dedicated outlet for the engine BLOCK HEATER. The switch/control for it is at the very top of your "ONE PLACE" panel in the center of your coach. The switch will be right along side 120VAC switch for the water heater.

Now, as far as your house batteries not charging from either shore power or the engines alternator, well, you may have more than one problem. Here's how YOUR system works. In your shore power/Electrical bay, you have your inverter/charger, your 50A cord for plugging into shore power, your transfer switch, and, in the upper right corner of that compartment, is a HIDDEN compartment. Inside that hidden compartment are two important solenoids. The only way to gain access to those is by removing the panel in the front of that small compartment by removing the Phillips head screws.

Once you remove the panel cover, you will see those two solenoids. The one on the left, is the smaller one and is the house battery shut down solenoid. When you flip the AUX batter toggle on the vertical panel right to the right of the passengers right knee, that solenoid is what disconnects the house batteries from the 12V system in the coach.

The right solenoid is the DUAL DUTY solenoid. It has dual duty because:

1. When your chassis batteries are low, and do not have enough voltage/amperage to start your engine, you then can push that AUX BATTER BOOST toggle on your dash. When you do that, you send a signal to that larger solenoid in that hidden compartment. When that solenoid closes, it links the chassis batteries to the house batteries and that gives you the additional power to start your engine.

2. It's second duty is, when you start your engine, via an "ignition hot" wire, you again send a signal to that larger solenoid which closes and, now your HOUSE batteries are being charged by the engine alternator.


If in fact, you are not receiving a charge to your house batteries WITH THE ENGINE RUNNING, there is at least ONE major cause of this. And that is, that larger solenoid is not conveying 12V from one side to the other inside of it. You see, from literally hundreds of open and closing of that solenoid, those contacts inside it become carbon arced and will not conduct electricity. You can test to see and hear if it's actually physically working by having your environment around you as quiet as possible and, sitting in the drivers seat, push that AUX BATT BOOST toggle.

You should be able to hear that solenoid "clunk" as it closes. If your hearing is not so good, have someone push the toggle on the dash and YOU stand close to that compartment and listen. Now, that solenoid CAN function in terms of opening and closing. But that doesn't mean it's actually conducting electricity between the two main posts. Again, it could be carboned up. The way to test all this is to take readings on both sides of the solenoid when the engine is OFF. Then, start the engine and wait just a few seconds, maybe 10 or so, just to allow for things in the charging system to stabilize.

Then, while the engine is running, take readings again with your trusty VOM or Volt Ohm Meter. When the engine is running, the voltage on both large terminals should be the same, around 13.0 to 13.5 or so, plus or minus. If you see 13.? on one side but almost zero or only 12.0V on the other, AND, you've confirmed that the solenoid is in fact opening and closing, then you have a carboned up set of contacts. If you don't hear that solenoid open and close, you first need to confirm that it is receiving a signal from either the battery boost toggle or the ignition hot when the engine is running.

Don't just run out and buy one when you've not done any research to determine if the parameters that make it operate DON'T EXIST!


Now, that's just the engine side of charging and battery boost. There's still the matter of SHORE POWER charging. It's a whole different system. I see you have a *Magnum* inverter/charger. Well, maybe it's a charger too, it may be just an inverter and not a charger. I cannot see a model name or number to be able to tell if it's both, or just an inverter. Your coach, an '04 Winnebago Vectra, like just about every single Winne Vectra and Journey, and, the Itasca Horizon and Meridian of that era, came with a *DIMENSIONS* 2000 watt inverter/charger when it was new.

Some of those era coaches are still running the Dimensions units. Many, like mine, have been changed out to any number of available Inverter/Chargers on the market. My Dimensions unit lasted about 11 years or so before it quit charging. I replaced it with a Magnum ME2012 2000 watt modified sign wave inverter/charger. But, again, I cannot tell if the unit you have IS both an inverter AND a charger. If it is NOT a charger, then you have no way of charging your house batteries while on shore power.

If it is both an inverter and a charger, then if it's functioning correctly, it should be charging your house batteries while on shore power. Here's a very simple test. With your trusty VOM, take a reading of your house batteries WITHOUT being plugged into shore power. Note the readings. Then, plug your coach into shore power and let things stabilize for a few seconds and now, take another reading of your house batteries. Note the reading(s). Compare both sets of readings.

If your readings increased in voltage AFTER plugging into shore power, your inverter/charger is doing its job. If there is NO increase in voltage to them after plugging into shore power, then it's possible that inverter/charger is not doing its job due to various reasons. By the way, there is either a 200 amp or 300 amp fuse in the positive cable from your house batteries to that inverter. It's typically about a few inches away from the house batteries and is mounted on the battery compartment framing, just above them and to the right. Sorry for the long winded explanation of things but, this is how your systems work.

One more thing. In that 2004 and below Winne and Itasca diesels, the CHASSIS batteries DID NOT receive a charge when plugged into shore power. There are a few remedies for this if yours has not been altered to allow for shore power chassis battery charging. Ask if you need help on this.
Scott

Thanks, Scott, for correcting my old memory. It has been many years since I departed from my Vectra.

I am suspicious about the Magnum also. Inverter/charger or just an inverter? That alone is the answer to some of his problems.

After I changed the solenoid I think both battery banks received charging cycles. Again, my memory may be faulty here.
Good write up.

Rick

[FIRE UP]

Roger that Rick,
Glad to have helped jogged the memory. I need that on a daily basis! I get long winded quite often but sometimes, it's the details that get lost in some shorter answers on RV issues. And the details help in most cases.
Scott

[FIRE UP]

Now if the OP would just get back with info.
Scott