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Larry & Rita · 12-02-2012, 05:04 PM

Just went through a very nerve racking month, when we set up for this trip I notice the ALT.Charging Red light on the dash was on (My heart stopped).
I checked everything I could with my little meter, I posted my problem on a couple of fourms, all the while getting more nervous and more grey hairs.
All the repair shops said "Bring it in and we will check for $130.00 an hour"
Was not sure if I could drive it 90 miles or not.
Outcome: I was having coffee with one of the old timers here at the park, he said he knew the answer, (I have heard that a bunch of times this last month) anyway we went to the coach, he went over to the shore power and unplugged it.
"Now start it" he said and--NO LIGHT!!!!

I was so happy I bought him a cup of coffee and sat for hours listening to him extole his smarts.

Larry and Rita

rvjimmy · 12-02-2012, 05:24 PM

Lucky you cheap fix, who ever said sitting around and BS'ing doesn''t do any good.

Jim

slickest1 · 12-03-2012, 04:29 PM

Old guy's rule!!

YC1 · 12-03-2012, 05:20 PM

Was the ignition key in the run position?

If the key was on it could have sensed an overvoltage range and caused the alarm.
Did you have your batteries shut off with a switch? If so there would not have been a load on the charger and the voltage would tend to be high.

Inquiring minds want to know.

walt2137 · 12-05-2012, 06:53 PM

Larry add a set of jumper cables to your tool box and if the alt does go out on a trip just start your gen and jump the coach batt to the chassis batt and finish your trip.

nodine · 12-08-2012, 03:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Larry & Rita

Just went through a very nerve racking month, when we set up for this trip I notice the ALT.Charging Red light on the dash was on (My heart stopped).
I checked everything I could with my little meter, I posted my problem on a couple of fourms, all the while getting more nervous and more grey hairs.
All the repair shops said "Bring it in and we will check for $130.00 an hour"
Was not sure if I could drive it 90 miles or not.
Outcome: I was having coffee with one of the old timers here at the park, he said he knew the answer, (I have heard that a bunch of times this last month) anyway we went to the coach, he went over to the shore power and unplugged it.
"Now start it" he said and--NO LIGHT!!!!

I was so happy I bought him a cup of coffee and sat for hours listening to him extole his smarts.

Larry and Rita

The old guy is correct, common occurrence. I had it happen to me once and I have read about others having the same issue if the engine is started while the shore power is connected.

Bob

georgetown350 · 12-08-2012, 06:49 AM

Quote:

Larry add a set of jumper cables to your tool box and if the alt does go out on a trip just start your gen and jump the coach batt to the chassis batt and finish your trip

Thats one of the good reasons for having a generator on board. If the alternator goes out you can run for ever off the Genny or until you get a new alternator. Instead of the cables you can just depress and hold the boost switch to connect the batteries.

wigginsjsr · 12-14-2012, 07:32 PM

A similar thing happens on my 2011 Knight. If I start the generator before I start the engine, I will get an alternator fail light when the engine is started.

If I start the engine before I start the generator, no problem.

RustyTools · 12-15-2012, 11:59 AM

A few years back, Monaco began putting in a relay to isolate the Gen/shore charging power whenever the engine was started. Otherwise, the engine computer senses more than allowed voltage and assumes it's an alternator overload, when it's actually the Gen/shore charging circuit doing its normal thing and keeping the batteries topped off. Both circuits are doing what was designed, but the result comes out as an alternator fault.