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08-22-2014, 08:36 AM
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#1
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Senior Member
Join Date: May 2010
Posts: 187
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Big boy noise
In my 2008 Monaco Dynasty, while laying in bed I keep hearing a clunking sound coming from the engine compartment like a transfer switch noise, could the sound be coming from the big boy and is the big boy the part that activates the charger?
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08-22-2014, 08:38 AM
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#2
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Senior Member
Newmar Owners Club
Join Date: Apr 2014
Posts: 741
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Sounds like you need to fluff the blankets a bit more!
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Frank (RVM88), Lourdes, ChiChi and Coco!
2022 Fleetwood Flair 28A
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08-22-2014, 08:51 AM
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#3
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: Boise Valley (SW Idaho)
Posts: 2,009
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On our '06 Dynasty, the Big Boy is continuously energized, but at a reduced voltage to keep it from running as hot. It produces a wee bit of a humming sound, but not a clunking sound. The clunking that you are hearing would suggest that if it is coming from the Big Boy, it is being switched. It has a healthy pair of contacts and a pretty strong spring, so it would produce a pretty solid clunk when it picks or drops out.
Assuming it is the Big Boy, how frequent are the clunks? If it's every few minutes, I'd suggest you take the cover off of the rear run box and hold your hand on the Big Boy and you will definitely feel it, if that is what it is. If not, keep your ears peeled, and perhaps you can find where it is coming from.
The Big Boy ties the chassis battery system to the coach battery system in the rear run box. On our coach, the design is such that during normal operation while either plugged into shore power, or with the engine running, the two batteries are tied together so that both are maintained by the charging source, whether it be the inverter/charger or the engine alternator. When neither charging source is available, it separates the two batteries to prevent discharging the chassis batteries while parked in storage or while "dry camping". The Big Boy is also energized by the "Batt Boost" switch on the dash to allow "jumping" the chassis battery with the coach battery, if needed for startup.
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Jim & Angie, Boise, ID
2021 Entegra Esteem 27U
2017 GMC Acadia Denali
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08-22-2014, 09:08 AM
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#4
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Senior Member
Join Date: May 2010
Posts: 187
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Thanks Jim, the sound comes about one to 2 hours is my best guess. I may try and take the run cover off but I may sit there a long time waiting for the sound to come on. This is our 20th motor home and I have never heard that sound coming from the rear of any other coach's.
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08-22-2014, 09:19 AM
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#5
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Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2013
Posts: 107
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Wait....20th motorhome???? Wow!!!
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Sean & T.K.
04 Monaco Windsor 40PDQ
Towing 09 Ford Edge
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08-22-2014, 09:32 AM
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#6
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: FL
Posts: 11,385
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Easy to find out. Look on the back wall between the batteries and you will find it. Remove the small purple wire that controls it. If the clunking stops you know that is the device. Now for the cure. If your solenoid has not been changed it would be a good idea to do so. These things run very hot and are a known failure item.
However you need to check your battery voltages to be sure your charger is not cutting off. To find out all you need to know about the system do a search for BIRD. You will be busy for hours but will find a ton of great info.
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Certified Senior Electronic Technician, Telecommunications Engineer, Telecommunications repair Service Center Owner, Original owner HR 2008
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08-22-2014, 10:51 AM
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#7
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Senior Member
Newmar Owners Club
Join Date: Apr 2014
Posts: 741
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ken bauer
This is our 20th motor home ....
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YOU should be giving us lessons!!
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Frank (RVM88), Lourdes, ChiChi and Coco!
2022 Fleetwood Flair 28A
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08-22-2014, 02:18 PM
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#8
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: Boise Valley (SW Idaho)
Posts: 2,009
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If the '08 Dynasty is designed like the '06 Dynasty, there is nothing mounted in the battery compartment (except the two cut-off switches). The Big Boy is controlled by board #6 in the rear run box. There is no BIRD, per se, although the system performs a similar function to the BIRD. According to my schematics from Monaco, the Dynasty was comparable to the Navigator, in 2006, as the drawings apply to both models.
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Jim & Angie, Boise, ID
2021 Entegra Esteem 27U
2017 GMC Acadia Denali
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08-22-2014, 02:52 PM
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#9
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Senior Member
Monaco Owners Club
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: Saint Leonard,MD
Posts: 750
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I had the same problem with my Panther. It would cylce on for 2 minutes. Off for 30 seconds and back on. It did this on shore power and engine alternator power. The fix was the board#6 in the rear run bay. You should check the outputs of the board, big boy voltage drop and the voltage of each battery banks to confirm. The relay should activate bridging the house and chassis batteries on shore power when the house battery bank exceeds 13.5 +- . Then the chassis batteries should be the same as the house.
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2005 Safari Panther Diamond IV Cat C13
2013 Avalanche Toad
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08-24-2014, 10:47 AM
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#10
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Senior Member
Monaco Owners Club
Join Date: Apr 2011
Location: California
Posts: 788
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Quote:
Originally Posted by K7JV
If the '08 Dynasty is designed like the '06 Dynasty, there is nothing mounted in the battery compartment (except the two cut-off switches). The Big Boy is controlled by board #6 in the rear run box. There is no BIRD, per se, although the system performs a similar function to the BIRD. According to my schematics from Monaco, the Dynasty was comparable to the Navigator, in 2006, as the drawings apply to both models.
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My '06 Diplomat did not come with a BIRD system so I just installed one of the Amp -L-Start units.
It connects to both battery banks and feeds all batteries current when
you have either shore or generator power.
Its a DIY one hour install, costs approx $50
There are a number of these type units from other mfg's
The one from Magnum, with user adjustable voltage settings, looked really nice
but is twice the money.
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2006 Monaco Diplomat Atrium model, 41'
Cummins ISL-400HP CM850
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08-24-2014, 02:42 PM
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#11
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2000
Posts: 4,025
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There is a lot of information on the Big Boy in this forum. Do a search. It is in the "rear run bay". In 08 Monaco used their own board to operate the relay. Your search should bring up he method for determining if the relay is working properly. You should also find instructions on how to remove and clean the contacts. If the board is working there is a small green led light that will be on. Have you looked at your batteries and all the connections? A bad battery or dirty, and loose battery connections will drive the charging system wild! Look at all the ground connections including one that is in the rear wheel well. Are the batteries original? If so they are probably shot.
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Moisheh
2008 Dynasty 42' Diamond IV
1988 Bluebird PT38
2009 Silverado Toad
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08-24-2014, 09:45 PM
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#12
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Senior Member
Join Date: May 2010
Posts: 187
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The batteries are new and the big boy is warm to the touch and has a hum and after checking all connections I ran the generator for and hour and have not noticed the clunk sound anymore.
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08-25-2014, 10:06 AM
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#13
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: FL
Posts: 11,385
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If one set of batteries were extremely low they could have been pulling the overall voltage low enough for the Bird system to cut out. Once the empty banks were partially filled and not putting such a heavy load it probably kicked back in.
That said, the large solenoid has a history of failures and I would replace it as a matter of maintenance. It could easily be intermittent and not always provide proper charging to both banks. I have replaced mine twice. This is a case where one will change a fuel filter but refuse to change a part until it totally fails.
__________________
Certified Senior Electronic Technician, Telecommunications Engineer, Telecommunications repair Service Center Owner, Original owner HR 2008
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08-26-2014, 08:01 AM
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#14
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Senior Member
Join Date: May 2010
Posts: 187
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Thanks Myron, where is the large solenoid located and where can I get one and are they expensive?
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