Community Forums

barmcd · 05-26-2016, 07:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ereadingrv

Okay, I don't know what this means exactly, but...

We haven't gotten the new batteries yet, mainly because we haven't had time. We plan to in the next few days. But I AM wondering if maybe what I'm about to describe is an indicator of a bigger problem.

The lights have gone off intermittently the past 12 hours, after working fine for two days. When we power off the generator, then turn it back on, using the Aux Start button, the lights come back on.

Any thoughts what this might mean?

How long after turning the generator on or off does this happen? We have an auto switch system that switches between shore power and generator. I think the generator has priority over shore power. The switch has a built in delay. This might be an indication of a bad auto switch in your coach.

barmcd · 05-26-2016, 07:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ereadingrv

Okay, I don't know what this means exactly, but...

We haven't gotten the new batteries yet, mainly because we haven't had time. We plan to in the next few days. But I AM wondering if maybe what I'm about to describe is an indicator of a bigger problem.

The lights have gone off intermittently the past 12 hours, after working fine for two days. When we power off the generator, then turn it back on, using the Aux Start button, the lights come back on.

Any thoughts what this might mean?

How long after turning the generator on or off does this happen? We have an auto switch system that switches between shore power and generator when we turn the generator on. I think the generator has priority over shore power. The switch has a built in delay. This might be an indication of a bad auto switch in your coach.

YC1 · 05-26-2016, 07:50 AM

I just went through all three pages again and nowhere do I see even one voltage measurement being taken.

How can this be diagnosed if none are taken? Throwing parts at it is costly and can lead to additional problems caused by the fixes.

It may take just three measurements to find the problem. Yes the batteries are bad but are they causing the actual problem? It would be rare but if they are putting a huge load on the charger it could be cycling off due to heat and with really bad batteries the voltage could slump very low.

If you have full hook ups then you do not need to replace all four 6 volt batteries at this time. Heck, you could even substitute one 12 volt for all four 6 volters to save a lot of money. Just don't try to use your inverter to run the microwave. Use your generator if no shoreline.

RamiDav · 05-26-2016, 08:55 AM

Richard ,
Lots of smart people on here and some actually understand
rv electrical stuff .
Now I don't know Myron aka ( YC1 ) but I perceive that he
can lead you through this and I predict it will most likely
be something simple .
There is a process to trouble shooting elect other wise it is
just stabbing in the dark .

BTW did you ever try moving the knob & wires at the batt cut off
sw in your batt compartment ?

Ray

ereadingrv · 05-26-2016, 07:04 PM

[QUOTE=YC1;3086218]I just went through all three pages again and nowhere do I see even one voltage measurement being taken.]]

We have a voltmeter. But is a "standard" voltmeter what we actually need? Please bear in mind that, while we're learning, we are not particularly mechanically inclined. So when we tell us to take a reading on, say, a battery, that we can obviously understand. But when it comes to taking readings on switches and whatnot, we would really need some remedial help on that one, for the reasons just cited.

[[ How can this be diagnosed if none are taken? Throwing parts at it is costly and can lead to additional problems caused by the fixes. ]]

I'm not sure where we said we were going to throw any parts at the problem, outside of new batteries--which even a (relative) layman can see need replacement. Our house batteries are swollen and using distilled water at a ridiculous rate, so those are getting replaced ASAP. Our chassis batteries are sealed type, and seem fine.

[[ It may take just three measurements to find the problem. Yes the batteries are bad but are they causing the actual problem? It would be rare but if they are putting a huge load on the charger it could be cycling off due to heat and with really bad batteries the voltage could slump very low. ]]

Okay, this sounds reasonable...but again, we need to understand (and believe me, we're willing!) how to take those readings you mention.

[[ If you have full hook ups then you do not need to replace all four 6 volt batteries at this time. ]]

We do not. We are full-time and live and work in our coach.

Hope that info helps, and that you can help us with determining how to take the readings that you think we should take. Many thanks!

ereadingrv · 05-26-2016, 07:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by barmcd

How long after turning the generator on or off does this happen? We have an auto switch system that switches between shore power and generator when we turn the generator on. I think the generator has priority over shore power. The switch has a built in delay. This might be an indication of a bad auto switch in your coach.

I don't know if we have that auto-switch or not; I'm assuming we do, because it just sounds logical and reasonable. Where that would be, however, I have NO idea.

The difficult part, as I've addressed before, is that documentation on these older coaches (and maybe new ones, too, for all I know) is...well, sparse. If it wasn't for the assistance of fellow owners here who have provided us with some documentation, we wouldn't have anything.

For example, on our wish list: A PDF of the 1999 manual, not the 2000, which differs in a number of ways from ours.

ereadingrv · 05-26-2016, 07:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MikeandJan

You mentioned that rooftop A/C's quit when the lights went out - I would bet the TV did also if it was plugged into the original TV outlet. Both those items operate on AC power but the control circuits for the rooftop units is DC (the thermostats and communication wiring) and the outlet for the TV is DC controlled to keep the TV from working when the engine is running. My vote is intermittent battery cutoff solenoid or the switch (salesman solenoid and switch.) Happened to us ('03 Camelot) and when the coach was completely powered down and repowered, the solenoid would work - for a while. In mine, you can look at the DC electrical panel in the bedroom to see all that is powered through the cut off solenoid.

Unfortunately, the systems in a 1999 Diplomat are CONSIDERABLY different than in subsequent years, as we're discovering more and more each day. Useful information, though, about how power is handled in other years! Some of it seems to apply to us, and others, not so much.

Interesting learning.

ereadingrv · 05-26-2016, 07:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RamiDav

BTW did you ever try moving the knob & wires at the batt cut off
sw in your batt compartment ?

Ray

We did, actually; nothing.

ereadingrv · 05-26-2016, 07:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by barmcd

How long after turning the generator on or off does this happen?

That's one of the really frustrating aspects of all this. The time before "light's out" is totally random. The other day, they were on for nearly 3 days. Yesterday, on and off for HOURS. Today? On all day with no issue.

YC1 · 05-26-2016, 07:12 PM

Step 1. measure the voltage on the center of the battery terminals. Write it down. Measure the voltage on a post away from the battery posts but obviously connected directly to the batteries.

When the lights go dim, take the same measurements.

ereadingrv · 05-26-2016, 09:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by YC1

Step 1. measure the voltage on the center of the battery terminals. Write it down. Measure the voltage on a post away from the battery posts but obviously connected directly to the batteries.

When the lights go dim, take the same measurements.

Just to be clear, Myron, when the lights go, they don't dim...they just shut down along with all the 12v powered items: a/c, a/c wall control, water pump, lights, etc.

ereadingrv · 05-26-2016, 09:26 PM

We have now done this enough times to notice that there is a significant correlation between the water levels in the house batteries and the 12v failure. If the water in any of the house batteries gets even a HAIR bit low, out goes the system.

I'm leaning more and more toward batteries fixing this issue.

RamiDav · 05-26-2016, 10:10 PM

[[ If you have full hook ups then you do not need to replace all four 6 volt batteries at this time. ]]

" We do not. We are full-time and live and work in our coach."

Richard ,

I'm not clear about what you mean by that statement .
Most people that live and work in their coach are plugged
into elect somewhere .
Do you mean you are not plugged into elect ?
Do you mean you are operating off of your house batteries
and recharging periodically with the generator ? ( dry camping )
If you are not plugged in that could be an important clue
and you just might be correct about the batteries .
You see the coach has a converter / charger that supplies
12 v to your coach when you are plugged in .
This charger should operate the lights even without batteries ,
don't try this it is just an example .
Have you cleaned all the battery connections ?

Ray

ereadingrv · 05-26-2016, 11:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RamiDav

[[ If you have full hook ups then you do not need to replace all four 6 volt batteries at this time. ]]

" We do not. We are full-time and live and work in our coach."

Richard ,

I'm not clear about what you mean by that statement .
Most people that live and work in their coach are plugged
into elect somewhere .
Do you mean you are not plugged into elect ?
Do you mean you are operating off of your house batteries
and recharging periodically with the generator ? ( dry camping )
If you are not plugged in that could be an important clue
and you just might be correct about the batteries .
You see the coach has a converter / charger that supplies
12 v to your coach when you are plugged in .
This charger should operate the lights even without batteries ,
don't try this it is just an example .
Have you cleaned all the battery connections ?

Ray

We are rarely plugged in. 99.5% of the time we are dry-camping and running our generator. We will be adding solar in the not-too-distant future, if all goes well.

When you say "converter", are you referring to the inverter? Just a slight bit confused on that. I've never heard of our coach having a "converter", only the inverter. We have tested the inverter, and it is operating properly.