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Old 05-06-2021, 03:12 PM   #57
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Hi RX7Norotor, just had about the same symptoms as you stated except my volt gauge on dash was showing 17-18 volts then would drop back to 13.5. When this happened I would get the red x
Zante fault light and a Christmas tree on the dash. Finally made The Dalles Oregon (no mobile mechanics or truck shop ) but talked to an old diesel/rv repairman. Had to go to NAPA and get a new alternator. Internal regulator on the duvac alternator when garbage. Replaced and Finally underway. Might check yours because mine was in and out. Good luck.
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Old 05-06-2021, 04:22 PM   #58
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Is your battery shut off switch that is connected to chassis batteries in ON position?
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Old 05-06-2021, 04:33 PM   #59
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We had the same thing happen to our 2008 Monaco La Palma. Replace the alternator and your good to go, unfortunately its expensive but completely worth it. So many other problems will ironically go away. We fought with this decision until we were stranded as you were. We never realized what a difference that one improvement could make. No more ABS light, which we spent months trying to figure out, much brighter headlights and on and on. To get the coach to a RV repair facility you can jump the house batteries to the coach batteries and run the generator, just to get you to the repair shop. We did and we only wished some one had told us that from the beginning but I could not find that intell anywhere. They just wanted to keep replacing sensors and relays. Alternator fail that what you have.
Thanks. I had a Mobile RV repair folks come out and what they found out was there was a loose battery connection on the chassis side in the battery compartment that most likely caused the electrical issue. He tested everything out and found nothing else wrong including the alternator which was running fine. I might just go ahead and buy an alternator and have it in the RV on my trip just in case......
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Old 05-06-2021, 06:50 PM   #60
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Thanks. I had a Mobile RV repair folks come out and what they found out was there was a loose battery connection on the chassis side in the battery compartment that most likely caused the electrical issue. He tested everything out and found nothing else wrong including the alternator which was running fine. I might just go ahead and buy an alternator and have it in the RV on my trip just in case......
I would suggest a lot of other items more important for just in case, belts, hoses, fuses, light bulbs, voltage meter, etc., as I had a similar electrical issue and went ahead and purchased an alternator just in case, and that was about 12 years ago and it is still sitting around on a shelf unopened and unused ... just in case (hopefully not frozen up or damaged due to dust and sitting for so long). ~Craig
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Old 05-06-2021, 07:29 PM   #61
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Did you have the removed chassis batteries load tested ?

A chassis battery with an internal short , could cause ALL sorts of system issues!
Indeed!

Brand new chassis batteries could have simply been defective and had a cell short out. When that happens the charging system can cut out to prevent damage and cause the engine to go into limp mode. On my 2001 Ford F53 if the chassis battery shorts out then it will start bucking and backfiring if you try to go over 5 mph putting the alternator into high charge mode after which with a shorted battery will cause it to fault. When a V10 starts to buck and backfire it can be a very dramatic event along with potentially damaging.

Being new they should have still been under 100% warranty coverage. When the original poster put in the warranty claim what did the battery test reveal? When the second set of new batteries were installed did the charging system pass the alternator/charging system test?



A tech that would put in a second set of new batteries after an event like this without running full diagnostics on both the old batteries and the alternator would not be one to continue going back to.
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Old 05-07-2021, 12:09 AM   #62
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Originally Posted by RX7NOROTOR View Post
Thanks. I had a Mobile RV repair folks come out and what they found out was there was a loose battery connection on the chassis side in the battery compartment that most likely caused the electrical issue. He tested everything out and found nothing else wrong including the alternator which was running fine. I might just go ahead and buy an alternator and have it in the RV on my trip just in case......

Congrats on getting her going again. It's almost hilarious when I read all the suggestions. We went through and did almost everyone of them if not all to avoid the $1000.00 cost of the alternator. You can nearly eat in our battery compartment. I must say they were all great suggestion and did make things better. The one thing that got my attention was when the technician said "no alternator was designed to recharge completely dead batteries yet they are expected to do that over and over during a RV's life". Alternators were designed to top off a charge and supply general current while running and they get weaker as they get used and get older. We're new full timers and have made 26 states in 6 months, cheers and happy RVing.
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Old 05-07-2021, 05:56 AM   #63
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The blade disconnect would be on my list of things to change out as well. This one is good for 2000A for 15seconds highest you can get under $125. I see very few people having issues with these metal can switched over the plastic ones, that tend start to slowly melt. But you would have to make a mount. They have them but I can't see paying $25 for a small bent piece of metal.
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Old 05-07-2021, 06:04 AM   #64
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Yea let's see how my trip goes the end of the month. Traveling over 2500 miles total so it will be interesting. At least I will have a toad behind me in case i have to do an alternate plan of attack....Thanks everyone and really sorry for the long posts which probably confused a bunch of people. Only thing i might be concerned about is going to southern florida for a couple weeks might push my roof A/Cs to the limit...But that is part of camping...
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Old 05-07-2021, 06:04 AM   #65
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Electrical Issues

I can safely say I'm probably the least electrically inclined on this forum. But I do keep fairly good maintenance records along with replacement cycles on key parts. When I first started reading your post it seemed eerily similar to what happened to us when we were doing a test drive for a new buyer of our 03 Dutch Star. New Alternator did the trick. Good luck with your repair and get on the road soon.
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Old 05-07-2021, 06:14 PM   #66
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First, running GEN and INVERTER at the same time, actually should NOT work; if running GEN, INV should auto-sense that and NOT draw any battery power. A loose chassis battery might cause issue also? Modern Alternators do not charge and computers do not work if battery cable loose. Had to recently give boost to a fairly new car, found bright headlight, finally found clean battery NEG terminal was LOOSE.
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Old 05-08-2021, 05:52 AM   #67
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Thanks for the pictures and the house battery cable that is green (if this is a current picture), is an absolute disaster.

I cannot emphasize how important it is to have clean and shiny posts, terminals, and grounds.

Twelve volts have very little pressure/push and will not push through crud to supply voltage/current when under load.

Any voltmeter readings you have are suspect without a load on them and with that battery challenge you now need to start there.

Remove one battery cable at a time but after you have disconnected with a switch or removed the negative leads. If there is more than one wire attached to a post, zip tie or tape them together. Just too many folks dropping a wire and adding to the misery.

A dremel tool with a barrel sander works wonders away from the batteries of course. No sparks around batteries especially seeing the green works there that could indicate gassy batteries.



Thanks for your patience,
Agree that good clean terminals are a must and you need to remove them to clean & inspect vs just brushing the outside while attached.

Any green connections are suspect for having bare copper terminals. The best terminals are tinned and will be white / silver color (similar to solder) not copper colored.
When I refurbed by batty compartment & tray and switched to AGM I had several terminals that I heated with a torch, applied solder and wiped off to retin the bare copper. Re wrapped wire ends with colored "Rescue Tape" and they were good as new.
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Old 05-08-2021, 05:46 PM   #68
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< With engine off the chassis batteries are at 12.64 volts. With engine on the chassis batteries went down to 12.48 volts. Now shouldn't the alternator boost the volts over 13 volts?>
Your alternator is suspect. Have it bench tested. Also, from personal experience replacing two alternators that were actually good, check the wiring harness, too. That turned out to be my problem. Good luck!
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Old 05-08-2021, 05:55 PM   #69
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As already said many times, it MAY be the alternator, but it also may be the battery isolator (what battery isolator does the OP have???) or as you said, could be the wiring.


Hate to see anyone just throw parts at it.
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Old 05-09-2021, 06:40 AM   #70
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As already said many times, it MAY be the alternator, but it also may be the battery isolator (what battery isolator does the OP have???) or as you said, could be the wiring.


Hate to see anyone just throw parts at it.
Ditto: Throwing parts often throws more problems into the issue by blowing fuses, crossing wires, or leaving them off.

Better to take the time to diagnose first, document with pictures and notes, and then throw parts at it.
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