Emergency assistance needed: Loss of almost all things 12v

[TimmyB]

We are traveling to Michigan from Florida. Everything has been fine until we left the gas station an hour ago. I noticed my cameras weren't working. Pulled off the highway, restarted the engine and nothing. Ok, no big deal. Them, down the road, noticed most of the rocker switches on the dash were dead as well. No mirrors, no window fans, nothing. It started to sprinkle so I hit the wipers. No wipers. Big problem. Pulled over and tried to investigate. What I found was: generator will not start, everything 12v appears to be dead, inverter is ON and working. Slides don't work, bed lift doesn't work. There is no power even getting to the inside fuse center in the bathroom as that has a display on it which is completely dead.

Lights, turn signals, etc working and coach drives fine. The 12V cigarette lighter DOES work which shows us our toad braking system and TPMS. Stereo works. Strangely enough, steps DON'T work, which I thought came straight off the chassis battery. (?)

We are driving the last hour to Indy and stopping for what we hope is one night. Any ideas you can throw my way would be extremely appreciated!

Thank you.

[Chief Alen]

Salesman switch off

[TimmyB]

Originally Posted by Chief Alen

Salesman switch off

Nope, we've tried that. It never got turned off for the last two days, but we checked it anyway.

[NXR]

I don't know your electric system but here are a few thoughts.

The inverter takes 12 VDC and turns it into 120 VAC. So you do have some 12 VDC stuff working but not much. That's odd because the inverter usually runs off the house batteries but whatever.

The chassis 12 VDC system seems OK because the thing drives and works.

So it seems it's coming down to the house battery system being dead. Do you have the switch on? Do you have a voltmeter and know how to check the batteries themselves to see if they have a charge?

Do you know what a Battery Control Center is?

Ray

[Jerrilynn]

Quick guess from a newbie. Similar issue, though not exactly the same, happened to us.

At the doorway entering our RV are two rocker switches for batteries. One must be on to start engine. Second must be on for lights electric plugs, etc.

Our slides require the engine to be running.

Hope you find the answer. Can be frustrating.

[CLIFFTALL]

Here’s a photo of the BCC ( battery control center ) that was in my 08 35E Bounder.



The two small black buttons at the lower left are 12 volt breakers. Try pushing them in.

[TimmyB]

Originally Posted by NXR

I don't know your electric system but here are a few thoughts.

The inverter takes 12 VDC and turns it into 120 VAC. So you do have some 12 VDC stuff working but not much. That's odd because the inverter usually runs off the house batteries but whatever.

The chassis 12 VDC system seems OK because the thing drives and works.

So it seems it's coming down to the house battery system being dead. Do you have the switch on? Do you have a voltmeter and know how to check the batteries themselves to see if they have a charge?

Do you know what a Battery Control Center is?

Ray

Our rig is brand new and all my tools and testers are in Michigan where we are headed.

My multiplex system is completely dead so I can't get readings but my inverter remote has a small LED readout and it's showing only 12.4/12.5V, which is not where it should be as we're driving down the road. Those things should be above 13.6, correct?

[TimmyB]

Originally Posted by CLIFFTALL

Here’s a photo of the BCC ( battery control center ) that was in my 08 35E Bounder.

Attachment 280329

The two small black buttons at the lower left are 12 volt breakers. Try pushing them in.

Ok, I'll check that. I had the cover off but with all of that in front, I didn't even see the small resets. I'll be stopped in about half an hour and we'll see what happens!

[Podivin]

Sounds to me like the house batteries are either disconnected or drained so far as to not be able to power anything.
There is a switch on your dash that joins the two battery systems together, don't know what it's called on yours. Push and hold that switch while starting the generator, see if that'll get the generator going. Once that's going and the converter is getting 120 volt power from the generator hopefully your non-working items will be back to working.

[twinboat]

House battery disconnect ( salesman switch ) doesn't power the wipers.

Somewhere near the front end is a compartment full of fuses, breakers and relays. Its called the Run Bay.

One bus bar will be powered only when the ignition is on. That's the one that seems to be not working for the important stuff.
The fuses or breakers on that bus bar should be labeled with the stuff not working. The power from that will come thru a relay ( solenoid ) and that main feed should be fused.

That's where you need to look. Trippid breaker or fuse or bad relay, loose wire.

[TimmyB]

Originally Posted by Podivin

Sounds to me like the house batteries are either disconnected or drained so far as to not be able to power anything.
There is a switch on your dash that joins the two battery systems together, don't know what it's called on yours. Push and hold that switch while starting the generator, see if that'll get the generator going. Once that's going and the converter is getting 120 volt power from the generator hopefully your non-working items will be back to working.

I forgot about the emergency switch when I tried to start the Genny. I will try that if the resets don't work.

[Steve-W]

I would take a close look at the power distribution block located under the hood. there are various relays and hi current fuses that feed sections of the under dash fuse panel as well as other major systems. Based on the fact that you have multiple items that are non functional this is the 1st place I would look. It appears the house system is functioning normally. The issue points to the chassis power system.
Your Ford owners manual will the fuse/relay assignments listed.

[TimmyB]

Originally Posted by twinboat

House battery disconnect ( salesman switch ) doesn't power the wipers.

Somewhere near the front end is a compartment full of fuses, breakers and relays. Its called the Run Bay.

One bus bar will be powered only when the ignition is on. That's the one that seems to be not working for the important stuff.
The fuses or breakers on that bus bar should be labeled with the stuff not working. The power from that will come thru a relay ( solenoid ) and that main feed should be fused.

That's where you need to look. Trippid breaker or fuse or bad relay, loose wire.

I had that box in the engine compartment open and I was pulling fuses but they all looked good.

[DeWat]

This is a shot in the dark, but I believe the salesman switch goes to a solenoid that actually does the electrical coupling. That solenoid would normally be somewhere near either the switch or the chassis batteries. If you can find it, a tap or two on it may free it if it is stuck. As mentioned, just a shot in the dark from another manufacturer that we owned. (If the BCC does the work of the solenoid, disregard this post).


EDIT: Actually, Cliff's picture shows a solenoid in the upper left corner. If that is part of the BBC, that would be what I would tap a couple times.