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lockinload · 06-17-2021, 04:02 PM

Just returned from a 5 day trip to the upper Colorado river, boondocking and floating/fishing the river...Awesome time.

Woke up Monday morning and had zero DC power anywhere in the coach. Onboard generator would not start. My 2000 watt generator, when powered would not convert to DC. Batteries tested fine. Inverter worked and I had my microwave off the batts if I wanted, but no DC anywhere. Refrig, water pump, water heater and command station all dead. My buddy had an extra 12 volt battery so I hooked it up to the water pump directly and I now had water. Well heck, why don't I just splice into that power source and back feed the whole coach from the extra battery? Yup, worked great...but I am home now and can not figure this gremlin out.

None of my "house" fuses have power. The "chasis" side of the fuse box has power. Not sure if there is a relay on the board that has failed or what but zero power coming from the board.

It's pretty hard to trace all the wires from the on board batteries, (through the compartment wall) but I can't find any power at the fuse panel. I don't think it is an converter problem as I have 3 year old Xantrek unit. I hate to start pulling cables through the walls but the problem is between the battery and the fuse box. Maybe a relay somewhere, I don't know. All those wires and cables are wrapped in the flexible shroud, just scratching my head.

jacwjames · 06-17-2021, 06:12 PM

Do you have a house battery disconnect switch. It could have failed and not pass power.

My chassis disconnect failed, went to start the coach and nothing, tested the disconnect and it was bad. Just ordered and replaced it and all is good.

153stars · 06-17-2021, 06:48 PM

Yes see above.....test manual disconnect and salesman/battery disconnect solenoid. Owners have had the small switch by door get turned off but never used it didn't know it was there. Both can tested/bypassed by moving both cables to one lug or use a nut and bolt to remove it, just be careful it doesn't move and short out .

lockinload · 06-18-2021, 06:20 AM

I have a battery disconnect on the chassis battery only at least to my knowledge. I think I have some schematics to the electrical system somewhere. I need to find where the hot lead to the fuse panel is. I think I know where it is but there is no voltage there. If that is the case it has to be in the cable between the batteries and those poles. I suppose a cable could be corroded. I just hate to start yanking out cables before I know for sure. The only positive thing that comes out of problems like this, is the knowledge gained of the system and how it all works. What I do know is, there is no power to any fuse on that side of the panel and I can back feed power to the coach by bi-passing the fuse panel.

SKP Kirk · 06-18-2021, 07:14 AM

If your batteries test fine the converter must not be the problem, but I am wondering how you tested the coach batteries? Did you measure across them with a digital volt/ohm meter? Many 12V systems have a fusible link in the positive battery cable that can either open to prevent excessive current or fail from age. With a 22 year old RV that is a possibility for failure and the cables also fail from age. Have you checked that cable for continuity with an ohm meter?

When using your buddy's battery, where did you connect it to supply power to everything? It is pretty safe to assume that your problem is between the point where you connected that battery and your coach battery.

jacwjames · 06-18-2021, 07:22 AM

Not familiar with your coach.
Only advice I can give you is to start at the batteries and check voltages checking down stream until you find where you loose power. You may have a large fuse and/or circuit breakers. Some circuit breakers are manual reset others are auto reset. I also have a solenoid controlled by a switch so I can shut off most power to the coach. Either way you have to trace power until you loose it.

be-happy · 06-18-2021, 08:02 AM

I had a similar problem this spring. All was well and then no 12v. Did the new battery thing, that did not help. I thought it might be the disconnect / salesman switch as I have been playing with all the switches to make things work.

Anyway to make a long story short it was the disconnect solenoid. I would look for it see if you are getting power through it. My guess is you are not, yes it could mean the switch is bad but my money is on the solenoid.

taylorbob1 · 06-18-2021, 08:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by be-happy

I had a similar problem this spring. All was well and then no 12v. Did the new battery thing, that did not help. I thought it might be the disconnect / salesman switch as I have been playing with all the switches to make things work.

Anyway to make a long story short it was the disconnect solenoid. I would look for it see if you are getting power through it. My guess is you are not, yes it could mean the switch is bad but my money is on the solenoid.

Just went thru it as well
For me, I was on the road at the time.
So I went to the solenoid (hidden under the cabinets) and connected the two power cables together, thus circumventing the solenoid altogether.
That got everything working again & allowed me to complete my trip.

Then ordered a new $34 solenoid from Amazon.

Very common problem as the internal solenoid gets corroded. Take apart the old one, just a few screws, to see the corrosion.

lockinload · 06-18-2021, 09:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SKP Kirk

If your batteries test fine the converter must not be the problem, but I am wondering how you tested the coach batteries? Did you measure across them with a digital volt/ohm meter? Many 12V systems have a fusible link in the positive battery cable that can either open to prevent excessive current or fail from age. With a 22 year old RV that is a possibility for failure and the cables also fail from age. Have you checked that cable for continuity with an ohm meter?

When using your buddy's battery, where did you connect it to supply power to everything? It is pretty safe to assume that your problem is between the point where you connected that battery and your coach battery.

I tested each battery individually and they were all 6.5 volts and across they were 12.8 so it's not the batteries and yes I agree that it is not the converter. I have not tested the continuity but that is a good idea. All the power cables are wrapped in the corrugated protected sleeves and some of those have multiple cables going through them so its kind of hard to trace. Consequently the hole that goes between compartments is probably 3 inches and ALL the cables go through to the inverter and that whole thing has been packed with a caulking of some type. I think I am going to focus on that, it has to be between the board and the battery. I will also look for that fuse someone mentioned. Thanks for your input.

BTW, I connected to the power coming to my water pump, it was the easiest one to get to.

lockinload · 06-18-2021, 09:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by taylorbob1

Just went thru it as well
For me, I was on the road at the time.
So I went to the solenoid (hidden under the cabinets) and connected the two power cables together, thus circumventing the solenoid altogether.
That got everything working again & allowed me to complete my trip.

Then ordered a new $34 solenoid from Amazon.

Very common problem as the internal solenoid gets corroded. Take apart the old one, just a few screws, to see the corrosion.

Any chance that solenoid is on the board itself? There is something plugged into the board. I'll take a picture of it. I don't think it is a relay but it could be. Not sure what it is, but it is in a all metal box.

lockinload · 06-18-2021, 10:35 AM

GetAttachmentThumbnail.jpg

Haven't posted a pic here before, not sure if this is correct

taylorbob1 · 06-18-2021, 11:17 AM

Here’s photos of the solenoid and the corrosion within the solenoid that creates a failure of the USE/STORE switch

lockinload · 06-18-2021, 11:32 AM

I found the solenoid and it's buried in there. Will have to pull the panel. No doubt that is the problem. Love you guys.

lockinload · 06-18-2021, 12:54 PM

So I have pulled the panel and the solenoid has both the chassis and the house side connected to it. Could that thing be working on one side? I don't think so. There is also a power wire that runs from the house side to another component, a CB3 reset button , 50 amp non switched. Don't know what it is. Upper left hand side.

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