House Batteries/Battery Disconnect Issues

[RanchoConejo]

We JUST bought a 2008 Coachman Leprechaun 319DL, Ford chassis. Everything seemed fine when we tested the systems initially: all the interior lights worked, the appliances, water pump, slides, everything. When we stopped for the night and the interior lights wouldn't come on, we realized it had been plugged into shore power when we initially tested everything. Weirdly, the water pump and automatic step worked, but none of the other 12V systems worked until we fired up the generator. The battery disconnect panel is not getting power at all (tested with meter and all the switches are good.) The batteries tested fine (2023).





Our guess is the solenoid or solenoid fuse is blown, but we have been unable to locate the solenoid at all. Supposedly it is "behind the passenger headlight", but there is nothing there that looks like a solenoid. Part of the problem is also that I don't know what it looks like. Any troubleshooting suggestions would be welcome. We are brand new to this, and automotive wiring is not in our skill set.

[TacomaJoe]

Looks like a solenoid in the 2nd photo (has thin yellow wire on it). The yellow wire controls the relay coil, closes the contacts for the big red wires. The other thing in the photo with the bus bar and wire looks like maybe a 4 way circuit breaker. Check for 12V on each post.

We know the converter works on shore power and the battery can run the pump and steps. We're just missing the one link between the control panel and battery. On my panel, the converter feeds 12V directly to the fuses. The battery feeds the fused circuits via the reverse polarity fuses.

Not sure if the switch on the panel feeds +12V to the solenoid or sends a ground to the solenoid.

[d23haynes57]

Have you checked the batteries for voltage? They may be bad.

[Mudfrog]

I'm guessing the cabling to the batteries is correct but it would be nice to have a better image showing what's going where.

Personally, I'd disconnect shore power, disconnect the batteries completely, and then clean everything up. Looks like quite a bit of rust on/around the nuts holding the wiring in place in the 2nd image. Check and clean the battery connections and the ground connection(s) at the chassis' frame too.

[RanchoConejo]

Originally Posted by TacomaJoe

Looks like a solenoid in the 2nd photo (has thin yellow wire on it). The yellow wire controls the relay coil, closes the contacts for the big red wires. The other thing in the photo with the bus bar and wire looks like maybe a 4 way circuit breaker. Check for 12V on each post.

We know the converter works on shore power and the battery can run the pump and steps. We're just missing the one link between the control panel and battery. On my panel, the converter feeds 12V directly to the fuses. The battery feeds the fused circuits via the reverse polarity fuses.

Not sure if the switch on the panel feeds +12V to the solenoid or sends a ground to the solenoid.

Well, now when we start the generator, NONE of the 12v systems work, except, mysteriously, the water pump and step are still functioning. On that bar on the left of the second picture, the top wire was the only one that had no power. Oddly, this development makes me think it's something relatively straightforward to fix, but other than cleaning the connections, I don't know how to proceed. (PS. You lost me at the "On my panel" sentence.

[RanchoConejo]

Originally Posted by d23haynes57

Have you checked the batteries for voltage? They may be bad.

Yes, checked both batteries 2023 full charge.