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Old 07-03-2023, 05:59 PM   #1
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RV Electrical Question after Second Alternator

So I have to preface my question with the following -- I have a 2022 Regency Ultra Brougham built on a 2021 Sprinter 3500 chassis. Earlier this year my coach was at teh manufacturer for roof repair and I had them install a second alternator. They did mention that they "disconnected" the connection to the primary alternator (and I assume that chassis battery system) - but they did not give me details on what they had done. Unfortuntely the company seems to be having some financial problems , their website has been taken down and I can't get any return phone calls.
So I can't get the answers the "easy way".

When my coach returned from the manufacturer I heard the oddest clicking noise that I only today determined where it was coming from.

I have attached a photo and a movie.
[couldn't attach the video so I made a link. https://gofile.me/74OCD/ieY6vw3r2
In the photo the larger black device to the left is an InstallBay (solenoid) as I understand it. I had to replace it previously is why I know what it is. Apparently it's original function was to let current flow from the chassis electrical system (and alternator) back to the house batteries - as long as the engine was running. But in turn would NOT allow the coach electrical to draw from the chassis battery if the engine wasn't running. It apears that the other leg has been disconnected (I assume what they meant when they disconnected the primary alternator from the house sytem).

The smaller black device in the middle is what is making all the noise -- notice the movie/video when I disconnect the yellow wire the noise goes away and when conencted it makes all the noise.

What is the device in the middle? Do I even need it any longer since the InstallBay solenoid apparently is being used through it's second connection??

What is the device on the right ? It appears to have the wires that go to the InstallBay solenoid that acivate or deactivate it. Are any of those connections needed any longer?

Thanks --I wish I could ask the installer
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Old 07-03-2023, 06:27 PM   #2
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Originally Posted by WV John View Post
So I have to preface my question with the following -- I have a 2022 Regency Ultra Brougham built on a 2021 Sprinter 3500 chassis. Earlier this year my coach was at teh manufacturer for roof repair and I had them install a second alternator. They did mention that they "disconnected" the connection to the primary alternator (and I assume that chassis battery system) - but they did not give me details on what they had done. Unfortuntely the company seems to be having some financial problems , their website has been taken down and I can't get any return phone calls.

So I can't get the answers the "easy way".



When my coach returned from the manufacturer I heard the oddest clicking noise that I only today determined where it was coming from.



I have attached a photo and a movie.

[couldn't attach the video so I made a link. https://gofile.me/74OCD/ieY6vw3r2

In the photo the larger black device to the left is an InstallBay (solenoid) as I understand it. I had to replace it previously is why I know what it is. Apparently it's original function was to let current flow from the chassis electrical system (and alternator) back to the house batteries - as long as the engine was running. But in turn would NOT allow the coach electrical to draw from the chassis battery if the engine wasn't running. It apears that the other leg has been disconnected (I assume what they meant when they disconnected the primary alternator from the house sytem).



The smaller black device in the middle is what is making all the noise -- notice the movie/video when I disconnect the yellow wire the noise goes away and when conencted it makes all the noise.



What is the device in the middle? Do I even need it any longer since the InstallBay solenoid apparently is being used through it's second connection??



What is the device on the right ? It appears to have the wires that go to the InstallBay solenoid that acivate or deactivate it. Are any of those connections needed any longer?



Thanks --I wish I could ask the installer


Looks like a solenoid that not fully hooked up it’s missing a wire. It can In gauge but nothing to connect.
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Old 07-03-2023, 07:06 PM   #3
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You need to gather more info, or look at another setup.. The RV site of your model is down,,

Trace those wires,, NO Clue how they wired in a second alt

the Black delay isolater , not the relay with yellow wire , may be a delay device wared in to hold the big relay a while to allow chassis to reach a charge before loading the aux into the system..

Sorry, hard to do with out being there and atleast knowing where the new stuff was dropped in and how it once was..
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Old 07-03-2023, 08:48 PM   #4
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If everything seems to be working OK since they installed a secondary alternator to handle charging the house batteries then I would say you could just pull the yellow wire to stop the relay chattering and leave it unplugged.
The entire purpose of those three components was to sense when the original alternator was producing electricity and, if so, connect the alt. to your house batts. Since that’s no longer needed then none of the three components are necessary either.
The main high-current solenoid no longer has anything connected to it to switch so neither it nor any of its control devices serve any function.
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Old 07-03-2023, 11:17 PM   #5
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The device in the middle is a Bosch relay. The device lower and to the right is a solenoid that is not being used now. The easiest way to deactivate the relay would be to pull the black wire. It is ground, so cannot short and relay cannot function without it. No more clicking.
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Old 07-04-2023, 12:35 AM   #6
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The device in the middle is a Bosch relay. The device lower and to the right is a solenoid that is not being used now. The easiest way to deactivate the relay would be to pull the black wire. It is ground, so cannot short and relay cannot function without it. No more clicking.
Thanks everyone for the input
I think I will just pull the black wire to strip the relay clicking

The remaining problem is that the installer has brought one of those yellow wires in to the coach as the “ignition” wires that is connected to my new Wakespeed regulator that regulates my new second alternator. Sometimes it doesn’t come on properly and I believe it is because it is only creating approx 3 volts. Wakespeed says it needs at least 8.5 to function properly. Surely one of those wires coming back to the Install Bay solenoid is a full 12v ignition wires
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Old 07-04-2023, 02:10 PM   #7
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Because of the way a Bosch relay is wired, the red wire should be 12 volts. I have no way to know if it is battery "hot all the time" or only hot on ignition. You could check that with a test light or meter.

Here is a typical circuit with a Bosch relay. The red wire goes to terminal 30 and your black wire goes to terminal 85.
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Old 07-04-2023, 03:16 PM   #8
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Because of the way a Bosch relay is wired, the red wire should be 12 volts. I have no way to know if it is battery "hot all the time" or only hot on ignition. You could check that with a test light or meter.

Here is a typical circuit with a Bosch relay. The red wire goes to terminal 30 and your black wire goes to terminal 85.
So I finally crawled back under today. I didn't want to take all the ties down to REALLY find where everything came from and went to
But I did find 3 wires coming from the front of the van (red, black and yellow) .. they were coming to the relay and/or the Install bay solenoid (which is no longer being used).

I unhooked the black wire tot he relay and that of course stopped the clicking. One of the yellow wires going to the relay was for sure a 12 v ignition wires ... so I just unplugged from the realy and used it to connect to the yellow wire going into the coach .. to be the Wakespeed regulator igniton wire.
The installer had a yellow wire coming from further back in the coach that was hot when igntion was on -- but only 3 volts. I just capped it off - not sure where it was coming from but it for sure was not enough to power on the Wakespeed.

LOL can't find anything not working at this point. No loud clicking and the WAkespeed works
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Old 07-04-2023, 04:38 PM   #9
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Originally Posted by code2e View Post
Because of the way a Bosch relay is wired, the red wire should be 12 volts. I have no way to know if it is battery "hot all the time" or only hot on ignition. You could check that with a test light or meter.

Here is a typical circuit with a Bosch relay. The red wire goes to terminal 30 and your black wire goes to terminal 85.
I don't know what you want to achieve, with the shown wiring diagram the only thing you can achieve is blowing the fuse by setting the switch in the other position.
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Old 07-04-2023, 04:57 PM   #10
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I don't know what you want to achieve, with the shown wiring diagram the only thing you can achieve is blowing the fuse by setting the switch in the other position.
That typical relay wiring diagram is using an illuminated rocker switch. The ground wire you noticed is just there to provide a ground for the light bulb in the rocker. I would not have included that if I had made my own diagram. Just grabbed a handy one off the interweb.
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