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hofbauerjr · 06-13-2013, 06:18 AM

2000 Winnebago Adventurer
V10 Gas
35

I went to start my Winnebago and there is no 12 volt engine power. No lights or any truck power. The battery is new and is fully charged. I put a jumper cable from the negative battery terminal to the chassis and no change. I put the jumper cable from the positive terminal to the positive lug on the small fuse panel under the Hood and the thing starts. It is impossible to trace the wire back. It is black with a red stripe. Where does the power come from for this fuse panel?

bobwalter · 06-13-2013, 06:22 AM

Check for a battery disconnect switch. Sounds like it has one and it is in the store position. I don't have a Winnie, so I can't tell you where it is, bit I am sure that someone will check in that knows.

Good luck and keep us posted.

clyon51 · 06-13-2013, 07:21 AM

Yes it sounds like a chassis disconnect switch in store mode. Many Winnies have 2 switches by the entry steps. One is "Aux" which is for the coach, the other is probably engine or chassis. Check to see if you have anything similar.

hofbauerjr · 06-14-2013, 12:13 PM

I do have a coach switch near the door but no switch for the Engine power. The coach switch does turn the coach batteries off and on but does not affect the engine power. I have ran a jumper to be able to drive it but still no answers. I can not find a wiring diagram that shows where this power comes from.

bobwalter · 06-15-2013, 05:26 AM

Do you have any unidentified switches in the dash area??

clyon51 · 06-15-2013, 07:47 AM

I took a look at my '99 F53 yesterday (only had a few mins) for that fuse panel and looking for that black wire with red stripe. Is this a black plastic box that has a hinge on the left side with another box below indicating relays inside?

I gave this some thought last night and with no power into the main fuse panel, it still sounds like an added disconnect on the main power feed. I think I would start at the battery and try to follow it from there.

If there is only 1 cable on the POS post, it would run to the BCC where it would connect to a solenoid to tie to the coach system. At that same connection, another cable would head to the chassis. It's on that cable you would find another solenoid to disconnect chassis. I have 2 cables on my battery, 1 to the BCC and the other to the chassis.

Failing that, perhaps following the power you will encounter a bad branch line connection to the fuse panel.

clyon51 · 06-15-2013, 09:20 AM

I found you the wiring diagrams for your 2000 Adventurer. Not sure if you have the WFG35B or the WFG35B. I only looked at one of the "Automotive Wiring Diagram" links and that one had the schematics for both Ford and Chevy.

hofbauerjr · 06-16-2013, 02:00 PM

clyon51

Yes This is the black plastic box that has a hinge on the left side with another box below indicating relays inside.

As I took more and more apart I found that I have two solenoids under a plate hidden behind the top step. The coach batteries are connected to the one and the second is for the battery boost for engine start controlled by a switch at the front lower panel to the drivers left. I do have power on the two black and red stripe wires leaving this box. Still no power at the front fuse box. Still trying to trace these wires.

clyon51 · 06-16-2013, 02:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hofbauerjr

clyon51

Yes This is the black plastic box that has a hinge on the left side with another box below indicating relays inside.

As I took more and more apart I found that I have two solenoids under a plate hidden behind the top step. The coach batteries are connected to the one and the second is for the battery boost for engine start controlled by a switch at the front lower panel to the drivers left. I do have power on the two black and red stripe wires leaving this box. Still no power at the front fuse box. Still trying to trace these wires.

According to the schematic I looked at, those solenoids are what you say they are and I saw no chassis disconnect solenoid. However, the battery disconnect for the coach is usually not an automotive looking solenoid. Mine is a larger black box in the BCC behind the 12v circuit board.

If you haven't progressed any, I think I would get a partner and have them operate the BDS and listen to the clunk to see it it is one of those 2 solenoids. Then do the same with the boost solenoid. If one of those two solenoids don't operate, then I would be inclined to remove one cable from it and attach to the other side, which would bypass it and see what you get.

Have you tried operating the boost switch to see if that gives you power to the chassis?

John...

hofbauerjr · 06-19-2013, 03:47 PM

Thanks all. After cutting apart the wiring harnesses and tracing the wires from the box under the hood, there is a battery disconnect in the passenger side wheel well. The next problem was where is the switch. I borrowed a wirer tracer and put it on the actuation post and started checking all wiring harnesses in the coach. It goes to an unmarked switch in the cabinet above the sink next to the electric water heater switch. I never use the electric water heater so I do not know how it was turned off. What a place to hide this switch...