I have a switch marked Aux. Start. Battery has drained down (yes i will be adding cutoff switch on it ) tried it with the key and nothing.. Checked house battery (Good all other systems work), connections, fuses. This seems to be a rocker switch, is it or do I need a new switch?

The Aux. Start switch, when activated, closes a solenoid which connects the house batteries in parallel with the chassis battery hopedfully providing enough juice to turn over the engine when the starter switch is activated. Your problem could be not operating the system correctly, bad switch, bad solenoid, bad connections batteries-solenoid, or a chassis battery so drained that it effectively shorts out the house batteries.

I don't mean to be a pain, but most "emergency start" switches are "transfer" switches in that they cut out the engine battery and use only the house battery to start. The reason is that if the engine battery is depleted, it'll suck the current out of the house battery trying to recharge itself from that.

[This message has been edited by Rusty (edited September 12, 2005).]

quote:

Originally posted by Grizzlygiant:
The Aux. Start switch, when activated, closes a solenoid which connects the house batteries in parallel with the chassis battery.

My 84 30SE is the same way. So is the 81 Euro that has its schematic here somewhere.

The aux. start switch is an issue with my coach as well. It does not appear to be working. I would like to check the solenoid, but on my coach I have at least five solenoids that I have found so far. I recently discovered one under the rear of the coach by the bumper on the passenger side. It would be nice to know what each one does.

bill h. I used your trouble shooting guide for the battery isolator and all is well. The isolator and the voltages you listed were all as they should be. I still have a phantom load that I cannot find and think it may be relater to the Aux. start switch.

I would like to locate the aux. start solenoid.

Bill G

quote:

Originally posted by goodwinw:
I would like to locate the aux. start solenoid.

Bill G

OK. I know nothing about Regencies, but if you have the standard Ford-looking solenoid with two large terminals and one or two small ones, we might learn something. Lets give it a try. Station a person in the cockpit and instruct them to press and release the rocker switch. With a hot light, check the small terminals of each solenoid. If there is only one terminal, the solenoid has a case ground, and the small terminal is for activating the solenoid. If there are two small terminals, one is ground and the other is for activating the solenoid. When you find a terminal that flashes your hot light with your assistant's activation of the rocker switch, that is the aux solenoid.

It can be started with the house batteries and a set of jumper cables , and it starts right up, but is this good for the system. JKB

It shouldn't hurt - nor should it be necessary if you have an "emergency start" switch/solenoid. I'm still of the opinion that the "E-Start" solenoid should disconnect the engine batteries from the circuit and only engage the house batteries. Otherwise, my El Cheapo Class C has a better arrangement than Barths, and I find that possibility depressing.