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 Can anybody identify the purpose of two rocker switches and one red light on the right dash panel of my '89 Regal: 1. Test switch, which toggles off and on. 2. Aux. start switch. I believe I once read this was to use the house batteries for drive engine starting. I don't have house batteries, only the starting batteries for the drive engine and the generator engine. OEM, no modification. So maybe this tapps the generator battery to start the drive engine. 3. Red light to the right of the ignition switch. For the first time today it flashed briefly and a buzzer sounded. Afterwards it remained off. Thanks. Steve 1989 Regal 34’ Side entry, floor plan A Spartan chassis Cummins 6CTA – 8.3 L with 240 HP Cummins pusher Allison transmission MT 643 Onan generator 8808-3555-34RDS-A | ||
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 12/10 |
The aux start switch connects the start and house batteries. I used it once when I left my compartment lights on by accident and drained the start batt. That is when I found out the compartment lights are wired to the start battery. I hit the aux switch and started the engine off the house batts. The only other thing I have on my gasser that is a momentary contact switch is for flashing your parking lights to let a passing big truck know he has cleared your rig and can come over into your lane. I don't know what they call that. Try hitting the test switch with your lights on and see if they go off when you hit it...or wait for someone who knows what they're talking about.  Regal 25 built in 1989 1985 P-30 chassis 454 TH400 | |||
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So, you have separate house batteries? I don't. I only have the two start batteries, one for the Cummins pusher and one for the Onan genset. When I get a few minutes, I will disconnect the pos cables and determine which of the two functions as the house battery. I assume that the Aux. Start switch brings the Onan start battery on line to start the Cummins. I have a separate clearance lights momentary switch on the left side of the dash. So that's not the Test switch. Could be it's for mass testing of all systems in the coach. Wouldn't that be something! 1989 Regal 34’ Side entry, floor plan A Spartan chassis Cummins 6CTA – 8.3 L with 240 HP Cummins pusher Allison transmission MT 643 Onan generator 8808-3555-34RDS-A | |||
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Well, the test rocker switch just tests the dash warning lights, e.g., oil pressure, temp, etc. Still don't know for sure what the aux. start rocker switch does, but probably it brings the Onan generator start battery on line to start the Cummins pusher engine. 1989 Regal 34’ Side entry, floor plan A Spartan chassis Cummins 6CTA – 8.3 L with 240 HP Cummins pusher Allison transmission MT 643 Onan generator 8808-3555-34RDS-A | |||
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 1/12 |
Hi Steve I always have thought that our house batts were also our gen start batts. Am I wrong?. Are you sure your gen start battery is not also your house 12V power? Does your coach have an inverter to convert 12V battery power to 120V? You ave a great looking coach. Don 1990 Regency 34' Cummins 6CTA 8.3 240hp Spartan Chassis, 4 speed Allison MT643 | |||
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7/17 |
If working right, your aux start switch will connect your batteries together. On ours, the relay is powered from the chassie side battery. If you run your house ( generator ) battery down you can fire up the coach engine. Hold down your Aux Start switch and start you gen. I carry jumper cables to connect my batteries in case my chassie battery dosen't have enough to operate my relay solinoid. Disconect your house (gen) battery. Your house lights should not work. Press the aux start switch and lights will come on if yours is wired this way. Make sure shore power is not connected during this test. Doorman 1986 31' Regal -1976 Class C 454/T400 P30 -350/T400 G30 twin cntr beds - 21' rear bath | |||
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Finally I understand that my generator battery is my house battery and that the Aux. Start switch ties the generator battery with the drive engine battery. That's all valuable information. I will do a test as Doorman suggested and will carry jumpers (which I would do anyway). Thanks for the advice. 1989 Regal 34’ Side entry, floor plan A Spartan chassis Cummins 6CTA – 8.3 L with 240 HP Cummins pusher Allison transmission MT 643 Onan generator 8808-3555-34RDS-A | |||
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The coach was my father's. It sat outside for years after he became ill. I am doing a decade of deferred maintenance and learning how it operates at the same time. The easy part is that everything is OEM. Only 25k miles. 1989 Regal 34’ Side entry, floor plan A Spartan chassis Cummins 6CTA – 8.3 L with 240 HP Cummins pusher Allison transmission MT 643 Onan generator 8808-3555-34RDS-A | |||
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| First Month Member 11/13 |
You are probably right. It can be checked by reading coach battery voltage while cranking the gen. If it drops a little, the coach battery bank is cranking the genset. . 84 30T PeeThirty-Something, 502 powered | |||
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