I'm stumped. First of all, I have the Electrical Schematics that came with the Coach originally. Do you think I can trust them? I'm coming to the fear that the previous owner has the battery cables all goofed up. The Coach batteries will charge from the Converter ( Generator or Shore power) but not from the engine. Is there anyone out there that I could call and discuss this with. I would "rise up and call you blessed if you could / would help me.

Thanks,

Keith Williams Cell: 303-870-3137

quote:

Originally posted by anvilman:
I'm stumped. First of all, I have the Electrical Schematics that came with the Coach originally. Do you think I can trust them? I'm coming to the fear that the previous owner has the battery cables all goofed up. The Coach batteries will charge from the Converter ( Generator or Shore power) but not from the engine. Is there anyone out there that I could call and discuss this with. I would "rise up and call you blessed if you could / would help me.

Thanks,

Keith Williams Cell: 303-870-3137

Ahoy Keith,

No, you can't trust schematics that came with the coach. They are generic diagrams used to add/modify your electrics when equipment are first installed/updated/modified. Further, they often omit intermediate junctions, busses, and (future) splices your system might have.

Your alternator will not charge your house batteries until the chassis batteries are fully charged (isolator priority). If you have a pair of large batteries that are low, you might have to drive for 72 hours, or more, non-stop to fully charge them. Even if you have, say, a 130A alternator, your batteries will only accept a small percentage of the available juice (batteries are ressistors). The rest go to powering services. Some setups never charge house batteries. Let us know your Barth model. Maybe we can help more.

Cheers,

TheGyrene

Thanks for your reply, Gyrene. I was afraid of not being able to trust the schatics. My unit is a 1994 28 foot Regal with a 454 Chevy, fuel injected engine. I just bought the unit a few weeks ago and it's really in great shape except for tires, which I'm replacing, and this electrical problem.

The previous owner put in a new COACH battery (just one) and the Engine battery looks very new as well. There are 2 solenoids on the outside firewall engine compartment. One I think is the Cutoff and the other I think is the Auxilary Start Solenoid. I replaced the one that I think is the Cutoff Solenoid and wired it back just like the old one was. Nothing has changed. Now I'm thinking that the battery cables may be screwed up. How can I learn how all those cables should run, or should I just bite the bullet and take it to a shop? Man, I sure hate to do that because of the cost and besides, I want to learn about this coach and I am a "hands on guy" anyway.

Also, would you expect the starter solenoid to be down on or near the starter? There are only 2 solenoids on the firewall.

quote:

Originally posted by TheGyrene:
Ahoy Keith,

No, you can't trust schematics that came with the coach. They are generic diagrams used to add/modify your electrics when equipment are first installed/updated/modified. Further, they often omit intermediate junctions, busses, and (future) splices your system might have.

Your alternator will not charge your house batteries until the chassis batteries are fully charged (isolator priority). If you have a pair of large batteries that are low, you might have to drive for 72 hours, or more, non-stop to fully charge them. Even if you have, say, a 130A alternator, your batteries will only accept a small percentage of the available juice (batteries are ressistors). The rest go to powering services. Some setups never charge house batteries. Let us know your Barth model. Maybe we can help more.

Cheers,

TheGyrene

Well, mate, if you want to keep your coach for a while, you might as well roll up your sleeves for a little "hands on" work: You're in for gumshoe duty.

I don't know the chevy layout, but maybe someone here does. Nonetheless, some detective work will, at least, help you get to know your gremlins.

Disconnect both batteries, and, with jumper cables, interchange their connections, or phisically interchange them and see what happens when you reconnect the chassis side. (Don't reconnect the house side) If your house battery was OK, the engine should start and you'll know the problem was a dead chassis battery. (Keep in mind that a low battery will not be able to energize a ralay.)

If she still doesn't start, then check each component in sequence starting with the battery. Charge the battery and test it under load. Check grounding leads to chassis, looking for corrosion, burn marks, etc. Disconnect battery-to-relay cable at both ends, and at the starter if it is routed that way; check for continuity and short to chassis. Test the battery relay by disconnecting both heavy cables, connect a known good power to the battery side, turn on the ignition key and test for power on the load side. Do this sleuth work with evey component, disconnecting, and testing each part, making yourself diagrams as you go. Sometimes, it is the most obvious that's overlooked or wrongly assumed, so make sure a component is good before you put faith in it.

The bottom line is: a little logic and a lot of painstaking (seemingly) useless work will pay off not only now, but in the future as well. So don't give up: Never give up!

Cheers,

TheGyrene


[This message has been edited by TheGyrene (edited May 13, 2002).]

Keith,

Further to your saga, there's some good practical advice from Bill to Pat and Bob re: "No Power to ignition."

Cheers

You can replace a solenoid, the part number is: ST85 from any Napa store. I don't know just where it is located. Trace your wires from the shutoff switch. Mine is in the rear close to the engine. I hope this will help you.

Thanks Lee,

I did replace that solenoid with the one you told me about and the problem is still there. I jumped power from the coach battery to the cutoff switch and the solenoid works to isolate the coach batteries. However, they still won't charge from the engine alternator while the engine is running. They do charge from the Generator or Shore power. I now think that the Auxillary Start Solenoid may be bad and it looks like someone has switched the wires around from the Cutoff Solenoid to the Aux Start Solenoid to bypass it. Incidentally, these two solenoids are side by side up under the front of the coach above the radiator. (I have a front engine 454 Chevy). I will try to take a digital shot of them and send it to you if it will show the wires. My schematic (trustworthy???) shows a jumper wire, # 4 or 6, from the cutoff to one side of the Aux Solenoid and then heavy wires off of the other side of the Aux Solenoid. In reality, the jumper goes over to the "other" side terminal giving me 3 heavy wires over there. I don't know what the heck that means. I may try to put it back the way it looks like it should be. Just don't know yet. I'll let you know.

Thanks,

Keith