Purchased 1993 Barth early this summer. Put 3000 miles on it and love it. Set out last week to spend Holidays in AZ with grandchildren. Picked up Barth from shop on Friday.(check up on tire pressure, fluids, belts etc.) Packed up on Saturday and left for AZ Sunday. Traveling @ 2300 rpm 60mph and no problem. About 30 miles started loosing power. Soon 2000 rpm @ 50 mph and floored. Stopped found nothing. Headed back home @ 2000rpm or less and 50mph or less. No horse power. Pulled into driveway, sounded fine, Turned off lights shinning on garage door, shut off ignition. Checked every where and nothing seemed odd. Decided to start it again and there was NO electrical power what so ever, even with alternate batteries.
Batteries are all 12v + when tested. Belts are all intact.
Need HELP on ideas or advise. Mechanic said maybe will be able to come to my house next week or the week after.
Really would like to spend the holidays with the grandchildren.

HELP NEEDED.

Thanks!
Joe

[Note: Joe has '93 Breakaway 30', C5.9L]

When you say "no electrical", is that just for engine start/chassis, or the house also? Do the headlights work? Did instruments indicate the alternator was charging?

I would first check the chassis battery voltage, then clean all the major battery grounds at the engine block/chassis.

Once running, diesels (with the mechanical system you have) need power only for the transmission controller and fuel cutoff solenoid, so a discharged battery due to a bad alternator or bad electrical connections (usually the grounds, because they're exposed to the weather) can cause the issue. Ed (MWrench) had a bad fuel cutoff solenoid that caused problems similar to yours, but his electrical system was OK.

If you're lucky, it'll be the grounds...

You seem to have two seperate problems.... Electrical and why it gradually ran bad.... The first, why it ran bad seems like a fuel problem... Start with the fuel filter...once a diesel starts it normally needs no electrical power to run ... Except fuel solenoid....

I agree, likely two problems. As to running weak, it is a fuel issue probably. Check fuel filters for sure.

If you have a 5.9 turbo version, be sure to check for leaks around the turbo, esp on the pressurized engine side. Even a small leak can drop the boost pressure quite a bit. A boost gauge is very handy here.

As for batteries, looks like you have no charging going on. Ground connections and solenoids/relays are notorious for driving old coach owners crazy.

Do the house batts charge from shore power? Try external charger for the crank batts. Once charged it will easier to diagnose the problem.

I now know it was indeed two problems but one is solved. I started testing voltage at the batteries and found the voltage to be 13v on one side of a battery shut off switch and zero on the other side regardless of switch position. Removed switch and all electrical power back on. Started it up and went for a short drive but still did not have the power it did last week with only being able to hit 2000rpm and about 50mph floored.
Good news I can now at least get it to a shop to have them work on it.
Thanks for all the advise and ideas,

Joe