Electrical Foo

Stewpendous · 09-26-2006, 07:53 PM

Hey All,
I have a '95 Classic 36' diesel pusher. So far only used it twice, both times had the same electrical problem.

I hooked up to the 50amp power, no problem. Woke up in the morning no power in the rear up to the fridge. The system panel showed the batteries all the way down. Then later on the fridge quit working, no indications at all on the system panel, and no/dim lights. The front AC still ran fine. Nothing change when I unhooked the 50amp and ran the generator instead. When I started the engine to leave everything came back on as it should.

I checked all the fuses, all the breakers. I thought it might be the Aux Batt. switch by the door since the steps wouldn't descend, but when I pulled the switch and connected it with jumper wires still nothing. This one has me baffled. Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks
Stew

bake315 · 09-26-2006, 08:23 PM

This is just a stab, but it sounds like one of your deep cycle batteries went south and took the other one down with it. I know the fridge won't run right, or at all without the 12-volt circuit available. I'd get a load test done on both deep cycle batteries. I wouldn't be surprised if one fails.

garry · 09-26-2006, 08:40 PM

Have you checked your circuit breakers? Since the generator showed the same problem sound like a circuit breaker.
Your 50 amp is really 240 volt split into two seperate 120 volt inputs and it sounds as if you lost 1/2 of the 50amp AC and then ran the batteries down.
I would try flipping the main breaker off & back on even if it looks OK.

Garry

Stewpendous · 09-27-2006, 07:31 PM

I'm not sure it's battery related. When I fire up the engine the lights on the system panel come back on and show the batteries to be fully charged, and everything works properly. There must be something that switches when the engine is shut off that allows the coach to run off of the a/c power or the generator that is not occuring.
As to the circuit breaker, I switched all the breakers off and back on. They all felt like normal. Everything was still dead in the entire coach, except for the front AC. Maybe it was just a miracle, because it was a hot day at the beach.
Thanks for all your help. I'm going to have a friend check it out. If you have any other clues they would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks again,
Stew

**overlander63** · 09-27-2006, 07:37 PM

I am not sure about the new motor homes, but the older ones have an isolator that does goofy things when it takes a crappola. It could be that, or one of the legs coming into the main breaker panel is not getting a good connection. If and when it does it again, take a voltmeter and check the voltage on both sides of the breaker panel.

uwe · 09-27-2006, 07:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stewpendous

Thanks for all your help. I'm going to have a friend check it out.
Stew

Might be wise to pay a professional to take a look at your problem. A 95 model Diesel pusher still represents a fair amount of $$$ value, making a small investment in intelligent diagnosis well worth it.
....not meaning to say that your friend is not intelligent....

acbillard · 09-27-2006, 08:20 PM

It sounds like your inverter to me. My 97 trailer had an inverter switch. When the inverter is switched off (or dies) you still have 120v but not 12v. The battries are then not charged and drain. Air conditioners and refridgerators use 120v but the controls use 12 v which comes from the batteries. Could this be the problem?

bake315 · 09-27-2006, 08:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stewpendous

I'm not sure it's battery related. When I fire up the engine the lights on the system panel come back on and show the batteries to be fully charged, and everything works properly. There must be something that switches when the engine is shut off that allows the coach to run off of the a/c power or the generator that is not occuring.
As to the circuit breaker, I switched all the breakers off and back on. They all felt like normal. Everything was still dead in the entire coach, except for the front AC. Maybe it was just a miracle, because it was a hot day at the beach.
Thanks for all your help. I'm going to have a friend check it out. If you have any other clues they would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks again,
Stew

Hope you are able to report back as to what the issue was - I know we'd all like to hear about it. Good luck!

Stewpendous · 09-28-2006, 06:56 PM

Checked out the batteries this evening with a meter. One battery was showing only six volts. We then hooked it to the pickup with jumper cables and everything came back on. We then ran the generator and had 12 volts coming out of the charger. So it is more than likely the batteries. I'll have them tested at the battery dealer.
As to the front AC continuing to work when nothing else did. The front unit is a replacement Coleman, which I believe does not need 12volt power to operate since you wouldn't be able to run it on batteries alone anyway. Unless I post anything else, consider this one solved.

Thanks to everyone for their input!!!!