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Old 04-23-2007, 04:34 AM   #1
Rivet Master
 
Steve & Susan's Avatar
 
2005 28' International CCD
Willoughby , Ohio
Join Date: Oct 2004
Posts: 543
Bad Battery Disconnect?

Good morning - I hope you all had a GREAT weekend!

Anyhow, as we were closing our AS and getting ready to leave her for a couple of weeks, I pushed the Battery Disconnect switch to the STORE position (actually ours is a rocker switch), heard the tell-tale click but the batteries stayed connected. I tried several cycles of USE and STORE to no avail. Finally, I pulled the battery cables as a last resort.

So the question is - am I missing something? Do these things fail after only 2 or 3 years? Is there a fuse for this?

Any and all assistance (even if to tell me I am doing something wrong) would be much appereciated!

Thanks!
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2005 28' CCD, 2011 Sierra 5.3L, Equal-I-Zer
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Old 04-23-2007, 06:04 AM   #2
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Naples , Florida
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Sounds like a bad solenoid that's responsible for opening the connection to the batteries when you engage that switch.

To test, put a volt meter across the terminals when it is on, then off. You should get no reading when in the off or'store' position. If you do, you need to replace the solenoid.

If it IS working, you have other issues.
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Old 04-23-2007, 06:57 AM   #3
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2005 28' International CCD
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Thanks -

I'll get back out there in a couple of weeks - Boy Scout campout in between.
What can one expect to pay for a solenoid and how difficult are they to install? Are they in that switch / behind that switchplate?

Thanls again -

steve
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Old 04-23-2007, 10:17 AM   #4
Itowair
 
2004 28' International CCD
Clinton Twp , Michigan
Join Date: Aug 2003
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Same thing different Trailer

I too have a 28ft CCD mine is a 2004. This was the first winter that we stored the trailer somewhere other than in the Driveway, with it in the drive way we kept it hooked to shore power. This winter we left it up north and because of that we pulled the batteries, so they would not freeze. Well over easter we went up for the weekend, I reinstalled the batteris and switched the store/use switch to use. We noticed nothing wrong, and had a good weekend hooked to shore power. Well this weekend we went up again this time to bring the trailer home getting ready for Shakedown. When we arrived on site I was not able to get any of the lights to work from the Battary power, I tried the Store / use switch several times with no results. I then hooked to shore power and everything appeared to work. I broke out the manuals and think I found the problem. Tucked up under the front sofa(just out of reach) is the Relay that the store/use switch controls. When in the store posistion the battaris are completely disconnected from the electrical circuit. Therefore no lights with no shore power , and no charge when on shore power. However the battaries will stil charge from the Tow vehicule, this saved us since my battaris were so dead the jack would not work.

From my brife attempt to fix it it appeares that the Relay under the sofa is not working and that is the root of our problem. If that is the case I will replace the Relay with a knife switch located in a place that is eaiser to get to. All the store /use switch is makes it convient , since the actual relay is hard to get to.

In our Safari it just had a big rotary switch tucke behing the front sofa, now with the CCD they have gone High Tech.

Also two years ago at Homecomming we met another couple with a CCD , they only had 12v power when connected to 120vac, they thought that it was normal, since we were at the plant they had Airstream check it , and it was a bad Relay, still under warrenty so replaced for free.
Now it looks like I have the same problem, so these relays may not be very durable, hence the Knife switch replacment if necessary.
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Old 05-07-2007, 03:57 PM   #5
Itowair
 
2004 28' International CCD
Clinton Twp , Michigan
Join Date: Aug 2003
Posts: 131
Images: 12
Thumbs up Problem solved

Well this weekend was our shakedow rally and I used the oppertunity to solve my little disconnect problem.

Since I was not able to reach the Relay wich is located on the front wall of the 28ft 2004 CCD I inlisted the assistance of a more skinny member of our group. He was able to reach the relay and extract the two 5 amp fuses located on the Relay. One of these fuses was blown, the one on the Battary side. I belive this was done when I reinstalled the Battaries. Of course I had no 5 amp fuse on hand , the closest I had was a 3 amp and it fit. I prefer to err on the side of caution so 3 was better than 10 and beside the 10 would not fit.

After the fuse was installed I again tried to power up the trailer. Shore power was connected and all 12v systems worked with the exception of the Jack, which is connected directly to the battary via its own 30 amp fuse which was good. I was a bit puzzeled but went back to the Wiring Diagram to trouble shoot futher.

On closer inspection it appears that the 12vdc used to Set/Reset the Relay comes from the Battary, since the relay would not set the battary where not reciving a charge from the converter. The trip to the campground did allow the TV to charge the battaries but I connect a 12vdc light to the TV plug to illuminate my flages and this light drained the charge Friday night.

I connected to the TV again to get 12vdc to the Battary and vola the Relay reset via the switch located near the door.

Root cause blown fuse.
Extra Credit : Relay only resets via battary power, no Relay , no charge to battary, no charge to battary no reset, catch 22.

When reinstalling battary make sure it has a good charge , or try resetting with TV attached to trailer to supply the necessary 12vdc.
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