New Battery Not Starting Engine

Vibiojj83 · 05-26-2017, 02:38 PM

So went to start my RV up and she wouldn't. I had left the drivers door open a week back and drained out the battery then recharged it but the battery was over 3 years old, so i figured the battery had just had it.

Put a brand new battery in and turned the ignition to the on position and got nothing on my panel voltage meter. After about 1 min it jumped to 12.7 so then I tried to start her. Just got 2 clicks. Nothin.

I know its not the starter because I switched it to the cabin batteries and it started right up. I know its not the battery because I went and had it checked at the auto store. Its not too small a battery either because it takes a group 78 which is standard 650 cca pretty sure and I bought the 800cca one. I checked to see if maybe I bumped a ground loose but they are still connected. Terminals look good too.

The fact that is takes about 20 secs for the panel volt meter to show 12.7 after I've turned it to the on position is the only thing I can think about. It didn't use to do that.

Its a '82 Minnie Winnie 420RG. They are build on a Chevy Van 30 platform 350 5.7 v8 motor. Any help would be appreciated.

Unplanned · 05-26-2017, 06:16 PM

It really sounds like you have a bad connection some place. So the engine starts when you use the emergency switch? Then it must be a cable from the chassis battery, either the ground or positive. Try using a single jumper cable and clamping it to the battery negative terminal and ground. Also jump from the battery positive to the relay that switches over to the house batteries.
Good Luck.

twinboat · 05-26-2017, 06:53 PM

Battery cable ends always LOOK good. You can't see the area of contact.

They need to be removed and cleaned to be good.

Podivin · 05-26-2017, 06:58 PM

As Twinboat pounded into my head a couple of weeks ago..

Don't LOOK at the battery cables/connections, CLEAN them.
My rig was doing the same thing, it was the ground to frame connection that needed cleaning on mine.

Vibiojj83 · 05-30-2017, 04:25 PM

Well, went and replaced the positive and negative cables. Cleaned the ground contact areas on the frame too. Same thing happening.

twinboat · 05-30-2017, 04:52 PM

If it still starts with the boost switch, you need to find the junction point of the house and start batteries and work back from there to the start battery.

If there are not 2 positive cables on the start battery, Listen for the boost solenoid to clunk. That is one place they both could be.

Skip426 · 05-30-2017, 05:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Vibiojj83

After about 1 min it jumped to 12.7 so then I tried to start her. Just got 2 clicks. Nothin.

Classic bad connection , the connection warms up to pass some power ( hence the voltage reading ) then when the call comes to pass amperage to get the job done; the connection fails .
A voltmeter will give a reading , with only mili-amps of power , perfect connections are required for the starter to function properly.