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Old 09-06-2013, 08:53 AM   #1
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New motor home and electrical questions

I just traded my Itasca Meridian for a new (to me) 2010 Winnebago Tour 42AD. I am at Lazydays in Tampa while the go through the punch list and have run into a problem and have a question.

The unit is equipped with an Onan EC30 Energy Command generator auto start. Past experience with the Meridian taught me to place the autostart unit in Auto mode. When the generator is needed it would start. When the generator was no longer needed, it would shut down, provided it had run for a minimum of 10 minutes. On the Tour, I tested the EC30 by disconnecting shore power, shutting the air conditioner off and setting the auto start unit to Auto. I then turned on the AC. The auto start generator light blinked a couple of times and the generator starter motor turned over for about a second. The EC30 then went from Auto the Manual and made no further attempts to start.

I manually started the generator and it ran without a problem. I tried to test Auto mode again. This time, when AC was called for, the generator started, but still switched from Auto to Manual. When AC was no longer required, the generator continued to run, since it was in manual mode.

An internet search found this condition was related to the start battery condition. I don’t think that is my problem since all of the batteries were replaced with identical new ones prior to the test. My tech here does not seem to be all that well versed in the system so I am going to ask for a specialist to see if (s)he can help.

This coach also has a newer EMS that I am not familiar with. It is an Intellitec Model 1000. The display is an LCD screen instead of the pilot lights and amperage readout unit that I am familiar with. The screen shows the source of power and the different loads. While on 50 amps, unlike my old unit, it shows current draw on each leg. When shore power is disconnected, the unit shows that I am connected to 50 amp shore power and leg 1 is drawing 1 amp. Is this normal? Shouldn’t it be showing as disconnected? I tried calling Intellitec, but speaking to a person there that knows the system is proving to be more og a challenge than I thought it would be.

While I continue to look for experts here at Lazydays, can anyone offer any suggested from their experience or knowledge about these items? Thanks in advance for all of your responses.
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Old 09-06-2013, 01:49 PM   #2
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Have you tried leaving the shore power connected with AC running and the auto start in auto mode, then disconnect the shore power.
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Old 09-15-2013, 02:52 AM   #3
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Take a look at the Manual. It is full of goo stuff and if you don't have the manual then get on Winnebago's website and down load it. hopefully this will shed some light on the issue. Besides it sounds like when they replaced the batteries they hooked something up wrong. You can alos download all of the electrical diagrams at Winnebago.
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Old 09-15-2013, 05:01 AM   #4
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Super... Thanks for the good advice. I have the manual and read it so many times that I can recite some of it from memory.

These two problems have been resolved. It seems that Winnebago wants the refrigerator to shed in the EMS and also run off the inverter when not on shore power. The way they have it wired makes it look like it's connected to 50 amps when it's not. I haven't studied all the details yet, but Intellitec knew about it. When I mentioned that it was a Winnebago, they told me that's the way it's supposed to work.

The resolution for the generator was two-fold. First, the bell transformer that is used to tell the AGS that shore power is present was faulty. Once that was replaced with a good unit, the AGS didn't try to start the generator when connected.

The problem with it dumping from manual to automatic had to do with the size of the wire going from the house batteries to the generator. It seems that the AGS and generator talk to each other about the battery voltage. If there is too much of a voltage drop between the 2 units, the AGS won't stay in automatic. The solution to that was to replace the 00 wire connection with 0000 wire. It starts every time now. Interesting engineering on Onan's part, though.

Thanks everyone for your comments. Now, it's off to fixing all the stuff I discovered on the trip from Tampa to western Mass.
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Old 09-15-2013, 05:19 AM   #5
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Thanks for the update ... interesting !!
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Old 09-16-2013, 04:22 PM   #6
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Great news! You found a tech that could address and fix your problem. I have heard of the wire size problem in the Tour. This was a couple of years ago while having work done at Forest City on my last coach. I don't understand why some sort of 'heads up' hasn't been sent to the Tour owners affected?

Enjoy the fall colors in MA.
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Old 09-16-2013, 06:59 PM   #7
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Thanks. 0000 may have been a bit of overkill, but it works now.

On to the next challenge. When the tech added the extra cable to the batteries, he apparently 'exercised' the temperature probe a little too much and it broke off. This left me with no battery charger. No problem, I thought. While I wait for a replacement part, I'll just run the engine and let the engine alternator charge the battery. Unfortunately, that led me to discover the next issue. It seems the isolation relay isn't connecting the house batteries to the chassis batteries when the engine is running.

Does anyone know where in this coach the relay is located?
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Old 09-17-2013, 05:37 PM   #8
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3/0 is hard to come by. That is why 4/0 was used.

Here is your wiring info. I am not familiar with your basement layout but this should give you a better understanding as to what you are looking for: http://www.winnebagoind.com/diagram/...ire_171795.pdf

Rick
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Old 09-18-2013, 06:52 PM   #9
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Mike
Think you mean the "charge solenoid' that bridges the house and chassis batteries when the engine is running or the boost switch activated. In my Journey, it is in the driver side rear electrical compartment behind a steel enclosure with a DC breaker panel on the front. It is easy to get at if you disconnect the house batteries and detach the breaker panel for the house circuits. It is alongside the house battery disconnect solenoid. You can also detach the entire front panel and you will have more room to work as the solenoids are mounted near the chassis rail in my coach.
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Old 09-18-2013, 07:23 PM   #10
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Thanks, Bob. That's the same place it was in my 08 Meridian. There's no place for it on that side on the Tour. I called Winnie and they told me it was on the other side in the compartment next to the batteries. I found it and it's bad.
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Old 09-20-2013, 11:10 PM   #11
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Glad to see you got thru the first couple of problems. Like you said now it's time to move on to more interesting things.
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