Intermittent DC power when travelling

[K7tom]

I just got this 2003 ,I am on my first time out and I have a loss of the engine battery. I came back from dinner with family
And I was having a slow loss of D.C power.then I heard the clicking noise from behind battery. After a couple hrs the clicking
Stopped. I had a friend the next day help me.we pulled the engine battery,( all where put in new by the dealer last week)
It showed some charge but we thru his truck jumpers on it and the battery came back up real fast.we put it back in,
Every thing seamed good,I started the coach engine it started right up ran for a bit and we thought maybe it would be ok now.
Well six hours later here I set and the engine battery is comp. dead again! I didn't hear the clicking noise this time.
I am a novice at all this and I don't have much mech ability but might I have the same problem? A bad solenoid ?
We noticed that there are two solenoids behind the batteries . Mean while I am stuck at my friends place on shore power
Only. I don't know what to do. Stuck in Grayland,WA. Tom,k7tom

[Wayne M]

Hi Tom,

I'm not a wiz at this and I'm sure some of the others will come along with better information, but this is a start.

First, yes it could be the solenoid. If you have a multi-meter, and you can find one for under $20 that you should keep on hand, measure the voltage across the terminals. If it is clicking and the voltage is in sync with the clicking sound it could be the solenoid.

I would also suspect that it could be the converter/charger. When you are plugged in the converter should be supplying voltage to the battery(ies) to keep it/them charged. If there is a problem in the converter it may be the cause of the clicking. You'll have to trace your wiring and start checking all points.

It could be that the dealer hooked things up wrong. It just happens.

Not much help, but it's a start.

[John Hilley]

The solenoid shouldn't affect the chassis (starting) battery, nor should the converter. The converter only charges the house battery unless an after market device like a Trik-L-Start has been added. Something is draining your starting battery. The dash radio could be on.

If the solenoid is working, you should be able to use the "Boost" switch to start the motor home. It is a momentary contact switch that will connect the chassis and house batteries together when pushed.

[K7tom]

Thanks for the response ! The solenoid is not making any noise this time,the dash power is comp out,the dc does not show
On power panel. The battery boost does not work either. Thanks all. Tom

[Wayne M]

When you are on shore power, does everything work? All lights and such.

If you disconnect shore power do you lose everything that runs off of DC, like house lights?

[K7tom]

If I unplug shore I lose everything I have.tom

[K7tom]

When plugged in only the house side works,nothing on the dash,no steps,radio,no dash stuff,no battery starting boost.
Thanks, Tom

[K7tom]

I don't know anything really but I keep getting hung up on you friends comments about a gradual loss of his D.C stuff.
Because that is what my coach did.
I am so frustrated with this thing.I thought yea it is a 2003 but one owner who took pretty good care of it and only 36000
On it. I thought I have a pretty nice RV now. And then first time out ,bang. Oh well . Thanks for your. Comments . Tom

[K7tom]

We will pull engine battery again in am and throw another charge into it and see if we can get it running again o I can get home
Bout 110 miles north ,get it unloaded and back to the dealer.
Thanks for your help! Tom

[Wayne M]

Okay Tom. No problem on asking questions.

To me, if you loose DC house power that is indicative of the house batteries having a problem also. I'm going to ask a simple question but simple is a place to start.

Do you have a battery disconnect switch for your house batteries? It should be on one of the control panels, or could even be a mechanical rotating switch like the service batteries switch. Check it. Make sure it is on. I don't know when certain manufactures started putting in push button disconnect switches for the house batteries.

We also need some information. Since you posted in the Winnebago Owner's thread I'm assuming you have a 2003 Winnebago. Can you tell us the model. Is it gas or diesel. Class A or Class C. Some of these things can help others in trying to identify what the problem could be. We all share a commonality in many of the items, but specific models may have unique things to themselves.

When I refer to "service" batteries, those are the ones that power the starter, dash, and a few other items. When "house" batteries" are referred to, they are the ones that power the lights, and refrigerator 12v and furnace 12v. When on shore power the converter supplies voltage and keeps the batteries charged. It is still the batteries that are providing the house voltage with the converter's help (Hope I'm right on this....)

When the ignition is off there are still parasitic voltage drains on the service battery. The instruments that require voltage, and the steps come to mind. The steps draw the most current with the current limiter of the step that is always on drawing off the service battery. Plugged in will usually allow the converter to maintain the battery(ies). Knowing the specific model of your coach may allow others to tell you if you have the trickle charger which will keep both the service and the house batteries maintained.

Some models require the disconnect switches for both service and house to be in the ON position in order to charge the batteries. My particular year and model is that way.

If it was working okay before the dealer installed the new batteries, my bet is they did something different on the hook-up.

I hope others jump in and give you some more information.

[K7tom]

Wayne,thanks for you help. When I was first looking at this coach,a 2003 Atasca 38 ft suncruser ,gas work horse ,chev v8 /340 horse power. The lot was having trouble with the batteries. Their story was the engine battery was bad. So they put all new batteries
In. Two house,one engine. There is two switches by steps. One is a pwr cutoff for the coach for cutting pwr when stored to the house. The rocker switch adjacent to this one looks the same and clicks when you throw it.i just put them into the on position
When we loaded aboard last week. So I suspect something was rotten on the lot and instead of fixing the problem( they had the coach 17 days before I picked it up) They just shoved it on down the road. Tom

[Wayne M]

I hope you find the problem soon.

Lots of luck.

[K7tom]

Sorry ,Itasca old guy. Sometimes miss stuff,(spelling) anyway it is a itasca 38 gas coach on a work horse chassis .