2006 Itasca Suncruiser 38j Starting Battery Location

[mitravler]

Hi All,

I am new to this forum and just bought my motorhome. I purchased a 2006 Itasca Suncruiser 38j at an auction and have not seen it in person. I know the starting battery is dead and would like to find out the best way to jump it when I go to pick it up. The tow truck driver who moved it told me the house batteries are dead also, but not sure if they were turned on. Any help would be appreciated.

[Morich]

Deep swamp that takes time to get in the head but some basic for now will get it going.
On the dash there is often a switch labeled boost or "aux". If the start battery is down, this switch is meant as a way to do a simple "jump start" connection from the coach batteries to the start, so perhaps worth giving it a try, as quick way to get it started. Hold the switch in while trying to crank and you might get lucky?

But assuming both are dead, you have to get out the jumper cables and do it much like a car jump start. If not familiar with the care needed on jumping a car, do some reading first as it can be bad if done wrong. Otherwise basicly the same thing, just jump the correct battery.
Likely to find one battery for starting and two or more for the coach, so if unsure, go with the start battery being the one not having cables from one battery to the next.
Once started, there is a mode solenoid which is expected to connect the two battery strings together so that the coach will get some charge while we drive. But this system does take some form of power to work, so it may not work if both are totally dead.
Also be aware that batteries which are totally rundown/dead, may be damaged too far to recover, so do expect to find some odd things going on and voltage readings on batteries are NOT a good way to tell their condition.
A whole different subject and I will avoid going to that full blown trauma--- save some stress for later!

[tderonne]

All the batteries are under the entry steps.

[mitravler]

Originally Posted by Morich

Deep swamp that takes time to get in the head but some basic for now will get it going.
On the dash there is often a switch labeled boost or "aux". If the start battery is down, this switch is meant as a way to do a simple "jump start" connection from the coach batteries to the start, so perhaps worth giving it a try, as quick way to get it started. Hold the switch in while trying to crank and you might get lucky?

But assuming both are dead, you have to get out the jumper cables and do it much like a car jump start. If not familiar with the care needed on jumping a car, do some reading first as it can be bad if done wrong. Otherwise basicly the same thing, just jump the correct battery.
Likely to find one battery for starting and two or more for the coach, so if unsure, go with the start battery being the one not having cables from one battery to the next.
Once started, there is a mode solenoid which is expected to connect the two battery strings together so that the coach will get some charge while we drive. But this system does take some form of power to work, so it may not work if both are totally dead.
Also be aware that batteries which are totally rundown/dead, may be damaged too far to recover, so do expect to find some odd things going on and voltage readings on batteries are NOT a good way to tell their condition.
A whole different subject and I will avoid going to that full blown trauma--- save some stress for later!

Thanks for your help. Do know if the combine switch works when the house batteries are off?

[mitravler]

Originally Posted by tderonne

All the batteries are under the entry steps.

Thanks for your help. I could not fine any documentation online, looked at owners and work horse manual.

[Winterbagoal]

Originally Posted by mitravler

Thanks for your help. Do know if the combine switch works when the house batteries are off?

Think they have to be "enabled" at the battery switch by the door. I had a salesman try to start a Vista once to demonstrate the engine and go for a test drive, but chassis battery was low, and the boost switch wasn't working. After 15 minutes of guessing, he finally called a service guy out to have a look. The service guy enabled the battery switch, and then the boost switch/engine start, worked. I didn't buy that coach.

[Morich]

Private message sent on question about disconnect switch!

For those following the post, the OP was asking if the coach battery disconnect switch controls the mode solenoid to tie the two strings together.
I "think" that is does not but that answer has some doubt attached as the drawing refers to the chassis info which we don't get for completing the picture.

So if you have this Rv and know for sure that the disconnect switch does/doesn't cut off the mode solenoid, please jump in here and correct the answer!!

What leaves me to question my answer is that it may seem a little shaky to use the start battery to power the solenoid which lets us tie the coach and start together when the start battery is too weak to start the engine???

[jerichorick]

Originally Posted by mitravler

Hi All,

I am new to this forum and just bought my motorhome. I purchased a 2006 Itasca Suncruiser 38j at an auction and have not seen it in person. I know the starting battery is dead and would like to find out the best way to jump it when I go to pick it up. The tow truck driver who moved it told me the house batteries are dead also, but not sure if they were turned on. Any help would be appreciated.

A DEAD dead battery can be a real problem. You don't know the weather conditions it has been in or if it even has water. The plates could be shorted or the jar ruptured due to freezing. My suggesting is to replace the start battery and then hope it starts. Worry about the house batteries when you get it home.