Electrical Blackout 2005 Journey 39K

Highliner · 05-12-2022, 05:02 PM

2005 Journey 39K. Boondocking last night. I have the generator running. All of a sudden, it just stops. Go to start it, and the red light on the switch doesn't light up. Book says that means it's not getting power. Now when the generator turned off, it took out all the 12 volt stuff with it. No lights. No anything. My fridge which was running on propane stopped working . I go over to my command center( that's what I call it), and start checking everything. My inverter turned itself off with the message Inverter off. Low battery. Turn on inverter, battery is at 10.4, and it counts down to 10.0 and turns inverter off. I check my battery monitor, engine 13.8. House 13.7. I'm a little lost with the electrical system on these things. I've watched a couple of YouTube videos, and I still am having a hard time grasping all this. What am I missing? Is there another battery somewhere just for my power standby system ? Why is there no power to my generator ? What happened to my 12volt power ? Any help would be greatly appreciated. Just drove out to California yesterday from Indiana. Start a new job Monday and I need to fix this. Thanks

Morich · 05-12-2022, 07:23 PM

Start with not believing one of the monitors as they are giving different answers!

Then It really sounds like the coach batteries are really low and when that happens, things can get weird as simple things like the coach battery switch that tells a relay to open or close the power, just plain stops working!
That means one thing that can happen is the button to turn power on may feel like you did something but nothing happens!

So to get some cheap info, try first starting the RV engine. When you do that, there is an automatic system which connects the engine alternatro and the start battery together with the coach batteries as a way to get all of them some charge while we drive!
Then while the engine is running and we expect all batteries to be getting recharged from the alternator, see if flipping the battery disconnect switch makes the inside lights come back on and also, the genset may then start to crank and if there is enough gas (normally above 1/4!) it might start.

What I think and what is real are not always the same so do some testing?

However there may be other things like dirty cables or something that has failed and need some more looking!

Click this picture to get more idea?
Idea is that coach power (red) mets start power(blue) at solenoid and then go to disconnect relay. If the relay is closed, that power can then go through to the generator starter and lots of other good stuff!

Butif you look at the cable from the converter to the coach battery is dirty, the converter can't charge them and they can go dead!

Ford1 · 05-12-2022, 10:06 PM

My guess is that the circuit breaker (circled in green) has tripped. It is usually located close to the house batteries. It looks like a small relay and has a small button on it that is the reset.

Morich · 05-13-2022, 11:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ford1

My guess is that the circuit breaker (circled in green) has tripped. It is usually located close to the house batteries. It looks like a small relay and has a small button on it that is the reset.

This would seem to be an easy out but the drawing shows it as a 300 amp fuse, which makes me think not the problem. When we get around to blowing a 300 amp, it usually comes with lots of smoke and fire that gets our attention, while dirty cables are pretty sneaky and common.

That's the funny part of forums. It's often like shooting arrows in the dark as we may never know if we hit anything until somebody yells!

Ford1 · 05-13-2022, 05:39 PM

I was pointing to that safety device as a probable culprit. If you are certain the diagram mimics what is actually on his coach, then it may well be a fuse. Most electrical circuits on these RVs have a circuit breaker in that location that disconnects all 12 Volt power. Some, but very few, are self resettable, but most require a manual reset by pushing the button.

Morich · 05-13-2022, 08:37 PM

Yes, info found most any place should be checked before fully trusted. This info is from the online drawings Winnebago puts out and generally are considered reliable, but with a few errors found here and there as few things are perfect.
When I see a big 300 amp fuse, I normally jump to thinkingof a "mega-fuse" that they use as kind of a lst gasp to head off real trouble. Things like keeping the RV from catching fire in case of a crash where that cable is crushed so that there is enough current flow to blow a 300 amp!
Way too much current to trip naturally from any use but will blow if we wreck things!

But then I do fully agree that there is a good chance of something being wrong with the path from the converter to the batteries.

Maybe we will get a note back with what they find?

Morich · 05-13-2022, 08:56 PM

I see you have a 23 foot Fuse and doing a little checking, I do see several different locations where that model does use a breaker that might trip but different locations on different year of Fuse.
But that is where we do get into lots of different thoughts when we are dealing with a late model (2019 -2022?) Fuse at 23 feet or a 2005 Journey at 39 feet!

And from the forum aspect, one of the bigger problems is that we don't get the detailed info on wiring for the later models like we do for the 2005 line! We have to do far more guessing on the later years after 2010!

Some of the later issues are really difficult to sort out as the info is really much less available.

Ford1 · 05-13-2022, 09:23 PM

I know you were not trying to be offensive, so I will just say that my experienve may not be limited to my current coach, which happens to be number 8. Three of which were Class A's, gas and diesel varieties, Class C's and a Class B. Over the past 30 years, I have seen, diagnosed and repaired many of the problems that we read about here on the forum. I assume that you, too have encountered and helped to resolve many of those same problems. We all thank you for sharing your experience and knowledge.

Morich · 05-14-2022, 11:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ford1

I know you were not trying to be offensive, so I will just say that my experienve may not be limited to my current coach, which happens to be number 8. Three of which were Class A's, gas and diesel varieties, Class C's and a Class B. Over the past 30 years, I have seen, diagnosed and repaired many of the problems that we read about here on the forum. I assume that you, too have encountered and helped to resolve many of those same problems. We all thank you for sharing your experience and knowledge.

Sorry, no offense intended. Just that I do like to use the online info they give us and that is what they show. Just wanted to remind all that what one of us has on any specicif RV really isn't like many of the others that are out there. And the difference in age and size is one of the big things that changes what we each have.

Cars from 2005 are so much different than what we would buy today and anything with electronics is likely be be far different five years from now. Much of the stuff we could fix before is going the same as TV repair. We used to fix things, now we are far more likely to just throw it away!

I traded my last toad, a 2014 Focus because three different dealerships were not able to fix some sort of wiring /electronics problem after 6-8 months and numerous tries while under warranty!

Ford1 · 05-14-2022, 01:54 PM

Now, the main question is: HIGHLINER, have you resolved your problem?

TONYAQU · 05-18-2022, 04:31 PM

This might be too simple, but I have a 2004 Journey and when my fuel gets below 1/4 of a tank, my generator stops running. Was told it is so that there is sufficient fuel to get you to your destination or additional fuel.

Rgrpm · 05-19-2022, 04:46 AM

My 2004 Journey fuel gauge has a red or orange marking aprox 1/8 tank of fuel left. When the fuel gauge hits that mark the Generator Shuts Off. When mine did that oddly enough the generator flywheel magnets broke and took out the stator. Had to pull generator out to repair. Never let the fuel get that low again, I guess the Generator was misfiring and shook enough to shake the glued on magnets and glue failed. expensive lesson

jerichorick · 05-19-2022, 06:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Highliner

2005 Journey 39K. Boondocking last night. I have the generator running. All of a sudden, it just stops. Go to start it, and the red light on the switch doesn't light up. Book says that means it's not getting power. Now when the generator turned off, it took out all the 12 volt stuff with it. No lights. No anything. My fridge which was running on propane stopped working . I go over to my command center( that's what I call it), and start checking everything. My inverter turned itself off with the message Inverter off. Low battery. Turn on inverter, battery is at 10.4, and it counts down to 10.0 and turns inverter off. I check my battery monitor, engine 13.8. House 13.7. I'm a little lost with the electrical system on these things. I've watched a couple of YouTube videos, and I still am having a hard time grasping all this. What am I missing? Is there another battery somewhere just for my power standby system ? Why is there no power to my generator ? What happened to my 12volt power ? Any help would be greatly appreciated. Just drove out to California yesterday from Indiana. Start a new job Monday and I need to fix this. Thanks

Your coach has the option of a diesel generator. Do you have the standard LP generator or optional diesel?
Have you checked the circuit breaker on the generator? It could be tripped.
In any case, you will need to put a battery charger on your house battery string to recover and save it from damage while you find out why this failure has happened.

Mongobird · 05-19-2022, 07:32 AM

We haven't heard from Highliner. I have a 2004 Meridian which is a sister ship.

Discussion: 1. The generator does run dry at 1/4 tank. Been there. Perhaps with more than 1/4 tank. I have thought of extending the dip to the bottom of the tank, so that I can manage my last few gallons.

2. The genset abruptly stopped and then there was no house 12V and no inverter. I would be suspicious of a genset failure in the inverter output of the genset. But the info center voltmeter reads good?

3. The boost switch bridges the house bus and the chassis bus for starting, but it can go bidiectionally. What happens when that is attempted?

4. Morich provided a diagram with that bridge contactor...I would start looking in that area.

With a voltmeter, where are the house batteries voltage wise?
Does that make it to the contactor in the front of the RV?
Does running the boost switch get 12V to the input of the contactor? (Unfortunately I think that 12V may be powered by the house.)

So Highliner where are you at? Hopefully by now things are resolved.

Bobn1957 · 05-19-2022, 10:33 AM

It sounds like you have two problems the first is the generator quitting, have you checked the oil? Is there enough fuel? Second is the coach batteries, how old are they? A low battery will read kinda normal without a load on it, when you add a load like an inverter or the lights, the battery voltage will drop below normal. If the generator was running and your batteries went low it sounds as if there might be a problem with the converter/charger system.

Kvw613 · 05-19-2022, 01:12 PM

If I shut off the coach 12v power switch the generator will shut down. Start there. When that switch is turned on, what are the sequences that take place? Is a relay energized? Is it fused?

I have a 2002 Horizon.

Kvw613 · 05-19-2022, 01:15 PM

Perhaps I missed it but has anyone asked if the coach power switch is on?

Morich · 05-19-2022, 01:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kvw613

Perhaps I missed it but has anyone asked if the coach power switch is on?

This is my first thought but it takes battery tomakeit work! First we have to rock the momentary switch to the correct on/off, but if the battery is not good enough, the switch tells a relay to move but nothing happens if that relay has no power! We get the "feeling" of turning things on, but nothing really happens as the relay is a latching relay designed to stay in the last position but uses no power when we let go of the switch!

A neet way to allow it to stay on or off without using power full time. Saves the battery while we are dry camping. But it can get confusing when we forget how it works.