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Old 12-01-2021, 12:52 PM   #1
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Cool No interior lights

I had a problem happen the other night where all of my outside lights stayed on except for the headlights. The next morning we drove to our spot in the RV park and they went out. Several days later when we were ready to leave our batteries were dead, I got a jump to start and leave but now we have NO interior lights???
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Old 12-01-2021, 04:09 PM   #2
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Lot's of questions:
  • What year, model and floorplan RV are you talking about?
  • What lights exactly? You mention outdoor lights and headlights. Two totally separate systems.
  • Dead Batteries... house batteries or chassis batteries?
  • Plugged into shore power or not?
Please fill us in on all the details and I'm sure others will attempt to help you out.
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Old 12-01-2021, 06:51 PM   #3
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Quote:
Originally Posted by creativepart View Post
Lot's of questions:
  • What year, model and floorplan RV are you talking about?
  • What lights exactly? You mention outdoor lights and headlights. Two totally separate systems.
  • Dead Batteries... house batteries or chassis batteries?
  • Plugged into shore power or not?
Please fill us in on all the details and I'm sure others will attempt to help you out.
I've got a 1997 Winnebago Luxor diesel
All clearance lights,tail lights and dash lights. Headlights turned off.
House batteries
yes plugged in to shore power.
When we woke up the morning that we were going to leave the stereo in the dash was blinking like crazy.
after getting a jump I heard a noise inside the dash board like something was recycling every 5-10 seconds this noise would occur.
while we were on the road we didn't notice that we had no interior lights at all until we got home about 5:30 pm Dark and no lights inside.
Head and tail lights work.
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Old 12-02-2021, 09:28 AM   #4
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OK so lets try to work through this so we understand what isn't working.


1, Your Clearance Lights, Tail Lights and Headlights should all be on the same switch, even though this switch has a couple different positions. Do these lights work properly?



2. All of the lights in item 1 above would run off of your chassis battery, which is the one that is used to start the engine on your motor home. I am assuming this is the battery failed you because you needed a jump to get the engine started?


3. Have you had this battery load tested by an auto parts store or a repair shop to determine if the battery is functional?


Lets just get through these questions first, and talk about your interior lights later, they do not run off of the same battery as the lights in 1.
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Old 12-02-2021, 11:42 AM   #5
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lights & refer, heater

Quote:
Originally Posted by tim myers View Post
OK so lets try to work through this so we understand what isn't working.

1, Your Clearance Lights, Tail Lights and Headlights should all be on the same switch, even though this switch has a couple different positions. Do these lights work properly?

2. All of the lights in item 1 above would run off of your chassis battery, which is the one that is used to start the engine on your motor home. I am assuming this is the battery failed you because you needed a jump to get the engine started?

3. Have you had this battery load tested by an auto parts store or a repair shop to determine if the battery is functional?


Lets just get through these questions first, and talk about your interior lights later, they do not run off of the same battery as the light
1. all outside lights do work.

2. that is correct.

3. No, not yet.

here's another issue also. My refrer and heater are not working as well.
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Old 12-02-2021, 03:45 PM   #6
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as for the chassis battery, did you accidentally leave something on to kill the battery or do you think it is just at the end of it's life. Batteries these days give very little warning before failing completely.


So lets talk about your Refer and heater. The term "Not Working" is very vague. Are they completely dead or do they show some signs of life and just aren't working the way they should? Is your Fridge, AC, DC, LP, or a combination. Is your heater Electric, Heat Pump, LP, is it roof mounted, or basement mounted.



A refrigerator that is running on LP still needs 12 V DC power to operate. A Gas furnace will run off of 12V DC, but an AC/HP will not.


Are other 12V DC items operating or are all the 12V systems down.
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Old 12-02-2021, 04:00 PM   #7
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I took some time and found an old brochure for your motor home I think. Is yours the 37WQ, or the 37WP?


I think you probably have a AC/LP refrigerator Freezer, unless the Previous Owner (PO) made some changes. This unit uses ammonia as the refrigerant in a gas absorption arrangement. No need to bore you with the details of how this work, but will always need 12V DC to operate and can provide cooling by either burning LP Gas or using an AC heating element to boil the ammonia.


You should have two environmental control units, one is a ducted central air conditioner. Can't tell, but it doesn't look like it is ceiling mounted, possibly in the basement. Looks like you also have a propane furnace with registers in the floor. The fan on a central furnace usually runs off of the house battery, so again 12V DC needed.
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Old 12-02-2021, 10:29 PM   #8
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Quote:
Originally Posted by tim myers View Post
I took some time and found an old brochure for your motor home I think. Is yours the 37WQ, or the 37WP?


I think you probably have a AC/LP refrigerator Freezer, unless the Previous Owner (PO) made some changes. This unit uses ammonia as the refrigerant in a gas absorption arrangement. No need to bore you with the details of how this work, but will always need 12V DC to operate and can provide cooling by either burning LP Gas or using an AC heating element to boil the ammonia.


You should have two environmental control units, one is a ducted central air conditioner. Can't tell, but it doesn't look like it is ceiling mounted, possibly in the basement. Looks like you also have a propane furnace with registers in the floor. The fan on a central furnace usually runs off of the house battery, so again 12V DC needed.
The refer/freezer is LP/AC
AC is runs through the ceiling and the heat through the floor. I do have the M/H connected to shore power her at home 50 amp, and still nothing works.
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Old 12-03-2021, 06:19 AM   #9
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Ok so nothing works tells me that you have no lights, no refrigerator, no furnace. are you sure the salesman switch is on? Does your coach have a battery monitor that give you the voltage of your chassis and house batteries? If so what does it tell you?
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Old 12-03-2021, 10:20 AM   #10
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MLoya4450, you have a lot of folks that could help you here. But just saying you have no lights or nothing works just isn't enough info.

Are you new to this RV? Are you new to RVing or an experienced owner?

Tell us what you've already checked out. What you've already done to find the solution. Please don't expect us to be mind readers. Because we can't really help you unless you help us.
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Old 12-06-2021, 10:50 AM   #11
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Just a quick stab at the problem with the limited info you gave. Your interior systems run off the coach 12v system. Even though you are plugged into shore power, the 12v circuit could still be dead.

Your coach batteries need to be checked, as they are one source of the 12v power. The other source, if you have one, is called a converter, which converts 120v power to 12v power. If that is not working (circuit breaker off, etc.) you will only get 12v from the batteries.

Some converters also charge the coach batteries, and if not working, could explain why you may or may not have proper 12v to run interior systems.

So RV's also charge the coach batteries with the engine alternator, but some do not. Again, check those coach batteries. If they are down. all sorts of things will not run correctly.
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Old 12-06-2021, 03:40 PM   #12
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Originally Posted by Journey39n View Post
Just a quick stab at the problem with the limited info you gave. Your interior systems run off the coach 12v system. Even though you are plugged into shore power, the 12v circuit could still be dead.

Your coach batteries need to be checked, as they are one source of the 12v power. The other source, if you have one, is called a converter, which converts 120v power to 12v power. If that is not working (circuit breaker off, etc.) you will only get 12v from the batteries.

Some converters also charge the coach batteries, and if not working, could explain why you may or may not have proper 12v to run interior systems.

So RV's also charge the coach batteries with the engine alternator, but some do not. Again, check those coach batteries. If they are down. all sorts of things will not run correctly.
This I can understand this. Just to let you know I am new to RVing and I've only have had this M/h since August so I'm still learning all of this that all of you are saying. So the batteries that I need to check on are the bank of batteries that are the Marine type battery?
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Old 12-06-2021, 05:42 PM   #13
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I'm new to the forum and trying to figure out how to work the posts, but I'll give this a try. Since you are new to RVing and your coach, let's start with a couple of basic things and go from there. I found the brochure for your coach and it indicates you have 3 coach (house) batteries and 2 chassis (starting/cranking) batteries (assuming no modifications since 1997).

Your coach should also have a battery monitor inside on a panel somewhere. Not sure what it looked like in 1997, but I will try to post a picture of what it looked like in 2004. You should be able to toggle the switch and see the voltage reading for your house and coach batteries. These aren't very accurate but it can be a clue to the battery condition, especially if it is extremely low. Let us know what you find.

Your coach should also have a battery disconnect (per the brochure). Mine is on the dash to the right of the steering wheel. If my picture attaches, it will be the 2nd switch from the top and confusingly labelled "AUX BATT." If mine is off, I have NO house lights and I don't think anything else on 12 volt power works either. Find that switch and make sure it is on.

Your coach also has a 2000 watt inverter/charger with a remote monitor panel (per the brochure). I will try to attach a picture of mine. Find the panel and make sure the display is on and let us know what it says.

I apologize if this is elementary, but it seems like we need to start simple. This is how I narrow down problems.
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Old 12-07-2021, 03:09 PM   #14
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Quote:
Originally Posted by MLoya4450 View Post
This I can understand this. Just to let you know I am new to RVing and I've only have had this M/h since August so I'm still learning all of this that all of you are saying. So the batteries that I need to check on are the bank of batteries that are the Marine type battery?

The Marine type (Deep Cycle) batteries will be the batteries that power all the 12 volt appliances, lights etc in the motor home. there will be two or three of these.



These would not have been the batteries you had to jump to get your diesel engine started those would be regular auto type, chassis batteries and you should have two of them.
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Old 12-08-2021, 02:29 PM   #15
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Quote:
Originally Posted by JR314 View Post
I'm new to the forum and trying to figure out how to work the posts, but I'll give this a try. Since you are new to RVing and your coach, let's start with a couple of basic things and go from there. I found the brochure for your coach and it indicates you have 3 coach (house) batteries and 2 chassis (starting/cranking) batteries (assuming no modifications since 1997).

Your coach should also have a battery monitor inside on a panel somewhere. Not sure what it looked like in 1997, but I will try to post a picture of what it looked like in 2004. You should be able to toggle the switch and see the voltage reading for your house and coach batteries. These aren't very accurate but it can be a clue to the battery condition, especially if it is extremely low. Let us know what you find.

Your coach should also have a battery disconnect (per the brochure). Mine is on the dash to the right of the steering wheel. If my picture attaches, it will be the 2nd switch from the top and confusingly labelled "AUX BATT." If mine is off, I have NO house lights and I don't think anything else on 12 volt power works either. Find that switch and make sure it is on.

Your coach also has a 2000 watt inverter/charger with a remote monitor panel (per the brochure). I will try to attach a picture of mine. Find the panel and make sure the display is on and let us know what it says.

I apologize if this is elementary, but it seems like we need to start simple. This is how I narrow down problems.
It’s a beautiful day here in Walla Walla, lights are on and everything is great. As you suggested it was the aux. battery switch was on. I must of toggle it when the battery went dead on me. Thanks
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Old 12-08-2021, 02:40 PM   #16
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Happy that you were able to find such a simple fix. Small victories are great too. This doesn't explain why your starter battery (chassis battery) was dead. You might want to unplug the coach for a day or so and check the voltage on those two batteries. It could be your radio or some other parasitic drain or the batteries could be old and bad. This spring may be a good time for new chassis batteries. Also, check this forum and others for battery maintenance in the off season. Maintaining fluid levels in the battery and preventing sulfating are important factors in keeping your batteries going. From the brochure, it looks like you have a nice coach. Best of luck. Happy camping.
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Old 12-08-2021, 04:38 PM   #17
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I just wanted to say thanks to everyone that helped with their thoughts and suggestions.
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Old 12-08-2021, 07:52 PM   #18
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check your coach battery switch and make sure it is on as that controls your interior lights, refrigerator power, etc. The chassis battery switch controls the engine, the power step and on some the slideouts and levelers.
If the generator don't crank then the chassis battery switch is off.
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