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Old 08-26-2020, 12:10 PM   #1
Winnebago Camper
 
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: SE Ks
Posts: 12
No power from coach batteries

Installed new batteries in my 1998 35WP Winnebago. All connections/cables checked and double checked. When plugged in to shore power all AC and DC items/appliances work normally EXCEPT convertor does not charge coach batteries. Generator power same as shore power. I can hear audible clicks from the solenoid when I use the switch Aux (off/on). Is that the only test I need be concerned with. Should I be looking for another disconnect or breaker/fuse?
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Old 08-26-2020, 03:36 PM   #2
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Good job of getting the right info to us to do some really firm looking!
Good questions usually can get better answers.
So several points which "might" give problems and which to look at first may depend on which you can find and get to easier, so I'll suggest and you decide?
I might first want to be sure the batteries are set up and in shape to take and hold the charge. Age, condition but often more trouble is loose or corroded cables, so I would look at those both at the coach batteries and also the big cable that goes to ground, often on the frame closeby. Bad ground kills things just like bad hot wire!
Then I did a snip of the drawing for your RV and marked up the path I see. Let me mention some things to help if you are not familiar with wiring that a small number like gauge 1 is a big finger size wire and larger numbers like 8 is smaller wire like 1/8- 1/4 inch thick and this drawing gives sizes and colors to help sort which wire might go where!
Top solenoid in this drawing should be what you hear when pressing the aux button as it is kind of a temporary connection between start and coach battery string (like a jumper cable?) and I don't think it will be involved with getting the coach batteries charged from the converter.
But the one below sounds like it is working as it disconnects most of the RV from the coach batteries during storage, so if it was not passing current through you likely would get NO inside lights, water pump and all those 12vdc things. So the connection from coach battery (red dots) is connecting okay to the number 8 black wire on the right (black dots) assuming the wires okay, not corroded, brooken, etc. and we can trace it to right on the drawing to a 40 amp circuit breaker and that's up under the dash and likely not wanting to be found! So I might expect to move on to find the connection where option 2 in the left lower corner tells us it is in the front electrical box or if hard to find that, look for the isolated stud near the converter. I might expect a big bolt looking thing with number 8 black wire meeting another wire which likely comes from the converter!
This is where things get down to working or not, so look at the converter to make sure there are no switches, GFCI breakers or such and there should be at least 12-14 VDC coming out of the converter to this stud to go back down to the coach battery.
I would want to take the black wire off, see coach battery on the end of it and also battery coming from the converter to the stud.
If this stud is easy enough to find and work on, checking here might be a good place to start to find out if the converter is not passing voltage or is it the path to the batteries not working right.
Kind of like the hose in the yard and you want water going into a bucket? The faucet (converter) not working or is there a kink in the hose between there and the bucket (batteries)!!
Try clicking the picture to get better to read ,but if comes from this drawing: http://www.winnebagoind.com/diagram/1998/126757.pdf
See how that goes?
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Richard
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Old 08-27-2020, 04:18 PM   #3
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Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: SE Ks
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Thanks for the replies, special thanks to Morich for the marked up electrical drawing for my coach. Gives me several things to look at/for. As of now I have the batts back out of the coach to make getting to all the ground connects easier. Will be a couple days working thru this info and suggestions. Thanks again, will let you know when back up and running.
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Old 08-27-2020, 05:08 PM   #4
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We should all learn to be patient and let things work along at their own pace---especially when it's this hot and we're all a bit grumpy!
Enjoy and hope it helps a bit.
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Old 09-09-2020, 04:40 PM   #5
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Didn't intend to let this take so long. Still haven't located that 40 Amp breaker. Have Not lifted the Dash pod, I hate how those critical troubleshooting items are located. Batterys are back in the coach and and good voltage readings on input side of disconnect solenoid/relay. Nice cold rain today so just scratching my old head. Another question. If I take the coach out and run strickly on shore power, will I hurt the converter?. It don't really seem like I need the batterys as long as as long as I just run lights, exhaust fans and don't pop the 12V breakers.
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Old 09-09-2020, 05:18 PM   #6
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HEAH! Glad to see it's not a big worry as we both know better than to let things like this drive us too far!!
No, using it on shore power alone is not prone to doing any damage, etc. to things. The AC power may/ may not be getting to the converter but it is meant to get AC and work but if no it just sets there all lonesome like and does nothing!
I've kind of forgotten without looking but something to think over is if the batteries are actually getting the charging voltage but not good enough shape to hold that charge.
If this is the case, the lights and such will work while plugged in as they are getting power from the converter but when unplugged and the converter not working, the lights may not work as the batteries may not hold the charge.
Just a mention as sometimes weak/dead batteries can get us looking the wrong direction. Maybe worth a drive by an auto parts store for them to do a load test?
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Old 09-11-2020, 02:30 PM   #7
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Join Date: Aug 2010
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No power from coach Batts, No chg from conv. Resolved

Went back to the coach this morning, drawings from Morich in hand to look for that 40A breaker under the dash pod. Removed the 5 philips screws from the lower part of the pod. Raised it gently and a popped 40A breaker never looked so good. Pushed it back in and everything works like it's supposed to. I have no idea how long this problem has existed because we haven't boondocked and as long as the coach was plugged in everything worked from the convertor except no charge to coach batterys. Maintenance running the generator does nothing except power the convertor, so starting and running the truck engine was what let the batterys do their job until this Covid-19 thing come along and I hadn't been doing proper upkeep. I looked back in my truck/gen notes I keep, and I hadn't been in the coach since early June, my bad.
Anyway thanks for the help. Morich those marked up drawings helped just couldn't have found that breaker without them.
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Old 09-11-2020, 04:30 PM   #8
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Good question? Why is it put way up there out of sight?
Glad you found the trouble and didn't cost much to fix. That's always good! enjoy.
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