Battery helps with 2007 View

[CABender]

I'm new to the Forum and found it while trying to find help to solve a problem with my 2007 View.
I'm not sure that my cabin batteries are being charged by the engine alternator. After spending a few days without being able to plug in we were unable to retract the slider. Starting and running the engine did not help. We managed to slowly and carefully drive it to a place where we could plug it in and it immediately worked fine. After driving 100 miles or more the slider still would not respond until we plugged it in again. I disconnected the + cable from the battery and it showed 13+ volts when the engine was started.
Any help would be appreciated.

[Morich]

Sounds like the typical "mode solenoid" failure! But testing first is always good and not too hard to manage when a meter is handy.

Basic idea is that the solenoid has a couple functions to connect both chassis and coach batteries together at different times for doing different things.
The one you are talking about is to get charge back into rundown coach batteries.

This is one of the drawings for one of the models of 2007 View and they may all be very close to the same. Look for chassis electrical box section!
https://www.winnebago.com/Files/File...ire_152714.pdf

Check for the correct RV model before trusting too far for details which may differ?
Click to get a better view or go direct.


Idea is that wires LR and FM bring battery and ground from the dash area down to the solenoid coil. Note that Wire FM DOES NOT go to the big post but actually lays on the mounting screw for the solenoid as a way to be more sure it gets ground to the solenoid.

When that coil gets powered, the contacts should close and connect the coach and chassis battery cables on left and right big lugs together.
If you push the dash boost, aux, etc switch, you may hear the solenoid "clunk" as it moves if it is quiet around you. That tells you the wiring and dash switch are good. They are rarely the problem but always good to keep them in mind.
But if you hear it cluck and still no change at the battery voltages, it is very likely the contacts inside the solenoid are burned and corroded and need replaced!

[creativepart]

Hi, and Welcome.

This could be a bad battery, a bad solenoid or simply an oversight from a new owner.

There are two battery systems on your View - a Chassis Battery which is your engine battery. And a House battery (what you refer to as a cabin battery). The Chassis battery starts the motor on your RV, but it also usually operates the Slides (the "sliders" in your terminology).

You have two disconnects that turn each on and off. It's possible you just don't have both of those disconnects turned on. Normally, you keep both battery disconnects ON unless you have stored the motorhome away for a long period of non-use of any kind.

Or, since your RV is 16 years old the battery/batteries could be bad or worn out. Even if the previous owner has replaced them once or twice since the RV was new.

Richard is right, there is a solenoid that charges the batteries when you drive. It can fail and this could also cause your problem - but it's not the first place I would to start looking for issues.

[creativepart]

Also, in 2007 the View was built on the Dodge Sprinter chassis and there were 3 different models - the 23B, 23H, and the 23J. Newer models are all built on the Mercedes Sprinter chassis. I just mention that because most of us are more familiar with the Mercedes chassis on a View.

It always helps us help you if you could tell us which of those three models you have.

Here's a link to the 2007 View brochure in Winnegago's Brochure Archive - It might help you just to see the details of that year's models:

https://www.winnebago.com/Files/Imag...7-View-bro.pdf

[CABender]

Thanks for all your responses. For clarification: My View is a 2007 23J on a 2006 3500 Sprinter Chassis. I put in all new batteries in April 2022.

There is a battery disconnect just to the left of the house door that stays either on or off and disconnects the house batteries (for storage). There is also a switch to the left of the steering column to intermittently jump the chassis battery from the house battery. This switch is spring loaded and only connects when being held in the on position. It is my understanding the the slider and the steps should work off the chassis battery. Shouldn't they work even if the house battery switch is in the off position with the engine running? They do not. I'm thinking the solenoid is bad and even though enough voltage can pass through it to show up on a meter there is not a good enough connection to allow enough amperage flow to operate the appliances. (I once had a similar situation with a cartridge fuse and an electric motor.)
Thanks again for your input. I'll keep you posted.
Charlie

[Morich]

Sounds like you have a far better idea of how your RV works than many! this is a good place to work on understanding as it tends to also be one that comes around too often.
you have the solenoid pretty clear and the latching relay aslo but there is one item that may help at times.

since liability is so high and they don't want to kill folks, there are several safety items left on both the coach and the chassis batterie, even after we turn the disconnect off! That can get a lot of folks in trouble if not aware and we store with the disconnect telling us ALL the batteries are disconnected. Wrong!

Co2 and propane detectors on the coach are two. On the chassis battery, the step is often left on as well as automatic things like door loocks and radio presets, some ignition parts at times.

Just be aware and not let it sneak up on you!
Note on the drawing I posted above that there is a wire KKG at top left that comes straight off the battery at the big post on the solenoid?

There is a handy chart to "decode" the wire ID here:
https://www.winnebago.com/Files/File...ical_guide.pdf

KKG feeds straight to a buss bar and doesn't go through the disconnect switch shown to the right on that drawing!
Also where I marked coach battery to the solenoid in yellow, there is a small wire GJ on that post? GJ feeds a number of things and WILL NOT be cut off by the disconnect relay!


Heads up! There are tricks in the details!

[creativepart]

Originally Posted by CABender

It is my understanding the the slider and the steps should work off the chassis battery. Shouldn't they work even if the house battery switch is in the off position with the engine running? They do not.

The obvious followup question is have you tried putting out the slide when both the house and chassis battery disconnects are on and the engine is running?

Normally, I wouldn't think to ask that, but your comment in the quoted portion above makes me wonder.

[Morich]

There may be some confusion sneaking in here on the battery disconnect idea. There is a coach disconnect switch and relay as stated near the left side of the door. However, I do not see any mention of a disconnect for the chassis battery.
Is there a disconnect for the chassis battery that I am not seeing?
If there is no disconnect on the chassis battery, we can ignore it's operation!
Then there is the thought about the solenoid. I assume we are speaking of the solenoid which connects both coach and chassis batteries together?
I don't feel that solenoid is involved when we move the slide or steps as they are thought to work off the chassis battery. Some doubts on those specific items as they are not part of the drawings for the age group after 2010 and not something I can vouch for without being able to check!!!

My question might involve checking that what we read may not be what was meant and if it is true that OP was saying the steps and slide don't work off the chassis battery when the coach batteries are disconnected, We need to check that a bit further.
It is my experience that the safety items like steps are almost impossible to keep from working, even with both disconnects turned off when the RV has both.

My thinking is that the safety items are left on and we can only cut those "phantom drains" by actually doing something to disconnect them like opening the ground side of the battery, etc.

With the added info that they have a 23J model, we get a slightly different drawing for this section of the 12VDC. both at the mode solenoid and the coach battery disconnect.
Looks different on the two drawings but the same wiring and info!

Unless there is something big that I'm missing involved in the chassis wiring, I see it working like this.
Click this snip for best picture.
[ATTACH]

One of the points where the chassis battery connects to the rest of the RV is on this isolated stud. It is never shown as battery but this is the way they draw it and it has to be that way to let the mode solenoid connect coach and chassis together!
But on that same large stud on the solenoid there is wire KKG which takes power to a buss bar feeding three smaller wires, KA, ER and CCY.

When we look at the wire ID chart here:
https://www.winnebago.com/Files/File...ical_guide.pdf

We find we find the three feeds are to the step power, step kill switch and slide control switch. That tells me the step and slides are worked off the chassis battery until somebody can offer a different setup!

With the engine running, the alternator will be plenty big to move the slide or steps and the coach batteries are not really required, but the mode solenoid should be connecting them in the overall picture when control wire LR get power from the ignition hot connection.

Some testing may be needed to make sure this is what was meant and if it is/ is not working?? I see no chassis battery disconnect or relays that would cause a loss of power to the steps or slide!
Possibly a fuse on those specific items that is blown but unlikely to have both blown to put two items out, so I suspect confusion/ missing info mote likely?

[CABender]

Greetings,
Are you guys ready for a real kicker? I just decided to do a bit more investigating. I disconnected the ground wire from the house batteries, started the engine, pushed the button, and the slider went out! Now I'm really puzzled.

The only thing that I can think of is that when the batteries were real low they drew so much power charging that they "overrode" the slider and steps? But the batteries also did not charge when we drove several hundred miles. I guess I'll just have to put this quest off until the next time.

One thing I've learned over many years of fixing things. If something doesn't work at all it's usually quite easy to fix, but when it doesn't work right SOMETIMES it can be a real bear!

Thanks to all who replied for your input. This forum is a great resource.

Charlie

[Morich]

The idea of them drawing so much current that there was none left is not going to work if fuses or breakers were not blowing/tripping!
sounds like time to get down to making sure one item is working and then gradually add another item, while checking each item works before moving on.
Many of us find the chassis/starting to be less confusing as we are more familiar with what to expect, so I would make sure the parts we find on the normal truck are working as a first step.
I would look at the chassis battery voltage being "okay", start the engine and make sure I can see the voltage on the chassis battery go up and down as the engine is revved.
This should show immediately as being 13+ to verify that engine alternator and charging are doing right.

Then I would move to the coach battery, first checking very carefull that the cables are all on the right posts and good and clean. Check the ground side clear down to where it meets the frame and make sure it is good, clean, and solid.

You may find some added wiring from previous owners, so verify what each wire does before trusting it. If you find smaller wires without the Winnebago markings, that is a likely sign that it has been added, so aproach with care!




Once correct connections are checked and good, then try starting the engine again while watching the chassis for a dip and then the sudden jump to higher voltage. then once that is clear, look at the coach batteries and you should see the same sudden rise in voltage as the alternator comes online to charge both sets through the mode solenoid.

Something is not right! But the big trick is finding that bear in the woods!