Troubleshooting House Battery Charging Issues in Solis 59PX

[Vinz_155]

Hey folks!

Made some research and I didn't find any definitive answer and the steps I need to follow (as novice) to figure out and fix that issue.

What I've learned so far:
-Under the couch there is a box that contains solenoid (https://www.winnebago.com/Files/Files/Winnebago/Resources/Diagram/2020/000187216.pdf) that decides which source should charge house batteries and it seems when engine is on it doesn't switch to that source.

-On Xantrex panel there are some voltage numbers and when engine is off i need to see 12.5+- v if its on i need to see 13+ v, and this is what doesn't change, so I assume that the problem is in that solenoid.

But from now on I don't quite follow what to do next, ill get to that box, ill open it, Ill see some parts, and what should I do do verify that the issue indeed is there?

Any answer suggestion would help!
I just got into this Van stuff, and seems lots to learn

 

[creativepart]

You might have better luck with the Solis Facebook Group: Log into Facebook

OR with the www.sprinter-source/forum

 

[Vinz_155]

You might have better luck with the Solis Facebook Group: Log into Facebook

OR with the www.sprinter-source/forum

Gotcha, will post there, thanks!

 

[Morich]

This looks like a very standard operation for Winnebago, so perhaps a quicker way to go will help? Posting the drawing is a big help!

the way this should work is when the engine is running or you hold a dash switch, battery is sent to the solenoid on wire LR (Blue marked)? . That battery goes through a coil in the solenoid and to ground. that ground comes both from wire FM (green)as well as the mounting stud.
When that coil is energized, it should close large contacts where chassis battery (red) and coach battery (yellow) are connected together! One way to cheap a bit of a helper is not on hand is to touch a wire from one of the big lugs to the smaller center lug LR as that also puts 12Volts on it to move the solenoid!
engine alternator then can charge both coach and chassis at the same time!

Testing? Verify that both chassis and coach voltages are getting tot he big studs as marked. They are likely just a bit different dues to real life batteries vary.
If you let somebody push the dash switch, the voltage on each big lug should read the same as they are connected! Then if you start the engine, both sides should see a voltage that is up and down as the engine revs, possibly up near 13.5-14 volts!
Then the issue is to make sure that voltage is actually getting all the way to the coach batteries as several things might go wrong.
Note? Not a true switching item but more when the RV is plugged into power and the battery disconnect closed, power from the converter charges coach. If not plugged in and we have engine running, the alternator charges chassis but is also connected to charge coach! The idea is to keep them separated while camped to let us use all the coach without worry we run both coach and chassis down to be stuck with no way to start. However if we need to jump start a weak chassis battery, we can get a jump without jumper cables by pushing the dash switch!

Most common problem is corrosion at some point along the cable to the coach battery!
A second less common issue is that the contacts inside the solenoid can become burned from arcing and not make good contact to pass the voltage on!

See if that gets it going but do keep in mind how much we have to fight corrosion on RV that set too long between uses!

 

[Vinz_155]

This looks like a very standard operation for Winnebago, so perhaps a quicker way to go will help? Posting the drawing is a big help!
View attachment 2415011
the way this should work is when the engine is running or you hold a dash switch, battery is sent to the solenoid on wire LR (Blue marked)? . That battery goes through a coil in the solenoid and to ground. that ground comes both from wire FM (green)as well as the mounting stud.
When that coil is energized, it should close large contacts where chassis battery (red) and coach battery (yellow) are connected together! One way to cheap a bit of a helper is not on hand is to touch a wire from one of the big lugs to the smaller center lug LR as that also puts 12Volts on it to move the solenoid!
engine alternator then can charge both coach and chassis at the same time!

Testing? Verify that both chassis and coach voltages are getting tot he big studs as marked. They are likely just a bit different dues to real life batteries vary.
If you let somebody push the dash switch, the voltage on each big lug should read the same as they are connected! Then if you start the engine, both sides should see a voltage that is up and down as the engine revs, possibly up near 13.5-14 volts!
Then the issue is to make sure that voltage is actually getting all the way to the coach batteries as several things might go wrong.
Note? Not a true switching item but more when the RV is plugged into power and the battery disconnect closed, power from the converter charges coach. If not plugged in and we have engine running, the alternator charges chassis but is also connected to charge coach! The idea is to keep them separated while camped to let us use all the coach without worry we run both coach and chassis down to be stuck with no way to start. However if we need to jump start a weak chassis battery, we can get a jump without jumper cables by pushing the dash switch!

Most common problem is corrosion at some point along the cable to the coach battery!
A second less common issue is that the contacts inside the solenoid can become burned from arcing and not make good contact to pass the voltage on!

See if that gets it going but do keep in mind how much we have to fight corrosion on RV that set too long between uses!

Oh wow, thanks for such detailed guide! Will give it a try.
Do i understand correct that solenoid should also "click" when I push Boost button to reverse charge the chassis battery?

 

[Morich]

Some amount of click but how much is a question. It has a round metal item lke a silver dolar thatfits between the two big lugs. As it slaps up to contact, it will make some noise and depending how quiet, you can hear it or possibly feel it if a hand on the solenoid.
Putting holding a wire between one of the big lugs where coach or chassis battery is expected and then touch the other end to the small center lug should make it close.
If working alone, that is one way to do it alone as you are putting the 12volts on LR instead of pushing the dash switch! So you can touch it and listen and do it a number of times if needed, as it should close when power is there and drop when power is removed.
a different name might be "electrically operated switch" ? Like a wall switch we use our hand but turned on by 12VDC power! Switch, relay, or solenoid are all doing much the same things but have different shapes! Switch we use our hand but the other two we use electricity!

But that can be one first step in the lineup? If can get it to close, but then there are times when the contacts inside do not make good contact to pass the current! They open/close every time we start the engine so they do tend to go bad after some time??
If we get it to close and then the contacts are good, that puts the power from the engine alternator running on to the cable going tot he coach batteries. Then the next question if whether that cable is good and clean to make contact to take the power ALL the way to the coach battery! There may be large fuses or connections before getting to the battery that may be corroded!
If you have a meter and look at the large cable that goes to either battery group, you can see the voltage go up and down with the engine revs! If you have a helper to rev the engine, that voltage jump up and out tells you power is coming from the engine and you can use that to "trace" it all the way to the coach batteries!!
Got a picture of one I tore down, If I can find it!

EDIT? If you want to see how little there is in this type solenoid look at this older post.
It is a different brand than what we find on RV most of the time and does use the two wires for the coil but the main ideas of the connection between the two big lugs is much the same.

Want to know what's in a solenoid?

We get lots of trouble and discussion of the mode solenoid on our RV. The name may be confusing so maybe a small point there will help. Many know what a relay does but the difference is simply the shape and how the contacts move. For simple speak, relay contacts move left/ right while solenoid...

www.winnieowners.com

Looking at the contacts this is almost new as there are no burn spots but I got tired of
so much junk in the cabinet!

 

[Jtex]

Hey folks!

Made some research and I didn't find any definitive answer and the steps I need to follow (as novice) to figure out and fix that issue.

What I've learned so far:
-Under the couch there is a box that contains solenoid (https://www.winnebago.com/Files/Files/Winnebago/Resources/Diagram/2020/000187216.pdf) that decides which source should charge house batteries and it seems when engine is on it doesn't switch to that source.

-On Xantrex panel there are some voltage numbers and when engine is off i need to see 12.5+- v if its on i need to see 13+ v, and this is what doesn't change, so I assume that the problem is in that solenoid.

But from now on I don't quite follow what to do next, ill get to that box, ill open it, Ill see some parts, and what should I do do verify that the issue indeed is there?

Any answer suggestion would help!
I just got into this Van stuff, and seems lots to learn

I just went through this the other day. My solenoid clicked but didn't send power to the house batteries.so I ordered one from Amazon and replaced it and now it works as it is supposed to.