floydfowler

I have a 2001 Holiday Rambler with a Cummings 350 ISC 8.3L engine. talked with Cummings and learned that my starter is a Delco-Remy 41 MT. They were unable to give me the normal starting amperage. In preparing to read the amperage at the starter I found the starter has three large cables connected to the solenoid so I suspect the started is wired directly to the batteries and the starting current does not all flow through the battery cut off switch. Could be just the solenoid coil is going through the switch and not the main load. I will check the amperage at the chassis battery next. I can't find a wiring diagram in my manual that shows the starter wiring but I will check each of the three wires to the solenoid separately. I am still leaning toward defective internal switch contacts causing the resistance and high heat.

Here is a little more data. Shore power off, inverter on, inverter monitor shows 38 amps. House battery cable at cutoff switch shows 38 amps with clamp on ammeter. Refrigerator AC cord plugged into ac outlet shows 4 amps on each individual ac wire (fortunately the two wire cord was split just before the plug in to the control panel). The wires going to the two ac heater elements in the ref. boiler each show 2 amps per heater. 4 amps x 120 volts = 480 watts. 480 watts / 12v = 40 amps. pretty close.

Wow, 3300 watts! I think that would be 275 amps! I agree that the 8 amps is low and I read it at the chassis battery cut off switch with my clamp on amp meter. I have a Fluke digital meter as well but the clamp on is too small for the 2/0 battery cable. I will use the clamp on meter right at the starter but will need to wait until DW gets home to start it for me. The fluke meter can record the highest reading if it would fit over the cable and I could do it by myself. Speaking of another ground somewhere, here is one other strange fact...while stranded with the faulty battery switches, I had no power to the instrument panel or ignition switch and nothing worked, including the generator which I had been trying to start. The house battery switch was frozen in the on position. Now the overhead map light over the drivers seat is on and cannot be turned off!! I never use it so I know it was previously off. I tried the boost switch which combines both battery banks and the instruments lit up and I was able to start the engine but all died when I released the boost switch. Now I knew the issue was with the chassis battery switch so I bolted the two leads to the same terminal and bingo, everything worked and the map light was out but would turn off and on with it's switch. Just how weird is that?

We found a few ants in the MH while at a campsite and my wife used her favorite ant bait to get rid of them. It is "Terro ant killer". It comes in a very small 0ne 0z.bottle and I think she found it at Ace Hardware. A few small drops of the clear liquid on a small piece of paper or index card and it draws the ants right in and they share it with their friends along the way. We use it at home in the same way so we will not have other chemicals all around the kitchen.

I have done some more checking and found that the max load on the house batteries is 275a (inverter) and it is fused at 300 amps.I normally am drawing 38a with the refrigerator and 140 with ref. and Microwave. All of these loads are well below the 300a fuse. I have ordered the e-series switch rated at 350 amp continuous and 3/8 posts which should work well. Since my normal draw is less than 40 amps (refrigerator only) I think the switch failure is an internal resistance /high heat problem due to poor design/quality of the sliding contacts and the 350 amp ones will hopefully be ok. If not, I will send them back to Amazon and get the 600 amp ones. As a side note, I put my ampmeter on the coach and chassis circuits and confirmed 38a on the house with the inverter (ref only) on and less than 9 amps on the chassis circuit while starting the engine. I had expected higher loads while starting but that is what I had. If I were to use the battery boost switch to combine house and chassis batteries I will still be no where near the 350a capacity of the switches. Thanks again for taking the time to respond.

Thank you for checking that out. I will look into that Blue Sea switch. The high heat/amps would seem to indicate a loose connection, possibly inside the switch where I can't get to it without cutting it apart. I plan to do that after I get everything back together. I really appreciate all the time and suggestions from this forum.

Yes, That would be the same problem as mine except I found a replacement with same size and mounting as original. Sure wish I had the ISL 400, as I have a 350 ISC with pac brake. I use the exhaust (Pac) brake very frequently and have never had any problem until yesterday going through W. Va. on I-77. We hopped off of I-77 to follow US 19 for a few miles just to enjoy the scenery and encountered very sharp curves and steep grades. Engine lost power and would barely go any further. My first thought was clogged fuel filters so I got to the side of the road next to a sheer drop and changed the filters. I learned early on to carry spares as well as a gallon of fuel to fill them. Coach ran fine for a few moire miles and died again on I-77. I then noticed I had no boast pressure from turbo. After a few minutes I got it started again and it ran fine until I used the exhaust brake which is attached to the back of the turbine. Short version, I did not use the exhaust brake anymore and engine ran fine all the way home. I am now trouble shooting the pac brake to try to find the answer. I found out while researching it that you need to lubricate the pac brake but neither the coach or Cumming manuals had any lubrication requirements for the brake. Disconnected the linkage the arm and vane moves freely. Now about to apply 12 v to the air switch to operate the cylinder so I can check that. Always something!

Thanks for the tip. I checked the ground terminal and it was very tight. Since you have the same coach, have you experienced any problems with the Pac Brake?

Richard, please read my first post. I have isolated the battery cutoff switch as the problem, just wanting to know if anyone has had battery switch problems like mine. Everything works fine when I jump the switches.

House batteries are one year old. I failed to mention in original post that while the power was off to the chassis, I was able to start the engine using the battery boost switch but it died when I released it. The house batteries are not used for starting without pressing the momentary contact battery boost switch. I was also able to start the generator using the boost switch while I had no power to the chassis.

I experienced a failure with my house battery switch on my 2001 Holiday Rambler Imperial. The switch was frozen in the on position so I replaced it with another Guest switch (2102) just like the original one (except red rather than original black, not that that should matter). After two trips out ( less than 2000 miles) the new switch has failed in the same way. The switch is rated at 230 amps continuous but I see that the case has melted around one terminal and the knob will not rotate. Yesterday we stopped at a rest area for lunch but had no power to the generator starter. While stopped at a rest area for lunch I tried to start the generator to use microwave but no power to the generator starter so I checked the battery switches. I checked the house and chassis battery switches and found the house switch frozen and when I turned off the chassis switch the engine died and would not restart. No power on anything, ignition switch had no power as well. Now I have a real mess and a hungry DW. I jumped both switches by fastening the lugs together and now everything is working as normal. Generator starts right up ans does the engine. After our lunch we continued on home and I ordered two new switches but I cannot explain the failures. Both nuts on the house switch were tight but I did feel that one on the chassis switch was perhaps not as tight but it was the original switch that may have had thread locker as they were hard to remove. Here is another weird note, the drivers side overhead map light was on and would not turn off while I was without power but went off after I jumped the switches! Switch turns it off and on fine now. I lost a lot of sleep wondering about this last night and would greatly appreciate any help possible if anyone has experienced a similar issue.

Thanks guys. I found the receiver/drier above the transmission. Compressor is still running but seems to be leaking at the front seal. I have recharged it only to have it leak back down and the cooling diminish. I have a new compressor and drier on the way but now I'm searching for the expansion valve as I want to replace it while the charge is out if I can. Need to get it fixed by next week and my wife and I are itching to "get on the road again"!

Can't locate the ac dryer on my 2001 HR imperial. Want to change it out while I'm replacing the compressor