bounder04 Report post Posted November 14, 2020 Chassis battery on a 2004 Fleetwood Bounder, workhorse engine, was disconnected from inside RV when I put it in storage. When I last checked, I couldn't get the steps to open. I made sure step switch was on but the light on the switch was not on. I started the engine and the steps still would not come out. I then noticed that none of the holding tank level systems were registering and only the house battery was registering its power. The chassis battery was not registering. I checked fuses which appeared okay. It’s weird that the engine starts right up but none of the panel buttons are working on the dashboard. When I tried to connect the chassis with the inside switch it did not make the clicking noise that it usually does and I also turned on house battery which worked fine. Any ideas why this may not be working. It worked fine before putting it in storage. All I did was disconnect both the house and chassis batteries at the inside switch over tbe door. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
hermanmullins Report post Posted November 14, 2020 Are all your batteries fully charged? Herman Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
dickandlois Report post Posted November 15, 2020 (edited) 19 hours ago, bounder04 said: Chassis battery on a 2004 Fleetwood Bounder, workhorse engine, was disconnected from inside RV when I put it in storage. When I last checked, I couldn't get the steps to open. I made sure step switch was on but the light on the switch was not on. I started the engine and the steps still would not come out. I then noticed that none of the holding tank level systems were registering and only the house battery was registering its power. The chassis battery was not registering. I checked fuses which appeared okay. It’s weird that the engine starts right up but none of the panel buttons are working on the dashboard. When I tried to connect the chassis with the inside switch it did not make the clicking noise that it usually does and I also turned on house battery which worked fine. Any ideas why this may not be working. It worked fine before putting it in storage. All I did was disconnect both the house and chassis batteries at the inside switch over tbe door. 04, Check the fuses in the BCC and connections. There should be a information sheet for the BCC in your coach paper work. The step power is supplied from the chassis batteries. There is a magnetic switch/relay activated by the small magnet located on the screen door. 2 circuits control the step power. One is the switch mentioned, the second source is from the ignition switch circuit, so the steps retract when the engine is started. Third, there is a fuse and step circuit in the main chassis fuse panel under the dash panel. Note ! all the circuits mentioned are powered from circuits supplied by the chassis builder, they are often referred to as ACC circuits. Powered from the chassis start /run batteries. Note 2 Chassis battery on a 2004 Fleetwood Bounder, workhorse engine, was disconnected from inside RV when I put it in storage. When I last checked, I couldn't get the steps to open. I made sure step switch was on but the light on the switch was not on. There is a main fuse located at or near the chassis battery's that, but because the engine starts this main fuse should be GOOD. Rich. Edited November 15, 2020 by dickandlois Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bounder04 Report post Posted November 15, 2020 17 hours ago, hermanmullins said: Are all your batteries fully charged? Herman Yes, they were when I put it in storage and disconnected the batteries via inside disconnect buttons. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
hermanmullins Report post Posted November 15, 2020 Might I suggest that you try charging them. Batteries will discharge while sitting without use. I would clean all lugs and post also top off the fluids. It will be like giving Chicken Soup to a dead man, it may not help but it can't hurt.😀 Herman Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
rls7201 Report post Posted November 18, 2020 You Battery Control Center (BCC) will be close to your battery banks. Take the cover off the black box (BCC) and you'll find a wiring schematic for the BCC on the inside of the cover. That should give you enough info to trouble shoot with your VOM. Richard Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
manholt Report post Posted November 19, 2020 Since your coach started with out problem, I would be looking for mice droppings! 😁 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
rayin Report post Posted November 19, 2020 (edited) bounder4, any progress so far? The house battery disconnect switch does not disconnect the LP detector and possibly a few other items. IMO it is best to remove the negative battery cables(after they are fully-charged) for long term storage.Have you put a charger on the house battery bank yet? Edited November 19, 2020 by rayin Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ldswofford Report post Posted November 21, 2020 bounder4, thank you for opening this topic....I have a 2002 Bounder 33-r, Workhorse chassis, with the GM 8.1L V-8.... I just got back from a 2 week trip and have a similar problem...and I may be able to add a data point for you to consider, if you are still having problems..... Earlier this year, I had the no-steps issue with my RV. I also noticed (before the no steps issue) that there were 'clicks' before the starter actually engaged when starting the engine. I found that my chassis battery was not charging, even when I would leave the RV plugged into shore power. I found out that there is a solenoid in the Battery Control Center(located on the driver side in the front engine bay), behind the fuse circuit board. This solenoid is responsible for activating things like the steps, the slide-outs, the power mirrors, and the backup camera tv monitor. It also is responsible for keeping the chassis battery charged when the coach batteries have reached their 'full' limit (ie, like an overflow...but with batteries). It is also the part responsible for tying the coach batteries to the chassis battery system, should your chassis battery be low and need help getting the RV started (via the AUX start button on the left-side dash). This solenoid was not working correctly and was not allowing the chassis battery to be charged...so, eventually it got drained enough to where the steps would not go out..In researching, I found out about the solenoid and replaced it. I also had to replace the chassis battery, as the draining situations had happened enough to where the battery would no longer charge... or hold a charge... Once changed, and the battery connected, the steps immediately worked and the engine immediately jumped to life, without any 'clicks'. (so this may be a cause to your problem. Now... for my issue... I ran into a 'different' (but could be the same) issue on the trip my wife and I got back from today. The issue is that the clicks have returned, but the engine does start....BUT... the steps would not extend/retract, the slide-outs would not work, the power mirrors didn't work, and the backup camera tv monitor would not work....this happened at the first stop on our way out. the companions travelling with us in their RV and I did a ton of diagnostic work... no blown fuses, battery 'appeared' to be charged.....I reset the coach disconnect switches a number of times... we could hear the clicking on the changes..and we also found that the 1/2 of the fuse circuit board was showing power and the other 1/2 (with all the affected systems) was not showing power .. and now... here's the kicker...we found that if you tie the coach and chassis batteries together, everything works! If the engine is running and you plug it into shore power, everything works! If the engine is running and you start the generator, everything works! If you let go the aux start switch, unplug shore power, or shutdown the generator, everything (steps, slides, mirrors, and tv monitor) dies.... it seems like the solenoid isn't allowing 1/2 of the fuse circuit board to get power from the chassis battery alone.....either the chassis battery is faulty, or the solenoid is faulty and is requiring too much juice to activate... I am going to disconnect the chassis battery and check its state tomorrow...and then check to see if the replace solenoid is faulty and needs replacing again, but if anyone has other ideas on what I need to check, please tell me. Thanks... Larry Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kaypsmith Report post Posted November 22, 2020 (edited) On 11/21/2020 at 5:41 PM, ldswofford said: check to see if the replace solenoid is faulty and needs replacing again In most coaches, the solenoid that you are speaking of, usually has two small wires, one positive and one negative. If yours is like this, trace the negative wire backwards, there is usually three places in which this wire is grounded, all three places require a ground, if any one of these three grounds do not make up, the solenoid will not activate, and thereby seem bad. Not all are like this, but it is worth taking a look at. These type solenoids are not frame grounded, meaning that the second wire requires a ground for the solenoid to actuate. If you do need to replace the solenoid, be sure to replace it with a continuous duty one at least as many or more amps than the origional. Edited November 22, 2020 by kaypsmith Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ldswofford Report post Posted November 22, 2020 kaypsmith, thanks for the response... I thought I traced these connections when I replaced mine earlier, but I will check again, when I do diagnostics again tomorrow....and O believe it is actually a CONTINUOUS (not contentious) duty solenoid that is used.... This is one of the documented process links that I used to previously work on my issue... except I took the part number off of the solenoid that was originally installed in my RV (hopefully from the factory)...and ordered that part number (or rather the direct line replacement part number)... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ldswofford Report post Posted November 22, 2020 Okay.... updating all on the issue that I included in my responses yesterday.... can I just say...... DOH!!!!! Went out to the RV earlier this afternoon.... was planning on pulling the chassis battery to check its charge state and put on a charger.... well....dang.... sitting right there in front of me was the answer... so a week and a half ago, while in Ft Davis, the issues started showing up.. and my friend and I found that the positive battery cable post nut had stripped and was loose. we pulled it and...took the post and nut to THE ONLY RV type shop within 100 Miles to see if they happened to have a replacement... which the old guy said he had just thrown 3 of the dual connector posts into a bin a few days earlier...except his were 3/8" to 3/8" and mine was 3/8" to 5/16"... and he had none of them... but his buddy, the mechanic said he could use his die set and chase the threads on the post and clean them up..and luckily they had ONE new 5/16 correct thread nut to replace the bad one... ANYWAY, when I put the repaired post back in and connected everything... I screwed up... needless to say, when you remove 3 cables off the positive post... you need to put ALL 3 cables back on the positive post.... so when I started to pull the battery...I found the cable going from the positive post into the BCC labeled 'Chassis Battery' dangling loose... so no way that it could charge or provide power to the BCC.... battery checked out at 12.99V...and once the cable was connected EVERYTHING started working and the engine kicked off like it was brand new!!!! Reminder to all... just like all things... recheck your work to make sure you completed everything... Larry Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jleamont Report post Posted November 22, 2020 Glad you figured it out, we’ve all been there. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
hermanmullins Report post Posted November 22, 2020 Opps, glad to know that we are not alone out there. Glad you got it solved. Herman Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
