2000 Bounder No Power From House Batteries

[Dusty Shipper]

I have a 2000 36' Bounder with V10 Triton motor. I have no power from house batteries to coach. Batteries fully charged and nothing. I have metered it out and think it may be a relay on the power board. Any and all help would be greatly appreciated.

[wolfe10]

Dusty Shipper,

Welcome to the FMCA Forum.

Is your house battery disconnect switch (aka salesman switch) that is usually near the entrance door MECHANICAL or does it activate a SOLENOID/RELAY?

If solenoid/relay and you have a voltmeter or even test light, easy to diagnose:

There will be two large lugs (one from battery bank) and (one to house 12 VDC fuse box).

It may have one small lug (positive signal from switch) or two (one is the positive and one the ground). If only one, the solenoid grounds through the body of the solenoid itself.

So, with batteries at 12+ VDC, when the switch is on, the small signal lug should have 12+ VDC. And both the battery side lug AND the other large lug should have 12+ VDC.

Let us know what you find.

[Dusty Shipper]

It is a manual rocker switch and I replaced it already still nothing.

[wolfe10]

But, is the rocker switch the ON/OFF for the solenoid/relay or is it THE ON/OFF switch.

Easy to tell. If small gauge wire (like 14 gauge or smaller) it is likely the "controller" for a solenoid.

If it is 8 gauge or larger, it is likely a manual switch.

[Dusty Shipper]

Definitely 14 gauge or smaller.

[wolfe10]

So, absolutely, start by diagnosing the solenoid/relay.

[Dusty Shipper]

OK now a stupid question-- I am running 6v batteries in parallel will still read 12v correct?

[wolfe10]

Actually, with 6 VDC batteries, the HAVE to be in SERIES, as everything in your coach is 12 VDC.

So:

House positive to positive terminal of battery #1. Negative of battery #1 to positive of battery #2 and negative of battery #2 to house ground.

[Dusty Shipper]

Ok new problem now it seems the engine will only turn over if the house batteries are fully charged as well. The chassis battery has a knife disconnect so I dont believe that they are wired backwards, I have only had the coach a few weeks so I dont know the original installation layout.

[wolfe10]

Dusty,

With a DIGITAL VOLTMETER (a real necessity on any RV and they start under $20):

With everything off:

At the chassis batteries

At the house batteries

At the starter

Fully charged is 12.7 VDC. 50% discharged is 12.2 VDC. If not fully charged, start by fully charging them.

Same places with someone trying to start it. Begin at the chassis batteries. If they drop over .7 VDC while cranking have the batteries load tested.

If all the above OK, then start checking connections from battery to starter. Don't forget the ground side.