Yahoo Message Number: 102343 (http://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/Country-Coach-Owners/conversations/messages/102343)
With the engine running, the chassis battery is getting 14+ volts but the house batteries are not receiving a charge. On shore power the house batteries do charge. .Seems that I have read in the past that when the engine is running and has oil pressure, a signal is sent to to a device to charge both the chassis and and house batteries. Need to know where the oil pressure switch is located and procedure to check the system out. Thanks for any information.
Bill Dane
99 Allure 30326
Yahoo Message Number: 102345 (http://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/Country-Coach-Owners/conversations/messages/102345)
Hi Bill,
First see if operating battery boost switch connects the batteries together. If it does, then the oil pressure switch or it's wiring is suspect. If it doesn't, check the battery connect solenoid.
I had a similar problem several years back with the solenoid. (2000 Allure)
In the battery bay, inside the enclosed area where the inverter is located, there is a large solenoid that connects the chassis and house batteries together. The solenoid is activated from one (or both) of two sources, either an oil pressure switch or the battery boost switch on the drivers switch panel.
My solenoid was OK, but not functioning properly because it had been installed incorrectly. These heavy duty solenoids utilize gravity to function correctly, thus must be installed with a vertical orientation of the internal plunger. From the manufacturer's data sheet: "Recommended Mounting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Vertical plane with coil terminals up". Mine was installed with the terminals on the side, causing the plunger to bind. Rotating 90 degrees solved the problem for me.
Dave
2000 Allure #34444
Yahoo Message Number: 102362 (http://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/Country-Coach-Owners/conversations/messages/102362)
Dave,
Thanks for the information on the solenoid. Started the coach today and the chassis batteries were charging but the house batteries were not. Pushed the battery connect rocker switch and the house batterie went to charge mode. So now need to locate the oil pressure sending unit. Forgot to mention that when I released the connect switch, the house batteries went back to no charge.
Thanks again, really appreciate the information. This poor old coach has been lived in fulltime since leaving the factory and has over 200,000 miles over some really rough roads.
Bill Dane
99 Allure 30326
Yahoo Message Number: 102363 (http://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/Country-Coach-Owners/conversations/messages/102363)
Bill,
With that mileage and history, I would next check the wiring and any connectors from the engine to the solenoid coil. I've found some rather atrocious factory wiring in mine. (For example wire nuts used where crimp terminals should be, and some very poorly crimped terminals where they were used. Clearly they did not use a positive locking, calibrated crimp tool.) A signal tracer would be handy here.
Dave
2000 Allure #30444