Skip to main content ↑ ↓
Topic: No house dc except when engine or generator are running (Read 603 times) previous topic - next topic
0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

No house dc except when engine or generator are running

Yahoo Message Number: 65994
Background; coach at home and hooked up to 50amp shore power. Check on it daily, last week noticed the dcv in the living area was out, no lights, could not start the generator, etc. However, the 115vac was fine. Tried to start the engine and the starting batteries were dead. Recharged them over night and the engine started easily. The house dc came back while the engine was running also able to fire off the generator. When the engine and generator were shut down the dcv also went away. The house batteries have remained fully charged during this period.

The coach is a 2005 Magna, 525 Cat, 42'.

Any thoughts or suggestions?

"It is always something"

Re: No house dc except when engine or generator are running

Reply #1 –
Yahoo Message Number: 65995
We had the same thing happen when passing through Junction City this past spring.. and stopped at Guarantee to see if they could help.
The lady behind the desk said it was something she had heard of before and suggested that we shut down and restart....
And to our surprise.. the 12 VDC came back up.
Not sure if this helps, but it may help you find the cause. Some type of relay maybe?

We full time and have not had the problem again.

Russ and Jean
05 Intrigue
11883

Re: No house dc except when engine or generator are running

Reply #2 –
Yahoo Message Number: 65996
Thanks for the quick response. What do you mean by "shut down?"

Re: No house dc except when engine or generator are running

Reply #3 –
Yahoo Message Number: 65998
The "echo charger" which is supposed to keep the chassis start battery(ies) up while on shore power does not put out sufficient voltage to maintain a full charge in the starting (chassis) battery for a long period of time. If you check the chassis battery with a voltmeter it will gradually discharge although not all the way. That's why they installed the battery jump switch - in case the coach battery got too low you can connect both banks and hopefully start with the help of the house batteries. Some later models may have improved "echo chargers" that actually work. Solution is to have a small automatic charger that you can use to top off the coach battery from time to time while stored. Hook it up across the coach battery terminals - not the whole system.
Another possibility is that the echo charger is turned off or needs to be reset and was not working at all. Yet another possibility is that something on the chassis circuit was left on resulting in low chassis battery even though the echo charger was on ( lights, audio system, etc.)

Jim M. '02 Intrigue, #11410, IAL 400

Re: No house dc except when engine or generator are running

Reply #4 –
Yahoo Message Number: 66013
First, shutoff the 12v house battery disconnect switch and then reset it.
Second, on my rig there are 2 300A 12v Class T fuses inline between the inverter and house batteries, one in each compartment. I have had your symptoms when one of those failed, for reasons I do not understand.
Example: http://store.oynot.com/pocltfu30.html
I carry a spare on the rig since I have lost power twice in the past nine years. They are much cheaper online than in your local solar store.

Dean

95 Magna 5280
 

Re: No house dc except when engine or generator are running

Reply #5 –
Yahoo Message Number: 66019
When this happened to us, we found out the echo charger was not working. OMC in Junction City fixed the problem, but I can't remember exactly what they installed. I think it was a Magnum something.

Sharon, '06 Intrigue, #11964