Hello everyone, I am new here. My name is Christopher and it is good to meet you folks. I bought my second R.V. recently. This is a 1988 Fleetwood Southwind. It has been running great with no issues since I purchased it last week. However, something odd happened this week. I went to start it up, I turned on the cab heater for the first time, not the furnace but the regular heater, like in a truck or car, and the blower and engine shut off. I was not to concerned at first, but I noticed I had no power at all to start back up. I tried to turn the R.V. engine back over, and it gives me no power. I have nothing, just dead. I cannot even turn the key to the left for accessory mode, there is just no power. Everything else in the R.V. works great. This summer I would love to get out on the road and travel, but it looks like I am stopped for now. Does anyone have any idea as to why turning on the heater would shut off the engine. I checked the fuses and they all seem to be good. That is, I checked the fuses in the cab, and then also under the hood. I am puzzled, thanks for any help good folks, and god bless my friends. Happy hauling and travel to you all! :)

First of all, I would suggest that you actually test all the fuses. You cannot tell by looking at them for sure if they are good or not. We had something like that happen in our Jeep. DH checked all the fuses and thought they were good, so sent Jeep to shop. It was a main fuse that was blown - everything shut down - no power to engine, radio, lights,wipers,heater, nothing. It could be just a coincidence that when you turned on the heater the fuse blew - maybe not. My daughter had a vehicle that would do that if you turned on the rear defroster. If you didn't all was good. If you did - blew the main fuse.

Try checking your battery connections and make sure they are clean and tight. Also check the ground strap at the engine. Check the battery voltage too.Good luck.

sounds like you blew the ignition fusethe heater blower circuit should be on the accessorizes side of the key switch, NOT on the ignition sidestart by checking the fuses under the dash and under the front hatch drivers sideall of the 'automotive/truck' stuff is just like any other car or truckthe rv house electrical is different

Old chevy had a useable link between the battery and the firewall. It's a hard to find fat spot in the wire harness. If it blows none of the fuses or the ignition switch have power. As said above, you have no power to acc or ignition so it most likely is not a fuse.

By turning on the heater blower, you added a slight increase in electrical power required, and some connection, fuse, or relay could not handle the load. Since your battery did crank the engine before you turned on the heater blower, I would assume your battery is ok.As BILL1734 suggested above, I would start by cleaning and tightening all battery connections. While cleaning battery connections, look for internal corrosion within the ends of the battery cables also. If no joy, then I would clean and tighten all grounds, followed by checking fuses, etc. Good luck, and let us know the solution.Fred

Heater Turned on in Cab, Motor Home engine shut down.

DryCreek
Explorer
May 02, 2017
Do the headlights or running lights come on when you pull out the switch (or turn it)? If so, then you are going to have to trace power - starting at the battery and working your way through all of the power distribution points, or maybe just jump to the ignition harness and start there......
RLS7201
Explorer II
May 01, 2017
Christopher,

When asking questions about your MH, it is always helpful to know what chassis brand you have. In you case, you could have a P32 Chevy, F53 Ford or an Oshkosh/Freightliner.
Always start with the simplest and lest expensive items when trouble shooting.
As previously suggested, check all battery cable connections and the battery its self.

Richard
Matt_Colie
Explorer II
May 01, 2017
I vote with K Charles.
Vehicles of this period had fusible links that were just short pieces of wire that were really too small, but had high temperature insulation. They fatigue, corrode or just plain break a lot. I just pull on the little piece of wire in front somewhere, and if it stretches and breaks, you have found the problem. The wire is available and any parts store.

Matt
Matt_Colie
Explorer II
May 01, 2017
I vote with K Charles.
Vehicles of this period had fusible links that were just short pieces of wire that were really too small, but had high temperature insulation. They fatigue, corrode or just plain break a lot.

Matt
mtrumpet
Explorer
May 01, 2017
Fulltimers wrote:
One time I pulled into a gas station to fill up. After filling I experienced the same thing, No power at all. Turned out the battery just died right then and there.

Had the same thing happen to me on my old Dodge Dakota Pickup - drove all around all morning running several errands and no problem. Then at one stop, got in and nothing. Turned out my battery died right then and there on the spot. One good thing though...that stop that I made when the battery died was..an Auto-Zone store! How's that for luck?? They came out and tested the battery for me and sure enough it was toast. Went in, grabbed a new battery and was on my way.

Having said all of that, I would first "test" any of the possible fuses involved to be sure.
Cobra21
Explorer
May 01, 2017
Fulltimers wrote:
One time I pulled into a gas station to fill up. After filling I experienced the same thing, No power at all. Turned out the battery just died right then and there.

I too have had this happen! Start by making sure the battery is good
and battery connections are good or get new ones.
Brian
okhmbldr
Explorer
May 01, 2017
I'm voting for a bad battery. Probably a dead cell. Try to jump start with another battery. If it starts with a jump, then your battery is dead. I had the same thing happen to me on a GMC van. Working fine, then just quit. The battery wasn't a year old, so I thought it had to be something else, finally checked and it was a dead cell.
ArchHoagland
Explorer
May 01, 2017
Ford or Chevy chassis?
MrWizard
Moderator
May 01, 2017
one more thing, the blower motor might be bad, and yes you blew fuses

and will again the next time you try this

so IF you find blown , be sure you buy spares
Fulltimers
Explorer
May 01, 2017
One time I pulled into a gas station to fill up. After filling I experienced the same thing, No power at all. Turned out the battery just died right then and there.