Forum Discussion
Griff_in_Fairba
Sep 28, 2017Explorer III
Although I've recommended getting a good quality new ICM, it's starting to look like your ICM isn't the source of your problem and the actual cause lies elsewhere.
First, even a cheap new ICM should work for a while. If it's failing right away or very soon, it's a symptom rather than a cause. Two or three new ICMs, even if cheap, shouldn't all fail to solve the problem. (Only once in the past 40+ years have I experienced three identical new components all fail to solve a problem -- when the component was the actual cause. In that case, the Air Force made the manufacturer issue a worldwide recall for that batch of components.)
Second, inadequate electrical current, especially in terms of voltage, causes devices to work harder ... and hotter. The fact your old ICM is oozing goop is a strong indication of this possibility. If this is what's happening, you need to solve the problem first ... because it will just cause the new ICM to overheat and leak.
(One of the people who worked for me in the Air Force fried five new components, in rapid succession, because he was convince the component was the problem ... and taxpayers had to eat the cost.)
IIRC, you stated your battery was good and fully charged. Have you actually had it tested or are effectively assuming it's good. Some batteries will appear to accept a full charge but go dead quickly after being removed from the charger. Identifying this condition requires sophisticated charger/test equipment, which many parts stores have. (I have a ton of experience to back up this contention.)
You can -- sort of -- test this yourself. Charge up the battery until the charger indicates fully charged, remove from the charger, wait 24 hours, and use a voltmeter to measure remaining charge. This will identify a battery that's definitely bad but may not catch one that's iffy.
Still more to come ...
First, even a cheap new ICM should work for a while. If it's failing right away or very soon, it's a symptom rather than a cause. Two or three new ICMs, even if cheap, shouldn't all fail to solve the problem. (Only once in the past 40+ years have I experienced three identical new components all fail to solve a problem -- when the component was the actual cause. In that case, the Air Force made the manufacturer issue a worldwide recall for that batch of components.)
Second, inadequate electrical current, especially in terms of voltage, causes devices to work harder ... and hotter. The fact your old ICM is oozing goop is a strong indication of this possibility. If this is what's happening, you need to solve the problem first ... because it will just cause the new ICM to overheat and leak.
(One of the people who worked for me in the Air Force fried five new components, in rapid succession, because he was convince the component was the problem ... and taxpayers had to eat the cost.)
IIRC, you stated your battery was good and fully charged. Have you actually had it tested or are effectively assuming it's good. Some batteries will appear to accept a full charge but go dead quickly after being removed from the charger. Identifying this condition requires sophisticated charger/test equipment, which many parts stores have. (I have a ton of experience to back up this contention.)
You can -- sort of -- test this yourself. Charge up the battery until the charger indicates fully charged, remove from the charger, wait 24 hours, and use a voltmeter to measure remaining charge. This will identify a battery that's definitely bad but may not catch one that's iffy.
Still more to come ...
About Motorhome Group
38,777 PostsLatest Activity: May 24, 2026