Shore power and no DC lights - HELP

Glad it is fixed. Enjoy the rest of your trip. :B

Thank you everyone for your responses. When I was driving my guy was playing with the buttons trying to get the slide out above the stairs for his feet to rest. I told him to stop playing with the buttons as one was for turning off the interior lights. He said he turned the switch back on. Nope...he did not. So now we have everything working. So...thank you.

rgatijnet1 wrote:
Some coaches have a switch near the door sometimes called a salesman's switch that turns off all 12 volt DC power. There is a relay that this switch controls and that relay may be bad, or the switch just needs to be thrown. On my Monaco it is a momentary switch and I have to hold it for a few seconds.

this!

goto your 120v breaker panel
turn all breakers off including the MAIN 50 amp double pole
then start with the main
and turn the all on one at a time
that might take care of some of your 120v like the WH and fridge
if not
go outside that to the power Pedestal and turn the main 50a breaker there off then on to reset it
make sure you push all the way OFF, feel for the click, when it goes off and On

check your inverter charger for blown fuses, and the DC fuse panel for blown fuses

also check your battery disconnect switch
it might have failed or it might have been inadvertently activated

ricelake922 wrote:
Hello. I have a 1996 Monaco Dynasty. We are at a campsite and are plugged into 50 amp service. We have power to the refrigerator and microwave. We do not have any power to the lights in the RV nor at the hot water heater nor air conditioner. We have pushed the reset button on the converter and still no luck. The batteries to the RV are turned on. The DC volts on the heartache monitor are showing 13 but the DC amps are at 0. Please tell us how to fix this please. We are staying here for 4 days. Thank you in advance.

From what you're saying, it's most likely that your 12vdc power is off and the reason you're not getting any lights and some of the 120vac things to operate, like the ac's and water tank, is because the controls for such, is 12vdc, as well. Amp draw will be be obviously at O with no load and the power off. Could be something that needs servicing, like a sw. or relay on the 12vdc mother board, but do double check that your battery switch is on and seeing that your monitor is showing 13vdc at the batteries.
We always a carry a 120vac table lamp, just in case and you should find that your 120vac outlets are still working.

With this statement from lc0338 ...."Just to clarify, the two wires on the two small posts get combined and taped just like the two large ones, right?".......and if you should disconnect the control wiring from the solenoid, they must be separated and insulated, otherwise it will become a direct short and blow a fuse, if the switch should be depressed. Also a good place to check for power, when the sw. is depressed, in troubleshooting and if no power, then one might look for this fuse.

don't know if it helps but found this on another forum:

98 dynasty-interior lights not working
I went out tonight after being away for a couple days and my interior coach lights arent working. I checked a few basic things, battery switch at the front door, main manual disconnects are on at the back and I have 12v volts coming to the main panel in the back. Anyone one know what that switch at the door runs?...is there a solinoid/relay I can check?
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It controls a solenoid in your rear electrical run bay in your engine compartment that passes 12 v Dc from your batteries to your 12 volt control panel in your bedroom overhead. That solenoid is notorious for failing. Check it.
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Ok great... i'll check it further in the morning. thx
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Old 06-03-2012, 12:07 AM #4
gonzo136
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I agree with Jamboree. I have a 98 Dynasty and my salesman switch is on the way out. Mine has gone off on it's own in the past. I found that if I turn the switch off and on quickly I can get the 12v power back on. I know at some point it is not going to work and I will be bypassing the solenoid.
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Tony G.
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thx for the info guys. I went out this morning and found the solinoid in the back panel in the engine compartment. The solinoid is indeed sticking...when you press the on button at the front door ...the solinoid clicks but no power. I tapped it with a small hammer and it did close. I have power inside now, but i will change this solinoid out. The manufacturer seems to be asking alot of this solinoid...being pulled in all the time. Anyone know if there is complete wiring schematics of these coaches available?
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Old 08-25-2012, 11:32 PM #6
Jackn
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Darkhorse254 - I need to identify my solenoid on my '94. I found three in the engine compartment; one huge one that I don't think is it and two smaller ones. One of the smaller ones is mounted higher with smaller gauge wiring and the other is lower, closer to the big one with much thicker gauge wiring. Which one did you identify as the right one?? Thanks, Jack
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Old 08-26-2012, 12:14 PM #7
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You can identify which solenoid is the salesman switch solenoid by hanging your head over the engine compartment while someone works the salesman switch at the front door. You'll hear the solenoid click.

Many people bypass that solenoid. You can connect the two big posts on the switch with a short battery cable, or you can unhook the big cables from the switch, bolt them together and tape them. Then remove the small wires from the switch and tape them. The only disadvantage to doing this is you can no longer switch your lights on with the salesman switch at the door. One advantage is that is reduces 'phantom drain' from the batteries.
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Old 08-27-2012, 10:45 AM #8
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Jimkate-

Thanks for the info. Everyone talks about bypassing but this is the first I've heard how. Just to clarify, the two wires on the two small posts get combined and taped just like the two large ones, right? Does anything else use this solenoid or is it just the 12v lights,etc controlled by the switch? I did not know that it also reduces the phantom drain! What a deal... Jack
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Have you tried to see if your lights work if you unplug shore power? Do you have lights if the engine is running? Have you tried cycling the disconnect for the house batteries? if you can use a VOM, and have one, have you checked to see if you have 120 volts on both legs of the 50 amp supply? You should have 12 volt lights whether you are plugged into shore power or not. You inverter only supplies 120 volt power when shore power is not available, I believe. Without more information, its hard to give more advice.

Some coaches have a switch near the door sometimes called a salesman's switch that turns off all 12 volt DC power. There is a relay that this switch controls and that relay may be bad, or the switch just needs to be thrown. On my Monaco it is a momentary switch and I have to hold it for a few seconds.