Hello. I have a 1996 Monaco Dynasty. In previous post I wrote that I had seen three states to Florida by tow truck. The same problem occurs which is the 4D batteries lose power after 2 days. I can keep the RV running by charging the 4D batteries each night but that may not always be possible. First fix king cruise rebuild...RV broke down. The alternator has been changed three times. First time it was determined by mechanic that the 140 alternator and battery isolator s/b changed to a 200 amp. RV broke down again. I am now at Alliance in Wildwood Florida now. IThey thought they had fixed the problem by a loose wire and determining that new alternator was faulty as it was at 7amp. So new alternator. I kept telling everyone along the way that their solution was not right. So this morning brought up the jacks although back left jack had to be assisted by crane (need to get new back jack with springs) and RV would not start. 4D batteries were showing a low load and battery gauge was showing 10 amps. This is the same problem that the RV has had all along whereby the 4D batteries run so low that they have no power to go forward. Now at 3:00 I try to turn on the engine and it starts right up with battery guage showing14. I checked 4D batteries and the load and charge is fine.I am staying at Alliance still waiting for Monday to start again. Anyone had any solutions?

Ok, I'm a little confused. You've seen 3 states to Florida by tow truck? What does that mean? You had to raise your jack by a crane? Really? And your battery gauge shows 10 amps? And then it shows 14? You have an ammeter? I'm assuming, since this is an on going problem, you know what you are talking about, but I also have to assume you're talking about volts...not amps. Please clear that up for us.Obviously, you have a large drain on your batteries. I would turn off all the breakers and then measure the voltage on your batteries (if they're charged it will read about 12.6 volts) and if you have an ammeter (which the above shows that you do, and if you don't, then get one), then measure the amperage draw at the batteries with just one breaker turned on. If no amperage draw, turn that breaker back off and turn on another. Eventually, you'll find which breaker causes the amperage draw and knowing what the breaker supplies, you should be able to determine what is drawing down your batteries.If (I'm assuming again) you are actually measuring voltage (not amps) and it shows 10 vdc, the batteries are dead. If it shows 14vdc, then something is charging the batteries (converter/inverter/charger or alternator). A full charge will be 12.5 or 12.6 vdc with nothing on. If the converter/inverter/charger is indeed charging, once the batteries are at full charge, you should see about 13.4 vdc.I hope I'm not insulting your intelligence by this reply...just trying to figure out exactly what you are talking about,Ron

A shot in the dark but are they putting the right alternator on there.Most coaches have a Duvac system or Bird system which requires an alternator with two circuits. A regular truck alternator won't work.

Monaco coaches of that era had manual mirror heat switches, meaning they did not automatically turn off. Have you checked to see if the mirror switch is on. As mentioned, has anyone put an ammeter on your coach, with everything turned off, to see what the draw is on your batteries. It will not be zero because of your CO and LP detectors, as well as you radio memory, but it should be less than 1/2 amp.

It is nearly impossible for new comers to try to help when you keep starting new threads about the same problem. I believe this is the 3rd so someone wanting to help would need to search out your other threads to get up to speed.You left "lanerd" in the dust right at the get go.

rgatijnet1 wrote:Monaco coaches of that era had manual mirror heat switches, meaning they did not automatically turn off. Have you checked to see if the mirror switch is on. As mentioned, has anyone put an ammeter on your coach, with everything turned off, to see what the draw is on your batteries. It will not be zero because of your CO and LP detectors, as well as you radio memory, but it should be less than 1/2 amp.mirrors on or not they do not equate to having 3 alternators replaced nor have anything to do with batterys showing dead and then like a miracle there fine and it startssounds more like a combination of bad mechanics and misdiagnosing all the while the original problem still existssounds more like a main battery power or ground cable is not connecting correctlyI will assume you meant to say I have Seen three states by tow truck on the way to Florida ????In previous post I wrote that I had seen three states to Florida by tow truck.

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CA_Traveler
Explorer III
Dec 04, 2016
I certainly didn't realize your multiple problems/threads. Get good knowledgeable help and I gave you a source to get techs that know Monaco coaches. And that may not be Alliance BTW.
rgatijnet1
Explorer III
Dec 04, 2016
ricelake922 wrote:
Thank you everyone for your responses. Never thought that the RV might have been in a flood as there would have been signs of water damage in the house of the RV. I know I should have given up on the RV a long time ago but it is so addicting and I am forever hopefully. It has been a rough ride but life can be that way sometimes.

It might have been high water that covered the basement compartments and never got up to the floor level in your coach. Even if it was not in a flood, perhaps it was driven extensively in an area where the roads had been salted. This could have been the reason for the extensive rusting of the steel under your coach. If the salt or water has gotten in to part of your wiring system, it can cause intermittent problems that are difficult to find. As I mentioned, perhaps your charging system can be rewired with new wires to see if that corrects the issues.
MrWizard
Moderator
Dec 04, 2016
just a thought and it will take a knowledgeable rv tech to check it
the 'starter' and associated circuits

i hvae NO idea of the starter and wiring your Monaco

but i once had a pace arrow on a P30 chassis
that would drain the starting battery in a couple of days of setting in one place

i traced it to the starter, with the actuator on top, the heavy coil or contacts 'bleed' power internally, where there should not be any drain
the starter was changed several times

before i finally put a disconnect switch on the engine battery

i finally decided, there was another 'modification' done to the circuit someplace by a previous owner.. i never did find it, but i stopped the battery bleed power drain
took less than a minute to turn off or on from the front hatch
and i only use it when stopping for several days
did not worry about over night because it did not drain that fast
time2roll
Nomad
Dec 04, 2016
A clamp-on ammeter will tell where the power is going out and if any is going in.
Unfortunately many mechanics are not well trained in electricity.
2x 8D is a lot of power to be drained in two days. s/b easy find.

And if you are plugged in at your destination your RV should keep the chassis battery charged or you can add a system that does.

If you had towed to the west coast I would offer to look at it.
Best of luck at the next shop.
You_can_t_take_
Explorer
Dec 04, 2016
I had a battery that was going dead every 5 days. I took it to a knowledgeable garage mechanic who diagnosed my problem in a half hour by checking for a hidden amperage draw. It turns out the electric door lock on the driver's side door had developed a minor 'short'. It was promptly replaced and my problem was solved.
You need to find a better mechanic...
ricelake922
Explorer
Dec 04, 2016
Thank you everyone for your responses. Never thought that the RV might have been in a flood as there would have been signs of water damage in the house of the RV. I know I should have given up on the RV a long time ago but it is so addicting and I am forever hopefully. It has been a rough ride but life can be that way sometimes.
rgatijnet1
Explorer III
Dec 04, 2016
Is there any chance that this coach suffered any flood damage? You mentioned awhile back that you had some bad rusting underneath the coach. If there was flood damage, your entire electrical may be slowly corroding away. The only way to check things if that is the case is to by pass major components with separate wires.
lanerd
Explorer II
Dec 03, 2016
Bill's correct. I was totally confused. However, I did go back and research his previous posts and came to the conclusion that he has a coach that someone dumped due to the problems the OP is currently encountering. He's had this same problem three different times on this trip and the shops are not providing him with sufficient and correcting options to find and fix this problem. I realize that it's difficult finding a problem when the symptom cease to exist or only happens occasionally. Just gotta find someone who can figure it out.

However, with all due respect, it seems the OP really needs to take some classes on motor homes or listen more carefully to those on here who are explaining things to him. We are all pretty much clueless in the beginning, but he seems to be having trouble understanding the basics..ie: the trans pad issue...not knowing the difference between amps and volts...etc. He obviously doesn't have the knowledge or experience to even express the problems in a manner that others can understand.

I really feel for him, being inexperience and getting a coach that has intermittent major problems is not something I would wish upon my worse enemy. It can really be a nightmare.

Ron
CA_Traveler
Explorer III
Dec 03, 2016
On some Monaco rigs the alternator wiring is unique and replacing the alternator with something else means it will never charge right. Unfortunately you are beyond that possibility. Did any tech ever use a clamp on ammeter on the chassis battery to determine the drain? That is very basic.

My advice is for you to join the Monacoers Yahoo Group for help. Folks there have vast experience. PLUS they can tell you where to go for service in FL with techs that can understand and solve your problems. Even if it starts on Monday this is still a very knowledgeable group.
usersmanual
Explorer
Dec 03, 2016
rgatijnet1 wrote:
Monaco coaches of that era had manual mirror heat switches, meaning they did not automatically turn off. Have you checked to see if the mirror switch is on.
As mentioned, has anyone put an ammeter on your coach, with everything turned off, to see what the draw is on your batteries. It will not be zero because of your CO and LP detectors, as well as you radio memory, but it should be less than 1/2 amp.

mirrors on or not they do not equate to having 3 alternators replaced nor have anything to do with batterys showing dead and then like a miracle there fine and it starts
sounds more like a combination of bad mechanics and misdiagnosing
all the while the original problem still exists
sounds more like a main battery power or ground cable is not connecting correctly
I will assume you meant to say I have Seen three states by tow truck on the way to Florida ????
In previous post I wrote that I had seen three states to Florida by tow truck.

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