Update on the 96 Bounder MH gifted to me
First off, I am pleased to be a member of this forum. I found and find the information specific to my needs of this motorhome to be fantastic.
My Bounder: New tires, new master cylinder, (the brakes still a bit mushy, but it goes back to the shop for shocks). Might need pads.
I got it home, pulled the two huge dead Interstate house batteries out. Replaced with simple Walmart batteries (for now.)
Here is where things got weird....
A fair-sized arc when I connected the 2nd house battery. The 12-volt stand-alone battery that I would consider the one which runs the motor and lights on the frame.....began to boil....fluid began boiling almost within 10 seconds of connecting up the house batteries.
I checked and rechecked the house battery connections. I have red (+) to poz, and neg to neg on each house battery. So I disconnected the stand-alone 12 volts.
The motorhome will start and run on the house batteries only. BUT--the amp meter on the dash is pegged way beyond 18v all the way to the right. I turned the engine off. The appliances all came on. I could get the heater fan to come on, the water heater tried to light.
The fridge also tried to start on gas--
I never could get the water pump to work.
So.....no gas flow. After thinking about it for a while, and fiddling with things, I removed a (not sure what to call it) a sensor? with two wires on it, that lead from the propane tank to the coach. Opening the valve on the propane, I got flow. At first, I figured the diaphragm was DOA like the one on my travel trailer was after sitting for a year or so. My intent was to replace it. I found a gas flow. But it ended at that small metal box with two wires that ran to the tank fuel level and then up under the coach.
So I removed it (temp) and got gas flow to the oven and cooktop. The heater then worked, (with heat), the fridge came alive and the water heater began to heat.
So, something I am doing or missing was keeping the gas from flowing from the tank to the coach.
Next, I noticed the steps on the door would open and close really fast. Obviously 24v and not 12v like it had before I replaced the house batteries.
I also noticed the relay under the hood of the coach, next to the circuit board with all the fuses was pretty warm to the touch. I only let things run this way for maybe 15 minutes. I disconnected the house batteries. Reconnected the 12v. Now the steps would not work. But they do work on house batteries.
OK, I called several mobile RV techs-none returned calls. I called the independent RV shop, left a voice mail. I need this coach checked out.
My guess (unwashed and only guessing), is there has to be some relay that is stuck. I'm getting way too many amps or volts to the coach. While it will run on the house batteries only, the round solenoid gets overly warm quickly, that solenoid obviously bridges the power.
Why does the 12v only battery begin to boil? It's getting a whole lotta juice into it. If I let it remain my guess is within a few minutes it would burn itself up. (It is new btw, along with the house batteries.)
The coach runs on the 12 volt, but no interior lights, nothing. I did find an inverter 900w, on the side panel under the kitchen. Disconnecting and reconnecting it did nothing. The 12v pump my be DOA. I need a helper to push the rocker switch either at the sink, or the bathroom, to see if power is flowing to the pump. I put a new pump in my TT Mallard last month, so I have a new one at my disposal if I need to experiment.
My TT has a switch that is either ON or OFF. This coach has a switch that when you put it ON, itself returns back. My guess there must be a relay somewhere that when you push the switch it goes on, then you push the switch again, it shuts the pump down. Not sure. Just a guess.
Like I said, not sure if 12v is flowing to the pump. Since I am alone and doing this myself.
Under 120v, the fridge works, but I have not checked to see if any of the other appliances come to life. I don't think they will.
So, obviously it needs to go to an expert who understands these units. It is much more complex than the Fleetwood TT I own. At this point, I am not sure what to do next. Except hand the keys to a shop, with an order to
FIX IT.
My Bounder: New tires, new master cylinder, (the brakes still a bit mushy, but it goes back to the shop for shocks). Might need pads.
I got it home, pulled the two huge dead Interstate house batteries out. Replaced with simple Walmart batteries (for now.)
Here is where things got weird....
A fair-sized arc when I connected the 2nd house battery. The 12-volt stand-alone battery that I would consider the one which runs the motor and lights on the frame.....began to boil....fluid began boiling almost within 10 seconds of connecting up the house batteries.
I checked and rechecked the house battery connections. I have red (+) to poz, and neg to neg on each house battery. So I disconnected the stand-alone 12 volts.
The motorhome will start and run on the house batteries only. BUT--the amp meter on the dash is pegged way beyond 18v all the way to the right. I turned the engine off. The appliances all came on. I could get the heater fan to come on, the water heater tried to light.
The fridge also tried to start on gas--
I never could get the water pump to work.
So.....no gas flow. After thinking about it for a while, and fiddling with things, I removed a (not sure what to call it) a sensor? with two wires on it, that lead from the propane tank to the coach. Opening the valve on the propane, I got flow. At first, I figured the diaphragm was DOA like the one on my travel trailer was after sitting for a year or so. My intent was to replace it. I found a gas flow. But it ended at that small metal box with two wires that ran to the tank fuel level and then up under the coach.
So I removed it (temp) and got gas flow to the oven and cooktop. The heater then worked, (with heat), the fridge came alive and the water heater began to heat.
So, something I am doing or missing was keeping the gas from flowing from the tank to the coach.
Next, I noticed the steps on the door would open and close really fast. Obviously 24v and not 12v like it had before I replaced the house batteries.
I also noticed the relay under the hood of the coach, next to the circuit board with all the fuses was pretty warm to the touch. I only let things run this way for maybe 15 minutes. I disconnected the house batteries. Reconnected the 12v. Now the steps would not work. But they do work on house batteries.
OK, I called several mobile RV techs-none returned calls. I called the independent RV shop, left a voice mail. I need this coach checked out.
My guess (unwashed and only guessing), is there has to be some relay that is stuck. I'm getting way too many amps or volts to the coach. While it will run on the house batteries only, the round solenoid gets overly warm quickly, that solenoid obviously bridges the power.
Why does the 12v only battery begin to boil? It's getting a whole lotta juice into it. If I let it remain my guess is within a few minutes it would burn itself up. (It is new btw, along with the house batteries.)
The coach runs on the 12 volt, but no interior lights, nothing. I did find an inverter 900w, on the side panel under the kitchen. Disconnecting and reconnecting it did nothing. The 12v pump my be DOA. I need a helper to push the rocker switch either at the sink, or the bathroom, to see if power is flowing to the pump. I put a new pump in my TT Mallard last month, so I have a new one at my disposal if I need to experiment.
My TT has a switch that is either ON or OFF. This coach has a switch that when you put it ON, itself returns back. My guess there must be a relay somewhere that when you push the switch it goes on, then you push the switch again, it shuts the pump down. Not sure. Just a guess.
Like I said, not sure if 12v is flowing to the pump. Since I am alone and doing this myself.
Under 120v, the fridge works, but I have not checked to see if any of the other appliances come to life. I don't think they will.
So, obviously it needs to go to an expert who understands these units. It is much more complex than the Fleetwood TT I own. At this point, I am not sure what to do next. Except hand the keys to a shop, with an order to
FIX IT.
