What did you do to your Class A MH today???
This is always a fun thread to watch, so I thought I would start one here.
Forum Discussion
I replaced the chassis batteries with new NAPA HD 31 Commercial batteries, I also noticed that they have a few more CCA than the previous ones (950CCA vs. 900CCA). I also noticed that the battery end on the positive cable had some corrosion starting and it had gotten into the cable strands. The cable was barely long enough to reach as is so there wasn't enough to cut off and install a new battery end. I had to build a new cable so I picked up some new 4/0 cable and some ends while at NAPA as well.
Here is the new cable cut, crimped and heat shrink applied next to the OEM cable.
New cable with the convoluted casing and ready for installation.
One item that has bugged me since purchasing the coach back in 2007 was the fuse holders that were merely folded back upon themselves and zip-tied to the battery cables. There are seven of them and they were ziptied to the positive battery cable down between the chassis batteries and the engine belt/accessory train near the battery shut-off switch. This looked cluttered and horrid and I am frustrated with myself that I didn't do something about this seven years ago when we first purchased the coach. It is the one thing that kept bugging me every time I would open the engine access to check fluids and/or perform any maintenance.
I decided to use a piece of 2"x 1/4" aluminum angle that I had in my scrap pile. I know it is overkill and could have used some much lighter gauge aluminum but I didn't feel like digging out the break to bend up a thinner piece. This was handy so it is what I used.
I laid out the fuse holders to figure out a configuration in which to attach them that would look nice yet allow me to keep the same wiring without having to completely rewire the whole thing.
Here I am drilling the holes to attach the fuse holder. There are also two 1/4" holes on the top side that will be used to attach the aluminum panel to the crossmember which goes across the engine bay just above the chassis batteries.
Painted and ready for installation.
Here is a picture with the panel installed and all seven of the fuseholders installed. I also added some convoluted casing over the wiring.
When we first purchased the coach I had a lot of interior (house) lights that did not function. Upon quick voltage checks I realized that I was missing about half of my circuits. I traced back through the electrical distribution panel and found two 12 volt continuous duty solenoids that when energized transfer the 12-volt power from the house batteries to the electrical distribution panel. One of those relays/solenoids were bad. I replaced it and all was good. However, fast forward to 2014, the coach is 11 years old with 95k miles on it and upon testing I found the other relay/solenoid was bad. Upon testing with a meter I found that I had high resistance when the solenoid was activated so the contacts inside were pitted/damaged. I just decided to replace them both so I wouldn't have to worry about it throughout the RV travel season.
I also carry a spare solenoid just in case but I replace the two in the rear electrical panel located in the engine bay. Here are the solenoids/relays with the electrical pane cover removed. The very bottom one is the original that I did not change when we purchased the coach.
NAPA/Echlin part numbers (ST85). These are continuous duty solenoids that have an isolated ground on the coil (not grounded through the mounting). The ground is actually the side that is switched from a small switch just inside the door of the coach to kill all of the house 12-volt electrical.
New solenoids/relays installed and ready to reinstall the cover.
Rear engine bay all completed and ready for another travel season.
For the most part she is ready to go. Once the weather gets a little warmer I have a couple of spots on the streetside that I need to paint as I have some clear starting to peel off. The curbside still looks like she rolled out of the factory so by touching up the left side maybe I can buy myself a couple more years before having to paint the entire coach. $$$$$$
Mike.
Here is the new cable cut, crimped and heat shrink applied next to the OEM cable.
New cable with the convoluted casing and ready for installation.
One item that has bugged me since purchasing the coach back in 2007 was the fuse holders that were merely folded back upon themselves and zip-tied to the battery cables. There are seven of them and they were ziptied to the positive battery cable down between the chassis batteries and the engine belt/accessory train near the battery shut-off switch. This looked cluttered and horrid and I am frustrated with myself that I didn't do something about this seven years ago when we first purchased the coach. It is the one thing that kept bugging me every time I would open the engine access to check fluids and/or perform any maintenance.
I decided to use a piece of 2"x 1/4" aluminum angle that I had in my scrap pile. I know it is overkill and could have used some much lighter gauge aluminum but I didn't feel like digging out the break to bend up a thinner piece. This was handy so it is what I used.
I laid out the fuse holders to figure out a configuration in which to attach them that would look nice yet allow me to keep the same wiring without having to completely rewire the whole thing.
Here I am drilling the holes to attach the fuse holder. There are also two 1/4" holes on the top side that will be used to attach the aluminum panel to the crossmember which goes across the engine bay just above the chassis batteries.
Painted and ready for installation.
Here is a picture with the panel installed and all seven of the fuseholders installed. I also added some convoluted casing over the wiring.
When we first purchased the coach I had a lot of interior (house) lights that did not function. Upon quick voltage checks I realized that I was missing about half of my circuits. I traced back through the electrical distribution panel and found two 12 volt continuous duty solenoids that when energized transfer the 12-volt power from the house batteries to the electrical distribution panel. One of those relays/solenoids were bad. I replaced it and all was good. However, fast forward to 2014, the coach is 11 years old with 95k miles on it and upon testing I found the other relay/solenoid was bad. Upon testing with a meter I found that I had high resistance when the solenoid was activated so the contacts inside were pitted/damaged. I just decided to replace them both so I wouldn't have to worry about it throughout the RV travel season.
I also carry a spare solenoid just in case but I replace the two in the rear electrical panel located in the engine bay. Here are the solenoids/relays with the electrical pane cover removed. The very bottom one is the original that I did not change when we purchased the coach.
NAPA/Echlin part numbers (ST85). These are continuous duty solenoids that have an isolated ground on the coil (not grounded through the mounting). The ground is actually the side that is switched from a small switch just inside the door of the coach to kill all of the house 12-volt electrical.
New solenoids/relays installed and ready to reinstall the cover.
Rear engine bay all completed and ready for another travel season.
For the most part she is ready to go. Once the weather gets a little warmer I have a couple of spots on the streetside that I need to paint as I have some clear starting to peel off. The curbside still looks like she rolled out of the factory so by touching up the left side maybe I can buy myself a couple more years before having to paint the entire coach. $$$$$$
Mike.
