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brenden208's avatar
brenden208
Explorer
Jun 16, 2022

Where is 89 Southwind RV Alternator Fuse

I recently acquired a 1989 Fleetwood Southwind RV, Model L, and I have been trying to track down an electrical issue. The alternator is not charging the battery, but we pulled the alternator and got it tested, and it is fine. So, I thought I would check the alternator fuse, but I am having trouble finding it. Does anyone know where the alternator fuse would be on this model of RV? I believe it is on a Chevy 454 chassis.
  • Along with the fusible links by the starter, Locate the battery control center. Many have a charge relay. On my rig the charge relay must energize before the batteries get charged. Mine has a control fuse in the control center.
  • enblethen wrote:
    Along with the fusible links by the starter, Locate the battery control center. Many have a charge relay. On my rig the charge relay must energize before the batteries get charged. Mine has a control fuse in the control center.


    The Battery control center will NOT stop the Alternator from charging the chassis battery. All the BCC does is monitor and combine the batteries. BUT as I stated, the Charge current from the Alternator goes direct to the chassis battery. To the OP, if you have a Chevy, the Steering wheel emblem will have a Chevy emblem and also the Igntion key will be a GM type square key. AS others have mentioned, check the fusable links at the Starter and on Chevy Class A chassis there is a Solenoid/relay(Chevy installed) on a bracket just above the Alternator and there is a fusable link there also. A fusable link is a short(less than 4 inches) of soft feeling wire that will melt apart in a short. Takes the place of a standard fuse. Rarely does a blown fuse cause lack of Alternator charging on a Class A Chevy chassis. Doug
  • I fixed the issue, simply enough, by cleaning up all of the terminals on the batteries and the relay above the alternator that Doug mentioned. Nothing was wrong but a bad connection. I did find the fusible links near the starter (passenger side, behind the front wheel), but they seemed functional. I was about to just run a new wire directly from the alternator to the battery to bypass all the rest of the relay nonsense, but no need! Thanks for your help everyone!
  • brenden208 wrote:
    I fixed the issue, simply enough, by cleaning up all of the terminals on the batteries and the relay above the alternator that Doug mentioned. Nothing was wrong but a bad connection. I did find the fusible links near the starter (passenger side, behind the front wheel), but they seemed functional. I was about to just run a new wire directly from the alternator to the battery to bypass all the rest of the relay nonsense, but no need! Thanks for your help everyone!


    Glad you had an easy fix. First rule of 12V system troubleshooting, always check and clean connections before you buy any parts!