Long title almost says it all. Was out working on the Enterprise today (like most days since I got her month ago). Was working on the toilet for a bit. Then my wife says the passenger chair won't recline right. It was trying but acting like it didn't have enough power...I put some lithium on it but it didn't help. Figured I'd look at it another day and started to leave but when I turned the automatic step on so it would retract when we left, it started going in and out in small increments. Then the light indicating the basement lights are on started flashing and light in the basement was flashing too. I unplugged from 110v to see if I could reset whatever was going on. Same on batteries. I decided I would try it on generator...same. I figured I would try to start the coach and see what happens...when I turned the key to the start position, there was a slow beeping sound and nothing happened. The coach would not turn over. Now I'm really getting nervous. All the battery indicators in the coach indicate between 13.5-14.1 volts. I went out to the battery compartment and put on meter on the two Chassis batteries that are tied together...they both measured 7v (is this right for a 12v battery? Since they are tied together that would be 7v each which would be 14v...so that sounds right???)One of the things the manual indicated might be an issue is the "converter overheating". So I search and found that. It didn't seem to be too hot but there was a little stick on thing (see last Picture that said WFCO that had a blinking green light...the light was blinking fast and steady.I'm at a loss. I've included a few pictures below just so you know what my coach looks like:Ideas?

HIWhen I expand your battery picture it is obvious they have not been cleaned or serviced for a long....long time. Each battery by itself...needs to read 12.0 volts or more to be effective. Suggest you clean all the connections with wire brush and check the water in each of the cells. If that is good charge them and try again to start and probably all will be good.Make sure your battery disconnect switch is in the ON position after you have the batteries charged.

I have had it plugged into 110v the whole time. I understand what you are saying about cleaning and checking the batteries (and I'll certainly try that...but shouldn't the batteries be charging off of the power coming in from the 110v as well? What's the best way to check to see if that is happening?Also, I tried using the button to use the "house batteries" to start the coach and that didn't work either...but the batteries were running the slides, lights, etc. just fine...

Just because it shows there is more than 12 volts doesnt mean they are good. I would pull them then take to Auto Zone and let them run a testAuto Zone

If they have been run down below 12.0VDC for a long period they are probably beyond good now...Roy Ken

Hi,Check the voltage on the 'house' batteries. Then plug into 120 volt shore power. Now check the voltage again. If it is not giving a reading much higher, then there is a problem with the shore power battery charging.This could be a poor connection, a bad fuse, a failed circuit breaker, or a "dead" converter.Try using a stand alone battery charger and see if this solves the "house" electrical issues.

Won't start, step funky, recliner slow, light blinks

15 Replies

Moffittclan
Explorer
Apr 12, 2016
Update: Got the new chassis batteries and everything seems to be working fine again...I have another thread discussing whether they are charging correctly in conjunction with house batteries.

I also ordered the Trik-L-Start and will install it in a few days.
pianotuna
Nomad III
Apr 11, 2016
Hi,

Instead of a tender, acquire a trik-l-start or its big brother the amp-l-start.
Moffittclan
Explorer
Apr 11, 2016
Jim & Betty wrote:
blawless wrote:
If I read it right it's your steps and a few other things not working. No one has thought to mention that your entry steps and generally other power options are connected directly to the chassis (engine) battery not the coach (aux)batteries. If plugged in to 110 it will usually only charge your coach batteries and 12v converter. It will not charge your engine battery. Put a separate battery charger on your engine battery. If will accept and hold a charge great. It may take a couple of days depending on the type of charger you use. If not, time to buy new engine batteries you let them discharge to low and they won't recover. If you park your rig for long periods of time it helps to install a battery tender to your engine battery and run the power cord back into the coach and plug it in to a 110 outlet. This way you should never have a dead engine battery no matter how long you camp in one location while plugged in to shore power or running the generator.

Ditto this and sorry I did not make it clear in my first post that the CHASSIS batteries may not charge when plugged to shore power but the house batteries will.

JimR

Oh, this is GOOD info...I was under the impression that while I was plugged in, I was also charging my chassis batteries. If that isn't the case, I'm glad I know that now! I will be living in the coach full time for at least the next year and sometimes I may not drive it for several weeks or months. I will def. look for a battery tender to add to the system...
Community Alumni
Apr 11, 2016
blawless wrote:
If I read it right it's your steps and a few other things not working. No one has thought to mention that your entry steps and generally other power options are connected directly to the chassis (engine) battery not the coach (aux)batteries. If plugged in to 110 it will usually only charge your coach batteries and 12v converter. It will not charge your engine battery. Put a separate battery charger on your engine battery. If will accept and hold a charge great. It may take a couple of days depending on the type of charger you use. If not, time to buy new engine batteries you let them discharge to low and they won't recover. If you park your rig for long periods of time it helps to install a battery tender to your engine battery and run the power cord back into the coach and plug it in to a 110 outlet. This way you should never have a dead engine battery no matter how long you camp in one location while plugged in to shore power or running the generator.

Ditto this and sorry I did not make it clear in my first post that the CHASSIS batteries may not charge when plugged to shore power but the house batteries will.

JimR
blawless
Explorer
Apr 11, 2016
If I read it right it's your steps and a few other things not working. No one has thought to mention that your entry steps and generally other power options are connected directly to the chassis (engine) battery not the coach (aux)batteries. If plugged in to 110 it will usually only charge your coach batteries and 12v converter. It will not charge your engine battery. Put a separate battery charger on your engine battery. If will accept and hold a charge great. It may take a couple of days depending on the type of charger you use. If not, time to buy new engine batteries you let them discharge to low and they won't recover. If you park your rig for long periods of time it helps to install a battery tender to your engine battery and run the power cord back into the coach and plug it in to a 110 outlet. This way you should never have a dead engine battery no matter how long you camp in one location while plugged in to shore power or running the generator.
10forty2
Explorer
Apr 11, 2016
First, verify that each battery is a 12VDC battery. I "ASSUMED" mine were 12V batteries when I first got the coach and bought 2 new 12V batteries to replace them.....WRONG...they were 6VDC batteries wired in series to produce 12V with higher current, and I came really close to overloading the entire coach electrical system when I hooked the 2 NEW 12V batteries in series. DOH! Now, I run everything off one of the 12V house batteries and haven't had a problem.

Once you verify that each battery is supposed to be either 6VDC or 12VDC, you can verify if they are good batteries or not. I suspect they are bad and once you replace them with a good set, everything will go back to working properly.
ADAD437
Explorer
Apr 11, 2016
Moffittclan wrote:
Thanks everyone. Just so I understand, should the chassis batteries charge off of the 110v as well or just the house batteries? The house batteries appear to be good because the slides and other stuff work well...what's confusing me is that the recliner and step are screwing up...wouldn't those be running on the house batteries as well and not the chassis batteries?

they should charge off 120 volts when plugged in, unless you have the old type system where you have to plug and unplug your power cord inside when switching from gen. to shore. i have not seen any that would not charge off shore power.
Moffittclan
Explorer
Apr 11, 2016
Also, the generator starts up good...where does it get the battery power to start? If from the chassis, then it would be weird that there was enough power to start that but not enough power to even hear some click or something when you try to start the coach...
Moffittclan
Explorer
Apr 11, 2016
Thanks everyone. Just so I understand, should the chassis batteries charge off of the 110v as well or just the house batteries? The house batteries appear to be good because the slides and other stuff work well...what's confusing me is that the recliner and step are screwing up...wouldn't those be running on the house batteries as well and not the chassis batteries?
Community Alumni
Apr 11, 2016
Moffittclan wrote:
I have had it plugged into 110v the whole time. I understand what you are saying about cleaning and checking the batteries (and I'll certainly try that...but shouldn't the batteries be charging off of the power coming in from the 110v as well? What's the best way to check to see if that is happening?

Also, I tried using the button to use the "house batteries" to start the coach and that didn't work either...but the batteries were running the slides, lights, etc. just fine...

Your batteries may not charge when plugged in I had a neighbor in a Winnie that was plugged in but his batteries did not charge and he had to run the motor he said it was supposed to work that way so I guess it. Depends.

At 7 volts on a 12 volt battery the battery is dead and all the things you said did not work were from one of two things a bad ground or dead batteries.

JimR

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Won't start, step funky, recliner slow, light blinks

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