12 V electrical problem

[jmttech]

Hello all!
I have a 2009 Freedom Vision 3150 DS Class A motorhome. I believe it is the same as a Coachmen Mirada. The chassis is Ford F-53 and the manufacturer was, according to the VIN, Coachmen... However, it is/was "rebranded" by Camping World.

To the problem:
I was getting ready to make a small trip and when I started her up, the following failed to work:
Remote control mirrors,
Camera system was dead,
Cigarette lighter sockets (accessory outlets) were dead,
auxiliary dash fans were dead.
Map lights, radio, lights all worked. So far as I can tell, all "house battery" devices are working.

There are two fuse boxes to the left of the brake pedal on the drivers side of the firewall. The topmost (and largest one) appears to have power at all fuses and fuses check OK there.

The lower fuse box (consisting of 4 banks of 4 fuses) only has power to the lowest bank. The other three banks appear to be dead.

The main distribution box accessed from under the front engine cowling seems to have all fuses operational. I say seems because I did not physically remove the fuses to check, but used a continuity probe across the fuses. This may have been a mistake, but man there are a whole butt-load of fuses in this thing!

I did not check all the relays cubes as I am not sure if that needs to be don, I'm looking for input from this venerable group of more experienced RVers.

Any thoughts or ideas would be greatly appreciated. I really don't want to take it to the shop if I can avoid it. We are retired and income is finite.

Thanks in advance to all who may have input or experienced a similar problem.

[mhogge]

hope it is ok to post here
I have a similar issue, but my battery switch is ON! pulled rig out of storage (2005 Gulfstream Sunvoyager)to prep for trip only to find my power mirrors and defroster fans not working every thing else is working fine? checked fuses and breakers I could find, Any and all help would be appreciated.

[enblethen]

Thanks for the update!

[OnaQuest]

Thanks for the feed back

[jmttech]

I wanted to thank you all for your help and efforts the past few days. I did locate the problem… a very simple one. About 2 years ago, I had experienced a failed primary engine battery and had to use my dashboard Aux Start switch to start the vehicle. In order to avoid having the drained battery experience repeat itself, I installed a heavy duty marine battery switch (you have probably seen them.. red, round and rated at 300 amps) so the battery could be switched off when I did not plan to use the MH for long periods of time. I did not realize the electrical system was designed to start the engine from the ‘house battery’ without actually depressing the Aux Start switch.

Well, you have probably guessed by now, the disconnect switch I installed was in the ‘off’ position…. noticed it when I was looking for any other inline fuses that may have been causing the problem. I had COMPLETELY forgotten about the battery cut off switch. After turning it on, all was well. Talk about a dumb a** thing to do! I guess age is finally getting to me.

I thank all of you for your help and I will try to NOT cry wolf in the future. I will say this though, I learned a great deal about my rig I did not know, but more importantly, learned there are good people still out there willing to lend a hand and their knowledge to a complete stranger.

[enblethen]

reading my cover sheet, indicates that the CB-200 rev F put the ignition relay on circuit board.
From my manual
Box mounted relay: There must be battery voltage on P4 #1, P1 #7, and one terminal of the ignition relay. There should be ground on P1 #8 and the other terminal of the relay. If so, the relay is defective. If not, check wiring.
Board mounted relay: There must be battery voltage on P4 #11 and P13. If so, replace the board

OP: did you find your battery control center?

[OnaQuest]

enblethen wrote:
This is from one of my manuals for BCC. I have a second drawing showing external relay.
Onaquest: Check your private messages.
Ignition Relay Functions
The vehicle ignition switch cannot carry the additional loads added by the coach.
An ignition relay, actuated by turning on the ignition key (with chassis battery
disconnect relay engaged) is provided to supply the necessary current. (refer to
figure 2 for gasoline and figure 3 for diesel ignition relay partial schematics for
details) There are 2 cases: Ignition relay mounted on the box and relay mounted
on the board.

Ah, yes. The old memory fails me again. The very early RV-CP BCCs did have the ignition relay external to the box. Moving the relay to the board was the final revision to the CB-200 circuit board. The subsequent revision was to the CB-115 board. I'm not sure what designations Intellitec used on their versions of the otherwise identical BCCs. Sorry to have added confusion, instead of clarification, in my earlier replies.

BTW - Being a 2009, the OP's BCC will have the "ignition relay" mounted in the box.

[iceyfingers]

Check your grounds

[enblethen]

Many gas rigs have them under the hood, driver's side mounted to firewall.
Your batter disconnects could be in same box. You could have helper operate battery disconnects to locate BCC.

[jmttech]

I am at a loss then. Where is the BBC? I have a panel under the oven that has 12 V fuses and 120 vac breakers, but I though that panel was for house batteries & AC only. I'll go look again....

[enblethen]

This is from one of my manuals for BCC. I have a second drawing showing external relay.
Onaquest: Check your private messages.
Ignition Relay Functions
The vehicle ignition switch cannot carry the additional loads added by the coach.
An ignition relay, actuated by turning on the ignition key (with chassis battery
disconnect relay engaged) is provided to supply the necessary current. (refer to
figure 2 for gasoline and figure 3 for diesel ignition relay partial schematics for
details) There are 2 cases: Ignition relay mounted on the box and relay mounted
on the board.

[OnaQuest]

jmttech wrote:
Thanks for the suggestions, I will check them in the morning. I am assuming that the "black cubes" I referred to are in fact relays. I'm assuming this provides isolation from the chassis cabling harness. So far I have not seen any specific documentation defining what the various relays control.

Good point about probing both ends of the fuses though. No short cuts recommended LOL.

Those "cubes" are indeed relays. They are mostly for Chassis functions like fuel pump, horn, PCM, etc... They have nothing to do with your problem, and neither do any of the fuses in that panel. Your problem in IN the BCC.

[OnaQuest]

enblethen wrote:
My Pace Arrow has a large Ford style relay acting as the ignition relay. It receives it power through the solid state circuit board.
My drawing shows it gets it control power from fuse 19 in battery control center.
Yes, my ignition relay has nothing to do with starting the rig.

Bud, I would certainly like to see that drawing. The BCC that Fleetwood used/uses shows F19 feeding the Disconnect Switches within the BCC. This should be the same BCC the OPs rig is using.

[enblethen]

Did you find the battery control center?

[jmttech]

Ok. Checked both sides of every fuse with the engine running. I have marked an X next to the fuses not showing voltage on either side.

http://www.jmttech.com/rvfuses.html

Any ideas are appreciated.
Thanks....