electrical gremlins

[cbigham]

Have some electrical gremlins after the last trip with my funmover diesel f750 based 39c model. On this coach most automotive based wiring is under the dash. Here are the issues:

1. Have an intermittent fault only saw it once, slide didn't open, and the stairs retracted when the door was closed in spite of the stairs switch being off. These things are wired to happen when the coach engine is turned on via ignition setting in switch. Happened at the end leg of my last trip, then worked normal.
2. I understand coaches usually have some type of device on it that turns on the chassis (automotive) to house battery solenoid thus allowing the house batteries to be charged while the engine runs. Mine does not turn on. Solenoid checks out fine, I "borrowed" a drive light switch to turn it on manually. I did check to see if what I did here caused the problem with number 1. Not the case, and the solenoid issue was with us most of the trip. Does this battery charge device exist, turning on the solenoid after chassis batteries are at spec, and if so what would it look like? Are solid state isolaters a better way to go?
3. Have a magnatek 500 series converter and three 12v thick plate Johnson controls batteries. (4 6v batteries wouldn't physically fit) when these batteries were more than 50% drained by voltage (approx 11.8-12v) I notices after plugging in my power cord to outside source it was only using 200 watts. All 120 stuff was off. This converted is listed as a 55 amp converter and all is available for the charged if needed. 55 amps at 12 V is about 660 watts . Recharging the batteries this trip took longer on the generator than usual. Bad converter? Batteries? Suggestions? Batteries had water, recently bought, worked well 2 months ago.

Thanks,
Cb

[Harvey51]

For #2, I think the device is just a wire running from the ignition switch to the isolator selenoid.
The isolator probably has two heavy wires and one light control wire. Look for a voltage on the control wire when the ignition is turned on. If it isn't there, you could just connect it to something else that powers up when the engine runs. Or replace the isolator with a solid state one that doesn't need a control signal, just passing current when the higher alternator voltage appears on the heavy wire. Of course a problem with the ignition switch might be causing the other problems, too. I once fixed an ignition switch by squirting it with electrical cleaner.