Electrical problem

[Vintmxman]

Been having an ongoing problem I can't seem to fix. My 2006 four winds winds 5000 keep blowing the house solenoid. It will work for a day or two as it should an then it's blown. Appears to be getting very hot. I have replaced the complete charging unit , batteries, cables , disconnect switch etc but still keeps happening. Not sure what to replace or check next. This has been a royal pain...Really has been ruining out summer camping trips. Having no house lights after less than a day is a royal bummer.....anyone has any ideas or thoughts on what could be happening ? Or maybe an alternate method to control power without the solenoid ?

[Vintmxman]

D.E.Bishop wrote:
I would go to Chris Bryant's blog site and see if he has the info you need. He has a great library and is a frequent poster on these forums. The info may not be there but reading the titles of what he does have is really cool and you may want to know later about a trouble that develops.

Do you have a link for Chris....I found allot of Chris Bryant's......thx in advance...

[mgirardo]

Vintmxman wrote:
Thanks guys. I think drew is on to something...my switch does not center after activation but stays
When pushed either way hold power on continually .....it may be the switch that needs replacing again...testing now

The original switch we had with our Motorhome would sometimes stick when used, keeping the circuit open. I always made sure that it went back to center after pressing the switch. We had the MH in for service a few years ago and the tech disconnected the battery before putting it in storage. He did not realize the switch did not return to center and it fried the battery disconnect solenoid. A week later when we went to pickup the motorhome, the house battery was dead. I replaced the switch, they replaced the disconnect.


-Michael

[D_E_Bishop]

I would go to Chris Bryant's blog site and see if he has the info you need. He has a great library and is a frequent poster on these forums. The info may not be there but reading the titles of what he does have is really cool and you may want to know later about a trouble that develops.

[Bordercollie]

Contact Four Winds, explain problem clearly as possible, and ask for correct part number and type of switch info. If they can't help, ask for an RV service in your area that can advise or fix it for you. An RV service place can usually refer you to a good RV electrical technician.

[Vintmxman]

Thanks guys. I think drew is on to something...my switch does not center after activation but stays
When pushed either way hold power on continually .....it may be the switch that needs replacing again...testing now

[tenbear]

As DrewE said, this is a completely different animal. This is a latching relay that is controlled by a momentary switch that connects or disconnects the battery to the converter and the house wiring. Normally the current through it is pretty small, especially if the OEM converter is still being used.

Hard to think of a reason it would burn out other than a short circuit causing a power surge.

[eHoefler]

They may look the same and have the same dimensions, but are not rated for the same service. If you bought it at an auto parts store, most likely and probably, you have a starter solenoid. Not the same duty or service. Since you said it is getting hot, it is for intermittent duty, like a starter. A continuous duty is designed to have power going to the coil continuously, a starter solenoid is only designed to be energized for about 30 seconds at a time.

Vintmxman wrote:

Dusty R wrote:
Sounds like the original solenoid died and you replaced it with one that was not a continuous duty.

I replaced it with the same exact one that was in the coach as original equipment...

[DrewE]

Have you verified that the switch for the solenoid is turning off properly and not sticking? It should be a momentary switch—only on for as long as you push one end or the other, and off in the middle. The solenoid switch itself is latching so doesn't need continuous control current to stay on or off. If the coil is continuously being engaged, it would get quite hot and possibly burn out.

If the control power is not sticking on, check that the switched (large) wires and connectors are solid and clean; a relatively high resistance connection at one of would cause heating of the wire and the solenoid contacts etc.

As for an alternate control method, you could replace the solenoid with a manual battery disconnect switch with an appropriate current rating, possibly at the battery itself if the solenoid is not handily accessible. Such disconnect switches are available from e.g. auto parts stores or marine supply places like West Marine. Look carefully at the continuous ratings; many tend to show higher ("starting") current ratings rather prominently, but that's less applicable to the house battery in an RV.

[Vintmxman]

tenbear wrote:

Vintmxman wrote:

tenbear wrote:
By "house solenoid" do you mean the one that connects the chassis battery to the house battery when the ignition is on?

I replaced mine years ago and it has been fine since. The original was installed upside down. I don't know if this contributed to the failure but I installed the new one right side up.

Dusty R may have the right idea.

No, the house battery to the house electrical panel that lives under the bed...

OK. This is the battery disconnect solenoid that is controlled by the battery disconnect switch by the door. Never had to replace mine.

Correct....sorry about my lack of nomenclature knowledge....

[tenbear]

Vintmxman wrote:

tenbear wrote:
By "house solenoid" do you mean the one that connects the chassis battery to the house battery when the ignition is on?

I replaced mine years ago and it has been fine since. The original was installed upside down. I don't know if this contributed to the failure but I installed the new one right side up.

Dusty R may have the right idea.

No, the house battery to the house electrical panel that lives under the bed...

OK. This is the battery disconnect solenoid that is controlled by the battery disconnect switch by the door. Never had to replace mine.

[Vintmxman]

tenbear wrote:
By "house solenoid" do you mean the one that connects the chassis battery to the house battery when the ignition is on?

I replaced mine years ago and it has been fine since. The original was installed upside down. I don't know if this contributed to the failure but I installed the new one right side up.

Dusty R may have the right idea.

No, the house battery to the house electrical panel that lives under the bed...

[Vintmxman]

Dusty R wrote:
Sounds like the original solenoid died and you replaced it with one that was not a continuous duty.

I replaced it with the same exact one that was in the coach as original equipment...

[Vintmxman]

ronfisherman wrote:
Have you checked for a bad ground to the solenoid?

No. I don't know how too...but am a quick study if instructed well...

[tenbear]

By "house solenoid" do you mean the one that connects the chassis battery to the house battery when the ignition is on?

I replaced mine years ago and it has been fine since. The original was installed upside down. I don't know if this contributed to the failure but I installed the new one right side up.

Dusty R may have the right idea.