Switch or Solenoid...

[steelcityk9cop]

So we're out with the 2008 Greyhawk, hooked up to shore power at the camp ground when all of the sudden everything goes dark... except for all the 120 is working. I check everything at the box.. all the breakers.. fuses.. nothing. I flip the battery disconnect at the door and everything comes back on.

About a half hour later, the same thing happens. When I go to flip the switch, all the 12v comes on when the switch hits the momentary up position bit then turns off when it comes down and I don't hear that "ka-chunk" noise at all you usually hear when you flip the switch and it returns to the bottom position. I push it back up... a number of times... same result... the 12v pose is on when the switch hits the top position and then turns off the moment it is released. At one point I pushed on it in the down position and everything came back on and stayed on for the rest of the weekend.

Now we're home.. playing with the switch is hit and miss. If the 12v is on, you have o keep running the disconnect switch to try and turn it off. If it's off.. It's a bear to try and get it back on.

Opinions... bad switch or is the solenoid bad? I called jayco and was told that there are two solenoid for the 2008 Greyhawk.. one by the battery and one under the bed. If it is a solenoid , any idea which it would be?

[mike837go]

First test the switch. Drag out the VOM (a DVM won't show the intermittant quite as well) and see what's on each pole of the switch. Watch the needle movement during the transitions.

If all seems OK there, find the soliniods.

Look for loose and/or burnt connections.

Then put the VOM on the non-ground side and flip the switch. If you get +12VDC cleanly to the solenoid and no action, double check the ground side. Good Ground? Replace the solenoid.

[Marcm157]

Very similar problem occurred to my in laws in their 16 Greyhawk. I traced the problem to the solenoid behind the slide out house battery tray.

[timbo1083]

I JUST complained about this a couple of months ago. I literally took the batteries out, played around with all the wires, and changed the fuses at the solenoid. Everything has been working find since. Not a great help, but play with the connections, should solve everything. (In my simple mind)

[RoWest]

Ours failed 30 miles outside of Bakersfield on a Sunday at 3:00 pm with temperatures at 110 degrees. Power on 12 volts one moment-no 12 volts next moment. Figured it was the unbelievable bumpy roads from tires running 95 psi heated to 110 psi or higher caused it to shut off. My guess. Jumped the posts and it's working until I can put the new one in.

[steelcityk9cop]

Thanks for the replies everyone. I'm gonna take the safe road and replace both the switch and the solenoid. When I pulled the switch I didn't like how the contacts looked... same for the solenoid. I have always used a surge protector at the box so I'm not sure where this came from.

[RoWest]

Per my post, I had used a 16" battery cable to bypass the solenoid and get us on the road for the summer. Home now and replacing the dead solenoid with one I had purchased and received on the road as back-up. Different model. The numbers on the back don't specify that there is a Jayco-specific model that has the second fuse connections installed and additional cross-over wiring.
KIB BATTERY DISCONNECT RELAY FOR JAYCO LR9806JBIP
The added 'J' is important unless you want to rewire.
Am I the first to make this error?

[che57vy]

Might want to spray a little corrosion protection on terminals, guy I knew years ago taught me to use copper gasket spray on terminals I also use it on battery terminals stuff we used to use on head gaskets when replaced. Sometime I also use no-ox electrical paste on connections

[rgolding]

So much of our world centers around a "Good Ground". Lots of things can happen, but if the circuit isn't complete, it just isn't complete.

[RayBo]

Originally Posted by steelcityk9cop

Thanks for the replies everyone. I'm gonna take the safe road and replace both the switch and the solenoid. When I pulled the switch I didn't like how the contacts looked... same for the solenoid. I have always used a surge protector at the box so I'm not sure where this came from.

Hi,
Can you please say whether your strategy of replacing both solved the problem? I'm having a similar problem and only have a short time frame to get it fixed. I haven't been able to find a knowledgeable Jayco shop here in central FL, so I'm on my own. I'm good with electrical and have the prints, but on my 2012 Seneca FK, the prints don't match the machine.

Thanks, Ray

[RayBo]

Originally Posted by rgolding

So much of our world centers around a "Good Ground". Lots of things can happen, but if the circuit isn't complete, it just isn't complete.

On Christ the solid rock I stand, all other ground is sinking sand. I've learned that in electrical work, if I don't have a good ground...it just might turn out to be ME. :-)

[timbo1083]

Hey guys. I have re-seated mine a couple of times and it works fine. I'd suggest a quality solenoid on amazon vice the ones that come installed. I'm going to replace mine this winter.