Just returned from a two week trip to Florida with the 29ME. On the return trip the house battery went completely dead. The engine alternator is not charging the house battery. As soon as I returned home and plugged in it came right back up. Does anyone know if there is a breaker or fuse between the two?
I checked all fuses that I could see.
I had a problem with my 2017 Greyhawk. The under hood solenoid that connects the coach battery with the engine battery failed so I was not getting any charging power to the coach.
I replaced mine with a good old standard solenoid used for this purpose. The original Jayco solenoid was a plastic thing that cost more that the old reliable metal solenoid.
Problem solved with new solenoid.
If you have a voltmeter you can measure the voltage at the solenoid terminals. One big lug feeds the front battery/alternator and the other big lug feeds the coach battery. Turning the ignition to on will energize the solenoid and you should hear a click. That doesn't mean that the solenoid is making contact just that it is pulling in.
With the solenoid energized, both big lugs will measure the same. If the engine is running, it should measure above 14 volts on each lug. If it measures 14 volts on one lug but not the other, the solenoid is bad.
Following JimD's advice, solonoid is NOT working, the chassis terminal would be 13-14V and the other would be the same as your coach battery charge (11 to 12.5 or something like that). If it is zero, you likely are not getting power between the terminal to the coach battery, so your earlier concern may be true.
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2016 Jayco GreyHawk 31DS
2016 Jeep Cherokee Trailhawk Toad.
SE Washington State
Yesterday I checked that exact solenoid... although I only used a test light. I will get the meter out tonight and test the voltage. While messing around with everything the engine will now not start. It only clicks when you turn the key. I hope to diagnose that at the same time. I absolutely hate taking it in for service. It seems like something gets damaged every time.
Yesterday I checked that exact solenoid... although I only used a test light. I will get the meter out tonight and test the voltage. While messing around with everything the engine will now not start. It only clicks when you turn the key. I hope to diagnose that at the same time. I absolutely hate taking it in for service. It seems like something gets damaged every time.
This could be a couple of things (or more) but your symptoms would indicate that either things are not charging....or something is causing them to abnormally discharge.
If you can get it running with a jump or charger, the test meter will be your friend. First check your chassis battery and see if your alternator is putting out the requisite 14+V to a dead battery. If not, you have a charging problem.
If this is ok, then do the other tests to see what is happening at the solonoid and your house batteries. With the engine running, if all is well, the voltage should be nearly the same to all batteries.
Don't you just love electrical problems....................NOT!!!!!!!!!!
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2016 Jayco GreyHawk 31DS
2016 Jeep Cherokee Trailhawk Toad.
SE Washington State
Yesterday I checked that exact solenoid... although I only used a test light. I will get the meter out tonight and test the voltage. While messing around with everything the engine will now not start. It only clicks when you turn the key. I hope to diagnose that at the same time. I absolutely hate taking it in for service. It seems like something gets damaged every time.
Don't forget fusible links. Most are near the battery.
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2021 Coachmen Freelander 29KB
2019 Jeep Wrangler Sahara
NSA Ready Brute Elite II tow bar
I ended up taking it in for repairs. It turns out the alternator not charging the house battery was a wire that pulled out from a solenoid under the dash. I would have never found it. Thinking back I do not think it had ever charged from the alternator. The battery seemed exhausted by the time we set up camp. The no start was my own stupidity! I had removed a diode and replaced it in the incorrect slot. Overall couldn't be happier with the repair shop.
When mine was doing that not long after I bought it, I took it to the dealer here and they said that when I had pressed the emergency brake, it had crushed the wires underneath the dash because they had fallen down. They "fixed" it and it charges. However, since they "fixed" it, my power steps and auto level will not work for about 15 minutes after I park, it says the ignition is on even though the key is in my pocket. After 15 minutes or so, everything works. In addition, I have a constant draw somewhere and if I park it in front of my house at 2pm, tomorrow at 2pm my battery will be down to 1/3 if I don't turn off the master switch. If I park for the night and leave bare minimum running, the battery will deplete and beep in the middle of the night, so so much for trying to boondock.
Since we are on this topic, anyone know anyone who might could figure this out? I can't find anyone here that can and I will NEVER darken the drive of my local dealer again... I am about to the point that, if I can find someone good, I will manage to make a trip that direction to get this figured out... I am definitely NOT an electrician!
I'm hoping a year out you have had a solution. We are experiencing a similar problem. So upgraded batteries, perhaps foolishly, to lithium. So now we're replacing the isolator, but suspect also the solenoids for both the battery disconnect and battery boost. Our issue is nearly identical to yours.
I'm hoping a year out you have had a solution. We are experiencing a similar problem. So upgraded batteries, perhaps foolishly, to lithium. So now we're replacing the isolator, but suspect also the solenoids for both the battery disconnect and battery boost. Our issue is nearly identical to yours.
Here are a couple of documents that will detail how you can troubleshoot the solenoid.
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Jim
Retired electronic technician (45 years in the field)
2017 Greyhawk 29W (solar & many other mods)
wife (maybe I should have given her top billing)
Behind the driver's side knee-panel, there is some Jayco wiring and also a fuse. The wiring is fed power from a Ford wiring harness connection which is energized when the engine is running or the key is in the accessory position.
This wiring provides power to several items, including the house-battery-charge solenoid, power mirror heaters, the front television power cutout relay, and the engine-running signal to the power steps and the leveling control.
If that fuse is blown the house battery will not charge from the alternator.
NativeTexan, if the repair guy repaired the circuit by using a different power source, like the 'battery saver' circuit (the same one that turns off power to the dome light/map lights after some time) then that explains why the power remains on for a while as you described. It may also explain the battery drain.
.
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Ron K3HIL Amateur Extra
Retired
2016 Greyhawk 29MV
2000 Jeep Sahara
"Any advice I give or facts I present are valid to the best of my knowledge,
but I am not responsible if you follow it and you **** your **** up."
I replaced the battery isolator and installed a new battery monitor. We are doing great now with the new batteries. I still have a drain of about 40watts to figure out, even with the house and inverter off. Seems too high to be just stuff like the co2 monitor.
I did find our inverter (xantrex freedom 1200) is consistently reading a lower than actual voltage by about half a volt. That's a big difference when on LIon batteries. A difference between 30 and 70% state of charge. So, I've adjusted the auto gen start.
I have found the problem with bigger batteries is the cascade effect on my personal workload and pocketbook.
New batteries leads to new inverter to more batteries and bigger battery tray, solar, what's next?
At least my wife's office view is worth the hard work.
Linear Mode
