Low voltage warning

[Djoannides]

Hi. Dennis J new member here

I have a 2021 Entegra Odyssey 26d and received a warning about low voltage on control panel for auto levelers. Yesterday leveling jacks would not fully retract. Readout on Ford instrument panel shows 9 volts. What is causing the low voltage and what should it be? Thanks

[Vicr]

Is your engine running when using your levelers?

[JimD]

Reading 9 volts on the dash indicates a major drop in battery voltage. Could be caused by an undercharged battery or possibly a bad battery. Like previously mentioned, try running the engine while using the levelers (if it will allow the engine to be running) and see if the voltage holds in the 14 range.

[Stavman]

Ya gotta run the engine when leveling

Also try a hard reset if you are running the engine, press the ENTER and RETRACT at the same time and will reset it

[Djoannides]

The levelers require the engine to be running. I contacted Entegra Jayco directly and they suggested that either we connect to land power or run the generator while operating the levelers

Does it draw power from the coach battery or the vehicle battery. I assume the reading on the dash system check of 9 volts is reading the vehicle battery. We just returned from a 2000 mile trip so there was ample time to charge the battery so I’m thinking the alternator

[Djoannides]

[QUOTE=Stavman;1009337]Ya gotta run the engine when leveling

Also try a hard reset if you are running the engine, press the ENTER and RETRACT at the same time and will reset it[/QUOT


Thanks I’ll try the hard reset. But it still doesn’t explain the low 9 volt reading on the car dash display

[JimD]

I tend to run the levelers with the generator running just so I don't immediately draw my house batteries down. I believe they are connected there.

Very easy way to see which battery it is and whether your alternator is putting out or not. Hook a voltmeter to each battery while operating the levelers without the engine running. You will immediately know which is being used.

As far as the alternator charging, before you just replace it try hooking up the voltmeter to your engine battery with the engine running. If it measures mid 14s, the alternator is working. Now go to the house battery and see if it is getting a charge voltage. If it isn't being charged you probably have a failure with the relay/solenoid that connects the house battery to the alternator. Had mine fail.

[Djoannides]

With my engine running when operating my leveling jacks I get a low voltage warning. The last time jacks did not fully retract

The instrument panel on my 2021 Entegra Odyssey 26D only shows 9 volts even without the jacks operating

My question is this an alternator or battery issue. Is it covered under warranty. Purchased in June 2020 and it was advertised as a two year warranty

[Stavman]

As mentioned

Check the input with a voltmeter at the battery. Read the PDFs jimd posted, great info, and get a voltmeter if u don't have one, a necessity in an RV

An RV = a house constantly in an earthquake...treat it accordingly

Batteries are neva warranty item, alternator is

[RetiredAndFree]

FWIW, I started getting low voltage alarm to levelers and carbon monoxide/propane detector randomly going off in July. Checked connections and found no issues. My 2020 Greyhawk Prestige 30XP is kept plugged in to 30 amp at home and we don't boondock. Always run engine when leveling and low voltage alarm was very random. Engine running, plugged in, never a problem. Checked battery with multimeter, unplugged from shore power and always showed 12.5 to 12.7 volts. Took it to dealer in September for that and several other things. Service Advisor called me a couple days later and said battery was bad. He said if you keep it plugged in, unplug it and test it, it will show good voltage. They left it unplugged over night and the next morning it was almost dead. I told him I checked the battery water every month and had added water twice. I keep written records of everything I do on it and was able to tell him the exact dates. I asked him if the battery was covered under the warranty and he said not usually but he would try being I had the records and the problem started when I had only owned it for a year. Long story, they did cover a new battery so there is flexibility in the system.

[pconroy]

Originally Posted by JimD

Very easy way to see which battery it is and whether your alternator is putting out or not. Hook a voltmeter to each battery while operating the levelers without the engine running. You will immediately know which is being used.

As far as the alternator charging, before you just replace it try hooking up the voltmeter to your engine battery with the engine running. If it measures mid 14s, the alternator is working. Now go to the house battery and see if it is getting a charge voltage. If it isn't being charged you probably have a failure with the relay/solenoid that connects the house battery to the alternator. Had mine fail.

Worth repeating!


I can run the jacks w/out the engine running or being plugged in. They move more slowly, but they move fine. That said - I do prefer to plug in before leveling.


On mine the jack pump is wired directly to the house battery. So seeing the Ford (chassis) voltage drop to 9V makes me go "Hmmm". I thought they were isolated.

[Djoannides]

Thanks for all the responses bill let you know what I find. Headed out to buy a volt meter. Any suggestions

[Djoannides]

Suggestions for type to buy. I have a simple one for testing home circuits

[Berjr]

I've been chasing this very same issue for the last 3 months. in our 2018 Greyhawk We have tested voltage, at pump control panels and key pads, solenoids. Had a service tech check everything as well he replace the solenoid at the pump and replaced the main panel. Still have the same issues. Check all grounds and all is good there. have done all factory resets as well. We also replaced both truck battery and the house battery.

The worst part is the issue is intermittent. They work fantastic in the driveway and then get to location and they don't work or worse have them go down but will not retract. We have had to use the manual override to get the jacks to retract twice and now on the last trip we actually had to unbolt 1 jack and turn it 90* re-bolt it just to get home only find out it retracted on our way home, and of course that pulled all the ground wiring for the tank monitors out and had top repair that too.

All in all the leveler still do not work I've just about thrown in the towel and we have another service scheduled at the end of the month.

What i do know is the auto level will not work with voltage below 11.5 volt Manual leveling will work till 10.5 volts after that they will not operate.
Rig must have emergency brake engaged,, truck does not have to be running only in accessory but having it running is better as it adds increased voltage to the system. Our levers run off the coach battery but get it assistance from the truck battery.

My next theory is the circuit breaker between the battery and the pump may be bad and intermittently fails causing the low voltage, it is a automatic resetting breaker located behind the battery box.

Anyways ill let you know more when i have more togo on.

[Berjr]

On mine the jack pump is wired directly to the house battery. So seeing the Ford (chassis) voltage drop to 9V makes me go "Hmmm". I thought they were isolated.[/QUOTE]



ours too and i thought the same thing. But there is a cross over from truck battery to house battery but not the other way around as the truck battery will not maintain while plugged in to shore but the house battery wii. ( unless you have a trickl start installed) .

There is how ever that mysterious button on your dash board. aka emergency jump battery switch

[Florida Ranger]

If you push your Mystery Button it connects all of your battery’s together…

[pconroy]

Originally Posted by Djoannides

Suggestions for type to buy. I have a simple one for testing home circuits

You don't have to spend a lot. If there's a Harbor Freight near by. Something like this: https://www.harborfreight.com/dm300-...ter-64018.html


But even their $7 one would get you by.


Home Depot might be. https://www.homedepot.com/p/Klein-To...M300/206517192


My current favorite is one I got from Amazon for $15:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...e?ie=UTF8&th=1


While I real EE might gasp at these, they're probably "close enough" for us Sunday tinkerers.

[Djoannides]

First. Let me clear up a mistake on my part. The read out on the Ford dash for voltage reads from 8-18 volts. I thought it was zero to 18 so seeing the needle in the middle I assumed 9 volts when in fact it 13.5 volts

Next I took the advice to have shore power connecting when deploying the jacks. No error codes. I am hook up to shore power and will test the house battery with a voltmeter after it’s fully charged

PS. My rig will not run the jacks or even illuminate the jack panel if the engine is not running

[Scoutmaster253]

Originally Posted by Djoannides

First. Let me clear up a mistake on my part. The read out on the Ford dash for voltage reads from 8-18 volts. I thought it was zero to 18 so seeing the needle in the middle I assumed 9 volts when in fact it 13.5 volts...

That is good news that the chassis is operating at higher than 9 volts. Your VOM should be able to confirm that the chassis battery is receiving between 13 to 14.5 volts while the engine is running. It will be closer to 12.5 when the engine is turned off and you are not on shore power.

The levelers on my RV also will not operate without the engine running. However, they were added by a dealer and they might have been wired differently than your coach.

[thenne1713]

MANY RV leveler circuits AUTO RETRACT when IGN=ON? to PREVENT drive-off damage. Maybe (some) only Auto-retract if Parking Brake NOT set?