Slideout with Engine Running?: 2020 Redhawk 24B

[RetiredOne]

The radio situation is still puzzling... If your coach batteries were run down, it could explain the radio shutting off. But, as soon as the engine starts up, the alternator would be normally charging the coach batteries, and would provide enough voltage for the radio to work.. Something doesn't sound right...

Maybe the charging system ISN'T charging the coach batteries, so the low voltage kept making the radio shut off. Or, maybe you have a bad or shorted battery, that won't take a charge. That might be why your coach battery juice doesn't last.

Have you put a voltmeter on the coach batteries to see what the static voltage is and taken a reading, then start the engine, and see if the voltage goes up when the alternator is running? Also, have you put a load test on each coach battery to see how they react to a load?

[MRichaud]

Originally Posted by RetiredOne

OK, here's some additional information. I was looking at a wiring diagram that I got from Jayco. First, it answers the question about the slide lockout relay and the awning lockout relay. Looks like they are both in the rear wardrobe, by the main panel.

Second, it looks like there is a dual diode that feeds the radio power. It might be coming off of the isolation relay that charges the house batteries when the engine is running, and provides the memory/power up for the radio when the coach battery is hooked up.

Here's the diagram:

Good stuff - thanks! Is that diagram applicable across Jayco models?


Mickey

[EA37TS]

Originally Posted by alazear

Hi All,

Thanks for the suggestions. ...


Then, on the 5 hour drive home via the alternator charging everything, the radio kept turning off and then restarting, first time for that. So, I turned the house batteries completely off - to see if the radio did the same thing running solely off the alternator + chassis battery because I was curious. The radio continued to die and restart. I found this quite weird given the radio should have been running solely off the chassis battery at that point, the house batteries being turned off via the master switch. After driving home with no radio, then fully recharging the house batteries via shore power - the radio seems happy again.... very weird.

...

Had this issue with our Challenger when it was new. The radio was replaced and the issue started again mid way through our next trip. It was two consecutive bad radios from Axxerra. With the second replacement they had to send a newer model because they no longer made the original.

When we initially report the problem the dealers tech hooked up a bunch of meters and drove the coach over 25 miles over rough surfaces and even though the radio shutoff the electrical connections tested good. It took a couple trips before the dealer realized they could not duplicate the problem unless they drove the coach. That dealer was 130 miles from the house.

Bottom line is don't assume the issue is with the wiring or batteries. The issue could be with your radio itself.

[drmike961]

This may have already been discussed but 6 volt golf cart batteries will not fit in the tray under the 24B steps. I tried to swap mine from my old trailer and they are too tall.

[RetiredOne]

Originally Posted by MRichaud

Good stuff - thanks! Is that diagram applicable across Jayco models?

Mickey

Probably not, this was directly for my rig. If you send a really nice email to Jayco with your serial number, they will email you the diagram for your rig.

[alazear]

Bottom line is don't assume the issue is with the wiring or batteries. The issue could be with your radio itself.

Yes, I agree. I'm suspicious of the radio in general as it's a Soundstream, but for now I'm putting up with its quirks, of which it has more than a few. I already upgraded the door speakers, which made it sound quite a bit better, but the interface is still pretty clunky. If it continues to give me trouble when the batteries are fully charged I'll look to it as the culprit. It would start cutting out and restarting within the first song, so less than 3 minutes. The condition of the road was good at the time, so I don't think it was vibration related in this case. I still think it had to do with me draining the batteries in this case, but I could be wrong. It seems to be happy for moment.

This may have already been discussed but 6 volt golf cart batteries will not fit in the tray under the 24B steps. I tried to swap mine from my old trailer and they are too tall.

Thanks for this as I was considering going the 6 volt way. Now I won't even consider it, if they don't fit under the step. However, if I really want to go with 6 volt batteries, lowering the steel tray doesn't look too bad to make room, since I can cut the old tray out and weld it in lower or construct a new one pretty quickly if needed. If I upgrade batteries, I guess AGM might be the next step up. Anyone know if our stock electrical converter in the 24B handles charging AGM batteries? I'm not sure if there is a difference or not?

Maybe the charging system ISN'T charging the coach batteries, so the low voltage kept making the radio shut off. Or, maybe you have a bad or shorted battery, that won't take a charge. That might be why your coach battery juice doesn't last.

I ran the coach batteries down badly, into the 10v range somewhere, which is next to dead. When I got home, I charged them up fully via shore power. Then, yesterday I wondered how much damage I did running them so low, so I pulled them both out, took them to AutoZone and had them each load tested. They both came back fine and charged well. So, I MAY have dodged a bullet there? We'll see.

Have you put a voltmeter on the coach batteries to see what the static voltage is and taken a reading, then start the engine, and see if the voltage goes up when the alternator is running? Also, have you put a load test on each coach battery to see how they react to a load?

I'll get my volt meter and out today and see what readings I'm getting with the engine off vs. the engine running.

[alazear]

Just did a static reading on the batteries and a second reading with the alternator running and it did not go up. I'm puzzled now.

[alazear]

Also, anyone know how to stay logged in on this site without getting timed out and having to relog in all the time due to being timed out?

[alazear]

Found the problem:

Coach Batteries show no increased voltage when the alternator is running vs. not running. They show an increased voltage when the generator is running and also when plugged into shore power. I do not believe they are being charged when the rig is running. Doesn't matter what position the red light button is in. Same scenario.

Humm where to look first?

[JimD]

There should be a relay (or solenoid) under your hood that energizes when the ignition is turned on. Look for something screwed to the firewall area that has 2 semi-heavy cables connected to it. The one in my Greyhawk failed and I had to replace it. Not a big deal.

I installed an old style solenoid to replace whatever they had in there. Works like a champ. Used one of these in my old camper for many years.

[TaftCoach]

"Nanny" features are an interesting subject. In this case having a slide open up by accident while driving down the road might be a problem and not a feature. Checking to see if the vehicle is in gear might be more expensive than checking to see if the engine is running.

Then we have the design ideal of being "fool proof". For every knowledgeable customer like the folks here there are probably dozens who desire to not have to worry about accidentally doing something wrong. A "fool proof" design would sell better than I "I control it" design. Apple seemed to ride that wave successfully over the PC crowds in the 90s and it still sells today.

[alazear]

There should be a relay (or solenoid) under your hood that energizes when the ignition is turned on. Look for something screwed to the firewall area that has 2 semi-heavy cables connected to it. The one in my Greyhawk failed and I had to replace it. Not a big deal.

I installed an old style solenoid to replace whatever they had in there. Works like a champ. Used one of these in my old camper for many years.

Hi Jim D,
I believe I found the solenoid, but it says "coil" on it as well as a bunch of part numbers. When I measure voltage on one of the semi-heavy duty terminals with the engine running, I get 14.2 volts. That's the side connected to the main fuse box in the engine compartment. However, when I measure the other raw (no wire attached) semi-heavy duty terminal that looks like it connects to the rest of the coach part of the rig, it reads 0.0 volts with the car engine running. If I connect the coach wire that goes to the 0.0 volt terminal, it reads the same 13.0 v. whether the car is off or on. It seems to me that this is probably my dead part that is failing to charge the coach batteries?

[alazear]

Below is what I believe is my exact coil. On one main terminal I get 14.2 v. with the engine running. On the other main terminal I get 0.0 volts with the engine running.

https://www.grainger.com/product/WHI...Solenoid-6C017

[JimD]

There will be 2 heavy wires connected to the thing. One heavy wire should go to the chassis battery system (may connect to battery, alternator, junction block or where ever) and the other heavy wire should go to the house battery system (probably to the battery itself).

The 2 small wire connections are used to energize the big relay. When the thing is energized it will connect both big terminals that the heavy wires are connected to together just as if you touched the wires together. The 2 small wires will consist of a ground connection on one wire and switched 12 volts on the other. Switched 12 volts means it has 12 volts on it when the ignition is energized.

Most likely you should be able to hear a click when it engages. To troubleshoot there are a number of things you can check with a voltmeter. All measurements are to chassis ground.

1. Measure each large wire connection without energizing the relay. There should be battery voltage on each side because one lead connects to the chassis battery and the other lead goes to the house battery. The voltage measurements most likely will read different. If one is missing you should trace where the cable goes. The one going to the house battery may be fused. I think mine may have a fuse on the firewall for that cable feed.

2. Energize the relay. This should connect the 2 studs together so what you measure on one side will be the same as the other side. If there is nothing on one side then either the relay is bad or it is not energizing.

3. Measure across the 2 small leads and engage the ignition. You should read 12 volts which is used to "turn on" the relay. If nothing is there then you would need to trace that part of the equation.

These relays are nothing magical (unless you have a fancy bi-directional version). Look for a model number printed on the relay so you can search for what it is.

[RetiredOne]

Originally Posted by alazear

Also, anyone know how to stay logged in on this site without getting timed out and having to relog in all the time due to being timed out?

When you sign in, there should be a small box marked "remember me". Check that box, and you'll stay logged in.

[RetiredOne]

Originally Posted by alazear

Hi Jim D,
I believe I found the solenoid, but it says "coil" on it as well as a bunch of part numbers. When I measure voltage on one of the semi-heavy duty terminals with the engine running, I get 14.2 volts. That's the side connected to the main fuse box in the engine compartment. However, when I measure the other raw (no wire attached) semi-heavy duty terminal that looks like it connects to the rest of the coach part of the rig, it reads 0.0 volts with the car engine running. If I connect the coach wire that goes to the 0.0 volt terminal, it reads the same 13.0 v. whether the car is off or on. It seems to me that this is probably my dead part that is failing to charge the coach batteries?

I just went and checked mine on my rig. With nothing turned on and red switch off, I get chassis battery voltage (currently 12.4) on the bottom screw (coming off the fuse panel). On the top screw, I'm getting coach battery voltage (currently 12.7). The small orange wire on #3 is zero volts.

When I start the rig, I get 14.2 volts on both terminals, and the orange wire goes up to 14 volts, which must be the power to the relay.

[alazear]

This a picture of mine and how it's wired. I temporarily unmounted it for better viewing. It is a 3 pole, so I'm not sure how it's powered up or where the ground to chassis is?

Large Bottom Pole: The large bottom pole has 14.2 v. running with the engine. That pole has two wires attached to the same pole [large black + medium sized red wires], it connects to the main engine fuse box with the large black wire. The red wire goes into the red covered junction box you also see pictured.

Large Top Pole: The large top pole is not energized when the engine is on and I remove it's wire to test to see if it's getting current, no current at all there. When the wire is attached to that pole it always reads the same as the coach batteries, engine on or off - no change @ 13.0 v. or whatever the batteries are currently reading.

Very Top Smaller Pole: The very top smaller pole is attached with an orange wire. It reads 14.2 v. with the car running, 0 with the car off.

I don't see a ground connection to this thing at all.

[alazear]

Given what you just said [I was typing at the time], I'm sure mine is bad.

[RetiredOne]

That's exactly how mine is. The red box to the side is a re-setable inline fuse I believe. The relay is grounded when it's mounted. The orange wire is the signal to the relay, to send engine voltage to the top post (and to the coach batteries).

When you start the engine, do you see the same voltage (14 volts) at BOTH of the posts on the relay?

[RetiredOne]

Originally Posted by alazear

Given what you just said [I was typing at the time], I'm sure mine is bad.

I just re-read what you posted. You're not getting 14+ volts to the top post when the engine is running, even when you get 14 volts on the orange wire. It certainly sounds like a bad relay.