Dash Voltage Meter/Switch not working

Jonbbrew · May 14, 2016, 10:39 PM

Hello all,

Working on the "to do list" little by little....

Volt meter not working and batteries are good. Is this to work anytime you push the switch or does any power, gen etc need to be on?

Also, anyone have a wiring schematic for this switch/meter?

Elandan2 · May 15, 2016, 07:21 AM

On ours, the volt meter will indicate the voltage for the "house" batteries when the "aux" side of the switch is pushed. The Chassis battery or "main" side of the switch only works when the ignition is on. Rick

jeno · May 15, 2016, 12:10 PM

Yes same with mine.

Jonbbrew · May 15, 2016, 12:42 PM

Thanks all...Any wiring diagrams for this area? Looking but cant find any. Hoping its just a bad or misswired wire and not a switch or meter problem. Want to keep dash original.

Thanks.

87Itasca · May 16, 2016, 08:52 AM

I wish mine worked as well. I had it working a couple times on the chassis side, then it hasn't worked since. Not sure if I'm using it wrong, or if the problem lies in the wiring, vs. user error.

Jonbbrew · May 16, 2016, 01:31 PM

Quote from: 87Itasca on May 16, 2016, 08:52 AM
I wish mine worked as well. I had it working a couple times on the chassis side, then it hasn't worked since. Not sure if I'm using it wrong, or if the problem lies in the wiring, vs. user error.

Yes I hope someone has a wiring diagram for it

DaveVA78Chieftain · May 16, 2016, 07:46 PM

Functional setup

I doubt you will find a actual Winnebago wiring diagram

Jonbbrew · May 16, 2016, 09:36 PM

Of course Dave comes through!Thanks Dave!

Rickf1985 · May 16, 2016, 09:40 PM

Dave always comes through.

M & J · May 16, 2016, 09:42 PM

That's why we call him Super Dave.

Jonbbrew · May 16, 2016, 11:51 PM

Well, I just looked... No wire to the center post so I assume I should start there and trace back to dash switches. Some people and their work....geez

Jonbbrew · May 18, 2016, 12:16 AM

Ok so....

My son and i looked behind the dash to trace some wires. Looked all complete, but have no idea if the switches/meter works. Looked in the battery bay and found two cut wires and these other blocks that were wired instead of the right side of the solenoid.

Any ideas what these other blocks are and why they would have used them instead of the regular wiring?

Any reason i couldn't disconnect them and hook up to the solenoid per the diagram?

New solenoid needed maybe? Worth the investment either way?

Help!!!! i?? i?? i?? i??

Jupp318 · May 18, 2016, 08:40 AM

I do get suspicious when I see a Red wire getting grounded. Do you have batteries with 2 red wires instead of a Red & a Black? if you do it would be an idea to put black tape around the Red wire at either end to denote a negative connection. Without that it is difficult to see what you are looking at in the picture.
Cheers Ian...

Elandan2 · May 18, 2016, 09:14 AM

The small blocks on the right are circuit breakers. They come in many different amperage ratings. From the looks of the solenoid, it appears that it has been bypassed by hooking up all the wires on the same post and disconnecting the small wire to control the solenoid. There should be wires connected to both large posts. The positive lead from the chassis battery on one side and the positive lead from the coach battery on the other. Then those should have the appropriate leads connected to serve either the chassis or coach. Unfortunately, I can't make those great drawings that Dave makes. Rick

Jonbbrew · May 18, 2016, 10:03 AM

I think what's going on here is similar to this post. I know the PO installed a battery isolator inthe front grill so finding this post makes me think...

In order to install an isolator, you lose functionality of the Duel batt switch which also takes out the voltage meter ability. Is my deductive reasonings correct? Is there a way around this or white makes the battery isolator more important of an upgrade than being able to dual the batts or check voltage on the batts?

Rickf1985 · May 18, 2016, 10:32 AM

The voltage meter is only telling you the voltage of a battery from the positive terminal to ground, that is all it does. It changes nothing in the system. All you need is a wire from the positive terminal of the coach batteries over to the appropriate side of your meter switch. The same for the chassis battery to that side of the meter switch. You can add these wires in and disconnect any other wires from the battery condition switch. One from the coach batteries, one from the chassis battery and one to ground is all that is needed.

As far as the dual/ mom switch, that is another story completely.

Jonbbrew · May 18, 2016, 11:17 AM

Quote from: Rickf1985 on May 18, 2016, 10:32 AM
The voltage meter is only telling you the voltage of a battery from the positive terminal to ground, that is all it does. It changes nothing in the system. All you need is a wire from the positive terminal of the coach batteries over to the appropriate side of your meter switch. The same for the chassis battery to that side of the meter switch. You can add these wires in and disconnect any other wires from the battery condition switch. One from the coach batteries, one from the chassis battery and one to ground is all that is needed.

As far as the dual/ mom switch, that is another story completely.

Gotcha...can do that. So do you know if the dual/Monmouth switch is out if a isolator is in?

Rickf1985 · May 18, 2016, 11:21 AM

It shouldn't be since the isolator is on the charging circuit and the momentary switch is on the main cables. I would have to see the diagram for the type of isolator that you have.

Rickf1985 · May 18, 2016, 11:23 AM

All the dual/mom switch does is connect all the batteries together, that should not affect the isolator other than to confuse it and show a full charge in all batteries which would tell it to disconnect.

Dave, any thoughts on this?

DaveVA78Chieftain · May 18, 2016, 07:25 PM

You guys like to make me think!

This is how a Diode Battery Isolator can be added.

Some 80's era Winnebagos had that setup however they did not have the DUAL position of the DUAL/NORM/MOM switch. Just NORM/MOM.
A Diode Battery Isolator uses high amp diodes (like in the alternator). Selecting DUAL or MOM shorts the outputs together but will not harm the diodes.
Unlike the DUAL or MOM position of the DUAL/NORM/MOM switch with constant current relay that short the two battery banks together, the diodes in the diode battery isolator isolate each battery bank from each other.

Rickf1985 · May 18, 2016, 07:42 PM

Dave, I don't know if you drew this one out but wouldn't it be a lot easier to tap into the battery solenoid on the chassis battery side for your battery meter and dual/momentary switch? A lot less wiring and thinking. And an eyelet connection.

DaveVA78Chieftain · May 18, 2016, 09:36 PM

Most all my drawings are functional diagrams intended to get across concepts. There are many ways to implement a concept. Most of the stuff I have done was done several years ago based on eyebrow Winne configurations that had the batteries and solenoids halfway back down the rig on the drivers side. 80's era P30 based rigs moved all this stuff up to either the front (under hood) or to the passenger side entry door area. Most times, the location of components determines how something is best implemented. All my drawings are done in MS Paint.

Jonbbrew · May 18, 2016, 11:04 PM

I think I can figure our the meter wiring as itsretty straight forward. I am getting confused on the isolator vs mom switch relationship.

Why would the PO dissable both of those features when an isolator is installed? Is that mandatory?

Rickf1985 · May 19, 2016, 10:06 AM

Without actually seeing your wiring in person I do not want to say why he would do it. I see no reason why he would but again, I am not there. It is possible that the relay just went bad and he bypassed it and just left it that way to get longer use from both batteries for the coach. Not a real good idea but it worked for him I guess. OR, maybe the isolator went bad and he did this to keep the coach battery charged?

Jonbbrew · May 19, 2016, 11:24 AM

Quote from: Rickf1985 on May 19, 2016, 10:06 AM
Without actually seeing your wiring in person I do not want to say why he would do it. I see no reason why he would but again, I am not there. It is possible that the relay just went bad and he bypassed it and just left it that way to get longer use from both batteries for the coach. Not a real good idea but it worked for him I guess. OR, maybe the isolator went bad and he did this to keep the coach battery charged?

Thanks...sorry. The isolator is in and working. I was referring to the volt meter and mom switch bing disengaged by not being connected to the solenoid on the right and center posts.

I have read in here that to put in a isolator you have to disengage those functions, so that is what I was confused about. Is doing that better? Isolator vs mom/voltmeter?

Looking at Dave's new diagram it would appear that I can have the good of both worlds.

I have basic wiring skills, but I don't like when things don't work so until I figure this one out it will weigh on my mind. Also want to ensure no fire potential.