Coach Batteries - 87 Chieftain - Is there a fuse?

[dlkilgore]

I am unable to get power when operating on coach batteries. Previously, I had no problem. When I disconnected the electricity, it would switch to coach batteries automatically. Now, it doesn't work. I had the batteries checked and they were very strong. Is there a fuse that may have blown? I have checked the fuses located under the refrigerator, but all are okay. These are identified for lights and power panel. When I set the switch to Dual to run off of engine battery, everything works fine. Again, when I set the switch for Aux. Batteries, nothing will work. Any suggestions?

[ClydesdaleKevin]

Your battery relay switch might be bad.  It will be in the battery compartment and look like the Lost In Space robot, with lots of wires coming off of it.  Its a cheap part.

Its also possible your converter is sticking...ours did that for a while after we stayed at a campground with very low power...it slightly fried the relay in the converter that switches automatically from shore to battery power.  I had to tap it lightly to get it to switch the first couple of times, and its been good ever since.  That was 2 years ago now and its still going strong.

Its got to be one of the two.

Kev

[DaveVA78Chieftain]

By 87 I believe they were no longer using a battery relay switch in the controller panel. Like a home well water system, the house battery acts as a "pressure tank".  The converter, connects directly to the battery and does both charging and supply when connected to 110VAC.  So, in this design the house battery is always connected whether on 110AC or not.  Analogy: think in terms of automotive alternator system design such that battery is always there but the alternator supplies the loads when engine is running.   In this design, if house battery is dead, if you select DUAL, you tap into the chassis battery.  Problem is, you said the "house battery" is ok.  Sure they didn't check the chassis battery instead?

If you still have a battery relay (old 70's era design),   then the relay would still have to transfer for even the MOM DUAL position to work (unless PO rewired things).   Do you have a "battery cutoff" switch that you forgot about?

Sorry if this may seem a bit confusing however your description has conflicts for either a old (70's) or new (80's and later) design.

Information related to 70's era design:
http://www.progressivedyn.com/service_discontinued/discontinued_prod_basic_operation.html



Dave