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Forum
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RE: Winnebago Sightseer purchase (?)
We have the 30B 8.1 workhorse chassis and love it. It handles extremely well but the width took a few miles to get used to. Nice wide track. The 30B is basically the same model, the rear does not slide because they just stretched the coach a tad.
I would like to have dual pane windows.
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YC 1
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08/19/08 09:10pm |
Class A Motorhomes
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RE: 12v Amp draw explanation - need some electrical knowledge
I think your biggest problem is the use of the meter.
If I understand you correctly you stated your 10 amp fuse is blown in the meter ? I can understand why with the way you are describing the use of the meter.
You cannot put an ammeter across a load. You will blow the internal protection fuse.
The lower scales may be protected by their design.
Here is how you should be using the meter when trying to measure amps. Visualize two garden hoses connected to a sprinkler. You would like to measure how much flow/current is running through the hoses. To make that measurement you need to seperate the hoses and place a meter inline with the hose so water flows through it in series.
To use the meter as a voltmeter and not an amp meter you need to do exactly as you describe and measure across the terminals.
Another way to use the ammeter is to simply remove the fuse from the circuit you would like to measure and use the meter to replace the fuse by placing your probes into the fuse socket.
That ten amp fuse in the meter is to protect the meter from over current which can damage or destroy it. Sometimes finding a replacement fuse is difficult but Radio Shack may have the right physical size one.
YC 1, yes the 10 amp fuse in the meter is blown from a previous flub when I attempted to measure more than I should have.
I'm trying to understand you sprinkler explanation but I might be too dense. I think I did have my meter in-line as you are suggesting. I took the positive battery cable off, then clipped one side of the meter to the positve battery terminal, and clipped the other side of the meter to the battery cable I just removed from the positive terminal - effectively placing it inline and running all current accross it. Did I do this right?
I never thought of just testing accross the fuse socket. That would have saved some time going back and forth from the battery to the electric panel a dozen times!
Yep, you have it. Sorry my splaining wasnt't clearer. By disconnecting the two hoses that feed the sprinkler/ (the sprinkler is the load/ligght etc), you would place the meter with one lead to one hose and one lead to the other hose thus placing the meter in series with the load. Just as you have done by removing the battery leads.
Now after re-reading your post for the third of fourth time it is obvious your were working correctly and found the big culprit draw. Others have offered calculations and I will go find some fresh meds now.
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YC 1
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08/19/08 09:06pm |
Tech Issues
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RE: why can't back up with a toad
Try this if you only have to back up just a few feet....Have the copilot steer the MH, then you get in the toad and "pull" the MH in reverse. This will work if the toad has the power.
I have pulled the Journey backwards this way with the Cherokee.
That is a great idea. I hope I remember that trick.
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YC 1
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08/19/08 08:31pm |
Class C Motorhomes
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RE: 12v Amp draw explanation - need some electrical knowledge
I think your biggest problem is the use of the meter.
If I understand you correctly you stated your 10 amp fuse is blown in the meter ? I can understand why with the way you are describing the use of the meter.
You cannot put an ammeter across a load. You will blow the internal protection fuse.
The lower scales may be protected by their design.
Here is how you should be using the meter when trying to measure amps. Visualize two garden hoses connected to a sprinkler. You would like to measure how much flow/current is running through the hoses. To make that measurement you need to seperate the hoses and place a meter inline with the hose so water flows through it in series.
To use the meter as a voltmeter and not an amp meter you need to do exactly as you describe and measure across the terminals.
Another way to use the ammeter is to simply remove the fuse from the circuit you would like to measure and use the meter to replace the fuse by placing your probes into the fuse socket.
That ten amp fuse in the meter is to protect the meter from over current which can damage or destroy it. Sometimes finding a replacement fuse is difficult but Radio Shack may have the right physical size one.
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YC 1
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08/19/08 08:27pm |
Tech Issues
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RE: Chevy engine vs V-10
I have owned both. Currently driving the 8.1 chevy. Both are very strong engines. Can't say I prefer one over the other. I have a 31 ft A and pull a very heavy Bass boat or a Hummer 3 with no problem at all. Passes everything except a gas station.
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YC 1
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08/19/08 08:18pm |
General RVing Issues
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RE: no 12v electrical power
this TT is only 8 months old , has had one trip of 6700 miles, will check water levals and get back with the findings, don't understand "converter unplugged response" check owners manual and it doesn't say anything about that. where does it plug in?
If it works on generator or 110 volts the converter is plugged in because it produces the 12 volts you are using to run lights and things. As for the battery, without a voltmeter or test light you will not know if it is being charged. If it is being charged that eliminates a bad electrical path and you simply have a sick battery. Not at all uncommon no matter what the age of the battery. I have seen them bad in less than a month.
If you are not comfortable with a voltmeter at least buy a 12 volt automotive test light. It is a light bulb in the handle of a sharp poker. Clip across the battery without shoreline power or generator and check the brightness. Then have someone plug in or have them start the generator. If the light gets brighter you at least have a good electrical path and then need to do some battery analysis. Such as replacing it or having it tested locally.
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YC 1
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08/17/08 08:40am |
Travel Trailers
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RE: Woodalls Portal down ?
Just resolved the issue. I have had problems with certain sites at my office using the same internet provider. I can seem to go anywhere except two main sites. The cure is re-booting the modem. I just did that here at home, since I have the same provider, and it now works. Re-booting the computer never cures the issue.
Hopefully someone here can splain why the internet provider, Comcast, is picking on just certain sites. This is the first time I have experienced the problem at home. Yesterday at the office the DSL was not working for any sites and I plugged into my backup AT&T DSL.
If none of those would have worked I have a Sprint card and router so I have plenty of backup.
Thanks for any suggestions.
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YC 1
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08/15/08 06:08am |
Forum Technical Support
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Woodalls Portal down ?
This topic has been moved to another forum.
You can read it here: 21778351
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YC 1
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08/14/08 07:14pm |
Tech Issues
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Woodalls Portal down ?
Haven't been able to access through the Woodalls site for a couple of days. Got here through the RV.net site. Anyone else having problems ?
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YC 1
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08/14/08 07:14pm |
Forum Technical Support
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RE: Electric/12 Volt Question
I would keep a battery installed. There are many electronic boards used (refrigerator, furnace, water heater, control panel) and the battery will actually work like a surge arrestor to protect them from voltage spikes.
Ditto !
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YC 1
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08/14/08 06:57pm |
Travel Trailers
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RE: alternator question
Ok guys here is some more info. Chassis battery with MH running is at 13.62v. Both house batteries are 6.74. Tonight I started her up and she was running and charging great. Did so for about 5 min then voltage went down to 9.62 at the battery for a few seconds then went back to 13.62. Engine kept running the whole time. I checked the voltage of the relays for the battery disconnects. The chassis relay read 0 while alt was charging and when it would quit charging the voltage went to 12.80. I could hear and feel the relay clicking. The relay got very hot almost too hot to touch. For some reason it was doing much better today than when I originally posted. But the relays click and then the voltage goes down to about 10v. not 0 as it was at first. The only thing i did was to operate the disconnect switches in the coach several times. when it is charging right i can rock the house batt disconnect switches and hear it click when it stops charging right it won't click when rocking it.
Anyway what i am asking is Should the relays get to hot to touch? These relays are by the solenoid valves under the hood. Does anyone know of a good way to check the relays. I am beginning to think that my problem may lie somewhere between the disconnect switches in the coach and the relays under the hood.
Maybe you guys can shed some more light on this for me.
Thanks
Dan B
The relays should not get to hot to touch. An easy approach to determine if the relay is bad is to first disconnect you negative battery terminal, then disconnect the relay wires, the big ones that is, and then stack them together so the relay is not in the circuit anymore. You could build your own bypass jumper if this is difficult and just add a temporary nut to hold them.
I'm doing this with no visual of your solenoids so your mileage may vary on how to bypass the them.
I am very curious about that voltage reading across the battery of 9 volts for a few seconds. Only a couple of things could cause this. One is a cell shorting out and the other which could produce some massive smoke and fire would be a serious short in the electrical somewhere.
As you are doing any test you need to have a fire extinguisher and a set of bolt cutters or a serious set of wire cutters handy. If you have a serious short and manage to get it to stay shorted you could end up in a dangerous situation in just an instant. Batteries and the power they can supply is phenominal. Keep the cutters very handy and if needed be prepared to cut the negative lead of the battery off.
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YC 1
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08/13/08 07:21pm |
Class A Motorhomes
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RE: alternator question
It will start and charge and run great for a few mins. Then it will quit charging and the engine will go dead. It is as if all electicity is cut off to the engine. It will then start right back up and charge and run great for a few mins. again before doing the same thing again. I have always been a shade tree mechanic, just know about enough to get me in trouble. LOL.
There must be something that I am missing.
Thanks
Dan B
Since the engine is going dead you are losing the voltage to your ignition system. Turn on your headlights and tell me if they go dead when your engine dies. Some main supply line is opening up. You do not have an alternator problem.
I would like to cite just one incredibly strange problem a couple of years ago. A cutomer parked in our lot, engine would not start, we jump started her. As soon as she put vehicle in gear the engine would die. We charged her battery for a few minutes and jump started her again. As soon as the vehicle was put in gear and a bit of load on the system was placed. It would die instantly. Now I have been doing this type of thing for 30 years and have only seen this once.
We grabbed an old battery, because it was handy, replaced her battery with it, started it, and off she went. I cannot figure out what the issue was with her battery.
On one other situation 25 years ago, a BMW, exactly 20 minutes with any load on the battery, as little as 1 amp, and the voltage would drop to 8.5 volts. You could set your watch by it.
So, just in case. You might want to swap the battery out for a quick test.
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YC 1
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08/12/08 07:56pm |
Class A Motorhomes
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RE: Electrical Question
If I don't hook up the yellow wire the radio doesn't even turn on let alone work. If I hook both the yellow and red wires together then hook them to my jeep battery they still only show 12.6 volt. Why does the voltage go up in my camper. Only 12.6 volt comming in till I hook up the yellow memory wire. WHY?
The why is because you are likely looking at unfiltered DC. The peak to peak voltage is hammering your equipment. Your meter is seeing what your radio does not like. I won't try to go into power supply design 101 at this point. You need a battery to filter the ripple of the supply down to the correct level. Even a small lawn tractor battery would do the job. This said, you should consider at least a 12 volt deep cycle battery so you have lights when not connected to anything.
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YC 1
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08/12/08 06:35pm |
Tech Issues
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RE: Campground Videos
As said somewhere, mega dittos. Excellent idea. Thanks.
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YC 1
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08/12/08 06:24pm |
Campgrounds, Resorts and Attractions
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RE: alternator question
What do you mean by "the batteries ran down"?
Are you saying the batteries ran down in a few minutes ???
A fully charged good condition battery will not run down in a few minutes. I have seen all kinds of crazy situations with 30 years of working with car batteries. More information is needed.
I would want to know what the voltage is across your engine battery with the vehicle running, and when the situation happens what is the voltage across the battery. Measure from the center of the post to the center of the other post. Dig hard.
If your charging guage is an ammeter, and I suspect it is, you might just have a loose connection on or around the meter. You might have an inline thermal breaker that has gone to the electron gods and needs to be replaced somewhere along the line too.
So I think we need to play 20 questions here to sort it out.
Be patient.
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YC 1
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08/12/08 05:57pm |
Class A Motorhomes
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RE: Quiet Furnace?
I ordered some sound dampening material but probably won't be able to get the furnace to turn on to test it. The 100 degree heat just keeps on coming. It's a dry heat, then so is fire. I can't wait to retire.
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YC 1
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08/12/08 05:47pm |
Class B - Camping Van Conversions
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RE: Handy Hints, Gadgets, Products & Gizmos
I keep three plastic bus trays handy. When you empty the refrigerator at home you can make a couple of quick hauls. While camping it is much easier to haul all the stuff out to the table for cooking and will hold a ton of stuff.
One of my long but not tall storage areas was very difficult to use so I tied a small rope onto a bus tray, filled it, filled another one and used the one without the string to push the two into place. To get to it I simply remove the first bus tray and then pull the little rope.
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YC 1
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08/12/08 05:44pm |
General RVing Issues
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RE: RV Air Conditioners
I don't have the link but somebody in the last three weeks had a great set of pictures on how to clean the coils. My unit is three years old now and was not keeping up well with the severe heat so I decided to attempt the procedure. It was easy enough and I was amazed at how much dirt had accumulated. The AC seems to be running better now and the air is very cold coming out.
The procedure called for removing the plastic shroud, then a metal cover over the one set of coils. I then duct taped the opening into the RV shut so no water would enter. Some gentle degreaser sprayed into the coils and left for 15 minutes and the dirt that came off was amazing.
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YC 1
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08/11/08 02:39pm |
Tech Issues
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RE: electric shock
We never repair our cords at work we always cut them up and throw them away. too much of a possibility of getting the new ends wired wrong and then you have a liablity problem if some one else gets hurt. It can get a lot more expensive than just buying a new cord.
I own an electronics company and relying on a damaged extension cord is $ foolish for safety. When I find a bad cord I do indeed cut the ends off immediately if I can't get it to the trash bin right away.
Since the person reporting the issue did not know for sure the cause of the problem, but knew the ground lead was cut, I would be uneasy he might make a deadly mistake replacing the end himself. Extension cords are cheap, Osha reports are not.
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YC 1
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08/11/08 02:29pm |
Class A Motorhomes
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RE: Need toilet that "flushes" better!
On one of the RV shows they suggested using one of those Super Soaker squirt guns. Very effective I bet. I find the sprayer wand works fairly well but would like to have it on a seperate valve some how.
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YC 1
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08/10/08 12:37pm |
Class C Motorhomes
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