brianseay1
Bridgeport, Ala USA
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I have a 1997 Damon Challenger motorhome. My problem is that I cannot find the disconnect switch for the batteries. I left home on sunday evening and the batteries were fine. We have been at the campground and hooked up to shore power since our arrival. Now the batteries are as dead as a door nail. My lp gas detector started beeping for no apparent reason and folks on here told me that could be from weak batteries. I had been checking my levels and noticed the batteries were declining. Now they are completely dead. I thought being on shore power would recharge them. If some one could tell me where to find my disconnect switch i would appreciate it. I have looked everywhere and cannot find it. Thanks for any info you folks can give me.
Brian & Neena
2007 Coachmen Cross Country 389DS
300 HP Cummins Turbo Charged
03 Sahara Jeep Wrangler & 05 Harley Davidson Ultra Classic
Roll Tide Roll
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wa8yxm
Wherever I happen to park
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ON my 2005 INtruder the disconnect is marked USE/STORE and is on the side of the entrance stairwell, Just below the switches for the porch light and step lock
Intruder and Challanger have the same owner's manual
The actual switch is under the hood (That's a remote button)
Nothin adds excitment like something that is none of your business
Kenwood TS-2000 housed in a 2005 Damon Intruder 377
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ejforwood
Littleton (Denver) Colorado
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Sounds like you have a bad converter.
Jerry, Dottie & Chan, "the little furry one"
98 Bounder 34V, 99 F-53 Ford V10 chassis
06 Saturn VUE 4I
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tomlang
Los Angeles area
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I had a 1988 Winnebago, and your newer coach might have a similar arrangement.
The disconnect relay/solenoid was located on a bulkhead right behind the house batteries. Just follow the positive wire from the battery post. The relay was controlled by a switch on the dash.
The converter had two sections, one to charge the batteries and one to provide "unfiltered" 12 volts to motors and lights (electronics were connected to the "filtered" circuit, which was really the battery).
The converter/charger had a bad habit of overcharging the batteries, causing them to boil dry and self-destruct unless I kept right on top of the electrolyte levels.
Tom and Lynne
Tom is an Electronics Engineer, Lynne a retired teacher.
2003 Foretravel 38' U295
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brianseay1
Bridgeport, Ala USA
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Started my engine and let it run for a couple of minutes and the battery level went from 0 to full charge. That only lasted a few minutes. they are slowly draining back down. They will not start the generator. What is a sign of the converter going bad? everything works fine on shore power, no problems at all. just can't figure out what would have drained the batteries while being hooked up. Does not make any sense to me......
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tomlang
Los Angeles area
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The batteries might be toast.
If the converter/charger continually overcharged the batteries while on shore power, they could very well be damaged beyond repair. Put a voltmeter on the battery terminals while on the charger and again after resting without load for a while to see how healthy or not the charger and batteries are.
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californiatraveler
Goleta,Ca 93117
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Check the electrolite (water) level of ALL the cells in all your batteries.Yes, then a digital voltmeter check. Remember, there are some things in your RV that draw a small ammount of current even when "off". Check circuit breakers and maby a fuse for the convertor, input and output sides.
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wa8yxm
Wherever I happen to park
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Re: Starting for a few minutes..... What you saw is normal within one minute of starting the engine the isolator solenoid closed and your battery condition meter read the chassis system, When you shut off it went back to the house batteries/converter.
You have not posted enough to tell if the converter even exists, let alone is bad.
First... Find your battery disconnect.. As I said, on my Intruder, (Intruder and Challanger have the SAME owner's manual) it's in the stair well, on the left, below the switches for the compartment lights, step lock porch light and one other (Ceiling lights) THere is a panel with a digital volt meter display, a switch that activates the meter when pressed and a USE/STORE swich, that's the one you want, when you operate the USE/STORE you should hear a loud CLUNK from the area of the engine compartment. (NOTE STORY at end of this post)
Make sure it is in the USE position, it will have a light on it, should be on if you are NOT plugged into shore power (ALso if you are)
TO test the converter plug in and press STORE, if the light is on, converter works. Light off.. You MAY have a problem. .More testing is needed.
NOTE: My converter "Failed" due to a tripped circuit breaker (120 volt) I re-set the breaker and all was good with the PD-9180+Wizard
Story: ON my last trip to Las Vegas I hit STORE as I pulled up to the propane pump.. Pulled away and hit USE.. NO CLUNK and no 12vdc
Blasted switch needed cleaning
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brianseay1
Bridgeport, Ala USA
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From: wa8yxm
Sent: 07/05/09 11:17am
Subject: RE: dead batteries
Well.... The As I said, the manual is your friend.. Model to Model and year to year variations do exist. Mine is an 2005 Intruder 377W
Do me a favor.. Open the hood.. See if there is a big black box with a few very heavy wires (about a quarter inch diamater) running to it. If so I'd like to know what is printed on the cover.
Also, on the bottom of said box there MAY be a pair of POST type 'Push to reset' circuit breakers.. Please push up on the posts, HARD and release, both of them, if they are there (They do not exist on my unit)
-----Original Message-----
From: wa8yxm
Sent: 07/07/09 01:07pm
Subject: RE: dead batteries
As I recall the name of the company that made the battery control center on my unit was molded in the plastic big letters, not on a sticker (Been a while since I looked)
All I can suggest is you contact DAMON with your VIN and ask them where the switches are.. As I said, mine are in the stair well, sometimes they put 'em on the dash, sometimes they are on a panel somewhere inside the "house" part.
The only time I turn mine off is when either re-filling the propane or servicing the batteries themselves.
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-----Original Message-----
From: brianseay1
Sent: 07/06/09 05:58pm
Subject: RE: dead batteries
I do have the big black box underneath the hood. It has a small sticker on it but it is not legdgeable. It has the barrtey cables going into it. My batteries are still fully charged and it is not plugged into any power. I am really at a loss figuring this one out. I felt along the bottom of the box for any reset post, theres not any that I can find.
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-----Original Message-----
From: brianseay1
Sent: 07/05/09 09:37pm
Subject: RE: dead batteries
We came home today, I started the motorhome with no problem this morning. But the coach batteries were dead. After starting up, I drove about a mile and for the heck of it tried the generator. It started up with no problem, the batteries were showing full charge. I drove the 125 mile back to the house, shut everything down and unloaded the motorhome. After it set for about half an hour the Batteries still showed full charge. The other day after starting the engine it done the same thing except the full charge only lasted about 15 minutes or so. I hecked them a little while ago and it still was showing full charge. I looked in my owners manual, and it says there should be a switch on the "riser wall on the drivers side". I have yet to find one. What is the "riser wall"? I am going to do some more looking tomorrow and I will get back with you on this. Thanks for your time and help.
Brian
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brianseay1
Bridgeport, Ala USA
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Still not sure what the Riser wall is, but my batteries are still fully charged and it is not hooked up on shore power. Not really sure what was going on with them. If anyone has any other suggestions please let me know. Thanks
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