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Posted by: BusNit
10-12-2022, 05:47 PM
Forum: Electrical
- Replies (4)

In my quest to identify what goes where and how for my upcoming Lithium house battery project, I found this doohickey. Looks like it would be powered on with another switch to cut off power to the inverter but I can't find said switch. Am I correct to think this is some sort of electric cut off switch? Top wire goes to inverter bottom tied wires go to separate battery banks for inverter. Ultimately, I need to figure out how to isolate house from engine since each will have its own battery chemistry. Also when I shut off Aux battery switch in electric panel of engine compartment, I still get power to inverter and said solenoid. Thought those would shut off but they don't. My digital voltmeter at dash does lose power.

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Posted by: BusNit
10-11-2022, 05:38 PM
Forum: Electrical
- Replies (23)

I began investigating my battery compartments. The one that's locked behind the right side rear wheels looks like crap. I am afraid to pull the battery slides out in case of shorting. I am not sure where these lead to. On the left rear engine compartment are two batteries that have the inverter battery temp monitor attached and on the right side engine compartment are another two batteries for what I believe are engine start. I would like to install 4 200amp LifePoe4 batteries in the baggage compartment and either repurpose the small existing battery compartment behind the right wheels for tools or such.

There is what appears to be a relay behind the wood cover next to the steering fluid reservoir. What's that for?

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Posted by: BusNit
10-11-2022, 03:28 PM
Forum: Electrical
- Replies (3)

My MS 2812 went kaput, passed away, flew the coop, died on arrival, crapped its bed... So I ordered a new MSH3012RV that can combine input powers to help prevent overloading. What I would like to do is install a crapload of Lithium house batteries. Not sure if I can charge both lithium house batteries and start batteries together since the start batteries are lead acid. Has anyone done this? What do I need to do. As it is now, I will install a dedicated inverter sub panel since I have 5 circuits tied together with no breaker that go to the inverter through a 10/3 SO cord. (Coach was built this way) The sub panel will allow me to separate the circuits, properly protect them and finally run a larger cable to the inverter since it can take 50amp input. The charging of the two chemistries is what I am befuddled, confogulated, mixed up, dazed and finally unedumacated with.

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Posted by: kaptain
10-11-2022, 02:25 PM
Forum: Electrical
- Replies (9)

It looks like I have some electrical problems with my coach 701. Currently, I am trying to investigate and resolve these issues:

1) The Xantrex Echo Charge does not appear to charge or maintain chassis batteries with shore power connected (the only LED blinks green).

2) The chassis batteries discharge around the 3 - 9 amp range when the shut-off switch is turned on (this is without touching the start switch or cranking the engine).

3)  The current draw does not appear to be stable flow but fluctuates on my Fluke 336 amp meter (large amp draw when chassis batteries are switched on, initially draws around 8-9amp, then gradually reduces to 3-5 amp. But the draw is consistent as long as the chassis battery switch is on, whether shore power is present or not. 

I am pretty much convinced this is not the Echo Charge device issue or hardware failure but a wiring issue, pre-existing since Marc Newman owned it.

These problems described here may have existed long since the previous owner of 701, Marc Newman, had this coach (guru forum user name: Yachts).

It's great that Marc left many threads in this forum. That allows me to get some history of my coach 701.

You may wonder how I determined the problem pre-existed a long time ago. 
Here  is the clue: 
http://newellgurus.com/showthread.php?ti...1#pid34261
http://newellgurus.com/showthread.php?ti...9#pid23099

My observations:

This coach had originally had a "Statpower ProSine 3000 Watt Inverter/Charger"; previous owner Mac Newman (@Yachts) replaced it with a "Xantrex Freedom SW 3012", probably sometime 2017.

How do I know?  
https://newellgurus.com/showthread.php?tid=3537
https://newellgurus.com/showthread.php?tid=3583
https://newellgurus.com/showthread.php?tid=3892

The picture taken just now confirmed this is the current Inverter/Charger. Model# FSW3012 FGA# 815-3012 DOM 16/MAY/2016.
   
   
   

Marc's post seems to show he replaced the generator at least once, and a quick conversation with Mark Newman: Newell had replaced the transfer switch on this 701 coach total of 8 times! Does this hint something else might be a problem (thus causing it to fail), or perhaps some wiring errors causing it, as I describe at below?
 
Stat with all circuit breakers at the off position. This is the only circuit breaker panel for AC I have found on this coach. 
Please comment and let me know the location if there is another AC 120/240v breaker panel. 
   

I have two (2) switches in the house battery bay, one marked "INVERTER", and another marked " AUXILLARY BATTERY".
The tops 3, and bottom 3 are grouped in parallel. 

Because measuring top and bottom battery groups always yield the same reading, I believe all 6 house batteries are connected in parallel.
Start testing, and measuring the house batteries, it reads at 13.0V
   
The chassis battery reads at 12.96V, with a shut-off switch at the OFF position.
   

In the wiring closet right under the hydraulic storage tank, where the Xantrex Echo Charge is located, there is a big terminal where two red, thick and several small thin wires connect together (marked as Q). The voltage reading here is 0 (shows 10mv to be exact, so negligible).
   

Now, I turn on shore power (external electrical panel 50amp circuit breaker). And turn on the battery switch for the inverter. Now the house battery voltage rises from 13.0v to 14.15v, meaning the Xantrex Freedom SW 3012 is now charging the house batteries.
   
Now, I turn on the chassis battery switch (engine bay), the clamp meter reads about 4.5 amp, and the voltage reading drops to 12.89 (from 12.96).
   

Now I go to the wiring closet under the hydraulic tank, the reading at the terminal Q changes from 0v to 12.17V
   

What puzzles me is this 12.17v reading. 
Looking at the Xantrex box, there is a LED blinking green. The manual says:

"When the input voltage is lower than 13.0/26.0 volts, the Digital echo~charge automatically switches OFF, and the indicator light blinks green."

.pdf Xantrex Digital echo-charge, 12-24 Volt 15 Amp.pdf Size: 629.34 KB  Downloads: 0


But my house battery is charging, and the voltage reads at 14.15v with shore power. This does not make sense.

So I started to check the wiring. It appears there the existing wiring is erroneous. 
   
   
   

There are three (3) wires coming out from the Echo Charge:
Black = to ground, Marked G
Red =  to Start Battery marked S0,  (i.e., Chassis Battery,  stained with some white to illustrate the path) 
Striped Red = to House Battery, marked H0
Both the S0 wire and H0 wire goes through a 20 amp fuse (both fuses are tested good), then become S1 and H1, respectively. 

S1 connects to Q, and H1 connects to MR (Merge Relay?). 
A thick red wire (marked as Q) connects the terminal MR. 
This means from the echo charge, the S0 and H0 are actually connected together! 

This looks like a wiring error to me. What do other gurus think?  Please share your thoughts.

Now here are my questions and request for help from fellow gurus:

1) Could you share a couple of photos of the wiring closet where your Xentrex Echo Charge is located? 

2) There is a switch (in the same closet as the Echo Charge is located) marked "Foreign". What does this switch control?
   
3)  In this same electrical wiring closet. I have 4 loose wire ends. Brown and Yellow wires are twisted together. 
     One is purple, and 4th one is a mixed color of red and yellow. 
     Do you have the same wire, and where these suppose to connect to? 
   

4) There are two battery disconnects in the house battery bay. One is marked "Auxillary Battery" what does this switch controls?

     It looks like when this switch is turned on, the Xentrex 3012 no longer charges the house battery, it actually starts to draw power from the battery.
     

5) There are two (2) thin/small wires connected to the chassis battery in the engine bay. Where do these two small wires connect to? 
   

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Posted by: BusNit
10-10-2022, 07:23 AM
Forum: Generators
- Replies (54)

Hi Everyone! We returned from a 3 week cross country trip but not without some issues. The main one besides the rather decent sized oil leak thats hard to find is the generator. It will sometimes start when using the switch in the coach and other times not. During the trip I figured out a way to start it by opening the slide and holding the solenoid in while cranking it. I did replace the solenoid before the trip being all proud that I figured out the solution. (Generator started as normal from inside the coach!) So is there a "Latching" relay that powers the solenoid? I do see one (automotive style) under the generator start/stop switch in the compartment. We had bought a small Predator generator as a backup and even tested it for 30 min outside my garage before the trip. During the trip, it too, failed to start and when it did run, produced no power. We had some hot weather to drive through which was miserable (Before I figured out to manually start the on board generator) along with some cold nights. Along the way, we lost the inverter, fridge, some air leaks, front A/C and what seems to me as a bit too much play in the steering although I was told it is normal...

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Posted by: 360
10-09-2022, 06:28 PM
Forum: Plumbing and fixtures
- Replies (5)

Replacing my 12V water pump with another Seaflo and I can’t for the life of me get one of the elbow fittings to quit leaking.  Anyone else have this issue?

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Posted by: Jack Houpe
10-07-2022, 03:38 AM
Forum: General
- Replies (63)

Our 120 volt AC air compressor comes on every 15 minutes for about 1 minute. Is this frequency normal? I've used soapy water on all the fittings coming off the compressor into the pressure switch and there is no leak there, had a air leak on the toilet which I repaired what other area should I be looking at, the airbag system? 
1999 #504

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Posted by: Jack Houpe
10-07-2022, 03:27 AM
Forum: General
- Replies (20)

We recently purchased a 99 Newell number 504, has the black and white backup camera which works but I was considering trying to upgrade to a three camera system, two mounted up front pointing toward the rear and the other replacing the black and white unit in the back center. Has anybody upgraded their system if so what did you purchase?

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Posted by: encantotom
10-06-2022, 09:50 AM
Forum: Newell Sightings
- Replies (11)

We have guests at our place for a few days.   You gurus might know them

Tom

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Posted by: CaptainGizmo
10-06-2022, 08:48 AM
Forum: Electrical
- Replies (3)

One of our fantastic fans needs an occasional twist of the raising/lowering knob to give it a boost to start going up.
The fan works great once the lid raises.  And lowering, and shutting off, is no problem.

I’m not sure how the lid motor shuts off; whether it’s resistance or a micro-switch, but my inclination is to go after that gearbox and see if it needs a bit of contact cleaner.

Anyone have this happen, and find out the root cause?

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