Another (easy) Electrical Problem?


atomic13

New Member
New to the forum. It looks great.
I have a 1999 H/R Vacationer / Ford V10 chassis. No slides. 30,000 miles.

My problem is:
Until recently everything worked fine (it always cranks right up) with nothing to cause any new problems like lightning strikes.

My am/fm radio (which is about 3 years old) is wire to the chassis battery (not the house). With the engine running or not running no problems.

Once I start the Onan gen. set the radio has a drop in voltage to the point that the stations blink and flash. Also there is a buzzing noise coming through the rear bedroom drivers side speaker.

Here is the strange part.
When I switch on the aux. start switch that ties the chassis and house batt. together the radio plays fine and the buzzing goes away. When I let off the aux. batt switch it takes about 30 seconds and the radio goes on the frits again. Additionally the same thing happens when it is on shore power.

All batt are new.

Please help Im leaving on a trip in a 10 days and want to fix this problem.
 

boeing46

New Member
RE: Another (easy) Electrical Problem?

As an old sparky i would run a seperate ground from the radio to the frame. Clean and check both the house and running panel grounds carefully.
 

atomic13

New Member
RE: Another (easy) Electrical Problem?

boeing46,
When you say the running panel ground, is that the main fuse panel that controls the AC/DC in the back bedroom or the one behind the batt. shut off switches under the hood?
 

hertig

Senior Member
Re: Another (easy) Electrical Problem?

There are generally 2 main 12 volt power distribution panels in a motorhome. One has fuses for the 'vehicle' part (the running panel) and the other has fuses for the 'living' part (the house panel). And, of course, there is another panel for the AC circuits, but your problem appears to be with the 12 volt circuitry.

Power comes from the battery, to fuzes, then to 12 volt devices. The devices are then connected to 'ground' which is connected back to the return post of the battery. Often the frame is used as this return path, and the connections to it corrode or loosen. Then the device does not work (no connection) or works funny (bad connection which has a voltage drop across it).
 

atomic13

New Member
RE: Another (easy) Electrical Problem?

Thank you all for your input. I have discovered the problem. I checked all of the connections at the boxes (all clean and good) and then back tracked to the batteries. It tuns out the positive lead on the house batt goes to a junction behind the slidout batt tray. Which is held in place with a nut. Over time of sliding the batt tray out the nut became loose and was causing a failure in the system.

Also I have discovered that my Inteli Power 9100 batt charger may have a problem. The fan does not come on any more and there is a loose piece of ceramic that use to be attached to a coil of brass wire sliding around inside case and the output fluxuates from 12.5 volts all the way to 16 volts. I think that is why my last set of house batt. went bad and were buldging out on the sides. Do you think Im right in saying the charger is no good?

Who has good prices on replacement ones and what brands are good?
 

atomic13

New Member
Re: Another (easy) Electrical Problem?

Hey all just did a search and found out alot about Power Converter. I still would like to know if you think its bad?
 
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