Emergency Start switch on dash of 93 Coachman Catalina

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93Coachman

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I feel like I'm gonna wear out my welcome  asking silly questions. But this switch is not even shown in the owners Manual  any clues.  I guessing a system bypass if your jump starting ?  Thanks Don in KY
 
93Coachman said:
I feel like I'm gonna wear out my welcome  asking silly questions. But this switch is not even shown in the owners Manual  any clues.  I guessing a system bypass if your jump starting ?  Thanks Don in KY
Click to expand...

It ties via solenoid relay the house and chassis batterys together for extra starting power for motor or generater. Now if one of the two batterys banks are STONE dead this system may not help.
 
Hi Don... no problems at all with the questions but I want to make sure I understand correctly. Are you saying that you have an "Emergency Start" switch on the dash, that isn't shown in the owner's manual, and you're wondering what it does? If so, it's likely a momentary switch that, when held down, ties the chassis battery and coach batteries together through a solenoid. It's designed to give you extra battery power to start the engine if the chassis (engine-starting) battery is low/dead. It's sometimes labeled AUX or BATT.

Kev
 
I am new to MH's too..... just picked mine up 3 days ago......
I have the same switch, and unfortunately I've already had to use it.
As buchanan said, it ties the two systems together
In mine anyway, it's a momentary switch that activates a solenoid.

My house battery was dead.  :'(
I had my hydrometer, multimeter, and even a battery load tester at the ready to do my PDI.  Unfortunately they had the rig plugged in and waiting for me so the only thing I could do was measure the voltage..... well the electrolyte was full and clear, and the voltage was ok so the only thing I could do was to trust the dealer.  :eek:
So it's been sitting for a little more than a day with what should have been a fully charged battery, with just a few minutes with the house lights on..... So I decided to put my charger on it to top it off..... wouldn't you know it.  9% charge, 11.xx volts according to my charger.

Anyway, to your question..... It didn't have enough to start the generator.....I pressed the Emergency Start Switch on the dash with the chassis engine running, and it served as a jumper cable to the house battery to start the generator!

My PDI tech had described the switch to me as for the opposite.... if the chassis battery is dead you can start the engine form the house battery.  I am only assuming that he's correct and that it goes both ways.....  it makes sense.....

Here is my parallel complementary question:
What disengages the solenoid to disconnect the two systems?
Is it a time based thing?
Is it not until the voltage comes up on the other side?
 
Thanks for all the answers. That's why I love these forums.  Just like the hull truth boating forum.  the experience level and help is unbelievable  !!!  Where else can you go and get great answers this fast. You guys rock.  Oops telling my age with that one.  How are you with replacing kitchen counter tops  ;D. Thanks again. Don in KY
 
blw2 said:
I am new to MH's too..... just picked mine up 3 days ago......
I have the same switch, and unfortunately I've already had to use it.
As buchanan said, it ties the two systems together
In mine anyway, it's a momentary switch that activates a solenoid.

My house battery was dead. <$1alt="" title="" onresizestart="return false;" id="smiley__$2" style="padding: 0 3px 0 3px;" />
I had my hydrometer, multimeter, and even a battery load tester at the ready to do my PDI.  Unfortunately they had the rig plugged in and waiting for me so the only thing I could do was measure the voltage..... well the electrolyte was full and clear, and the voltage was ok so the only thing I could do was to trust the dealer. <$1alt="" title="" onresizestart="return false;" id="smiley__$2" style="padding: 0 3px 0 3px;" />
So it's been sitting for a little more than a day with what should have been a fully charged battery, with just a few minutes with the house lights on..... So I decided to put my charger on it to top it off..... wouldn't you know it.  9% charge, 11.xx volts according to my charger.

Anyway, to your question..... It didn't have enough to start the generator.....I pressed the Emergency Start Switch on the dash with the chassis engine running, and it served as a jumper cable to the house battery to start the generator!

My PDI tech had described the switch to me as for the opposite.... if the chassis battery is dead you can start the engine form the house battery.  I am only assuming that he's correct and that it goes both ways.....  it makes sense.....

Here is my parallel complementary question:
What disengages the solenoid to disconnect the two systems?
Is it a time based thing?
Is it not until the voltage comes up on the other side?
Click to expand...
Depending on how the coach is wired, the solenoid will stay activated once the engine starts, because it is also used as the charge path from engine alternator back to the house batteries.  If the engine failed to start, when the switch was used, then the solenoid would de-energize as soon as you released the switch.  Many coaches that use this solenoid isolator/aux start technique, also will energize the solenoid to charge the chassis battery when the rig is plugged to shore power or the generator is running.
 
now that's what I have been wondering.  Couldn't really get a good answer out of the PDI tech and dealer.... I don't think they really understood it either.

I guess I'll have to pull of all the panels and trace out the realys some day.

I sure do wish this thing came with a schematic!
 
blw2 said:
now that's what I have been wondering.  Couldn't really get a good answer out of the PDI tech and dealer.... I don't think they really understood it either.

I guess I'll have to pull of all the panels and trace out the realys some day.

I sure do wish this thing came with a schematic!
Click to expand...
Have you ever looked at a RV schematic before? there really hard to read and often don't make any sence.i have been and seen that many times
lots of times how the map reads and where the actuall road is are not the same so to speak
 
buchanan said:
Have you ever looked at a RV schematic before? there really hard to read and often don't make any sence.i have been and seen that many times
lots of times how the map reads and where the actuall road is are not the same so to speak
Click to expand...
Schematics, like any other diagnostic tool, are not too useful unless you know how to read them.  They can be very valuable, and easy to read, in the right hands.
 
Just Lou said:
Schematics, like any other diagnostic tool, are not too useful unless you know how to read them.  They can be very valuable, and easy to read, in the right hands.
Click to expand...
  some are very easy to read some not so easy and as said some are easy to read except the coach aint wired the way the drawing says but then your just so smart iam sure you know al that anyhow?
 
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