2004 Damon Intruder 373 Generator Wiring - No power to generator

Hi, I have a 2004 Damon Intruder 373 and I do not have any power going to the Generator. I checked it with a test light and the main power wire is dead. Does that wire get power from the Main battery or the House Batteries? Can anyone give any details to the wiring? Does it go direct from the battery/batteries to the generator or ?? Any help will be appreciated.

Does other 12v items work in the coach? Batteries dead? Disconnected?

The generator is most often wired from the House batteries but it is also possible to have been wired from the chassis battery. After checking what 92GA said, another thing you can try is to operated the aux. start switch (or whatever the switch is called on your particular unit) that bridges the House and Chassis battery sets as a booster. (The system works both ways, house to engine and engine to house.)

Well.... I have a 2005 Damon Intruder 377w

The house batteries

NOTE: if you operate what we here call the Salesman Switch, which on my righ is marked USE/STORE (it is a 3 position rocker) and is in the stair well,  And put it in the STORE position (Disconnected) Generator will not start.

Suggestion #1: Check that switch, then check for battery charge (As someone else said do the interior lights work?

IF you can not get lights workign you may have to replace battery (Batteries) See below for suggestions

Start Main Engine, wait one mintue and then try to start the generator (Off the chassis battery this time)

Keep main engine running for at least one minute after generator starts.


Battery suggestion.

Assuming you have two Six Volt batteries in series...  KNow that these two make up a single 12 volt battery (Roughly a 4D) when installed. Treat them as such.

On mine the POSITIVE side is to the rear (no reason yours should be the same) but Identify the POSITIVE side and using some RED nail polish or tape clearly mark or tape all wires connected to this terminal.

OPtional use BLACK on the most negative terminal (Do not worry about the jumper wire, it can safely be reversed)

Then DISCONNECT the wire(s) connected to the NEGATIVE end, if there is more than one tie them together with string or a bolt or a zip tie through the lugh eyes

Then do the same on the POSITIVE end, insulate these wires by sticking the ends in some thing that insulates.

Then the jumper

Then have fun getting those things out of there

Test them before buying new ones.

REplacment is the reverse procedure

What to buy: On my coach the original batteries were INterstate U-2200s  Very good, lasted 9 years with abuse
I replaced 'em earlier this year with DEKA G20 (230 amp hours, same footprint)

Sams Club and Costco have GC-2 at a very attractive price if you are a member

Trojan is considered by many to be the best but I do not think they are that much better than the above.

Finally.. IT may be all you need do is a clean and polish on the terminals.. That has fixed me up a few times.

Oh and once, the salesman switch failed.. It would disconnect nicely but refused to re-connect,, I fixed it too.

Ya' know, I think that may be where my issue is. I haven't had the "Salesman Switch" turned on when I was trying to start the generator. I have had the RV running and tried it, but not with the switch on. I will check it when I get home from work and report my findings.

On a side note, house batteries are not that old and fully charged and all 12v stuff works.  I do need to replace the main battery though. It has a bad cell and I often have to use the Emergency Start switch off the house batteries to get it started.

And yes, the house batteries were a total pain in the butt to replace!!!!

Thanx for the replies!!!!

IF that is a w-22 chassis, the main (Chassis) battery is behind the right front wheel.. On mine I can slide under and easily work on it with no problems, It is a group 78 by the way, roughly the side terminal version of a Group 24,

Second point: First three times my chassis battery "Died" simply cleaning the terminal and the lugs, epically the positive side, fixed it.

NOTE Wires are HOT even with battery disconnected on my rig due to bi-directional nature of isolator (If that is I'm plugged in).

I made a slight change in my wiring,,  Now only have ONE positive wire, rest connect up a few inches away.. So far it's been good but too soon to tell.

It turned out to be just turning on the "salesman switch". Stupid me. Thanx for the help!!

Ain't it nice when a fix doesn't cost you any money!! Good job JFD.

Kevin, it really helps that I have a nearly identical (Electrically at least) RV so ... Trust me.. Been there,, Done that, as they say.

The major difference is I joined this forum BEFORE 1: H&R Block sold us out to America Off Line, and 2: I got this RV.. And I read other forums as well.

The result is there are not many problems Ive not read about most of them several times.  This one.. was very logical.