Cambria 26a charging solenoid dead

Hello out there, I'm new here but certainly not new to researching and fixing things on my own.  I just took delivery of an 05 Itasca Cambria 26a about two weeks before I hit the road for a 25 day trip that I'm still on, 2000 miles from home.  Limited tools and internet connection having fun in the Western U.S. National Parks.  I'm currently in Moab Utah, nowhere near a Winnebago dealer, and I'm pretty sure I've narrowed my problem down to the notorious Trombetta battery charging solenoid discussed in many (old) threads I've found here.  Quick backstory, when I left home a few weeks ago my coach batteries were charging from the alternator (using a power point digital meter) and now they are not.  I can charge on shore power or genny but have had to direct wire a fused wire from my front battery just to get some juice to the rear during long drives.  It's quite a pain and isn't doing the job all that great, and frequently pops the fuse when I start the MH in the morning if I forget to remove it before starting.

My solenoids are on the frame behind a panel inside a basement storage compartment (mid-ship passenger side).  I need to get the exact number off of the bad one in the morning but on with my questions:

Should I be able to find this solenoid easily on the road?  Since I'm moving around a lot I can't easily have one shipped. 

Any other common place besides a Winnebago dealer to get one of these? 

Is there an upgraded part yet without spending a lot more on a Blue Sea or upgraded solenoid?  I have read that some people have replaced these multiple times.  Seems like Winnebago or Trombetta should've addressed this by now.

Thanks very much,
Eric (86scotty)

Welcome!

86scotty said:

..Is there an upgraded part yet without spending a lot more on a Blue Sea or upgraded solenoid?

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Not that I'm aware of.

I have read that some people have replaced these multiple times.  Seems like Winnebago or Trombetta should've addressed this by now.

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I brought this failure rate to my Winnebago contact a few years ago, they claim the product is suitable for this application.  I suspect a contributing issue to the high failure rate is heat - mine is in a small closed compartment in my electrical bay.  I ventilated the compartment with forced air so I think we're golden now (and I installed a Blue Sea replacement.)

You could try a large auto supply store that has truck parts, it's quite possible you can buy one off the shelf.  It needs to be continuous duty rated for about 100 amps and ideally a 14V instead of 12V coil since your alternator is putting out ~13-14V.

As far as identifying it vs. the house cut-off solenoid, get a helper and have them operate the switch a few times while feeling/listening to the solenoids.  Here's my article when I replaced mine.

The Napa store there in Moab, Canyonlands Auto Parts 65 West 200 South, 453-259-7195, just off the main street in town, ought to have a continuous duty solenoid that you could use for the rest of your trip. Rode my bike there while camping in Moab to get a set of brake pads. Guy I worked with that day was helpful. Only been there that one time though.

When you get home, you can research replacement solenoids. There's ones that have 15 volt rated coils, and silver contacts in the same line of solenoids from Trombetta, and from other suppliers, that a lot of folks have used to replace the Winnebago solenoid for a reasonable price (if you shop around.)

I used a Trombetta 114-1211-020 with silver contacts and used a resistor to insure the coil never sees over the 12 volts it's rated for. I bought it from Murcal. It's about $50 these days (price has gone up). http://shopping.murcal.com/Catalog/Bear-DC-Contactor-Family/114-1211-020

I made a post with links to a few more threads here: http://www.irv2.com/forums/f101/winnebago-itasca-mods-fixes-and-tips-279551.html#post2942195

Thanks very much guys.  I'll try the local NAPA and also call some RV parts places now that I'm pretty sure what I'm looking for. 

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I theorize that one reason the solenoids fail is turning the ignition switch to start and then hitting solenoid to boost the starting. This puts a large load on the contact as they close, I think that hitting the boost first, then attempting to start would help.

Note that I said THEORIZE, not that I am sure, but I believe it was true in my case.

Should be a better solenoid, and in an accessible location. The person who designed this location (2012 Winnebago Vista and others) should be sentenced to a lifetime of replacing the solenoid.

I really don't think Boost has much to do with it. Normally if you need a boost to start, you turn the ignition on, hold down the Boost Switch and then turn the key to start. Thus the Battery Isolation solenoid is already connecting both batteries when the high current from starting takes place. A lot of people have had the solenoids fail, having never used Boost.

I think it is just from normal use, arcing when the two batteries connect.

I did a postmortem on one of my failed ones a few years ago (I think I put up a picture or two in this board) and the contacts looked okay to me however the coil had gotten hot because the wrapper on the coil was discolored.  Even at that, no smoking gun.  No obvious mechanical failure and the coil had a few ohms resistance (forgot what it measured.)

I finally have a beautiful campsite with enough of a cell signal to catch up.  After reading various posts on this solenoid problem I fully expected to find the notorious Trombetta 114-1211-010 that many of you have replaced with the 114-1211-020.  That's not what I found though.  I have a Trombetta 936-1215-011-21 (my RV is an e450 V10 and I think a lot you with this problem have diesel pushers?)
Anyway, I was in Moab on a Sunday and NAPA wasn't open.  We carried on east through the mountains and wound up in Montrose Co yesterday which has a big NAPA store but no bigger RV parts places so I tried my luck at NAPA.  They couldn't get any Trombetta numbers to cross reference to anything and eventually I tried my luck on a NAPA (Echlin) ST95 that I read about in another post on IRV2.  Here are the specs from that post, I can't seem to find them online from NAPA, I assume they're correct.
ST95: 12V, 3 terminals, grounded base, flat bracket, copper contacts, continuous duty, 80 amps, coil 16-20 ohms, continuous duty, splash proof, about $40

Anyway, this was the highest amp rating they had in stock but seems a lot lower to me than what I've read about here (150 or 200 amp?)
BUT, it works!!!!  I'm very happy to say that it's working so far.  Can anyone guess on whether it will last very long?  after 2 days use it it is doing great.  It does have copper contacts but so did my Trombetta and I can't find any specs or much info at all online about the Trombetta part I have (936-1215-011-21.  If anyone out there knows what the specs are I would love to know.  I suppose I'll call Trombetta tomorrow and ask but I can't find them online and I couldn't get a real human yesterday when I tried to call. 

I would consider your replacement temporary.  I don't know why you couldn't find that -020 Trombetta online, it was my very first search hit.  Here it is on Amazon.

I replaced the original solenoid with an 80 amp continuous solenoid about 12 years and 70,000 miles ago. The only time it sees a lot of current is when Boost is used. Other than that it is sharing the 140 amp alternator.

John Canfield said:

I would consider your replacement temporary.  I don't know why you couldn't find that -020 Trombetta online, it was my very first search hit.  Here it is on Amazon.

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Oh, I could find it online, through Amazon from Murcal and other places, but we're not anywhere that I could easily receive it. We move a lot when we travel, not planting down anywhere for long and boondocking everywhere we can. When I get home I might order It but I'm not sure I really want a Trombetta again and also I was just curious what kind of life I might expect from the cheaper and easier to find NAPA part.
John Hilley's response gives me hope! I've never used the boost feature anyway and not really sure why so many do. I'm pretty mindful of my starting battery and don't let it get low.

Thanks

When traveling you can always have it sent to USPS General Delivery at a town you will be visiting soon or at now.  Dick