2005 journey 36g house battery power

[Neub]

Let me start by giving some background. Last fall when i slid the tray out to remove the batteries for the winter the fuse holder broke off the chassis and sparks started flying and i quickly disconnected the positive terminal. Normally i take photo before disconecting anuthing but with sparks flying that was the last on my mind. Putting the batteries back in this week, i replaced the broken fuse holder along with the 300 amp fuse. Got the 4 6v batteries installed and they test at 12.5. Two issues: (1) in the photo of the wire fitting i believe this is a temperture monitor as the the fitting has two wires (black/red). Is this correct and is it polarity dependent? (2) when i try and turn on the house batteries from the dash switch nothing happens. If i go back and turn on the inverter it turns on and shows the batteries a 12.5v. Any suggestions on where to look? I think I have examined the circuit breakers and fuses but could have missed a location. Thanks, Randy

 

[AStravelers]

The temperature monitor coming from your charger is a single wire and goes to the negative terminal. The temp monitor wire ring terminals I have seen are gray in color, not a copper ring terminal. The wire insulation is black.

I would guess is powering something but what I don't know.

Does your power center have a display which you can switch to show the chassis battery and the house batteries? My 2006 Journey does. What does it show for the battery voltage.

 

[Henry J Fate]

A temperature monitor for what purpose? I am a little confused. Generally anything connecting directly to the batteries require proper color coding to its polar designation. In a negative ground design (which is what you have) Black wires indicate a -ground (chassis) connection and red is the +positive (power) connection. It is possible that the device being connected is not sensitive to that rule but it still should be followed.

The dash switch probably uses the chassis battery for switching so be sure your chassis battery is connected and is charged.

What is the temperature monitor checking?

 

[Neub]

The temperature monitor coming from your charger is a single wire and goes to the negative terminal. The temp monitor wire ring terminals I have seen are gray in color, not a copper ring terminal. The wire insulation is black.

I would guess is powering something but what I don't know.

Does your power center have a display which you can switch to show the chassis battery and the house batteries? My 2006 Journey does. What does it show for the battery voltage.

Power center is blank when pushed for the house batteries and 12.6 for the chassis batteries.

 

[Neub]

A temperature monitor for what purpose? I am a little confused. Generally anything connecting directly to the batteries require proper color coding to its polar designation. In a negative ground design (which is what you have) Black wires indicate a -ground (chassis) connection and red is the +positive (power) connection. It is possible that the device being connected is not sensitive to that rule but it still should be followed.

The dash switch probably uses the chassis battery for switching so be sure your chassis battery is connected and is charged.

What is the temperature monitor checking?

I am guessing the if it is a factory temperature monitor it is looking for over temperature at the battery...i have a similar wire from my renogy solar setup which they said was not polarity sensitive and has the similar two wires coming out (red/black). The sensors must just kind of an overheat monitor or similar ad there is not a temperture reading on the renogy monitor for its sensor nor a reading on the winnebago sensor.

 

[AStravelers]

The colder the battery the higher the charge voltage and visa versa. Most inverter/chargers installed in a RV come with a wire that attaches to the negative terminal of the battery to sense the temperature. Sometimes it is listed as optional. The wire does not have to be installed on the charger for it to work.

All the quality inverter/chargers, such as Xantrex, Magnum, Victron all come with the temperature sensor. I don't know if the standard converters that come in the lower end RV's do or not.

The sensor is only for the operation on the charger. No temp display that I know of.

 

[AStravelers]

Here is a wiring diagram for the solenoids that control the house battery and other functions. These components are located at the front of the RV above the generator. On page 3 you will find a picture showing the individual solenoids.
https://www.winnebago.com/Files/Files/Winnebago/Resources/Diagram/2005/05_p-ser_wire_148556.pdf

There are more wiring diagrams for Winnebago RV's in this link below. You select your year & model and you will find a list of diagrams.
Wiring Diagrams

 

[John Canfield]

The Dimensions charger/inverter temperature sensor is a plastic block about the size of a thumb with an RJ45 cable that plugs into the Dimensions charger/inverter. As Al mentioned the charger part of the Dimensions (if that's what you have) monitors the temperature of one battery and can dial up or down the charge current based on temperature. Charge current will be reduced for a warm or hot battery.

That wire and ring terminal in your picture doesn't look factory. Are you the original owner of your Journey?

 

[Neub]

Not the original owner but the Dimensions charger/inverter is still the orginal. The wire attached to the fitting leads into the body and the sealant around it appears as orginal since the sealant is the same as other areas and the ring terminal doesn't appear as being replaced. We have a 2005 journet 36g manufactured 9/2004

 

[Neub]

Here is a wiring diagram for the solenoids that control the house battery and other functions. These components are located at the front of the RV above the generator. On page 3 you will find a picture showing the individual solenoids.
https://www.winnebago.com/Files/Files/Winnebago/Resources/Diagram/2005/05_p-ser_wire_148556.pdf

There are more wiring diagrams for Winnebago RV's in this link below. You select your year & model and you will find a list of diagrams.
Wiring Diagrams

Thanks, probably wont get back to work on it today with the rain...at least it's not snow.

 

[John Canfield]

You could tone out that mystery black wire, Lowe's or HD electrical department will have a tone generator and a probe with a speaker. Put one lead of the squeaker on the black wire and the other one to ground. The tone test set is very handy to have for finding wiring runs.

 

[Neub]

You could tone out that mystery black wire, Lowe's or HD electrical department will have a tone generator and a probe with a speaker. Put one lead of the squeaker on the black wire and the other one to ground. The tone test set is very handy to have for finding wiring runs.

Thanks will pick one up