Electric issues

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Daniel Toon

Member
Joined
May 17, 2025
Posts
11
Location
Chambersburg, PA
Hey everyone I'm in need of some help. I have a 1993 Fleetwood bounder 34j, and I was having issues with the switches in the coach for the battery disconnect, they would only work if you held them in the in position. I replace them with new ones but they only caused a different issue. The battery disconnect solenoids were not working, I did research and tested them found they were bad so I replaced them today. Now I have no power anywhere. I have 12v at the battery and I have power on fuses 19 18 17, seems like it was a common issue there. I checked all the fuses both with a multi meter and visually and seen that they were fine. I don't have the tools to check relays and I don't have power to feel if they work or not. I need some help
 
A 1993 Bounder would have two battery disconnect switches & solenoid (relays), one for the chassis (aka "main") and one for the house (aka "Aux"). The switches just trigger the relays, so if the relays aren't working, the switches can't do anything.

Did you replace the switches & solenoids with the same type? Typically the solenoid would be the latching type, so that it stays open or closed without having power continuously applied, but I'm not familiar with the details of a '93 Bounder. And did you take photos and/or carefully mark the wires when you swapped the parts? It sure sounds like one or more wires isn't connected correctly.

I doubt if anybody here has any clue what fuses 19-18-17 do, but the fact that you have power to any fuse suggests that some 12v power is getting through. Please identify what those fuses serve and add a photo of the fuse panel if possible. Photos of the solenoid relays & wiring would also help.
 
I have done some work on a 1993 Bounder, F53 chassis, but it was a long time ago and belonged to a friend. I agree with what Gary has said and am wondering how you checked the relays to know if they were bad? Am I correct that you are using one of the 12V test lights to trace power? It would help you if you were to get one of the cheap multimeters to use. They are not difficult to use for simple tests and most of them come with some easy instructions. In addition to Amazon, you can find them at places like Lowe's or Home Depot and even at Walmart.
 
Gary RV_Wizard said:
A 1993 Bounder would have two battery disconnect switches & solenoid (relays), one for the chassis (aka "main") and one for the house (aka "Aux"). The switches just trigger the relays, so if the relays aren't working, the switches can't do anything.

Did you replace the switches & solenoids with the same type? Typically the solenoid would be the latching type, so that it stays open or closed without having power continuously applied, but I'm not familiar with the details of a '93 Bounder. And did you take photos and/or carefully mark the wires when you swapped the parts? It sure sounds like one or more wires isn't connected correctly.

I doubt if anybody here has any clue what fuses 19-18-17 do, but the fact that you have power to any fuse suggests that some 12v power is getting through. Please identify what those fuses serve and add a photo of the fuse panel if possible. Photos of the solenoid relays & wiring would also help.
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I took photos of the solenoids and marked the wires to where they need to be placed, I also made sure that the new ones were the exact same. i am goign to take some pictures today to show what i have and my issue, but I am geting 12v(via multimeter) to the panel and one of the solenoids but no the others. I agree something sounds like its wired wrong but i replaced them exactly like i found them, so I am a little lost on that
 
Kirk said:
I have done some work on a 1993 Bounder, F53 chassis, but it was a long time ago and belonged to a friend. I agree with what Gary has said and am wondering how you checked the relays to know if they were bad? Am I correct that you are using one of the 12V test lights to trace power? It would help you if you were to get one of the cheap multimeters to use. They are not difficult to use for simple tests and most of them come with some easy instructions. In addition to Amazon, you can find them at places like Lowe's or Home Depot and even at Walmart.
Click to expand...
I have a multimeter and the way I tested the relays I replaced was using a friends power probe, I took pictures and labled the wires and where they go to so that way I thought it would be idoit proof. I know that I have 12.2v (via multimeter) to the fuse box and I have it to one of the four solenoids, I am just banging my head on this one, I am wondering if I should just replace all the solenoids and battery islotors just to have the piece of mind that they are new.
 
Daniel Toon said:
Hey everyone I'm in need of some help. I have a 1993 Fleetwood bounder 34j, and I was having issues with the switches in the coach for the battery disconnect, they would only work if you held them in the in position. I replace them with new ones but they only caused a different issue. The battery disconnect solenoids were not working, I did research and tested them found they were bad so I replaced them today. Now I have no power anywhere. I have 12v at the battery and I have power on fuses 19 18 17, seems like it was a common issue there. I checked all the fuses both with a multi meter and visually and seen that they were fine. I don't have the tools to check relays and I don't have power to feel if they work or not. I need some help
Click to expand...
so I tested the start relay for continuity though it and I was not getting a clean continuity test, I was getting anywhere for .245 to .143, I must be honest I'm not sure what that means, but I thought that it needed to be closer to zero for it to be tested good, but Please correct me if I'm wrong on that. I believe that I will be changing those just as a piece of mind, but tell me if I shouldn't again I will be positing some pictures about what I have soon
 
If there is power but the relay won't close it may be an open ground (negative). Some relays and solenoids ground through their mounting while others have a separate ground terminal. Illuminated switches will also have a connection for ground. Also you did replace the switch with another momentary switch right?
 
bigb56 said:
If there is power but the relay won't close it may be an open ground (negative). Some relays and solenoids ground through their mounting while others have a separate ground terminal. Illuminated switches will also have a connection for ground. Also you did replace the switch with another momentary switch right?
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the switches in the fuse box i replaced with exactly what I pulled out, the on the is the coach I replaced with a on-off-on switch. would the ones in the coach be the main part of my issue??
 
Daniel Toon said:
the switches in the fuse box i replaced with exactly what I pulled out, the on the is the coach I replaced with a on-off-on switch. would the ones in the coach be the main part of my issue??
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I don't know what switch was in your coach before but normally a latching relay uses a (three position) momentary switch. Tap the momentary switch one way and the relay "latches" closed. Tapping it the opposite direction causes it to open. Both positions are momentary, INO it always returns to center "OFF" on it's own. This doesn't mean the relay is "OFF", only the switch, which is not needed to keep the relay open or closed, only to initiate the opening and closing. Some have a pilot light in the switch.
 
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Connect a test lamp to the relay coil terminals and tap the switch, the lamp should light and you should hear a firm click as the relay latches. It should not click a second time when you release the momentary switch which would mean it's not staying latched.
 
The only way I could make the switch function was when I made a jumper wire going from the two poles on the solenoid. I can hear a definite click when I do that but the moment I remove the jumper it clicks again and I have no power to the other side of the switch
 
Daniel Toon said:
I am wondering if I should just replace all the solenoids and battery islotors just to have the piece of mind that they are new.
Click to expand...
In my years as an electromechanical technician, I found that changing parts to troubleshoot can be very expensive and seldom works. I would figure out what the problem is first.
Daniel Toon said:
I tested the start relay for continuity though it and I was not getting a clean continuity test, I was getting anywhere for .245 to .143,
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I'm not sure where the readings were taken. Am I right that the reading are in ohms? If so and the reading was the coil it would be about right. If the contacts when closed, then maybe but that would depend on the realy contacts being open or closed. Most are latching relays, so the coil is only powered for a brief time while the switch is held closed.
bigb56 said:
normally a latching relay uses a (three position) momentary switch
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There are also a few that use a single position switch that is spring returned to open. The rotate a cam to open the contacts or allow them to spring closed. I can't recall any were not spring return to open.

Some pictures of what you have might help us to identify exactly what you have.
 
Daniel Toon said:
replaced then or am I doing something wrong
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That is something that I really can't say from where I am. Have you compared what you see on the new ones as compared to the old ones? It is possible that a new one is bad but that isn't common.
 
Kirk said:
That is something that I really can't say from where I am. Have you compared what you see on the new ones as compared to the old ones? It is possible that a new one is bad but that isn't common.
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the switches that I replaced were from amazon so that is entirely possible, but the solenoids I haven't done anything to as of yet,
 
TheBar said:
The best practice when replacing multiple items is to always test after each one is installed before replacing the next.
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I have been doing that mainly, ive been testing after each part, I just wanted to make sure that I am testing the right things before throwing a lot of money at it since this is my first RV. but in general I completely agree
 
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