Ignition/battery issues

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Ron Ponder

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Joined
Aug 17, 2022
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3
Location
Oklahoma
My 2000 American Dream Class A caught fire and I bought it from the insurance company because below the floor everything is fine. I'm trying to start it to move it but, unlike a car where the ignition goes straight to the starter with power from batteries, I'm thinking the battery cables go to the inverter, which, unfortunately, was damaged in the fire. So batteries charged and hooked up correctly, fuses all appear to be good but no power at the ignition switch. Any thoughts?
 
Note an INVERTER changes 12 volt to 110 volt and nothing else.
Can you give me an idea of whether a gasser or diesel?

Chevy power plant
ford
cummins
Diesel. Cummins

That's what I thought an inverter did but there's a diagram showing the battery cable going to the inverter. I realized last night that it refers to the house battery, not the chassis battery. I'm not getting any power to the dashboard so I've lost something along the way! I would have thought those wires were routed under the floor along the chassis rails but maybe not.
 
The chassis batteries are near the rear of the coach, and of course in a "pusher" the engine and starter motor are as well. There will be a chassis power cable (12v+) going to the front from the battery bay, and at the dashboard there is a terminal block providing chassis ground and chassis 12v for whatever needs them. You will find a big connector on the front firewall where a dozen wires to/from the rear come through the firewall. That connector block is always a potential problem due to corrosion, and now you've added fire damage as a possibility. The wires run under the chassis to/from the rear of the chassis.

The ignition key activates a solenoid at the rear that turns on the fuel system, and of course a further turn of the key activates the starter solenoid. Since diesels need only air & fuel to run, starting consists of activating the fuel lift pump to get fuel flowing and cranking the engine.
 

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