Ignition problem? '93 Southwind

[jklang]

Hi! I'm new here. Was wondering if anyone could help me troubleshoot my 1993 Fleetwood South with Chevy 454 engine. I have a BRAND NEW battery and the RV cranks when I'm plugged up to shore power, 30 amp. But it will not crank when it is not plugged up. Weird, huh?

My mechanic in another state said it sounded like it could be the ignition. What do you think?

Thanks!
Joni
Beautiful MS Gulf Coast

 

[Alfa38User]

Welcome!!!

New problem??, New battery just installed?? Look at the last thing touched, first!!!

I am not sure why plugging in makes a difference in this case, as the description leaves a bit to be desired!! I "suspect" that by being plugged in with a Fleetwood product, the engine battery charge feature (while plugged) may be trying to send 12V from the converter and house batteries towards the engine side but there would not be enough current available to do anything except, perhaps, energize the solenoid... but actually cranks the engine???... hmmmm.  ???

I also doubt that "ignition" is the cause, you have to be able to crank the engine normally and have it fail to start before an ignition problem becomes apparent. (Terminology??)

This problem has to be tracked while unplugged from shore power otherwise you risk going in circles. Having a voltmeter and knowing how to use it is very valuable in cases like this. A trouble test light could also be useful.

However, if the engine doesn't crank at all, can you at least hear a click from the starter solenoid when turning the key? If not, check all the battery wires (the big ones) and the smaller wires on the solenoid itself and at the battery. Check the chassis fuses as well.  With a good solid click, no cranking indicates the heavy wires from the battery to the solenoid are likely bad, loose etc. Check BOTH of them at the battery end, especially the ground (-), the + likely passes by the BCC to get to the solenoid. Otherwise the battery would seem to be quite dead, defective (regardless of being new) or not connected properly. (No loose or forgotten wires hanging around there if this is a recent install of the new battery??) You should be able to measure 12.6 Volts or so across the terminals. If you see 10.5V or so the battery is defective (has a dead cell).

You could always try and start the engine using the switch that bridges the two banks (house and engine) together momentarily while you hold the spring loaded switch. (Sorry, I don't know what they label that switch on your particular coach though.)

Just food for thought!!!

 

[giteup]

will it start hooked up to shore power or just crank over? Also  your battery control center box under the hood is it made by R V customs or intellitec?

 

[Just Lou]

Stu and Giteup are both on the right track.  Being plugged into shore power is causing the battery isolator solenoid (also used to charge the house batteries from the alternator and the chassis batteries from the converter) to close and feed converter power, as well as house battery power, to the normal engine start circuitry.

I suspect you have a bad connection to/from that new chassis battery.  It's possible that the cable between the new battery positive, and the BCC box, was not reconnected.   

 

[giteup]

Lou I thought it was not until around 1995 that Fleetwood Incorporated charging of the chassis battery from the converter. I just worked on a friends 1994 bounder and it only charges the chassis battery from the alternator. On his, the ignition solenoid relay was mounted in the bcc and not Incorporated into the circuit board.
Power for his went through the main disconnect to one side of the ignition relay solenoid and then transferred through the relay by the ignition switch in the start position.

 

[Just Lou]

Lou I thought it was not until around 1995 that Fleetwood Incorporated charging of the chassis battery from the converter. I just worked on a friends 1994 bounder and it only charges the chassis battery from the alternator. On his, the ignition solenoid relay was mounted in the bcc and not Incorporated into the circuit board.
Power for his went through the main disconnect to one side of the ignition relay solenoid and then transferred through the relay by the ignition switch in the start position.

That is correct.  However, I'm guessing that maybe a past owner had trouble with the BCC and replaced the circuit board with a higher revision level.  The cross charging capability was added in rev."C" of the original CB-200 board.  That was pretty early in the cycle.  Some plants of manufacture may have had the later boards earlier than others.

I've seen some '96 coaches with the CB-115 Rev. "B" and "C" boards, while my '97 Bounder has the Rev. "A".

Do you have a copy of the latest BCC documentation?  I can provide, if you like.

EDIT - Maybe you have later info than I do.  My latest doc is 2010 Rev "N".  I'll take an update if you have it. thanks....

 

[giteup]

On the 1994 I worked on I had to piece diagrams together.
If you have any diagrams particular to a 1994  I would like to have them. I think the model number was a 34 something I'm not sure but the bcc was made by intellitec.
Chevy chassis with 454

 

[jyro]

do you have 2 switches above the entry door in a cabinet, are both turned on?

 

[jklang]

Wow, thanks for all of these responses! I wasn't expecting this, and unfortunately it's pretty much Greek to me, but I can tell you guys know what you are talking about.

And sorry for my late response. I don't always have internet.

Alfa38, I should have prefaced my post with the fact that it was doing this before the new battery, I just thought it was the battery that was the problem. Now, since I have a new battery, I know that it is not. I do think something is crossed somewhere because it seems to have been draining my batteries. My mechanic (now in another state) has done a good bit of work under there and I have had this issue for a while. It's just that I'm usually plugged up and it doesn't happen all of the time. For instance, I traveled from Florida to MS without any problems, cranked after short stops without being plugged in, but sometimes dragged like it didn't want to start and it scared me.

Getup, the control box is Intellitec and it starts up when plugged in.

JustLou, I think that's the problem.

Jyro, I need to check those switches.

I'm just trying to get back up and running and ready for any hurricanes coming in. I'm good as long as I have a plug-in, but that may not always be available. And I can't even refill my propane tank because I'm afraid it won't crank back up.

You guys are great! I've got to drive it tomorrow, and I will try it then without being too far from my plug. I will post an update.