hekdic Posted December 4, 2015 Share Posted December 4, 2015 I've replaced the Coach battery charger that was frying batteries but now have no DC there. Would anybody have any idea how it's wired? The wiring is all protected and I am somewhat resistant to tearing that protection all apart unless I have to. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zero Posted December 4, 2015 Share Posted December 4, 2015 Need more info. Did you remove just a charger, complete power-center, converter, or what? What model and # and what did you replace it with? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maineah Posted December 5, 2015 Share Posted December 5, 2015 I've replaced the Coach battery charger that was frying batteries but now have no DC there. Would anybody have any idea how it's wired? The wiring is all protected and I am somewhat resistant to tearing that protection all apart unless I have to.How was the new charger installed? Was the old charger panel modified or just removed? The old one had a change over relay and some wiring would have been needed to be done to by pass the old system. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hekdic Posted December 5, 2015 Author Share Posted December 5, 2015 AC and DC circuits are separate. Charger was plugged into an AC receptacle and wired to the DC panel. I had just cut the old charger out and put the new leads from the new charger directly to the battery since that was the way it was wired. I finally found the problem, which was a miswiring that had happened when the house battery was replaced by a shop. The plus wire from the panel was put on the negative side of the battery, thus no circuit. This plus wire was black so I didn't notice that there was an extra wire on the negative pole. The RV has sat for about 6 months and I hadn't recognized the wiring change. I guess I'm getting too old to spot things easily. Thanks for the thoughts. I still wish I had a circuit diagram but I guess that's just wishful thinking. Would the truck alternator be wired to both batteries with a rig to block current traveling between batteries. I don't think mine is or it's not working because I have to charge my house battery separately. It was set up so that whenever there was AC power to the RV, the battery was charging and the old charger was one of those transformer setups with no smarts. I've put one of those smart marine chargers on it now and it doesn't overcharge. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maineah Posted December 5, 2015 Share Posted December 5, 2015 If it was replaced with a modern switching charger you can connect the truck charger wiring to the same terminals as the charger or directly to the coach battery if you like. Inside of the old charger was a relay that separated the old inverter/charger from the battery it had two circuits inside one to charger the battery the other to supply 12 volt power to the lights etc. Find the wire that comes from the isolator and connect it directly to the battery all will be good. Once that is done then you will need to check the charger rate to the coach battery with a volt meter and see if you are getting charge voltage through the isolator it should be close to what you read at the truck battery. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zero Posted December 6, 2015 Share Posted December 6, 2015 Would the truck alternator be wired to both batteries with a rig to block current traveling between batteries. Yes, either a rectifier-based battery isolator/charge-splitter, or a relay-type isolator. Some of the latter use a voltage-sensing chip. So when you first start the engine - all charge current goes to the cranking battery. Once it reaches 13.8 volts - the relay closes and then sends charge to the "house" battery also. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maineah Posted December 6, 2015 Share Posted December 6, 2015 Called a "combiner". or if you like a smart isolator they work both ways depending on where the charge voltage comes from. Great for MH's because it will charge the truck battery from the converter/charger when plugged in. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zero Posted December 7, 2015 Share Posted December 7, 2015 The voltage sensing chip can be bought as a separate item and added to any relay a person wants. Costs around $25. I have the Manson SBC-1120. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maineah Posted December 7, 2015 Share Posted December 7, 2015 Here is the combiner system I made for my Nova Star It is a Cole Hersee 48525 The device between the two circuit breakers is a push button that sets the adjustable timer board combining the two batteries to give the truck battery a boost if it was low (never had to use it)The breakers are manual reset if one tripped I wanted to know why not just to have it reset and do it all over again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neubie Posted June 14, 2017 Share Posted June 14, 2017 any chance anyone found manuals for the conquest. i have recently waded into the mirky waters of an 86 conquest needing a lot of tlc and am lost without books. any help/pointers much appreciated. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
linda s Posted June 14, 2017 Share Posted June 14, 2017 I can't find anything but Gulfstream is still in business. Ask them if they can help http://www.gulfstreamcoach.com/ Linda S Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neubie Posted June 15, 2017 Share Posted June 15, 2017 thanks Linda, searching the interwebs seems to suggest Gulfstream requests haven't been real productive for other folks. I will try, but certainly not hold any hopes. the Yahoo board linked elsewhere is supposed to have some files but its members only and I am not a member. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
linda s Posted June 15, 2017 Share Posted June 15, 2017 If your looking for coach wiring they can't be all that different. Winnebago site has wiring diagrams and there's a Sunrader house wiring diagram somewhere on this site. I just don't know where. Derek is good at finding stuff. maybe he can post it. Should at least give you and clue as to what connects to what Linda S Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek up North Posted June 15, 2017 Share Posted June 15, 2017 All the Owners Manuals I've come across and read are super vague. Some even cover motorhomes they build on Toyota, GM and Ford chassis. I've never come across 1 for Gulfstream, but I doubt it would be any better. Wiring diagrams are also equally vague. The 1 exception is Winnebago who have specific wiring (and plumbing) diagrams on-line, but they only go back as far as 1990. However, I doubt that there's much (if any) difference with earlier years. It's not as though they completely redesigned things with each model year. There's probably very little difference between how Winnebago did things and anyone else. Here is an example of the 1990 Winnebago wiring diagrams and also the 'generic' Sunrader effort. 095714 1990 Wiring 2.pdf 095714 1990 Wiring 3.pdf 095714 1990 Wiring Inst.pdf 095714 1990 Wiring.pdf SunraderWiringDiagram.pdf Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek up North Posted June 15, 2017 Share Posted June 15, 2017 A few examples of Owners Manuals:- 1986_Sunrader_Owners_Manual.pdf 1983 Dolphin Manual.pdf 1993_Dolphin_Owners_Manual.pdf 1987_Winnebago-Itasca_Operator_Manual.pdf Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek up North Posted June 15, 2017 Share Posted June 15, 2017 A couple of other observations:- - Wiring might well have been 'modified' by DPOs over the years. You're better off learning how to use a multimeter. - None of the Owners Manuals will tell you where your power center is located or how to operate or troubleshoot your furnace. You'll have to track down the individual documents for what's installed in YOUR MH. Asking "How do I fix the fridge in my 1986 Dolphin" won't really get you very helpful answers. We'll have to guess what you've got. Here's a good place to start looking for Pdfs:- http://bryantrv.com/owners.html http://bryantrv.com/docs.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maineah Posted June 15, 2017 Share Posted June 15, 2017 Some if the sites for converter/chargers will have a block diagram of how they are wired into the coach but specific diagrams will be hard if not impossible to find. The coach wiring will be pretty much the same on all of them there are just a few things that they all use, signal and parking lights, interior lights, TV connections, fridge and converter wiring. Every one also has a different ideal on what colors to use also. It's pretty basic wiring but how they ran it is what will drive you nuts. If you have a specific problem just ask, others probably have been there and can tell you where to look. The 120 volt wiring is mostly to code and will be similar to house wiring including the colors but again how it gets from point to point is up to whomever wired it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neubie Posted June 22, 2017 Share Posted June 22, 2017 Thank you folks for the kind attention. I have noted the conundrum in a new discussion in DIY threads. There will be questions, of course. But its too early for them yet. Do wander over to the gallery to observe the misery inflicted on poor mr. car. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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