douglitas Posted September 30, 2013 Share Posted September 30, 2013 Like Derek up North, I have a coach battery issue, but don't want to crowd his thread with another set of circumstances. When we bought our 87 Seabreeze 9 mo ago, the salesman demonstrated to us that the coach batt would charge on shore power, but the batt was old. we replaced with new deep cycle batt ($200). When we next went camping we noticed that the battery went dead right away, so wasn't charging from alternator. RV Repair guy did some looking around and found bad connection and fixed--no charge($). batt seemed to be working fine, but when I checked with the motorhome battery level checker, it would only get 3 lights (of level) after driving all day. So I figured that was just the normal condition. then last weekend after running the heater all night, we charged the battery directly with an external 12V solar panel...in 4 hrs of sun, the battery got up to almost 14V! (245W panel charged at 17Amps) the level checker showed 6 lights! Now I wonder why alternator doesn't give us that kind of result. any suggestions? thanks to you all for your great help! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
douglitas Posted September 30, 2013 Author Share Posted September 30, 2013 I meant Jeffrey, not Derek..sorry! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
douglitas Posted September 30, 2013 Author Share Posted September 30, 2013 only 5 lights on battery level guage...not six! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
linda s Posted September 30, 2013 Share Posted September 30, 2013 Have your alternator checked. Many auto patrs stores will do it for free. If it's never been changed it might not be charging properly. When it gets really bad both the brake light and the engine light will come on but I'm pretty sure mine was charging poorly long before that happened. Linda S Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bob C Posted September 30, 2013 Share Posted September 30, 2013 Get you volt meter out and check the alt output. With the engine running, it should be about 14.5 volts. Check the isolator to see if it is working properly. With the engine running, check the isolator terminal that leads to the coach battery, it should also read about 14.5 volts. Next check the coach terminal voltage. If it does not also read about 14.5 volts, your problem is somewhere in between. Start at the front and work your way back. That way you find out where the problem is. The problem could be a connection, a circuit breaker, bad wire, bad ground, or bad battery. Check the voltage at every connection and keep going back. Unless you get systematic about your search, you will be chasing the problem until you get frustrated and pay someone to get systematic. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek up North Posted September 30, 2013 Share Posted September 30, 2013 Both ends of the coach battery ground wire seems to be popular places to not check. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
waiter Posted October 1, 2013 Share Posted October 1, 2013 Do you have a solid state isolator? JOhn Mc 88 Dolphin 4 Auto Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
douglitas Posted October 1, 2013 Author Share Posted October 1, 2013 I just checked the isolator..it looks just like what Jeffrey posted a pic of in his thread..so I guess it's not solid state. It looks like an old Ford starter solenoid. I tried to take voltage readings but I'm not getting any from the isolator. I did check the truck batt voltage with car running..14.30 volts. so how do I check the isolator voltage? thanks for the help, folks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stamar Posted October 1, 2013 Share Posted October 1, 2013 with a voltmeter start at the beginning of the isolator with the car running. then go to the battery. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maineah Posted October 1, 2013 Share Posted October 1, 2013 The isolator has 3 terminals 2 big ones 1 small one. First check the small terminal while the key is on it should be 12 volts check between the relay case and the small terminal (+ or - a bit) next go to the big ones one goes to your truck battery the other to the coach both should be battery voltage. If not your problem maybe with the circuit breakers (small box with 2 terminals) it will be close to the isolater they tend to get rusty. The isolater is nothing more then a electronic on off switch that joins the 2 batteries together when the key is on. If you have voltage start the truck both voltages on the big posts should be rising if one does and the other does not the isolator is toes up Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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