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Can’t turn house battery on after using generator

Nikkiyork
Explorer
Explorer
Hi, I just used my generator for the first time. I wanted to recharge the house battery. Since it was on I made some popcorn in the microwave . Then I turned the generator off. And now I have no electricity anymore at all. Well, the engine battery still works.

The level for the house battery said full, but it doesn’t turn on. I checked the breakers, they are all on.
Any ideas? I’m also very new to rving.

Thank you!!!
21 REPLIES 21

Bobbo
Explorer II
Explorer II
Did you ever figure out what the mystery switch on your dash was?
Bobbo and Lin
2017 F-150 XLT 4x4 SuperCab w/Max Tow Package 3.5l EcoBoost V6
2017 Airstream Flying Cloud 23FB

D_E_Bishop
Explorer
Explorer
Nikki, I hope I'm not stepping out of bounds here, it just seems you need some help and that's what I'm trying to do. If you read the posts by DrewE and BFL13 on page 2 of your post, the mystery switch may be explained. I said, "MAY BE" explained. It is really simple to check. Change the mystery switch from it's current position to the other position, before you do that, open the Solenoid, Relay box. Then flip the switch, if you hear a click from the solenoid or relay, you may have just found the purpose of the mystery switch. If no click, turn the ignition switch to the run position and try the switch again.

The clue is in BFL13's reply, you said there may have been a solar system that the seller removed and that switch is the one he is referring to. here is a link to how the disconnect switch works, LINK.

The AUX switch in the stairwell is a polarity reversing switch. Its outputs go to terminals I and S on the disconnect relay. The above link explains how the latch works. In one position it causes the core to be positive and in the other its reverses the polarity of the latch coil. you know the old opposites attract, and likes attract. thats what the Aux switch does. If I'm going to far here, let me know and I'll stop but for me it's fun and gives me something to do.

Good luck, David
"I travel not to go anywhere, but to go. I travel for travel's sake. The great affair is to go". R. L. Stevenson

David Bishop
2002 Winnebago Adventurer 32V
2009 GMC Canyon
Roadmaster 5000
BrakeBuddy Classic II

BFL13
Explorer II
Explorer II
DrewE--"It's hard to think of very many circumstances where one would not want it to charge from the engine while underway. "

With AGMs on solar off-grid, they need a proper cycle to true full once home, but that means they need to first be run down to a lower SOC, being near full from all that solar.

Having the alternator charge them up on the way home gets in the way of getting them lower. Heading from home to the off-grid site is ok though. A switch on the alternator to house bank would be handy to have for that.

I gather that Li batts should be floated at some SOC lower than full, so you would not want them too full on arrival home to start a float time.
1. 1991 Oakland 28DB Class C
on Ford E350-460-7.5 Gas EFI
Photo in Profile
2. 1991 Bighorn 9.5ft Truck Camper on 2003 Chev 2500HD 6.0 Gas
See Profile for Electronic set-ups for 1. and 2.

Bobbo
Explorer II
Explorer II
Nikkiyork wrote:
I still have a mysterious switch that nobody knows what it’s good for next to the steering wheel, hahahaha. It’s above the jump starter that lets you start the motor off of the house battery.

My previous RV had a switch identical to that. It shifted the power for the dash radio from the chassis battery to the house battery. That enabled you to listen to the radio while camping with the engine off. While not camping, you switched it back to the chassis battery, so the house disconnect switch didn't erase all of your presets. It was a 2007 Winnebago Outlook.
Bobbo and Lin
2017 F-150 XLT 4x4 SuperCab w/Max Tow Package 3.5l EcoBoost V6
2017 Airstream Flying Cloud 23FB

DrewE
Explorer
Explorer
The house (coach) battery should be charged off the engine when the engine is running. There's some sort of an isolator system that connects them together when appropriate; often but not always it uses the same solenoid and wires as the emergency jump start button, activating them when the engine is running.

I had to replace that solenoid in my motorhome earlier this year, as a matter of fact. There are other things that could fail in the system, blown fuses or broken wires for instance. Occasionally I guess there are switches to manually control if the coach battery charges or not, but that's very much the exception rather than the rule these days. It's hard to think of very many circumstances where one would not want it to charge from the engine while underway.

Nikkiyork
Explorer
Explorer
D.E. Bishop, yes! I bought one of those Dmms 🙂
I actually did read the manual, but it’s not very detailed. Now that I know the disconnect switch is the aux switch, well that switch didn’t work anymore. You couldn’t turn it on.

I still have a mysterious switch that nobody knows what it’s good for next to the steering wheel, hahahaha. It’s above the jump starter that lets you start the motor off of the house battery.

The previous owner added a lot of things that aren’t in a manual.

The manual by the way does not tell you where the hazard lights are. Isn’t that funny? It took me a month to find somebody who could show me.

I’ll fill out my profile now, so it’s easier to see what I have and such. I’m very grateful for all the insights. Thank you.

Nikkiyork
Explorer
Explorer
Thanks everybody.
It was a reset switch in the solenoid box, that needed to be popped back in.
I also found out that driving doesn’t charge my coach battery. I ran the generator for 7 hour hours straight and now I‘m plugged in, and then all should be good.
Safe travels to all!

opnspaces
Navigator
Navigator
Here's a link to the Winnebago website where you can download the manual. Just click on Minnie Winnie - (PDF) and it will open. As stated above I would pay close attention to chapter 9 pages 6, 7 and 8 (9-6,9-7,9-8) as it will probably help you get everything going again.
Manuals
.
2001 Suburban 4x4. 6.0L, 4.10 3/4 ton **** 2005 Jayco Jay Flight 27BH **** 1986 Coleman Columbia Popup

DrewE
Explorer
Explorer
If the setup is like it is on my motorhome, the generator (which needs 12V power to operate) is connected to the house batteries more or less directly--as starting it takes a lot of current--while often the converter connection is on the other side of the disconnect switch. If the generator is running and the battery disconnect switch gets activated, the generator will discharge the batteries and nothing will recharge them.

(Actually on my unit the converter is also connected on the battery side of the disconnect, meaning with the generator running and the batteries disconnected they would still be charged but there would be no power for lights etc. in the RV. I suspect that's not especially common, and more to the point doesn't appear to be the case for you.)

23hotrodr
Explorer
Explorer
Sure sounds like the house batteries are turned off. Most Winnis have the battery disconnect switch near the entrance steps. It is easy to bump and accidently turn the house batteries off. Another possibility is a bad connection at the batteries. (eg.- corroded terminals, bad ground wire connection to chasis, bad house battery solenoid, etc.) Good luck
2007 Itasca Suncruiser 35L
2000 Jeep Wrangler

D_E_Bishop
Explorer
Explorer
Well first off let me welcome you to the Forums. It's always nice to have a new member. Next, when posting a problem it is imperative that you give some vital information. In this case knowing that you have a 2005, Minnie Winnie 26A, I was able to look on winnebagoind.com and find the Operators Manual for your rig. If you don't have the manual, you too can find it on the Winnebago web site and download it in a PDF format. If you do have it, I think you need to sit down and read all of it but you should pay particular attention to Section 9, Electrical. Not only will it tell you that you have a Battery Disconnect switch, it will show you a picture of it and it's location. You'll find that on page 9/7. It's called a Aux. Battery Switch.

The next thing you need is a DMM. That is a Digital Multi-Meter. They are available at HFT, Norther Tool, Lowes, Home Depot... Many under $20.

With the Aux, Sw. turned on and the engine running, touch the meter probes to the battery terminals. Red is positive and Black in negative. You should get a reading of 13.8 to 14.4 volts DC. Turn the engine off and the voltage will drop to about 12.7 VDC. That will tell you that your engine alternator is charging both the chassis and house batteries.

On shore power or generator power, the charge rate will be given in the manual for your Converter.

When your done reading the owners manual, search for The 12 Volt Side Of Life 1 & 2. Read them.

At that time you should be well on your way to being an knowledgeable RVer. Good luck and Happy Camping.
"I travel not to go anywhere, but to go. I travel for travel's sake. The great affair is to go". R. L. Stevenson

David Bishop
2002 Winnebago Adventurer 32V
2009 GMC Canyon
Roadmaster 5000
BrakeBuddy Classic II

SidecarFlip
Explorer
Explorer
I'm wondering if the batteries are viable.
2015 Backpack SS1500
1997 Ford 7.3 OBS 4x4 CC LB

pianotuna
Nomad II
Nomad II
Nikki,

I don't know where the disconnect switch is in your particular RV, but I'm fairly certain there is one.

The good news is the generator is ok, and the converter is probably ok too!

Do you know where the converter is? And what make it is?
Regards, Don
My ride is a 28 foot Class C, 256 watts solar, 556 amp-hours of Telcom jars, 3000 watt Magnum hybrid inverter, Sola Basic Autoformer, Microair Easy Start.

pianotuna
Nomad II
Nomad II
Nikki,

At least we now know the converter is working.

But for some reason it is not charging the "house" battery bank.

There is often a "salesman switch" or master disconnect switch. It may have been accidentally turned off.
Regards, Don
My ride is a 28 foot Class C, 256 watts solar, 556 amp-hours of Telcom jars, 3000 watt Magnum hybrid inverter, Sola Basic Autoformer, Microair Easy Start.