Aux start solenoid location?

throbbin367 · 06-26-2017, 08:43 AM

I have an 04 winne journey 36g and after a weekend of camping I believe the six start solenoid is stuck open allowing all my batteries to drain and equally re charge. Does anyone know where I can find the solenoid. I know there are a couple at the front of the coach and some between the batteries and engine but not quite sure on how to determine which one it is? Thanks

cbeierl · 06-26-2017, 10:49 AM

Page 3 of the Front End Wiring Installation diagram for you coach shows the locations of the Aux Start and Battery Disconnect solenoids (under the front hood).

throbbin367 · 06-26-2017, 11:05 AM

Thank you. I know right where those are

FIRE UP · 06-26-2017, 09:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by throbbin367

Thank you. I know right where those are

throbbin367,
If your '04 Journey is like its sister ship, an '04 Itasca Meridian, your Auxiliary start solenoid and, your coach battery shut down solenoid, are located at the very front of the coach, behind a panel that has Zeus fasteners on it. I'm sure you've see that panel, when you open your front hood to access the top side of the generator.
And, if your auxiliary solenoid was stuck "OPEN", you'd have no house battery charging when your engine is running. And, you'd also have no connection between the house and chassis batteries for equal draw down, while camping. So, I'm assuming you mean that solenoid was stuck CLOSED.

When that solenoid is acting normal, it closes right after the engine is started. That allows for charging voltage and current to pass through it, to the house batteries. But, when the engine is off, that solenoid is OPEN, which, disconnects the house batteries from the chassis batteries. Hope I'm not sounding too redundant here. Just trying to understand your issue.
Scott

throbbin367 · 06-26-2017, 09:53 PM

Scott, you nailed it perfectly. I know where the solenoid are behind that panel. Sorry for my crude explanation but my issue seems to be that solenoid is stuck closed all the time, allowing for all batteries to be charged and subsequently discharged at the same time, which happened to me this past weekend while dry camping

FIRE UP · 06-27-2017, 01:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by throbbin367

Scott, you nailed it perfectly. I know where the solenoid are behind that panel. Sorry for my crude explanation but my issue seems to be that solenoid is stuck closed all the time, allowing for all batteries to be charged and subsequently discharged at the same time, which happened to me this past weekend while dry camping

Roger that Sir,
Now, it's rare that those Trombetta (brand name) solenoids stick in the closed position. Normally, as there have been multiple threads on this and other RV forums about them, they fail to close or, at the very least, they close but, no clean contact is made inside them and, therefore no juice passes through when needed.

So, for it to be stuck in the closed position, it's possible that, your "Auxiliary Battery Boost" switch on the dash is shorted out which, would mean it's sending a signal to that solenoid on a 24/7 basis. This is just a guess. I guess also it's possible that, the contacts inside it, have bonded together some how and, the result is, constant continuity across them, resulting in your situation.

I don't know how much you know about troubleshooting this kind of issue but, it's not very hard. You can do a single check to see if that theory of mine holds any water. First, before I tell you what my plan, what you need to do first is, in a quite atmosphere, push that "Auxiliary Battery Boost" toggle in and let it back out, several times. Each time, you should NORMALLY hear that solenoid click in and out as you push and release that toggle. Especially since when you're in the drivers seat, you're only about 2.5 - 3' from that solenoid. I can hear mine when I test it in the RV garage but, it's about 30' behind me, in a compartment and, behind a metal panel IN that compartment. So, you definitely should hear yours, unless it's malfunctioning which, I'm suspecting it is.

If my guess is correct, you WON'T hear it click each time, due to your theory if be being STUCK closed. If, that's the case, then, this might be your next step. Remove the access panel to those two solenoids. The larger Trombetta "should" be on the left. On mine, (which I think "should" be like yours) there's two small wires attached to the smaller posts. A white one on the left, that's the ground. A yellow one on the right. That's the trigger wire from both the Auxiliary Battery Boost toggle and, also an Ignition Hot, when the engine is running.

If you have a trusty 12V test light, you can clip onto a known good ground and, then touch the Yellow wire attachment point. If your test light LIGHTS UP, then it's being fed juice from some point. Since there's primarily only two points that feed it, I'd suspect the Aux Batt Boost toggle as a first suspect. At least that's my theory. I could be way off base here but, ya gotta start somewhere. Let us know what you find out.
Scott

tderonne · 06-27-2017, 06:08 AM

Are you the original owner?

Perhaps a previous owner had the solenoid fail (open) and either hooked the battery banks together or bypassed the solenoid? That would create the condition you have. And be more common than a solenoid stuck closed.

throbbin367 · 06-27-2017, 11:59 AM

I'm am not the original owner and I have looked at the solenoid to know it's still hooked up correctly.
Scott, I didn't even think of checking the switch first. I do have a volt meter and test light and will start checking things tonight as soon as I get home.
Also, I did not know that the ignition triggered that solenoid so all the batteries charged while I was driving

cbeierl · 06-27-2017, 02:01 PM

The Automotive Wiring Diagram for your coach will show you how the solenoid and Battery Boost (also called 'Dual Battery') switch are wired. Refer to the Wiring Identification Guide to identify what each labelled wire is for.

tyaughton · 06-27-2017, 09:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cbeierl

Page 3 of the Front End Wiring Installation diagram for you coach shows the locations of the Aux Start and Battery Disconnect solenoids (under the front hood).

I'm looking for these on my 2006 Itasca Sunova 29R. I tried the reference pages and there's nuthin. Any ideas?

cbeierl · 06-27-2017, 11:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tyaughton

I'm looking for these on my 2006 Itasca Sunova 29R. I tried the reference pages and there's nuthin. Any ideas?

Take a look at the Chassis Electrical Box Assembly diagram for your coach. You can see the location of the Chassis Electrical Box Assembly in Detail CA of the Chassis Wiring Installation diagram for your coach.

throbbin367 · 06-28-2017, 08:55 AM

Update. I got out my trusty test light and volt meter, located the solenoid in question and started checking things. I pushed the aux switch on the dash a couple times and can hear the solenoid click each time. Then I checked power to the yellow wire and there's none with the coach sitting, then checked with the key in the on position and it's powered up and had the wife push the aux button while I held the test light on the yellow wire, everything seems to be working normally. Then I checked voltage on both sets of batteries then plugged into shore power, did some cleaning and lubing on the coach and checked again and only the coach batteries are charging.
This was not the case last Saturday while camping when I had problems so maybe the button was stuck and pushing it a couple times opened the circuit

cbeierl · 06-28-2017, 10:45 AM

If you haven't already done so you should consider adding a Trik-L-Start to keep the chassis batteries charged up whenever the coach batteries are being charged. Here's a Winnebago Service Tip on how to do that--it's very easy: 2006-04 Trik-L-Start -

FIRE UP · 06-28-2017, 11:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by throbbin367

Update. I got out my trusty test light and volt meter, located the solenoid in question and started checking things. I pushed the aux switch on the dash a couple times and can hear the solenoid click each time. Then I checked power to the yellow wire and there's none with the coach sitting, then checked with the key in the on position and it's powered up and had the wife push the aux button while I held the test light on the yellow wire, everything seems to be working normally. Then I checked voltage on both sets of batteries then plugged into shore power, did some cleaning and lubing on the coach and checked again and only the coach batteries are charging.
This was not the case last Saturday while camping when I had problems so maybe the button was stuck and pushing it a couple times opened the circuit

throbbin367,
Well, you've done all that many of us would do and, in the right order. What you've found out is, the same thing that many of us Winne and Itasca pilots of this era coaches. And that is, for some odd reason Winne (and maybe a few other manufacturers) decided that it was not important for the CHASSIS batteries to be charged, while on shore power. Who knows why but, in any case, Chris has beat me to it in suggesting the addition of the Trik-L-Start. That little unit is by far, the cheapest and easiest way of correcting this issue.
It's about 1/2 the size of pack of cigarettes and, based on your location of your two solenoids, it should take a whopping 10 minutes to install. From that point on, both sets of batteries will be charged, while on shore power or, from generator operations. You'll read on it's operation in Chris's link. But simply put, it's NOT a battery charger. It's re-routing unit of SOME of the charging voltage and current, that's normally destined for your house batteries, over to your chassis batteries.
Scott