Help installing my Amp-L-Start

[tommymsw]

I wish they had better directions! I am excited to get it installed!

I did hook the "house" wire up to the far left terminal, and the "engine" wire up to the far right. I got "House batteries not connected", when I reversed the wires (house to right, engine to left), I got "Engine battery not connected".

Also, when I hook either wire to the RIGHT side, I get the "battery not connected" warning. Nothing happens when connecting either wire to the LEFT side. If I only connect to the LEFT, I get nothing.

I am currently plugged into shore power and the house batteries are fully charged.

Now, the engine battery is currently dead, but it DOES take a charge, so I assumed it would start charging the engine battery.

Any idea what wire should go where?
This is what I have (Behind the breaker panel in the stairs).

https://photos.app.goo.gl/YzG8zhNqqWTg4x4i1

[staggerlee]

It would help if we knew if the right-side, or left side was positive, or neg. side.

Originally Posted by tommymsw

I wish they had better directions! I am excited to get it installed!

I did hook the "house" wire up to the far left terminal, and the "engine" wire up to the far right. I got "House batteries not connected", when I reversed the wires (house to right, engine to left), I got "Engine battery not connected".

Also, when I hook either wire to the RIGHT side, I get the "battery not connected" warning. Nothing happens when connecting either wire to the LEFT side. If I only connect to the LEFT, I get nothing.

I am currently plugged into shore power and the house batteries are fully charged.

Now, the engine battery is currently dead, but it DOES take a charge, so I assumed it would start charging the engine battery.

Any idea what wire should go where?
This is what I have (Behind the breaker panel in the stairs).

https://photos.app.goo.gl/YzG8zhNqqWTg4x4i1

[cbeierl]

The right hand side of page 2 of the Body, 12 Volt Wiring Diagram for your coach shows how the solenoids are wired. The left-hand (silver) solenoid is the "Battery Mode" solenoid which connects the two battery banks together.

The Coach/House battery (+) is connected to the right-hand terminal of the Battery Mode solenoid. The Chassis/Engine/Starter battery (+) is connected to the left-hand terminal of the same solenoid. These two terminals are where you need to connect your Amp-L-Start.

[tommymsw]

Originally Posted by cbeierl

The right hand side of page 2 of the Body, 12 Volt Wiring Diagram for your coach shows how the solenoids are wired. The left-hand (silver) solenoid is the "Battery Mode" solenoid which connects the two battery banks together.

The Coach/House battery (+) is connected to the right-hand terminal of the Battery Mode solenoid. The Chassis/Engine/Starter battery (+) is connected to the left-hand terminal of the same solenoid. These two terminals are where you need to connect your Amp-L-Start.

So you are saying to ignore the right hand side unit. ONLY use the silver (left" unit and then use the left and right connection on ONLY that unit?

The directions that came with the unit and all the instructions I found online said to use ONE connection on EACH of the units. I supposed those must be for a different configuration than what I have?

I will give that a shot and thank you for the help.

[tommymsw]

These are the instructions that come with it. They imply that one wire goes to the solenoid and one goes to the battery disconnect. That is what I was trying.
http://www.winnebagoind.com/resource...ik-L-Start.pdf

[cbeierl]

Originally Posted by tommymsw

So you are saying to ignore the right hand side unit. ONLY use the silver (left" unit and then use the left and right connection on ONLY that unit?

The directions that came with the unit and all the instructions I found online said to use ONE connection on EACH of the units. I supposed those must be for a different configuration than what I have?

I will give that a shot and thank you for the help.

Connecting to the right hand side of the right hand solenoid (Battery Disconnect) should be fine. That would be the same result except that it would disable the Amp-L-Start if the Coach/House batteries are disconnected.

[tommymsw]

Ok... So I think the problem was just that my engine battery was dead. I charged it and now the Amp-L-Start shows a green blinking light (as I think it should). I did end up wiring to BOTH units (as the instructions imply).

I will wait for my engine battery to discharge (as it will, it needs replacing) to see if the Amp-L-Start ends up charging it.

I just wanted to make sure it was working BEFORE buying a new battery, so that new one wouldn't die also.

One last question... Do you think the short RED wire connecting the solenoid to the battery disconnect is NOT supposed to be there?

[cbeierl]

Originally Posted by tommymsw

...One last question... Do you think the short RED wire connecting the solenoid to the battery disconnect is NOT supposed to be there?

If you mean the 'big red U' connecting the two--YES, it should be there. You can see it in the wiring diagram labelled '1 RED'--because the wire in the diagram is so short most of the length is taken up by that 'label' so it doesn't look like a continuous wire, but it is.

[tommymsw]

So it is NOT working as I have it wired. It still flashes the GREEN light saying it is "working" but not charging or maintaining. And the engine battery fell to 10.5 and it is NOT charging it. The Amp-L-Start still says every battery is "fine". I guess I will call their help desk. maybe my unit is bad? maybe I have hooked it up wrong. But it is NOT charging the engine battery.

[tommymsw]

***UPDATE*** It is working!

So all I had to do was reverse the wires... The way "cbeierl"'s had said in the first place (I just read it wrong)! My brain was just a jumble from trying so many things and along the line I had it in my head that the battery hookups were in line with how they sit in the battery compartment. House on the left and starting on the right. I swore I had already tried it both way (and I likely had, but still when the battery was dead).

Whatever! Seems to be working now! THANK YOU ALL for the help!

[cbeierl]

Glad you got it working!