This Doesn't Make Sense!

bellsharbor · 07-25-2007, 04:11 PM

HI everyone! I had a Trick-L-Start and a chassis cut-off switch installed and all seems OK. Except,today I noticed that with the chassis battery switch off I can turn on the house batteries, with the switch on the dash and all the batteries become hot and I can start the coach. Mind you the chassis cut off switch is still off. The dealer did the install and I am not sure how this can happen. Will the Trick-L-Start cause this? What am I missing here? Does anyone have any ideas? Thanks.

John

bellsharbor · 07-25-2007, 04:11 PM

HI everyone! I had a Trick-L-Start and a chassis cut-off switch installed and all seems OK. Except,today I noticed that with the chassis battery switch off I can turn on the house batteries, with the switch on the dash and all the batteries become hot and I can start the coach. Mind you the chassis cut off switch is still off. The dealer did the install and I am not sure how this can happen. Will the Trick-L-Start cause this? What am I missing here? Does anyone have any ideas? Thanks.

John

LHyzer · 07-25-2007, 04:28 PM

The tech may have installed the wires on the wrong side of one of the solenoids.

Pusherman · 07-25-2007, 05:14 PM

John,

Your setup is a custom setup, meaning that you might go back to the service center which installed your engine battery shutoff switch to veryfy what is bypassed and what is still hot. I know that not all the electrical connections are bypassed on the factory installs, so the question is what did your service tech bypass, and what is still hot. Being able to still start the coach is not such a bad thing, as this connection (I am guessing) would not have the parasitic draw. Other connections, for the step, slides, etc. may be bypassed, and these systems could be OK, minimizing the parasitic draw.

You could be OK in the long run. I suggest you go back to your service center to verify what is bypassed on the engine switch and what is still hot.

Don't think the Trik-L-Start has anything to do with your situation (but then, I've been proven wrong in the past -- but just once!!).

John_Canfield · 07-25-2007, 05:47 PM

It is very possible they didn't wire the starter through the new chassis switch. The starter draws several hundred amps and most battery switches aren't really rated for that kind of load.

SteveG · 07-25-2007, 07:22 PM

I just did a study of this thinking I might add a chassis battery disconnect. From the diagrams I could find the factory chassis battery disconnect switch does not disconnect the feed from the battery to the starter. Freightliner confirmed that. Also, if I remember correctly, when the chassis battery switch is in the off position the engine cannot be started because the igition circuit is disconnected. You may want to call Freightliner to confirm.

SCVJeff · 07-25-2007, 09:12 PM

Correct me if I'm wrong, but the point of the disconnect switch is to dump all of the parasitic loads wandering around the chassis, as is the purpose of the house contactor disconnect, yes?

That being the case it sounds like it's working as advertised, although I haven't ever tried starting the coach with the house batteries off. The starter and intake heater are across the chassis batteries via a giant contactor and draws zip until you turn the key.

I've never used my chassis disconnect switch, but assume it works this way as well.

John_Canfield · 07-26-2007, 04:00 AM

I believe with the house and chassis batteries disconnected via the rocker switch and the mechanical chassis switch in the engine bay, you have cut off most everything except the starter motor. Even though the starter is still connected, there is probably no way to energize the starter solenoid without the house and/or chassis switches in the on position.

It would take some study of the Winnie and probably Freightliner wiring diagrams to fully understand what's really going on here.

SteveG · 07-27-2007, 02:54 PM

I called Freightliner and they confirmed that the chassis disconnect switch they are providing does not turn off the engine and transmission computer. Apparently these loads are small but I do not know the respective amperage.

bellsharbor · 07-27-2007, 05:19 PM

Thanks everyone for your impute. I will be happy if it continues to pass the "smoke" test! So far so good! Have a good weekend.

John