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12V not working


Patrick R

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I'm new to traveling in an RV and I just purchased a 2001 Diplomat LE. After I got it home the 12v systems quit working then did work for a while but now everything is dead. The batteries are charged, they will start the generator easily. I have voltage at the cutoff switch at the door entrance but I have nothing at the fuse panel. Everything in the battery compartment has 12V, the inverter is on and the monitor panel in the coach says everything is charged with the inverter reading "Float". 

Anyone have any ideas for me to try? I haven't even had this unit out yet but have a trip planned in January.

Thank you

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My first quess would be the salesman solenoid in the rear of the coach. Could also be a bad battery switch if your invertor is bypassing it.  You say that there is voltage at the cutoff switch up front, that should be the case when the switch is off but should have ground on both sides when activated. The salesman solenoid in the rear should have 12v on both big posts when activated. If not, bypass it or move one cable to bypass it and see.

btw, the generator could be started from chassis batteries, ours is. Seems to vary with different coaches.

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Thank you. I thought if I had voltage with at the cutoff switch that means it is good. I didn't know how that switch worked.

It seems that no matter which way I have that switch the lights don't work but I hope I am wrong and that it is that simple. I'll try working with that tomorrow.

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9 hours ago, Patrick R said:

Thank you. I thought if I had voltage with at the cutoff switch that means it is good. I didn't know how that switch worked.

It seems that no matter which way I have that switch the lights don't work but I hope I am wrong and that it is that simple. I'll try working with that tomorrow.

As Ivan says the most likely culprit is the solenoid used to disconnect the 12 volt house system only on your coach the solenoid is not in the rear and in the Front Run Bay under the driver's side window. The switch at the door operates that solenoid. Most of us don't find a need for it and have bypassed the darn thing by taking the two battery size cables off of the solenoid and connecting them together with a bolt. We then tape it up for insulation. Mine has been that way for 12 years.

208652103_Salesmansolenoid.thumb.jpg.2772455aa39dd1a8802fd68a73c1496a.jpg

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I would strongly suggest leaving it that way as a new solenoid will fail again one day. Plus it just may happen at 3am when it's raining C's&D's outside and I wanted to flush the toilet along with using the water pump and there was NADA, ZIPPO 12 VDC.

Mine has been bypassed for upteen years now and frankly I never have to think about it and never needed to use it.

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