Auxiliary Start Solenoid

[Jarry Mandrell]

Team Monaco,

 

2008 Monaco Cayman XL 35 SBD. Picture below is the auxiliary start solenoid. The auxillary start solenoid is receiving power at all times. I found the wire "hot" telling the solenoid to engage. I was not plugged into shore power and the motor wasnt running.

Has anyone else experienced this or have experience with the fix??

 

 

Edited March 3, 2023 by Jarry Mandrell
Minimized detail to get to the point

[Rick A]

Where is this shop? I’m taking a very serious detour! 

[vito.a]

You can download your owner's manual here: Monaco RV Service & Repairs - Monaco Coach

Do you have the optional Inverter, or the standard converter? Regardless they are designed to charge your house batteries.  The alternator is only designed to maintain voltage when driving, not recharge the batteries.  

Review page 170 as it explains your charging system. 

NOTE: The alternator is not designed to charge
the house batteries from a complete
discharge to a full state of charge. The
alternator will maintain the battery
charge during travel, supplying the DC
current necessary to operate running
lights or other DC loads.
If the house batteries are in a low state of
charge, it is recommended to charge the house
batteries with the converter/inverter or an
auxiliary battery. 

Caution: The alternator is not a battery charger.
The alternator is designed to maintain
proper electrical system voltage. A
battery with a low state of charge,
or a dead battery, may overheat and
damage the alternator.

Hope this helps.  

Edited March 3, 2023 by vito.a

[Garry Donohue]

On this subject…I have a 2007 Dynasty. When It’s being stored, I recharge the house and chassis batteries by turning on the generator. But I never turned on my inverter. Should I be? The batteries seem to charge fine, but if it’s a better way by turning on the inverter, please let me know. 

[Ivan K]

Inverter consumes power when ON, even on idle, eventhough it wouldn't make a difference with generator running, it isn't needed for charging. 

[Cubflyer]

1 hour ago, Jarry Mandrell said:

2008 Monaco Cayman XL 35 SBD. Picture below is the auxiliary start solenoid.

If what you have here is in fact the auxiliary start solenoid, it should never "automatically' be powered and make the connection between the two sets of batteries (house and chassis).   It is activated by a switch on the dashboard... (Generally speaking and for sure on my 2003 HR Endeavor).

Another general statement.... no electrical component should ever be too hot to touch.  Heat is death to electronics, so you definitely need to find out what is goin on here.

Ken

Edited March 3, 2023 by Cubflyer
grammer

[MyronTruex]

Do you have any solar panels? If so, they could be the source of the power.

Measure the voltage across each bank of the batteries. If they are not running around 13.5 or at least one, then the circuitry that controls it is malfunctioning.

Take a picture of the large distribution box below the driver in the outside compartment. 

A picture will help to identify if there have been any modifications. 

Your emergency start/boost switch could be faulty but not likely. 

Since you have a 2008 you most likely have a BIRD circuit board and it could have failed.  Again, a picture of the front run panel will help.

The emergency start wire is also the wire that is used to turn that solenoid on for battery combining. I suspect you found that solenoid quite hot to the touch??????

 

Edited March 3, 2023 by myrontruex

[Bill R]

The only reasons on my coach the trombetta gets a 12v signal is from the BIRD or the aux start button.  Is the aux start button engaged?   The typical golf T or cloths pin are sometimes used to hold the switch on. Or the aux start switch is faulty.  Or the BIRD is not working like it should.   

[Tom Cherry]

On 3/3/2023 at 4:28 PM, Jarry Mandrell said:

Team Monaco,

 

2008 Monaco Cayman XL 35 SBD. Picture below is the auxiliary start solenoid. The auxillary start solenoid is receiving power at all times. I found the wire "hot" telling the solenoid to engage. I was not plugged into shore power and the motor wasnt running.

Has anyone else experienced this or have experience with the fix??

 

 

This is a continuous duty solenoid.  It also has a rated capacity.  The solenoid should be energized when the engine is running.  The “boost” switch will energize it.  But the solenoid is NOT designed to start a dead set of a chassis batteries.  If I understand you statement, the control wire is “hot” at all times.  You do not have a BI Directional charging system. Read the excerpt from your manual.

if your Chassis batteries are dead, then they have to have a partial charge.  The procedure is to hold in the boost switch.  

odds are that someone “hot” wired it.  They probably toasted it.  If the solenoid is hot to the touch, then the contacts are pitted and burned.  There is an isolation relay or maybe an electronic module.  After a period of time, when the engine is first started, there is no power to the control wire on the solenoid.  If you replace it, purchase the silver contacts model, it will last longer.  Also find the wiring diagram and restore the circuit.

[Tom Cherry]

On 3/3/2023 at 5:38 PM, Garry Donohue said:

On this subject…I have a 2007 Dynasty. When It’s being stored, I recharge the house and chassis batteries by turning on the generator. But I never turned on my inverter. Should I be? The batteries seem to charge fine, but if it’s a better way by turning on the inverter, please let me know. 

https://www.monacoers.org/files/file/436-magnum-setup-remote-guidelines-old-and-new/

https://www.monacoers.org/search/?&q=Battery&type=downloads_file&quick=1&search_and_or=and&sortby=relevancy

Ok….the above might be of interest.  Read the Magnm and make sure your inverter is setup properly as well as reading the primer on Batteries.

your system is totally different from the one here.  You have an Intellitec Big Boy boost solenoid.  It is not a continuous duty like the one originally poster.  It has a very special electronic module that controls it.  I have the same boost solenoid, except mine is controlled by a “BIRD” ot bidirectional module.  When the boost switch is on, it has a full 12VDC.  when it gets a control signal from the electronic mode, the first ot initial is a full 12 VDC.  Then the pulse power starts so that it gets the equivalent of say 8 volt (on yout Dynasty) and mine gets a lower or reduced frequency so it is about 4 volts.

as to the inverter, turning it off has really no impact.  You would have to disconnect the batteries.  The off is really a standby mode and it p7lls the same parasitic load or drain as leaving it on.  Disconnect the microwave and unplug the home entertainment boxes or have a power strip,so you keep them from going into standby. Remove all plug in 120 VAC chargers or 12 VDC chargers.

not really much if anything to be gained by shutting it off