FLynes Posted August 10, 2023 Share Posted August 10, 2023 Just got a call from the body shop this morning....the owner was backing our coach into the paint booth, when it just died on him. He put it in Park and attempted to restart and nothing, not even a "click". Thinking it was a bad battery (it's a brand new Interstate), he put his jumper pack on it and our battery read 12.7v. Is there a master fuse somewhere on the coach that would prevent the engine from cranking? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Garry Donohue Posted August 10, 2023 Share Posted August 10, 2023 Try wiggling the battery cables at the batteries. Mine had rotted out within the cable. You couldn’t see any corrosion at the attachment points. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rocketman3 Posted August 10, 2023 Share Posted August 10, 2023 Also, there are several safety cutoffs… I used a transmission neutral safety cutoff to make a can’t start switch. When I forget to switch it back on, it acts like what you are describing. No click - but just doesn’t start. Dont know if that helps at all. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr4Film Posted August 10, 2023 Share Posted August 10, 2023 Did they have the Battery Disconnect Switches Turned off when stored? Could be a faulty chassis Battery Disconnect Switch? Is power getting to the Front Run Bay with the ignition switch turn on? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FLynes Posted August 10, 2023 Author Share Posted August 10, 2023 The battery cut off switches were not turned off, there is zero power going to the instrument panel when the key is turned to the on position. I’m headed down there now with some tools to see what’s going on. Keep in mind this is a W 24 workhorse chassis with the 8.1 L Vortec engine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cbr046 Posted August 10, 2023 Share Posted August 10, 2023 The infamous faulty ignition switch? - bob 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FLynes Posted August 10, 2023 Author Share Posted August 10, 2023 I don’t know if it is a faulty ignition switch or not. I just got down to the body shop and it is in the paint booth… He said that when he started towing it with the forklift, all the sudden all of the lights came on and it started when his helper turned the ignition switch. When we first bought the coach, it did not have a chassis cut off switch… All of the wires were bolted together, and electrical taped. I bought a new cut off switch and installed it, and I’m now wondering if maybe it might be starting to go bad. It’s the only explanation I can think of for the coach completely shutting down, while it’s running. Either way, I can’t examine it right now, because the painter just applied another coat of primer epoxy. I guess I’ll figure it out, when I get the coach back in two weeks. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr4Film Posted August 10, 2023 Share Posted August 10, 2023 (edited) What brand of switch did you install? Obviously jostling the coach a little moved some connection to bring back power to the front. More troubleshooting needed. Edited August 10, 2023 by Dr4Film 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Garry Donohue Posted August 10, 2023 Share Posted August 10, 2023 Sounds like the battery cables are rotted within or at the connections. Just trying to move it a bit might have connected the power back on. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FLynes Posted August 10, 2023 Author Share Posted August 10, 2023 14 minutes ago, Dr4Film said: What brand of switch did you install? Obviously jostling the coach a little moved some connection to bring back power to the front. More troubleshooting needed. I bought and installed a factory switch. after I installed it, I heard about all of the horror stories with it being an unreliable unit, so I will definitely be replacing it with something that is a little bit more stout. 11 minutes ago, Garry Donohue said: Sounds like the battery cables are rotted within or at the connections. Just trying to move it a bit might have connected the power back on. I’ll take a look, you could be right, however, I do remember inspecting the cables when I installed the battery and everything seemed pliable, and I heard no crunching noises , like when wires overheat or are corroded. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MyronTruex Posted August 10, 2023 Share Posted August 10, 2023 I'm with Richard. Inspecting and just replacing that switch as a safety measure should eliminate any possibility of that component. Cheap insurance. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FLynes Posted August 10, 2023 Author Share Posted August 10, 2023 57 minutes ago, myrontruex said: I'm with Richard. Inspecting and just replacing that switch as a safety measure should eliminate any possibility of that component. Cheap insurance. So what is the consensus on which brand of switch to buy? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MyronTruex Posted August 10, 2023 Share Posted August 10, 2023 A picture of the existing one and mounting location would help. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom Cherry Posted August 10, 2023 Share Posted August 10, 2023 2 hours ago, FLynes said: So what is the consensus on which brand of switch to buy? WELL, as any good shyster will tell you when answering a question, THAT DEPENDS. First Criteria....Will it fit in the plate or hole or whatever where the old one lives? In SOME cases, necessity...along with the individual's skill sets prevail. AND, in those cases where adding plates or replacing cables is involved...and one does NOT have some 4/0 cable and a hydraulic crimper and the right fittings...plus the manual dexterity to CUT THE CABLE so that the fine strands of fire are not damaged and perfectly ROUND and will barely fit into the new cable end and it takes (ME, at least) a LONG time to convince them to be round and finally SLIP IN...and then crimp and then pull the tight fitting (think Dolly's sweater) shrink wrap tubing over... THEN one should keep what is where is and use a DIRECT replacement...and usually you can find the vendor...BUT sometimes NOT.... CONFUSED...I tried. There was NO one switch used by Monaco. As best I can research and I have chased down a LOT of switches for folks that had NO INFO and the Pictures did not have any info. Cole Hersee was a Lever type. Almost looks like a water valve. It has a shaft and there is a heavy duty plate with a single hole in it. Can't extend the cables or have room for a new plate. SO...the most typical of these was the Cole Hersee Field Master. Still out there. BUT....it is NEVER simple. The LATER Monaco's used TWO different type of switches...LOOK IDENTICAL, until you turn them over. Cole Hersee dropped the SINGLE CIRCUIT. It had only TWO big STUDS.... BUT, the replacement Fieldmaster is a DUAL Circuit. It has TWO sets of Terminals. HIGH CURRENT or Two LARGE Studs. It also has two SMALLER terminals for low current. SO, if your MH has TWO BIG CABLES and NO little ones....USE IT. NOW, if the original switch had the FOUR (2 Big and 2 Little)....use the same one. No SMALL WIRES...don't sweat it. BUT, if you have two Large and two Small, you have GOT to have a switch configured that way.... NEXT UP...Guest 2102-3-B. That was used on the early Windsors. That Switch, I THINK, is still available. EDIT...Richard (DR4FILM) posted the name of the "GET RID OF THESE". They were the BEP Switches. Could NOT recall that. They appear to have the same hole pattern, but that is an easy thing to modify to get fixed. Thanks, Richard... SO, if you have the BEP...replace with the Blue Seas....see below. You can Google the BEP...but they are NOT recommended here...quite the contrary. THE GOLD STAR IS THE BLUE SEAS. That is a 350 Amp and gets rave reviews. NOW, they will fail...I have one that has a smidge of resistance (it was made in 2008). I only found that recently...but it was intermittent and DROVE me crazy. It would vibrate and then the voltage would drop. The switch was in the rear. The pump was 40 odd feet of cable to the front. Sometimes, I would see about 1 VDC Drop on a 70 Amp load....and that WAS critical. I worked around it and added an upfront switch and could switch from HOUSE to CHASSIS. The Chassis voltage NEVER dropped. THEN, one day...I was "tinkering" and the House Switch was "in the funk" and I found it. I will replace it this fall. NOW....Blue Seas comes in TWO STYLES or Circuits. The 6006 switch is the MAIN STAY...for House or Chassis. It is a 350 Amp....SINGLE CIRCUIT. Most Dynasties, after say 2006 (or maybe EARLIER) had the Dual Circuit 6010 Switch (these are the RED ones...there are different numbers for Black).. IF you have a DUAL (Two Large and Two Small), use the 6010...and if you get "confused" and order the wrong one and then let the small wires dangle....you are in for a mess of issues and only certain folks know this... THAT, is a known event and folks do it all day and then have issues...and finally, they put the right switch in. The MAIN STAY is the Single Circuit one... Blue Seas 6006. That's it... See...a SIMPLE question and a simple (LOL) answer... 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FLynes Posted August 10, 2023 Author Share Posted August 10, 2023 (edited) 25 minutes ago, myrontruex said: A picture of the existing one and mounting location would help. It's located in the curb-side bay, just in front of the entrance door. The 12v fuse panel is right below it. Here's the link to Veurink's, from where I bought it: https://shop.findmyrvparts.com/cut-off-switch-p/190447t.htm Edited August 10, 2023 by FLynes Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr4Film Posted August 10, 2023 Share Posted August 10, 2023 Replace that BEP switch with either a Blue Seas, Perko or one made by Guest. Those three are well built and can handle the amps. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FLynes Posted August 10, 2023 Author Share Posted August 10, 2023 (edited) I just purchased two (2) Blue Sea 6006 units and will replace them, when the coach gets home from the body shop. The painter is laying the Gold color down today and tomorrow Charcoal Metallic goes on; Clear coat goes on Monday. A few days after that they color sand and polish; we should get the coach back on the 21st. Edited August 10, 2023 by FLynes 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom Cherry Posted August 10, 2023 Share Posted August 10, 2023 39 minutes ago, Dr4Film said: Replace that BEP switch with either a Blue Seas, Perko or one made by Guest. Those three are well built and can handle the amps. Thanks for jogging my memory. I could NOT recall the Brand....BEP. I edited my previous post to correct it. That post is the most comprehensive list of switches and such that we have here and it was tough to find them and consolidate... 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martinvz Posted August 10, 2023 Share Posted August 10, 2023 For the W24 Workhorse chassis, there are a number of engine relays in the engine bay and these have been known to fail. Try swapping out the relay with one that is not immediately needed. It may be the cause of the issue. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FLynes Posted August 10, 2023 Author Share Posted August 10, 2023 I’ll just buy all new relays, they’re cheap enough. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tmw188 Posted August 11, 2023 Share Posted August 11, 2023 Well what Martin is suggesting is swap out one that’s not immediately being needed before buying them all. They are in the front behind your hood access. There are plenty of right ups on it. Go to YouTube and search Kevin Caudill and then search Ignition Switch. Kevin is the Workhorse W24 guru! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MyronTruex Posted August 11, 2023 Share Posted August 11, 2023 Great picture of the switch. There has been more than a few of us that had to replace those. Any switch can fail of course and these things work hard. Do upgrade to one of the heavier duty ones already recommended. Be careful tossing parts such as relays. I would change one or two at a time, not just shotgun the thing. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FLynes Posted August 14, 2023 Author Share Posted August 14, 2023 The new Blue Sea switches arrived. The coach is getting the clear coat done today, and then wet sanding, polish and ladder install the rest of the week. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FLynes Posted August 17, 2023 Author Share Posted August 17, 2023 I just left the paint shop and I have to say I’m absolutely ecstatic at seeing the results of the bodywork and repaint. I get the coach back on Monday and I’ll start troubleshooting the electrical issue. Here’s a pic. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martinvz Posted August 18, 2023 Share Posted August 18, 2023 Hi Frederic, that is a great improvement, looking good !! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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