solenoid acting up

[Michael]

Wayne,
I put the positive lead to heavy cable while still connected at the solenoid
and the neg to ground/body. Positioned it to view through the windshield, turn
the switch off and still had 3 to 4 volts at the cable.

I then disconnected the cable and tried the switch with the meter still hooked
up to the same heavy terminal end at the solenoid and same ground and the
solinoid worked fine.

What other tests should I do to find out where that low voltage is coming from?


about the ac
My AC does have 120vac and also call for 12vdc. I have a clicker instead of
wired control I'v got photos of the schematic but have a hard time posting
them..

Do I have to be careful hooking up a circuit tracer that sends a signal though
the wires? Any pointers for tracing wires back to fuses? These are small wires
I trying to find.

Thanks for your insights-- Michael



--- In WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com, Wayne Kotila wrote:
>
> Michael:
>
> Do you mean that when you have one of the heavy guage wires taken off the
solenoid relay that you no longer have an apparent stray voltage reading at the
smaller relay coil terminals?
> I would suspect that the unusual symptoms your having with other dash
components may be related like you said but your bedroom clock probably isn't.
Wanderlodges have so many different fuse/breaker panels and use a mix of
protective devises from the self resetting breakers to glass fuses. In your
bedroom panels make shure you check to see if your getting 12 volt power past
all of your breakers and fuses. Also does your coach have two 12 volt power main
shut off switchs? On my PT40 one of the main 12 volt shut off switchs is in an
overhead living room cabinet and it shuts off power to the front and rear clocks
and a few other things, you may want to also check that shut off if you have it.
> When you say you have no 12 volt power to your rear carrier AC unit, what do
you mean? If you are talking about the bedroom roof or central air conditioner,
those run on 120 volts ac only, (there is no 12 volt control circuit on them).
> Wayne
> 1985PT40
>
>
>
>
> ________________________________
> From: Michael <michael3536@...>
> To: WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com
> Sent: Tuesday, June 9, 2009 9:44:38 PM
> Subject: [WanderlodgeForum] Re: solenoid acting up
>
>
>
>
>
> Wayne
>
> I may have not worded my question right---
>
> I am having trouble with the Anti/Theft switch on my dash that controls a
solenoid/relay in the lower generator fan bay. It is a 200 Amp sp st
Cutler-Hammer solenoid that when turned off still has 3 or 4 volts running
thought it to the dash. When that happens my step extend switch light flashes
and some switch chatters and only completely shuts of when I activate a switch
like the heated mirrors with a large draw.
>
> When the cable is disconnected and a meter is attached the solenoid works
every time showing 12vdc and the o or .01 vdc when off.
>
> The solenoid either has feedback? or is broken? I'm not that swift on
electricity.
>
> I have 3 components that are not working and may not even be connected, My
dash clock, bedroom clock and I've lost 12vdc to my rear bedroom Carrier AC
unit. I think my bedroom clock and AC unit may be connected They seem to be
powed from the old dometic control wires.
>
> Thanks for your help and I apologize for not being clearer.....
>
> Michael
>
> --- In WanderlodgeForum@ yahoogroups. com, "Michael" <michael3536@ ...> wrote:
> >
> > How do you test a test solenoid?
> >
> > my A/T switch does not completely shut off the power to the dash
> >
> > I got out my meter and performed these tests;
> >
> > #1 found it had 3.8 to 4.5 volts still passing through the relay when
> > switched off and went to "0" only when I activated another switch with a
> > larger draw like the (mirror heat) The step extend switch just changes
> > the tone of a low voltage chatter.
> >
> > #2 with load wire disconnected from the switch, it seemed to
> > work consistently, showing only .01 or.02 VDC on the meter.
> >
> > I'm not sure what that means or how I should really test it.... why
> > would it work without a load?
> >
> > I've checked temperature of the relay when left on and gets up to 120+
> > degrees. Is that normal? I hate to lose all that energy to heat.
> >
> > Thanks for any help
> >
>