Unusual Electrical Problem!

[Michael Brody]

Last year at Maxton, as many of you might know, my '97 BMC 40' was involved in a polarity reversal at the alternator The coach went back to the Birdsnest for three months of cabling and Inverter re-build, etc.

I shouldn't be surprised to find that the "new" wire harness that was charged for, was never installed. There were many bare wires in the harness and some clipped and bypassed. Detroit Diesel has been here for three days sorting out the mess.

The issue they came to fix, before knowing about my melted harness, was extreme fluctuations in voltage in both the engine and coach voltage. After rebuilding the alternator (again), the chassis voltage is solid. The needle doesn't shake a bit.The coach voltageneedle varies by .5 to 1 volt down from the chassis voltage. I would call it a flicker. When the main battery switch is off, it reads the same as the chassis.

The inverter is not showing any error messages. What is meant on the main shut-off switch by battery 1 and battery 2 and both. Is this isolating the charging/supply from, the chassis or house batteries?

Detroit Diesel is returning tomorrow morning to load test the house batteries. Any suggestions would be appreciated.

Sorry we couldn't be at Maxton. We are having an Air Conditioner installed tomorrow in our new house in Palm City, Florida. We closed last Friday and the AC closed on Sunday!

Look forward to your responses.

Mike

215-582-3848 (cell)

Michael Brody
P.O. Box 281
Dresher, Pennsylvania 19025

(V) 215-572-0663
(F) 215-572-6992

[Michael]

Michael

How did you make out. I've never heard of a polarity reversal. That sounds
like the worst thing that could happen!! Hope you've been able to work through
the problems OK....

Michael Campbell
89 WBPT 40

--- In WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com, "Michael Brody" <mibrody@...> wrote:
>
> Last year at Maxton, as many of you might know, my '97 BMC 40' was involved in
a polarity reversal at the alternator The coach went back to the Birdsnest for
three months of cabling and Inverter re-build, etc.
>
> I shouldn't be surprised to find that the "new" wire harness that was charged
for, was never installed. There were many bare wires in the harness and some
clipped and bypassed. Detroit Diesel has been here for three days sorting out
the mess.
>
> The issue they came to fix, before knowing about my melted harness, was
extreme fluctuations in voltage in both the engine and coach voltage. After
rebuilding the alternator (again), the chassis voltage is solid. The needle
doesn't shake a bit. The coach voltage needle varies by .5 to 1 volt down from
the chassis voltage. I would call it a flicker. When the main battery switch
is off, it reads the same as the chassis.
>
> The inverter is not showing any error messages. What is meant on the main
shut-off switch by battery 1 and battery 2 and both. Is this isolating the
charging/supply from, the chassis or house batteries?
>
> Detroit Diesel is returning tomorrow morning to load test the house batteries.
Any suggestions would be appreciated.
>
> Sorry we couldn't be at Maxton. We are having an Air Conditioner installed
tomorrow in our new house in Palm City, Florida. We closed last Friday and the
AC closed on Sunday!
>
> Look forward to your responses.
>
> Mike
> 215-582-3848 (cell)
>
>
> Michael Brody
> P.O. Box 281
> Dresher, Pennsylvania 19025
>
> (V) 215-572-0663
> (F) 215-572-6992
>

[Michael Brody]

Working on our coach is like working on a coach that was hit by lightning. They have no clue where to start and we are in to this repair almost $10k. I am awaiting word from Progressive presently.

Spoke to Spartan Chassis Friday. They say that they were the suppliers of the main harness. I may be able to take the coach out to them.

But still continue to have problems. Burnt out another alternator about 7 miles from home.

Mike

'97 BMC 40'

Michael Brody
P.O. Box 281
Dresher, Pennsylvania 19025

(V) 215-572-0663
(F) 215-572-6992

[brad barton]

Michael,

I got in on this thread kinda late, but, having had a coach that was struck by lightning, my insurance company paid for the inverter to be rebuilt, about $1200 by Buddy Gregg in Dallas. Fortunately, I didn't have any other damage.



BTW any coaches from Texas to the Great Lakes...any kind of bad weather you can imagine is going to be working its way slowly across the Midwest from now through Wednesday. If you can stay put under shelter or avoid being blown around on the road, that would be a good thing. This will be one of the largest severe weather outbreaks of the season.

Brad Barton 00LXiDFW bbartonwx@...

---

To: WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com
From: mibrody@...
Date: Sun, 26 Apr 2009 21:54:09 -0400
Subject: [WanderlodgeForum] Re: Unusual Electrical Problem!

Working on our coach is like working on a coach that was hit by lightning. They have no clue where to start and we are in to this repair almost $10k. I am awaiting word from Progressive presently.

Spoke to Spartan Chassis Friday. They say that they were the suppliers of the main harness. I may be able to take the coach out to them.

But still continue to have problems. Burnt out another alternator about 7 miles from home.

Mike

'97 BMC 40'

Michael Brody
P.O. Box 281
Dresher, Pennsylvania 19025

(V) 215-572-0663
(F) 215-572-6992

---

Rediscover Hotmail®: Get e-mail storage that grows with you. Check it out.

[Michael]

I hope your insurance company comes through for you. Otherwise it would be great
if someone knew a tech that lived for electrical challenges. They're out
there! Hope it finally gets resolved.

Michael Campbell
89 wlpt 40




- In WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com, "Michael Brody" <mibrody@...> wrote:
>
> Working on our coach is like working on a coach that was hit by lightning.
They have no clue where to start and we are in to this repair almost $10k. I am
awaiting word from Progressive presently.
>
> Spoke to Spartan Chassis Friday. They say that they were the suppliers of the
main harness. I may be able to take the coach out to them.
>
> But still continue to have problems. Burnt out another alternator about 7
miles from home.
>
> Mike
> '97 BMC 40'
>
> Michael Brody
> P.O. Box 281
> Dresher, Pennsylvania 19025
>
> (V) 215-572-0663
> (F) 215-572-6992
>

[timvasqz]

Electric problems like that can burn a hole thru a piston by increased
cavitation. be shure to keep an eye on the radiator fluid.

One problem I see with having a non motormome garage work on electrical is they
could be crossing wires that run a 12volt inverter like a simple el inverter or
a floresent lite inverter and pushing that 110 volt stuff back through the
charge system??????? I hope Detroit fixes it or gives it back less tuition.

Greg of Tim$Greg
94ptCa

[Ernie Ekberg]

Ralph is the electrical guru here on the forum. Ernie Ekberg 83PT40 Wanderlodge Weatherford, Tx http://autos.groups.yahoo.com/group/erni...gandrepair --- On Sun, 4/26/09, Michael <michael3536@...> wrote: From: Michael <michael3536@...> Subject: [WanderlodgeForum] Re: Unusual Electrical Problem! To: WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com Date: Sunday, April 26, 2009, 10:29 PM I hope your insurance company comes through for you. Otherwise it would be great if someone knew a tech that lived for electrical challenges. They're out there! Hope it finally gets resolved. Michael Campbell 89 wlpt 40 - In "WanderlodgeForum%40yahoogroups.com", "Michael Brody" <mibrody@... > wrote: > > Working on our coach is like working on a coach that was hit by lightning. They have no clue where to start and we are in to this repair almost $10k. I am awaiting word from Progressive presently. > > Spoke to Spartan Chassis Friday. They say that they were the suppliers of the main harness. I may be able to take the coach out to them. > > But still continue to have problems. Burnt out another alternator about 7 miles from home. > > Mike > '97 BMC 40' > > Michael Brody > P.O. Box 281 > Dresher, Pennsylvania 19025 > > (V) 215-572-0663 > (F) 215-572-6992 >

[Michael Brody]

Detroit Diesel - Philadelphia removed the alternator yesterday and had it tested at Hallco in Jenkintown. It was putting out 12.4v. Upon rebuilding, it was determined that there were loose parts in it and was rebuilt improperly in Florida.

Now the alternator is showing 14.7 volts.

Progressive has determined that they are responsible for the work, but is going to let me know later in the week the amount they will pay.

I am going to try to have them cover a trip to Spartan and the replacement of the main harness that Spartan originally supplied.

Then I will feel I will be back to where I was before the fire at Maxton.

Mike

'97 BMC 40'

Michael Brody
P.O. Box 281
Dresher, Pennsylvania 19025

(V) 215-572-0663
(F) 215-572-6992