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I'm going to try my best to track them down. Right now, they just kind of "disappear" into a wiring harness. There's these 2 pair connected to each terminal of the battery in the photo.
For what it's worth,the negative 2 pair are black and the positive 2 pair are yellow. This probably only means something to whoever installed them.
My first instinct is to replace them and then see if the bus starts and runs OK. Then, I'll spend some more time tracking them down.
Could they be part of the Detroit or Allison systems? I wasn't sure if either the engine or trans required a direct connection such as this.
If it's merely for some accessory, I'll feel much better tinkering with it.
In the mean time, I'm also going to concentrate on a method to keep the chassis batteries charged while plugged into shore power.
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Do these extra wires go to a single battery, i.e. black to negative, and yellow to positive? if so, this is most likely some 12v add-on?
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Yes, these extra wires go to a single battery. There are 2 pair and look identical.
So, I agree that a 12v accessory is a likely candidate.
Now then, since the negative leads are disconnected, I should have a 12 volt something that doesn't work, right?
I had high hopes for the CB, but it powered up fine. I also have both the 12 volt and 24 volt disconnects "off", so I'm sure how that enters the mix of variables.
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ph-
while you're at it: it appears from the pic in post #45 there is a steel washer under the big cable ring connector. you need to remove this. the connector needs to touch the lead post. steel doesn't have the conductivity of copper or lead and wil cause a large voltage drop at high current, like when you're starting.
of course, if there's no washer there, as rose rosannadanna would say, "never mind".
wmm
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Thanks for the tip. Actually, that's the base of the battery post, but I'm glad to keep learnin'...
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Paul,
To help understand the situation those wires are creating an imbalance by being connected as you describe. They will pull a single battery down and that will drag the rest with it.
Just for the hell of it, leave them off and if anything on the coach does not work then worry about it.
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I would chase those wires down. I have several small yellow wires attached to my batteries as well and it was done by the convertor. These are what are called parasitic loads which go direct to the batteries so certain electrical systems do not get turned off. Also, I have wires attached from my battery charger. So, verify before changeing your wiring. The terminal ends (ring type) can be purchased at any auto store, they look like #6 guage because of the two #10 copper wires. I would strip back about 1 inch and twist the copper a couple of times, slip them into the terminal and crimp with a crimp tool or with a pair of dikes. (2 crimps). Also, slide on a piece of suitable size shrink tube prior to crimping.
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Gary,
Your comment about wires attached directly to the batteries took me by surprise. Are they attached to the chassis batteries, and are you sure Liberty did them?
I can fully understand if the converter attaches loads to the house batteries. That is their domain, and we would have to assume they had a reason. But the downside of that is that the coach can never be turned off, meaning any coach storage will require shore power because without it those parasitic loads will kill the batteries.
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By appearance, they do look like they were installed by Liberty.
What do the 12 and 24 volt disconnects actually "disconnect"? I'm thinking this is a Prevost feature and should be the same function from bus to bus, regardless of converter?
So far, I've only found the driver's seat inoperable with those wires disconnected, but the passenger seat works OK. That doesn't make sense to me, but then again, so far not much has...
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The chassis shut off switches, 24 volt is for the battery bank, and the 12 volt is the tap from the battery bank for the DDEC.
I admit my experience with Liberty is limited to 2 coaches, but I am troubled that a parasitic draw would be added to a coach to FORCE the owner to always have shore power available so the batteries could be charged at all times. Does not sound right. Actually is sounds like someone added it without thinking through the consequences.
Passenger seat is electric and comes from the house circuits. Driver's seat is air and if the aux pressure is zero it will not work.
