Basic Electrical Things

[Jeffery Raymond]

One of the things we forget about the most is the basic maintenance of the electrical system in our coaches....from the 'plug-in' all around the coach. All-electric coaches, want to have good, strong, conductive circuits. The most common problem in coaches is a loose or ineffective ground, so it seems.

The first step is to make sure that your connection is solid. Start with keeping your connections in good shape, per the picture.

Although we have 30-amp connections, an all-electric coach really wants good, solid 50-amp service. Most generators will put out about 120 Amps.

A little-known thing is that pre-1992 coaches are built without the RVIA standards and may not have a wired ground; instead, they are grounded to the chassis (in come conversions). So without a perfect connection or a straight-in plug-in, there is a chance of damage at least to the shoreline connection. (Happened to us a number of years ago). The fix on that is to hardwire a separate ground to the generator and to the main panel from the shoreline connection.

Batteries, etc., need to be maintained well and it is easy to forget about them as well, especially if the house batteries are buried somewhere in the coach.

Here's another little tip. If you have GFI circuits and plug in something, well, less than carefully, you will find that everything hooked into that circuit will be dead. Find the original place where you tripped the circuit, do a reset right there on the outlet box and you are good to go.

I am no electrician, but this is a starting point for those who are.

[Joe Cannarozzi]

I love reviving old threads so here goes again.

I've been noticing our 12 volt bank of batteries discharging for no good reason so I picked up a new battery charger and set about pulling the 12 volt bank. Well one thing leads to another and I ended up pulling the 24 volt bank and the rack as well, what is left of it anyway

Another project. Debbie just loves it when I fail to finish any current project for another. Heck, it's the bus, it's all just ONE BIG PROJECT

So far I have found 1 bad battery in the 12 volt bank. The ONLY thing that is powered off 12 volt in the bus is lighting. I'm thinking that that bank will now be 1 battery short cause I do not want to replace all 4 right now and I don't think it is wise to put 1 new battery in with 3 old ones and they are just supplying some lights. If it is O/K to just replace 1 of 4 I will, anybody want to chime in. They are inexpensive deep-cycle wet.

The charger can desulfate so I'll also do this. It takes 24hrs to do a battery so with 8 batterys to do that will give me a week to fab up a new battery rack and get it powdercoated. I'll also add 2 cut-off switches for the house banks that were never there. This area was just another thing that was on the list

My Bus 261.jpg
The 12 volt bank rests on the top shelf and the the 4 that make 24volt go below.

My Bus 260.jpg

My Bus 258.jpg
I think it was by the grace of God that they didn't bust through this old plywood base.

We had some guys in a band make us an offer on the bus this weekend. I think they were just dreaming a little but when they left Deb said wouldn't that be nice, we could take the profit and get us something with more of a motorhome floorplan. All I could do is think to myself, girl you have got to be out of your mind if you think I've any desire at all to start this process all over again. Aint married life grand.

[Gary & Peggy Stevens]

WOW, Joe, you really are into a complete overhaul of your bus, aren't you?

I am sure this job will turn out as well as your GEN Bay overhaul is.

Too bad you didn't get to POG III, and meet the Zimmerman Team? Your jobs remind me of what they did to their 99 Liberty. http://www.zimmermancoach.com/?type=webpage&id=2

Check out their website to see what they have done on their coach, to make it a "Z" Bus, much the same content as what you are doing, GREAT JOB.

Gary S

[garyde]

Hi Joe. I would replace all batteries. You will have less amperage w/o the 5th battery and it will put additional load on the remaining batteries. Depending on the age, they all need updating at some point anyway.

[Joe Cannarozzi]

Gary I can't seem to find that bus on that sight.

In fact, I'm still waiting for them to finish their article on their gen. bay rebuild

Gary#2

I'd be taking a set of 4 down to 3 but either way your suggestion remains the same. In terms of eletronics our 86 isin't even in the same universe as yours. Those 12volt bats. power a total of 10 different lighting sources of which we do not use any more than 2 or 3 at any 1 time.

We will inevedibly keep our 2 banks of house batts. as sets of 4, although I think we could take 2 away from the 12volt and still be able to supply more than enough power for those lights. The inverter the e-spar the water pump are all 24volt.

As I go through the rest of the batteries charging and desulfating I might come across another bad one or two and I will then replace the 4 for 24 volt and have a spare or two for the originals that will work just fine for lighting on the 12volt side.

[Jon Wehrenberg]

Joe,

I would be surprised if your converter installed 4 batteries just for lights.

I'm guessing you have 12 volts for the fridge control circuit (it's gas right?), maybe for inverter input, furnaces, sound system, clocks, pump, and a whole bunch of smaller items.

The inverter is used to run the TVs, make coffee, power the outlets, etc. so the batteries are an important item.

[Joe Cannarozzi]

Jon The inverter is 24 volt along with the pump. We are heated with electric toe kicks and a 24 volt e-spar. The dash stereo is off of bus batteries, no clock accept for the coffee pot. The original fridge was 2-way a/c d/c but, yes, we now have a propane and it does require 12 volt for the brain board but that is a very small draw. Just lights baby.

I can't remember what the original fridge was drawing on D/C it might very well have been 12 volt and that would explaine the battery configuration.

[Just Plain Jeff]

There was some kind of a movement in the early 1990's (probably the by battery guys) to add additional batteries to coaches to supposedly increase the amount of dry camping time without running the generator. I believe it began in the Prevost Prouds and got to be quite a thing. (So much for that).

Anyway, our Angola had, when we picked it up, an extra FOUR batteries installed. One day I walked into the coach and there was this distinct acid smell going on.

So, after ripping out a plywood panel, found a bunch of the extra Super-Duper Sears batteries hooked into the 8D chassis batteries. They were corroded worse than a freighter registered in Bolivia. Yanked 'em out, disconnected all them wares (am trying to talk Southern) and the 8D's came back to life again.

All them batteries were trying to equalize and the 8D's cooked Sears Best.

Just goes to show.

[win42]

Joe: You may want to check out using SS angle to fab that frame. It will last forever and may not cost much more than steel with powder coating. SS sheet instead of plywood with some of your rubber sheathing over it. Just a thought. Sorry, i'm spoiled having an industrial metal fab shop to scrounge from. Try and find some Urethane blocks to set between your motor mounts and their base.

[Joe Cannarozzi]

Thank you Harry for those ideas, I'll see what I can come up with.