Motorhome: MAJOR ELECTRICAL ISSUES - Part 1

[@johnwojsiat9924]

The Rodent that did the damage was the Mechanic from the last garage!

[@mechanicmatt871]

You seem happy to work on absolutely any vehicle, I like your methodical approach that you apply, you are an inspiration to watch.

[@PineHollowAutoDiagnostics]

Thank you for the kind words, Matt! I love a good variety of challenges. Would die of boredom if I had to do brake jobs all day long haha

[@johng1077]

Hey that can be the bread and butter thou, keep em coming Ivan you have a fan, love watching your diagnosis and thought process, KISS principle.

[@smms5056]

👍👍 Brake,jobs haha, All,day long, it does feel,boring. But sometimes these Brake,Jobs are very satisfying. People are so happy when they get fresh brakes 👍👍$$

[@donaldisrael7147]

Thanks for helping that old fellow out.One of my biggest regrets of closing my shop and retiring was my elderly customers plight.

[@real_arbuckle]

Old motorhome without schematics, fire, generator mechanics and rodent damage means this is going to be fun, Thanks for inviting us!

[@rickdeckard1075]

most RVs are garbage.... boomers and their endless money to waste on depreciating toys

[@real_arbuckle]

@@rickdeckard1075 You're not wrong and I'm sure you see the tragedy of Boomers wanting to retire and die in a cardboard box away from society while their grandchildren live in RV's because they can't afford anything else.

[@rickdeckard1075]

@@real_arbuckle i dont blame anyone for wanting to escape the chaos of western "society", but the only way out is working together to create stable communities. and party time aka "retirement" is now obsolete.

[@fredautos]

Yeah we definitely came through

[@citichap]

Ben Franklin always said, "In order to get many things done, do them one at a time." I think that is how Ivan is fixing this issue, by fixing one problem at a time. Nice video Ivan, I am looking forward for the end result.

[@baxrok2.]

I can hardly imagine the incompetence required to hook those generator wires up wrong. On the flip side, the red collar on the ground lug didn't really help! Nice work Ivan!

[@TonyRule]

Name and shame the generator crowd that reversed polarity on those cables. It's patently obvious the positive lead would be the one in the flexible conduit because it doesn't matter if the ground chaffs on the chassis - that's where it's connecting to anyway!

[@throttlebottle5906]

probably the new guy shop clown was told to hookup the wires after others serviced the genset.

[@Walczyk]

@@throttlebottle5906 most shops are full of clowns

[@williamwhite9767]

Admire your tenacity to fix stuff you aren't familiar with. Great job!

[@riblets1968]

You either take all comers as a matter of course or you have a hard time saying "no." Whichever it is, it certainly makes for some interesting repair videos! Thank you.

[@sinegra30]

Amazing non Scanning diagnostic! This reminds me when I used to work with limousines, they have 2 separate charging systems and 2 separate AC systems and a bunch of high current solenoids, Thank you Ivan!

[@somerandomguy3868]

I've taken my hat for you Ivan, alot of shops will have nothing to do with motorhomes and with good reason, you never get an accurate schematic, most of the time people are on vacation so they want it fixed in the time it takes to get lunch and you have to be an expert in mechanical engineering, electro mechanical system and electronics, whoever worked on this vehicle before you setup a potentially dangerous situation with the generator and it's not over, I suspect the leveling system and possibly rodent damage are in the future repair, great work so far, be safe and looking forward to seeing more of the fix 👍

[@likearockcm]

Ivan's ability to take a problem and simplify it in his mind and not be overwhelmed is what makes him "odin iz luchshikh" .

[@PineHollowAutoDiagnostics]

That's the approach of "applied" physics and engineering: Try to simplify the problem to basic concepts while keeping the big picture in mind :)

[@gdcskates]

you are a beast. no schematic, just common sense. Outstanding. you get 10 thumbs up.

[@tomsmith29]

Ivan you will have this thing fixed ! your an electrical wizard ! can't wait for part two and three .

[@JoePJack1]

Whatever you do don’t let it drop below 50 MPH....BOOM 💣

[@PineHollowAutoDiagnostics]

I LOVE THAT MOVIE! SPEED!

[@HUBBABUBBADOOPYDOOP]

Any time an alternator makes that noise (more apparent on a video's audio) it means the battery is severely discharged. The charging part of an alternator is NOT a "battery charger", it's only meant to top off the current that starting uses.

[@joemilton7552]

Which noise?

[@josh6715]

All car electronics use the alternater so technically it is a charger because that's what's its constantly doing

[@HUBBABUBBADOOPYDOOP]

@@josh6715 Research. Gain 40+ experience, then reply. Alternator is used at above set RPM to replenish battery, after starting, and while accessories use power, plus the ignition. "Charging" is best when dedicated, like a battery charger. Run your battery down, no crank. Sure, a "jump" will get started, but run it for hours- battery will never be up to CCA capacity. The alt is nothing but a "maintainer" like a float charger.

[@Glenn08CRF]

Hey Ivan, as always...love the vids. I love troubleshooting as well. My Fluke meter is my best friend and the ohmmeter tells me all I need to know. My tone generator is handy too for tracing. I notice and cringed when I seen you reaching around the starter relays on the motorhome with your wedding band on. Dude, take it off working on live stuff. 600-800 amps will love the high conductivity of that ring, and you'll only be able to count to 9!

[@mikefoehr235]

I know from personal experience what damage rodents can do to campers and trucks. Our pop up camper we had suffered terrible rodent damage and so did my Tacoma. I would HIGHLY recomend the electrical tape made by Honda. It seems to work very well. Ivan, you have big cahoonas to tackle this problem. If you can repair this gentleman's motorhome, you may have a friend for life.

[@wyattoneable]

Fantastic detective work Ivan.

[@tomgeorge3726]

Hi Ivan, great video. Can I suggest you have a good read of the manuals for your clamp meters. The FLUKE and I would say the other have MAX/MIN storage facilities, so you don't have to race around monitoring for your 400A, just check the clamps after the fault has occured.

[@mattelderca]

Check ALL chassis grounds, engine to battery, battery to frame, frame to body, etc. I bet the shorted gen. start lead burned a few straps. Seen it before.

[@leexgx]

@Jason Bowman yep bad grounds can do some funky stuff, like make the brakes lights turn off when you press the brake peddle (they are on when key put into first position and car didn't start) and for fun dump battery voltage into the Cambus network and possibly destroying 1 or 2 tow van ODB readers (the cable got really hot on the reader, other one was Bluetooth so unsure if it killed the Bluetooth dongle) I kinda figured it was a ground fault One thing I noticed was the electric power steering was also active the whole time I was been towed (as it should have been active only when engine is running, but that might of been a safety feature of the car that the power steering is on when car is moving) I was surprised it didn't destroy any of the electronics in the car

[@andrewevanoff1192]

Ivan, I've done a lot of troubleshooting of very complex electrical systems. Sometimes there would be several thousand wires going into multiple directions, with no electrical diagrams available. A simple wire tracer was invaluable. It just puts a modulated carrier on a wire and you trace it with a probe. Very handy and saved tons of time. It's sold on Amazon, from different manufacturers for around $25- $70. The signal generator is battery powered. The probe is non contact, just bring it near the wire and hear the tone. I've used this probe many time for automotive electrical troubleshooting too.

[@arthurfricchione8119]

Interesting challenge. Gauges didn’t go whacky till you grounded the generator. Disconnect generator and see what happens along with the 6V batteries and see which hook up screws everything up. Just an idea. Stay well Ivan. 👍

[@rtzapper]

Enjoyed your video and learned some too. Looking forward to part2

[@mike_svt93]

Geez O' Flip!! Anybody who can't at LEAST get the polarity right needs a check up from the neck up. Sounds like more power and ground related issues in store. I feel bad for the owner. Always the victim $$$. Hats off to you Ivan for taking on this project. Most other shops would probably avoid it like the COVID-19.

[@rmr5740]

Bubba is still out there, bungling up vehicle wiring while customers are paying him top dollar to wreck their equipment.

[@joehomanick]

You said the refrigerator went up in smoke so in hook it .. it probably is shorting out . After you start the truck it should try to power the house and charge the house batteries so eliminate that stuff one at a time . Don’t over think this one this is simple also the alternator might have got its ass kicked when the refrigerator blew up. The regulator in the alternator might be bad and over charging when you rev its ups a dead short can do that many the house batteries are shorted

[@tiredoldmechanic1791]

After finding that huge draw, I wouldn't start the engine to try to find it. Too much chance of letting the smoke out somewhere. 😉 Using the diagram on that cover for the generator/battery isolator, I would have checked the positive cables for a ground, suspecting that it might be shorted to the chassis somewhere from rodent damage or chafing. That would have led to finding the generator wires reversed. The wiring is always sketchy in motor homes. It's the reason so many of them burn.

[@SurferJoe46]

Every time I run into a problem like this - I start by disconnecting the auxiliary circuits and just get the system running as a truck/alternator/starter/battery - and add parts in - one at a time until you find the trouble, The clicking high-Amp relay in the control panel SHOULD have been the big clue - it was at that point when the house batteries were going into the charging circuit when all hell broke loose. I think you danced around on this too much looking for zebras when you heard just plain-ol' hoofbeats, and personally I'd keep the toys like the thermal scan tool - in the box. Too many tools just over-complicate things. Don't get me wrong - I thoroughly enjoy your repairs and look forward to them all the time - but this one got away from you 'way too long. You shouldda hit on the problem a lot faster and you really didn't need to repeat the failure over and over - especially after someone else got to work on it first. How many times can an alternator be treated that poorly? Never trust another mechanic - or another shop for that matter! Stay healthy - stay away from retired ex-shopowner old guys like me ...... and watch out for butt-biting zebras.

[@SurferJoe46]

@Jason Bowman Yeah - that's in the back of my mind - reluctantly. Good point. Thanks.

[@ericcorse]

Most generators like this have a low oil pressure cutoff, I'd make sure you at least have oil in it.

[@Hammerjockeyrepair]

onans need to have the start button held for a second or 2 after it fires up to generate, once the switch sees power it stays running

[@ericcorse]

@@Hammerjockeyrepair good to know

[@skip7243]

MH generators, at least in my experience & I own one, will not stay running if not putting out voltage. It will shut off just like this one is doing if 110V is not sensed. Wiring on these things is a nightmare & very little documentation is provided or available.

[@jamesu]

Thanks for the video Ivan. Motor homes, RVs and shuttle buses can be very challenging since there are no factory diagrams readily available and too many hands preceded mine.

[@TheGarageEngineer]

Cant wait for part 2. Looks like a tough one with out wiring diagram.

[@jugubantan7740]

The guy works on anything and I like that more to learn!

[@daveg8119]

Ivan- As a engineer I appreciate your diagnostic strategy for solving issues. It seems like there's nothing you won't work on! I only wish there was a website showing locations of other diagnostic techs in the field by state and location. Minnesota would be happy to have you! Look forward to part 2, 3,4??? Just finished the Toyota 1.6L oil burning series. I don't even own a Toyota! You like the interesting challenges, and aren't always in it for the quick fix and move on. That's what makes your channel great!

[@bernardstef]

Excellent, as always! I always learn watching your videos. Cheers from France!

[@fieldsofomagh]

Reversed wiring does not bode well for further investigative work. Brave attempt with no schematics for guidance. Motorhomes is a new frontier where very few have gone before.

[@1kleineMax1]

Nice one. I like tough elektrikal problems when the error is consistent! But spare me with sporadic problems :D I first thought that maybe the +cable to the generator is rubbed through at the frame, but just hoocking it up reversed is something special. We need part2 !!! :)

[@brianw8963]

Another nice one Ivan. Always a pleasure to watch and learn.

[@seanhorton3811]

Most RV generators are on a slide out tray to make servicing easier. The RV electrical systems are notoriously bad with no documentation. The coach builders would start with a chassis and install whatever components were cheapest at the time. My '85 Southwind had a Chevy chassis, Ford AC/heater controller, an instrument cluster by who knows, and fuse bodge (box) that would have made Lucas proud. Add in that the previous owners had added a bunch of aftermarket equipment and then removed some of it, which made tracing wiring almost impossible. RVs can be a lot of fun, but boy howdy can they be annoying as well.

[@vincescalise4821]

Sean Horton Yeah I thought that generator should Slide out to

[@TonyRule]

Haha Lucas, Prince of Darkness.

[@tetttettamilli6761]

D

[@mmichaeldonavon]

"Boy Howdy?" Haven't heard that phrase for a "hundred years." " My friend from Texas always used to say it. He and I jumped out of an airplane over Gelnhousen, Germany. Only got to about 5 or 6 thousand feet (a German Pilot - a German registered airplane) Just before "exit" he said: "Boy Howdy" this is fun! " :)

[@zx8401ztv]

Ooow what a mistake, i would be supprised if the generator isn't damaged :-( The slipping belt hopefully saved the alternator, but a phase could be o.c and it would still charge, but weaker current. Leaving the generator disconnected would be my thought untill the dashboard madness is done lol. You do get some interesting repairs ivan :-D

[@throttlebottle5906]

I'd assume it killed the electronic controls in it, since it would also be powered off the starter solenoid, the motor/generator head would be rubber isolated from the generator frame which is where the + was hooked to. it may have burnt control wires and stuff clear to the coach front where the remote generator start is. but maybe just that switch was in off position and kept shutting it down

[@mikelang4191]

I really appreciate your pragmatic approach to diagnostics. You may very well have just solved a three year mystery of mine on a 95 pinnacle gm chassis motorhome that had generator work done a few years before I got it. Exact same setup.

[@jeffryblackmon4846]

Great job thus far. I'm anxious to see the "rest of the story." Thanks.

[@jasonb4370]

That's why I love my thermal Imager makes diagnosing current problems fast

[@slowlane5032]

This is the guy I want on my side. Great video.

[@jcmobilediagnostics8611]

the three thumbs down are the guys at the shop that reversed those wires.

[@billhartsfield424]

You are a brave man working on a junk motor home . They were trash when new, and only get worse.

[@kevinkim5534]

Love your persistent nature to find solution

[@crisprtalk6963]

Dude's got a good starter! I am anxious for part 2!

[@LZDEN]

nice work Ivan,looking forward to part 2.

[@superlee63]

I like watching you repair odd things. I agree with an earlier poster about eliminating the refrigerator, and possibly a damaged alternator.

[@vincescalise4821]

Great work so far on your part Ivan , The other shop well, not so much ,Cannot wait to see part two great video

[@dpeagles]

You are so tenacious.

[@mikechiodetti4482]

You fixed one of ? Many problems. When (how many) people worked on it, you may have to start from the beginning. Some of those motor home generators will start by holding the start button on or in until it's finally running. Then the system automatically disconnects the starter.

[@mkilptrick]

I love your detective work Ivan.

[@TGsrao1989]

Ivan's come a long way from the twisted camshaft Tucson V6. Cranes, RVs, military you name it.

[@-DC-]

Awesome content Ivan but I'd be running in the opposite direction from that one 😂😂.

[@kevinbarry71]

At the beginning of the video; nevertheless, motorhome, should always have major electrical issues following it. How about the leaks in the roof?

[@SmittySmithsonite]

Wow, got yourself a problem child there, Ivan! So many incompetent shops out there - can't believe they would send something out the door WORSE than it came in! Plus what looks like a blatant misunderstanding of electrical. Mind blowing. Maybe they thought since it had a pair of 6v batteries that it was positive ground, like the old Ford tractors used to be! Who knows! Can't wait for part 2! This is a good one! Nice work with no wiring diagram. 👍🍻

[@PineHollowAutoDiagnostics]

It was a specialty generator shop. Total WTF situation. I was just shaking my head lol

[@mkilptrick]

"Tom's going start it ...very interesting." Sounds like birds in your air intake.

[@Texasknowhow]

Man, every time Ivan has him start it up AGAIN to just let it short out AGAIN, I was cringing. I was saying “Short to ground on that big wire” after the first trip with the amp clamp over there. At that point trace it out and find the short. Starting with the other end of the cable... dude, that alternator, relays, batteries etc are hating life... Love that you show all the work you do Ivan; you don’t hide anything. So many can learn from your videos. But that hurt to watch it over and over...!!

[@robertshatto2995]

I enjoy all your videos...keep putting them out,,,thank you

[@jd-kv9in]

Boats and RVs, you love to have one then you love to get rid of it. Always something. Great vid, you are working though the problem with reasoning and deduction.

[@outrider29]

Love your detective work Ivan, great videos my friend.

[@ouch1011]

Haven't finished the video yet, but the slightly intermittent nature of the issue is likely because the controller isn't kicking on the relay/solenoid that is connected to the short until the charging voltage gets past a certain threshold. As the battery got severely discharged by the short, it got harder for the alternator to get to that threshold. That's why it started doing it again after Tom reved the engine and got the alternator speed/output up. 18:50 for future reference, I would not leave your Lithium battery booster pack hooked up to the vehicle when there is a large draw/short on the battery. That's a good way to let the magic smoke out of the Lithium pack

[@jackparkin9849]

Thanks Ivan! Good RV videos are hard to find. THAT was a good one.

[@Okie-Tom]

Wow Ivan, you just opened a big can of worms! Lol! What do you want to bet it is bad ground related?! Look forward to the next episode! Tom

[@BigDaddy_MRI]

Part 2. Hurry!!! This was a great video. Thank you, Ivan. Where’s part two? Are we there yet? Now? Now? Now? 😂😂😂😂

[@CajunShrek]

Hate when those birds start over talking u when alternator kicks in 😂

[@jamesbruno5896]

Nice job Ivan looking forward to part 2!

[@Nudnik1]

I use a Klein tone out to trace wires in boats and Cranes. May help you. I have a huge RV got most working. Electric fuel pump on Onan must hear it run.

[@stephenarling1667]

Toner tracer has been a great help in communications wiring too.

[@javiTests]

I think all the grounds in that motorhome are all messed up! XD Good job!

[@15205golfer]

@8:41, when you mentioned the Onan, and went back to check it....it probably decided it would quit acting up, until you walked away from it...lol.

[@TheRetiredtech]

Good work 👍

[@davyarthurs]

Good find Ivan!

[@daveg6220]

Hey Ivan any way you could draw up a home made wiring diagram Scanner Danner style? It would help us novices on your thought process and direction. I especially like the non car troubleshooting videos you do, it just goes to show if you know the fundamental you can fix most things your self.

[@VWWRENCHIE]

PHAD new slogan... "If it has wheels and a problem,we work on it" 😃👍

[@PineHollowAutoDiagnostics]

Yup that's true 😁😎

[@mmichaeldonavon]

Ivan, having had a motorhome with a 4KW generator, that Onan can be a BIG bucket of worms. No kidding. The rectifier/regulator is always a BIG problem. And they are expensive. Yes, the fuel pump is always suspect - gotta make sure it's pumping fuel. (I know you will, or have). I've owned motorhomes and have built three airplanes - ALL are money pits! Motor homes especially. Cheaply made, generally, leak like a sieves and are just problematic. I, like the rest of "your gang of followers," :) are anxiously awaiting part 2. Thanks.

[@itslee253]

Hey Ivan I might have missed something but make sure the start battery is isolated to only the motor and vehicle 12 volt system , Possibly your getting to much voltage or possibly short to ground somewhere causing the gauges and things to go wacky good luck

[@cjames4957]

I have a Chevy Cobalt every once in awhile the gauges would go crazy, found a bad ground on the BCM.

[@ScannerDanner]

Awesome so far Ivan!, you are one brave soul to take on this job, looking forward to what else you find cooked or wired backwards haha. RV's are a trip with their wiring.

[@Bub61fd]

Thanks Ivan! Love to see odd ball problems maybe you can fix Calif. Drive on over, bring a lot of credit cards.

[@tjroelsma]

Nice work, but you've could have saved a lot of time. Immediately after seeing the problem, start with separating the circuits, especially as there are no wiring diagrams. That way you immediately split the problem into multiple autonomous sections. Personally I would tackle this as follows: 1. start by separating the "car" circuit from the "home" circuit 2. troubleshoot and fix the "car" section 3. disconnect the generator 4. troubleshoot and fix the "home" section 5. troubleshoot and fix the generator 6. hook up the generator to the "home" circuit 7. hook up the "home" circuit to the "car" circuit 8. job done

[@SLeslie]

It was still running because last time the ignition was kept on long time and the cranking battery was discharged a lot more than before. Therefore it took longer time to the alternator to charge up that battery.

[@Walczyk]

that cable shouldn't be hanging outside, disgusting workmanship by that generator shop

[@oceannavagator]

Shorts, shorts, shorts, some by men and some by mouse. The nightmare is not having a wiring diagram.

[@Xyquest]

I have an onan generator in my Chevy RV. 1999. Similar setup. You have to run the generator once a month for an hour or so or the carborator will get clogged and ruined. It is not recommended to rebuild. You have to replace at that point. Mine wouldn't start after sitting over the winter and I had to replace the carb and filter. Starts right up ever since.

[@nv1493]

I hate to see anyone, especially retired that have worked all their lives, get ripped by Joe blow shops. We bought our RV from a really nice older couple. I saw a few things on it initially but as I went though mechanical and electrical I found a bunch of crap work. Or work not done.

[@lovetolearn5253]

I hate pt 1 and 2s. It's like a kid at Christmas when it comes to diag videos. I don't care if it's a hr long I want to know the findings. Nice job.

[@oabus]

Look forward to part 2.

[@johnwaby4321]

I agree wiring diagrams would be good. But not always possible so we have to use are knowledge. Experience. And skill.

[@yurbeeinwatched]

It's only been on fire once? Motorhomes and fire are like ham and cheese. They just go together. I just had a clown with a motorhome catch fire in my parking lot last week. Class B. A ton of firefighters and cops. Dude bailed and now it's sitting on the street.

[@45AMT]

Ivan makes the most interesting videos. Always getting into something. This one is going to be interesting.

[@MiguelFlores-jp1ss]

Man Ivan,, how many steps did you walk just going back and forth,,answer,, too many, hahaha!!! No other way around it, good video, I'm ready for part 2

[@robertshatto2995]

Great catch,

[@williamwhite9767]

Makes me want to buy an older (cheap) motorhome. I'm retired and I have the time to enjoy it!

[@RobCarstuff9112]

Just a thought Ivan, In your later years, Do you see yourself trudging around these vehicles/construction equipment in the cold crappy rainy winter days? You are SUPER SMART. Cheers!

[@billsimpson604]

Musk had better take him along on the trip to Mars.

[@liviu2004]

That belt noise!!! Oh maaan

[@northcountryautodiagnostic3206]

I just did almost the same one. Mine was a 1998. Your power box is way nicer . I have some diagrams if you still want them.

[@CPUTests]

If you want to catch problems you should keep the instruments on the points of interest and let them stay there and analyze data shown by them. You keep taking off the amp clamp from one place to another and you miss the important reading at the end... Just be more pacient and let the instruments stay on the points of interest on the circuit so you can catch the fault when it appears. Best regards and good work. By the way I love your videos.

[@gbowne1]

customer complaint: "Long Story".. ahh right.. yeah.

[@ChrisBrocksmith]

The also use a special positive grounding system. Backwards from a negative grounding system. Not your typical starter solenoid.