Author Topic: Where is coach power relay on 1999 Contessa?  (Read 2416 times)

Lonne Mays

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Where is coach power relay on 1999 Contessa?
« on: September 29, 2020, 12:09:00 AM »
Does anyone know where the coach power relay is located on a 1999  contessa? This is the relay solenoid that is controlled by the front entry “salesman’s” switch.  Our coach power kicked off intermittently like a failing relay.  We are on our way home to Oregon, and in a KOA near Barstow CA, and need to get this fixed or bypassed so we can continue on our way without issues.

Steve Huber Co-Admin

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Re: Where is coach power relay on 1999 Contessa?
« Reply #1 on: September 29, 2020, 12:44:10 AM »
Lonnie,
It should be in the rear elec bay near the batteries. You should hear if click when significant other presses switch. When you locate it you could simply jumper it by moving both cables on the 2 large terminals to the same terminal.
Steve
Steve
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2013-2015: 00 Marquis Tourmaline, C12, 425 hp
2005-2013: 01 Contessa Naples, 3126B, 330 hp

Lonne Mays

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Re: Where is coach power relay on 1999 Contessa?
« Reply #2 on: September 29, 2020, 01:13:56 AM »
Hi Steve, that’s the first place I looked, but there are no relays or solenoids or anything else in my battery bay except batteries. The mass of heavy gauge battery cables disappear out the back of the bay and head towards the engine compartment (under the bed). I suspect if I trace the cables they will lead to a solenoid bolted to the frame near the engine or on the firewall under the foot of the bed. I’m hoping someone knows so I can forgo crawling under the coach in this heat and gravel.

Fred Brooks

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Re: Where is coach power relay on 1999 Contessa?
« Reply #3 on: September 29, 2020, 01:15:31 AM »
    Lonnie,
If it is the salesman switch relay, It is the one near the batteries as Steve stated. Should look like the one within the oval circle in the photo. Fred
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Lonne Mays

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Re: Where is coach power relay on 1999 Contessa?
« Reply #4 on: September 29, 2020, 02:35:37 AM »
No relays in my battery bay.

Eric Maclean

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Re: Where is coach power relay on 1999 Contessa?
« Reply #5 on: September 29, 2020, 03:20:13 AM »
Lonnie
Not familiar with the naples but on my 97 yorktown the solenoid is located on the front wall of the engine bay under the bed along with    the boost solenoid and the battery isolator for the alternator .
On this fire wall there are also two 200 amp fuses one of them is for the coach power and may be your problem.
Hope this helps Eric
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Mike Gineris

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Re: Where is coach power relay on 1999 Contessa?
« Reply #6 on: September 30, 2020, 08:43:56 PM »
See attached of Electrical Bay for a 1999 Contessa.  Isn't that a relay in the photo?

Fred Brooks

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Re: Where is coach power relay on 1999 Contessa?
« Reply #7 on: September 30, 2020, 10:31:06 PM »
   Mike , that relay is the "ignition relay" that activates when the key is turned on. Good call, because it is a frequent cause of failure on older coaches. The relay we are looking for is the Intellitech battery disconnect that is activated by the "salesman" switch at the entry door. I am pretty sure it is located on the forward bulkhead of the engine compartment once you raise the bed platform. Fred
Fred & Cindy Brooks
2000 Marquis, Jasper
C-12 Wild Cat (U of A)
2014 Honda CRV
Proverbs 3: 5 & 6

Lonne Mays

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Re: Where is coach power relay on 1999 Contessa?
« Reply #8 on: October 03, 2020, 02:21:35 PM »
Thanks for the help everyone! With all the suggestions and troubleshooting hints, we were able to trace down the location of the coach power relay and bypass it!  On our 99 Contessa Naples it is located on the inside of the firewall at the foot of the bed.  The are three large solenoid relays there, and by using a voltmeter across the coil terminals (the two small control terminals with 16awg wire) we were able to determine which of the three relays it was by measuring the coil voltage momentarily appear when the switch was toggled.   Having determined which relay it was, it was then just a simple task of bypassing the relay by transferring one of the big 02awg cables from one terminal to the other so that both big cables were bolted to the same terminal.  Coach power is now rock solid!

P.S. The defective solenoid had poor contacts internally and was heating up due to contact resistance and dropping 1.5V across the contacts with less than 20A being drawn by the coach house systems (inverter, water pump, interior lights, etc.)!!!  It should normally have dropped less than 0.02V if the contacts were good.