Friend Needs Help

[Les Brandt]

I have a Beaver Owner friend who has not yet joined BAC but is in trouble so I thought I would try to pass this by you guys to see if you could help. I'm not in direct contact with him, only by email so I won't have answers to questions. If you have some off the cuff things he can check, that would be great.

Here's the details:

- 1999 Beaver Monterey, diesel pusher
- He was running the A/C and the TV, and when He fired up the microwave to heat up a sandwich, the power popped off and everything stopped, including the generator.

- now, the Onan generator won't restart, and the coach engine won't even crank when He turns the key
- water pump won't work, and the levelers are not working, so He's thinking its the 12VDC system
- lights still work in coach
- more than 1/4 tank of fuel
- dash lights are on with key on indicating power, and house battery connect doesn't help - coach won't crank to start
- His batteries are struggling, but a fellow RVer has provided him with 15 amp power to try to recharge
- He checked the chassis fuses and they're all fine - is there a breaker in our Beavers that He needs to reset?

Can anyone help with diagnostics?

[David T. Richelderfer]

Our coaches may be so different the following won't apply:

Engine does [not] turn over to start?  Does the transmission keypad show neutral - "N"?  Under the keypad there is a clamshell box with several fuses.  It is accessed by removing the side panel screws beside the pilot's seat.  The transmission MUST report neutral to the engine BEFORE the engine will start.

Generator does not turn over to start?  There are two fuses just under the 3" x 3" (or so).  I know our generators are not identical, but there should be a couple fuses in there somewhere accessible.

[Les Brandt]

He quotes engine won't crank over.

Our coaches may be so different the following won't apply:

Engine does turn over to start?  Does the transmission keypad show neutral - "N"?  Under the keypad there is a clamshell box with several fuses.  It is accessed by removing the side panel screws beside the pilot's seat.  The transmission MUST report neutral to the engine BEFORE the engine will start.

Generator does not turn over to start?  There are two fuses just under the 3" x 3" (or so).  I know our generators are not identical, but there should be a couple fuses in there somewhere accessible.

[Edward Buker]

Les,

He needs to take a voltmeter and measure both battery banks and see what voltage he has after disconnecting the external loaner charger for 1/2 hour. That will tell us the state of the batteries and if the internal charging system in the coach is supplying any voltage. If the internal charger is not working then he can charge with the external one and then start the generator and engine to make sure all the systems are functional. Then he needs to fix the in house charging system if it is not working.

Later Ed