lights surge

[Dave Blystone]

HELLO ALL MERRY CHRISTMAS,

My dash lights surge from bright to dim, and my headlight also surge, and seem to be dim on my '01 - 33 ft patriot.   I think its a bad ground, but don't know were to look.  The battery terminals are clean and coated, on both the house and start batteries.  Can anybody tell me were all the chassis grounds are?    Thanks in advance .

dave b

[Dave Blystone]

I guess nobody knows where the grounds are.  Does anybody know if I'm even on the right track?     Thanks.

Dave

[Gerald Farris]

David,
I do not know exactly were the grounds are located on you coach. The problem that you are talking about could be a ground problem, a charging system problem (alternator, voltage regulator, belt/tensioner, or wiring), or a bad connection (corroded terminal) in the positive wiring.

The only way to correct most problems like you have is to take a good DVOM (digital volt- ohm meter) and go to work checking alternator voltage output, voltage drop in circuits, and ohms in ground circuits. One of the most troublesome ground circuits is the one to the alternator.

Gerald

[Bill Sprague]

I had your problem a couple years ago.  Rain water would spin off the left front tire and blast at the wire bundle leading to the electrical bay.  The headlight and dash light circuit breaker got wet and would surge on and off.  Solved the problem by sealing the wire bundle hole that Beaver in Bend didn't do.  The problem has not returned.

You may not have water in there, but the circuit breaker may be failing for other causes and acting like a flasher.  The ones in my rig are the automatic type and reset so they can cycle like a flasher sometimes.  

Good luck!

[Dave Blystone]

Thanks.  I see some spots on the brakers connection.   I'll clean them, and see if that helps.    

Dave