Under Dash Wiring Diagram for 95 Chinook Concourse

Split from General / Technical for discussion of anything electrical, electronic... 12v, Inverter, Satellite, Headlights, flashlights etc.
User avatar
Blue~Go
Senior Member
Posts: 3716
Joined: July 31st, 2014, 1:01 am
Location: 1999 Concourse

Re: Under Dash Wiring Diagram for 95 Chinook Concourse

Post by Blue~Go »

Aw, the big campground in the sky..... :(

That "new" solenoid under the hood that isn't on the diagram (but the mounting brackets look suspiciously Chinook like). I wonder if that could have something to do with the battery disconnect switch? I don't see where that is really accounted for in the drawing, and yet a small switch/small wire like that kind of has to lead to something else - it's a bit small to be a main battery switch on its own.

It doesn't help you (at all, darnit), but I have to say that Chinook's later electrical diagrams are much better (listing wire sizes, etc.). Still, that '95 diagram is a LOT more helpful than nothing.
1999 Concourse
kyidletime
Posts: 154
Joined: September 8th, 2015, 4:02 pm

Re: Under Dash Wiring Diagram for 95 Chinook Concourse

Post by kyidletime »

Surely even as far back as 1995 Chinook had more thorough wiring diagrams available, probably even color coded one. One of our problems with my rig is that we haven't identified where certain components such as the smart solenoid and the LVD are located on my rig. That with the combination of not having thorough wiring diagrams available makes it hard, if not impossible to diagnose electrical problems.

If only I had known what I was getting into, I wouldn't have purchased an older Chinook. That's what I'm starting to think anyhow.
Alan Croy
Hamilton, Ohio
1995 Chinook Concourse
Upgraded Converter/Charger System.
User avatar
Blue~Go
Senior Member
Posts: 3716
Joined: July 31st, 2014, 1:01 am
Location: 1999 Concourse

Re: Under Dash Wiring Diagram for 95 Chinook Concourse

Post by Blue~Go »

kyidletime wrote:Surely even as far back as 1995 Chinook had more thorough wiring diagrams available, probably even color coded one. One of our problems with my rig is that we haven't identified where certain components such as the smart solenoid and the LVD are located on my rig. That with the combination of not having thorough wiring diagrams available makes it hard, if not impossible to diagnose electrical problems.
I am pretty sure you don't have a "smart" solenoid (such as the Sure Power 1315 or the now-available Blue Sea 7622). Reason I say this is that if you did, you wouldn't need the two solenoids that you do have, and that are shown in the 1995 electrical drawing. The "smart" solenoid takes the place of your two, which are slightly more simple solenoids (but doing the same job, basically).

I also suspect you don't have the Sure Power LVD. Reason I say this is that it was wired in with the Sure Power 1315, and provided (along with the low-voltage disconnect feature) a sort of "roundhouse" area for a number of the small function wires to connect. My guess is that you don't have this, and that it was added along with the Sure Power 1315 in later years. 1997 would be my guess, and I think at this time is when the house batteries were changed from one to two in number, and moved to an outside compartment below the water heater (which in your year doesn't extend forward under the water heater). Your similar wiring looks like it just comes through the firewall and then you have the two switches. So I highly doubt you have "the" LVD and smart solenoid everyone thinks you do. Hence why you can't find them and why they are not on the drawing. And hence why you DO have the two solenoids under the hood that the later ones don't have.

I do hear you on how this makes it harder. For one thing, the documentation is not as good as later years. For two, "most" people seem to have the 1997-2005 era Chinooks, and so they may assume yours is the same when it isn't. So other people can't help you as easily.

On the other hand, in my opinion, aside from better documentation and easier help from others (not to be underestimated), there is nothing "magical" about the later setup, and nowadays there are better/more efficient ways to do what Chinook was doing in even the later years. For example, the function of the Blue Sea 7622 is better than that of the Surepower 1315. Blue Sea makes an LVD that is good (although I would submit that there are better ways to make sure your batteries don't get ruined). The charger Chinook installed even in the very last year is not very smart and there are much better ones now that won't ruin expensive batteries. The solar systems were very minimal, with long, lossy wire runs. And on and on.

Not that Chinook did a bad job. On the contrary: I've looked at a lot of RV's, and helped re-wire a few, and Chinook is up there with the best of them. But time marches on. Also, an owner can tailor any upgrades to their purpose and style, whereas manufacturers are "forced" to choose an average customer and build to that (in the case of most RV's, this hypothetical person drives from power post to power post 99% of the time).

So I guess what I'm saying is that although it's kind of sucky right now as you are trying to figure things out -- and perhaps a stock/functioning 1997+ system would be a godsend at the moment - you can do very well with some upgrades that will easily eclipse the 1997+ setup. There is nothing magical about it, and it's a bit outdated now (plus tailored to "average consumer").

Of course it would have been handy to have your stuff all up and running while you get a feel for how you like to RV, but perhaps it IS fine for that as-is, or with a few mods. Once you figure out what you want to set up, then you can design what you want, with efficient, modern components. Or at least that's an option.

I think most folks find their "standard RV" electrical setups to be slightly lacking. Not everyone, as some people just happen to hit that targeted use pattern - but even they find that the original chargers cook batteries, they can't add to the solar system but instead have to start from scratch, etc.

Again, not to diss Chinook as they did a fine job for their goals and with what was available at the time. I have seen much, much worse (and few better). In summary, Chinook did a good job, but with two limitations: 1) Electronics have improved in the 1-2 decades since they were building our coaches; and, 2) They had to choose a theoretical RV-er to design for, and that may not match your usage.

If I were you I would get the system up and functioning in the most basic way, then use the rig and figure out what you want for YOUR RV-ing style, and then upgrade accordingly. If the solenoids you have are working now, great. If they are not, a simple manual switch can get you by with the exact same functions (just not automatically) until such time as you know better what you want in the long run. At that point any upgrades you do will be tailored to your usage (which it sounds like you haven't really decided on yet, as your rig is new to you).

BG

*****

As an aside and an example, I have tailored my upgrades to boondocking, as that's what I do most of the time. As such, I removed many of the original components and wiring, and instead put in newer/better ones (even the best electrical components have improved with time, and some weren't that great for my usage anyway) with a different "slant" in usage pattern. However, even if I were the "average RV-er," who drives from campground to campground, plugging in at each one, I would have made some upgrades. For example the original charger is not kind to batteries - technology has marched on. Even if one plugs in all the time, that is in use. The chargers available back then were just not as good (think of it a bit like computers in that regard).
1999 Concourse
kyidletime
Posts: 154
Joined: September 8th, 2015, 4:02 pm

Re: Under Dash Wiring Diagram for 95 Chinook Concourse

Post by kyidletime »

Bingo! That's the reason that I couldn't find the smart solenoid and the LVD on my rig, they didn't come out until 1997 as I was told by Kevin, a 1994 Chinook owner. He also had the two switches like mine, of which he sent me pictures of the front and back of the switches. Only problem was that it looked like someone had replaced the wiring and used all red wires.
Now that I know about the smart solenoid and LVD, I can quit trying to find them. Kevin thought that my loose blue wire should be connected, along with a red wire to the emergency start switch. Do you agree with that. Then until I can find out where the other loose wires go, I'll just tape them up out of harms way. I still plan to follow your procedures for testing out my dc charging system.

Alan
Attachments
switch-wiring[1].jpg
switch-wiring[1].jpg (17.85 KiB) Viewed 1429 times
switch-look.jpg
switch-look.jpg (10.28 KiB) Viewed 1429 times
Alan Croy
Hamilton, Ohio
1995 Chinook Concourse
Upgraded Converter/Charger System.
User avatar
Blue~Go
Senior Member
Posts: 3716
Joined: July 31st, 2014, 1:01 am
Location: 1999 Concourse

Re: Under Dash Wiring Diagram for 95 Chinook Concourse

Post by Blue~Go »

Actually, until I saw your post on the Yahoo! forum, I didn't realize you were still looking for the smart solenoid/LVD. I should have been more clear earlier that with your two "simple" solenoids, you pretty obviously weren't going to have those other things.

Disregarding the fact that the wires might change color as they come through the firewall (which you can see if you can trace), then yes, the blue wire from the right-hand solenoid would go to the "emergency start" switch. I'm not sure from the diagram which color would go to the "use/store" switch, but the function of that is to connect or disconnect your DC loads (or most of them anyway) from the house battery when the rig is in storage.

The combine-when-driving/separate-when-camping function is the left solenoid and the orange purple wire, but that wouldn't go to either of those switches, I wouldn't think (because it's supposed to be automatic).

So in other words you are talking about three functions here, and two switches.

Function one is "emergency start," which combines the batteries when you want them both for starting. This is right solenoid/blue wire and the left switch. This is not likely something you'd use often (and there are always jumper cables) so to me it would not be a super high priority (not saying not to have it working, but it's not "necessary" to use rig). You are more likely to run down the house batteries when camping, and the function of this is for when the START battery is not working and you want to jump it with the house battery. Jumper cables would do this no problem (and could also be used so another person's battery could help you).

Function two is combine batteries when engine running (for charging house battery from alternator) and separate them when camping (so you can't run down the start battery and then be stuck). This is the orange/purple wire and likely no switch at all (it probably just wires to ignition and combines when ignition on and separates when ignition off). You want this to work, but you can test for that and there is likely no operator switch to make it happen. If the solenoids are broken, you can wire in a manual switch for now, if you want to keep the costs down.

Function three is separating house loads from house batteries (like when you want to store the rig and don't want any phantom loads running batteries down). This is the right hand switch and then not sure what under the hood. This function (at least in later Chinooks) never really cut off ALL loads. The manual cut off switch your PO put under the hood probably does cut off all loads, so in that way may be preferable to the right hand dash switch anyway. So if it were me I wouldn't worry too much about the right hand dash switch.

****

It is a shame that Kevin's rig has all red wires, but at least now you don't need to keep trying to "prove" that your rig is not the same as the 1997+ models.

I think if the basic layout suits you, and it's mechanically good, then you can have a lot of fun with it and then upgrade/change when you know what you want. It's no problem to come up with a superior, modern system later, once you have a good idea of what your goals are. You can bypass the "1997" tech at that point and go right to 2015 :D
1999 Concourse
kyidletime
Posts: 154
Joined: September 8th, 2015, 4:02 pm

Re: Under Dash Wiring Diagram for 95 Chinook Concourse

Post by kyidletime »

BG

I can't tell you how much I appreciate all of the help that you have given me, I hope that I wasn't too much of a PIA. I guess until I come up with some other problem(s), I'll give you a rest. I think that at some future date I'll probably go the Bluesea 7622 relay route, then I'll be bugging you again for instructions as to how to install it and rewire my system.

As for my rig, I'll most likely reconnect the emergency start switch and let the battery disconnect switch stay unhooked for the time being anyhow.

Thank you again for all of your help.
Alan, in Ohio
Alan Croy
Hamilton, Ohio
1995 Chinook Concourse
Upgraded Converter/Charger System.
User avatar
Blue~Go
Senior Member
Posts: 3716
Joined: July 31st, 2014, 1:01 am
Location: 1999 Concourse

Re: Under Dash Wiring Diagram for 95 Chinook Concourse

Post by Blue~Go »

Alan,

Not a worry at all. It's fun to do this with someone who is interested and responds (as you do) so we can go back and forth. I mean shoot, it's a mystery to be solved!

So please don't hesitate to post again on the subject.

BG
1999 Concourse
kyidletime
Posts: 154
Joined: September 8th, 2015, 4:02 pm

Re: Under Dash Wiring Diagram for 95 Chinook Concourse

Post by kyidletime »

It would be my pleasure BG. I consider you a friend and a valuable source of information...... Alan
Alan Croy
Hamilton, Ohio
1995 Chinook Concourse
Upgraded Converter/Charger System.
Post Reply