We just replaced the coach batteries in our 2004 Cascade (they would not charge, and were eleven years old: it seemed like a gimme at the time.)
The batteries now charge, but the "switch on coach batteries" does nothing. No 12volts anywhere except the sleeper sofa.
The four circuit breakers just forward of the propane tank all read intact, but none have 12 volts showing.
(it's not too clear, but the tags read (bottom to top) "LVD", "Step Sw" "LVD" and "Conv/Charger"
Before I do some real damage, can anyone tell me where the LVD is so I can check its voltages? It *seems^ like there must be another circuit breaker or connection-point hiding somewhere between the coach batteries and the LVD, else I would see 12V on at least one of those four breakers.
Cascade is not the same as Concourse... so I am reluctant to say much... can you see if there is a manual in the Reference forum for the Cascade? It should have a diagram telling you where the LVD is.
(For the Concourse, the LVD is under the sofa right behind the driver pillar.)
Again, here is the info for the Concourse, so YMMV.
If the coach batteries is charging while you are on shore power, then the LVD is connected. If when you say the batteries are charging via solar, it is not related to the LVD, since the solar controller connects directly to the coach battery. There is a 30 A resettable breaker between the LVD and the batteries, and another thing to check is the ground. Electricity does not work well without ground.
Last edited by chin_k on July 16th, 2021, 10:39 pm, edited 1 time in total.
2000 Concourse dinette, on 1999 6.8L Ford E350 Triton V-10 Chassis
Thanks for the manual link : it's not exactly the model, but close,
I found the LVD, hiding under the front left of the galley, beneath the drawers.
Recognized it immediately from the sticker saying "Caution: Connect ground first" etc. It doesn't say 'disconnect ground last', which was what I didn't do.
Now for the tricky bit
Be aware that disconnecting the ground while the LVD has power to it from the batteries may burn it out. At least, it burned mine out when a service guy did that a few years ago.
BobW9 wrote: ↑July 17th, 2021, 10:06 am
Be aware that disconnecting the ground while the LVD has power to it from the batteries may burn it out. At least, it burned mine out when a service guy did that a few years ago.
Oh, yeah. I'm guessing that the LVD design does not properly terminate the the MOSFET gate. Did that myself, once
Update:
The Low Voltage Detector was indeed not working.
Because it's in my skill-set, I designed and built a replacement that duplicates the functions of the 135001, except for the pin (#2, I think) that was not used in this installation. It's also not sensitive to connection order.
Everything seems to be in order now: just waiting until we put some miles on it to declare victory
