We are recent & new Chinook owners, just had a great maiden voyage. Older but nice shape 1975 Dodge 18+2. Gas & electric work but we are having trouble figuring it all out as instructions & manuals are minimalist at best. So we have lots of beginner questions:
Electric: Does plugging in automatically go from battery to plug or is there a mystery hidden switch we haven’t found?
Do 110V plugs only work when RV is plugged in? Does battery only supply low voltage lights? Does battery automatically charge when motor is on?
Gas: We found a push button switch and a valve to turn on the heater. Also found a “pilot off/off” switch for the oven. Is there a similar switch or valve for the stove top burners? Or for the the burners is all that is needed to turn on the master gas valve outside? The burners do not appear to use a pilot light. Are there any nuances to getting the heater to work? We did find the thermostat/blower controls.
Thank you.
1975 dodge 18+2 questions propane and electric
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caconcourse
- Posts: 490
- Joined: October 31st, 2014, 10:25 pm
Re: 1975 dodge 18+2 questions propane and electric
Congratulations on your purchase. Hope you have many fun adventures. Here are a few answers:
Plugging in turns on the 110V power, including a charger/converter (usually a brown box with fuses and circuit breakers) that charges the batteries and feeds the 12V appliances. When you are not plugged in, the batteries provide power to the 12V appliances.
The 12V system powers 12V appliances and electronics as well as the low voltage lights. Things like the thermostat, refrigerator and heater control boards, propane leak detector, TV, and radio, etc.
The battery does charge when the motor is running, through the vehicle alternator.
Your heater and stove should have their own manuals, and are likely different from the later models. In general, the burners need a spark or flame (match) to ignite the gas. Our stove has a spark dial that you turn when you turn on a burner to ignite. I would look for a brand and/or model number of the stove and heater and Google it, to look for more instructions.
Plugging in turns on the 110V power, including a charger/converter (usually a brown box with fuses and circuit breakers) that charges the batteries and feeds the 12V appliances. When you are not plugged in, the batteries provide power to the 12V appliances.
The 12V system powers 12V appliances and electronics as well as the low voltage lights. Things like the thermostat, refrigerator and heater control boards, propane leak detector, TV, and radio, etc.
The battery does charge when the motor is running, through the vehicle alternator.
Your heater and stove should have their own manuals, and are likely different from the later models. In general, the burners need a spark or flame (match) to ignite the gas. Our stove has a spark dial that you turn when you turn on a burner to ignite. I would look for a brand and/or model number of the stove and heater and Google it, to look for more instructions.
Clay
2001 Concourse
Santa Barbara, CA
2001 Concourse
Santa Barbara, CA
Re: 1975 dodge 18+2 questions propane and electric
Clay, thank you very much for your very helpful answer.Henry