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Old 08-06-2015, 09:02 PM   #1
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Brand: Thor Motor Coach
Model: Palazzo
State: Florida
Posts: 113
THOR #2248
Freightliner/Palazzo 12 vdc problem

I believe my problem is more of a chassis issue then a coach issue is what I was trying to say in the title. While there doesn't seem to be too many Palazzo owners on the forum yet, maybe an owner of another coach on a Freightliner chassis can help.

Problem is when we tried to raise the electrical windshield shade this AM no response, same with the awning. When I turn the key on, the dash remains "dead", no lights no response of any kind when I turn the key! I held down the aux start switch for 5+ minutes with absolutely no change. Not even a glow from the dash lights. I did try the front slide and it responded properly.

We have been parked here for about 15 days with 50 amp hook up. The inverter is in float charge and when I unplugged from shore power it started inverting. I did go to the front outside electrical compartment on drivers side and looked at few fuses that had markings indicating they were connected to the dash. Did not find any bad ones.

I had to leave so my time for troubleshooting was limited. I am gone overnight and have the owners manual with me and will do some reserch there later this PM but thought I would ask for some input here also.

Because there is absolutely no response even after the aux start switch has been held closed for 5+ minutes and because the slides work (I think they are on chassis battery) it seems there is a fuse or circuit breaker somewhere that has caused this issue.

Any suggestions would be appreciated.

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Old 08-06-2015, 10:59 PM   #2
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Brand: Thor Motor Coach
Model: Hurricane 34E
State: California
Posts: 524
THOR #937
Sounds like your coach's 12v automatic interconnect switch might be the culprit, (based on your dash and coach being dead with the key turned on).

This is sometimes caused by a very brief, (a few milli-seconds, to a few minutes), power outage from your shoreline connection. It can also be caused by quickly disconnecting the shorepower cable without shutting off the breaker at the pedestal.

Try turning everything off in the coach, including the inverter, lights, fans, etc. Then go to the pedestal and turn off the breaker, then unplug the shorepower cable.

Plug the cable back in, turn on the pedestal breaker, and listen for a "click" near the electrical compartment.

Then, go inside and see if things are back to normal as they should be.

It's a very quick and easy check.
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Old 08-07-2015, 02:46 AM   #3
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Brand: Thor Motor Coach
Model: Palazzo
State: Florida
Posts: 113
THOR #2248
Thanx Beacher. I will try it tomorrow when I return to the coach. Hope it works. The last time we raised the shade was Monday or Tue when it worked fine. There could have been a power surge/loss from the pedestal since then. I am pretty good about turning off the CB on pedestal before connecting or disconnecting and it this turns out to be the problem I will be even better!
I will report back how it goes!
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Old 08-07-2015, 03:31 PM   #4
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Brand: Thor Motor Coach
Model: Palazzo
State: Florida
Posts: 113
THOR #2248
Beacher, we tried this procedure twice. I printed it out so I would have it in hand to make sure I followed it exactly. Both times it made no difference. We did not unplug the TVs, refrig or the microwave because it is difficult to reach the plugs, but I don't think that would make a difference. Everything else 12 vdc or 120 vac was turned off before we started the procedure.

Is the 12v automatic interconnect switch same as the ATS (Automatic Transfer Switch)? I am not familiar with "12v automatic interconnect switch". The ATS is in the coach, I normally expect to find it in the electrical compartment or more often in the compartment with the shore power cord. However, this coach has a detachable shore power cord and the receptacle is in the side of the coach and ATS is not far away.
DW pointed out several nights ago I noted a very faint beeping while in the bed, I thought it was one of her devices (CAPAP) even though it so faint I doubted it. I had added some DEF during the day and thought I might have left the cap off and that was the alarm beeping. I checked that first thing and the cap was on. And her CPCAP was off all night as she was not using it. Now I am wondering if it was in the electrical compartment which is last exterior one on pax side of coach; just a little to the left of the bed and lower.

I have looked in there today and cannot see or hear anything "unusual"!

Any additional assistance would be appreciated!
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Old 08-07-2015, 07:27 PM   #5
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Brand: Thor Motor Coach
Model: Palazzo 36.1
State: Washington
Posts: 8
THOR #2603
Hey Bob,
2014 Thor Palazzo 36.1 owner here. Had same thing. Camping world now tells me theres some issue with my inverter that they want to check, but before all that I found that the chassis battery does not charge while on shore power. My work around, and still in use, was to buy a $12.00 charger that plugs into a 110 and has a cigarette lighter male end. Mine is by black and decker. While parked put it on the passenger floorboard, both outlets are right there together at the co pilots right knee.

Tim Clark
Author, Survivalist, Christian, RV enthusiast.
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Old 08-08-2015, 02:09 AM   #6
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Brand: Thor Motor Coach
Model: Palazzo
State: Florida
Posts: 113
THOR #2248
Tim,
Thanx for your input. I learned long ago that the chassis battery was only charged when engine was running. In my current situation the battery is good, we have not been using it for much other then raising and lowering the shade every day or so and putting awning in and out twice. I had battery checked when we bought the coach 6 weeks ago and it was in good health. If it was a dead battery when I pressed the Aux Start switch juice from the coach battery would flow into the chassis battery and at least give me some indication on the dash there was current! That does not happen.
I am currently looking at a solenoid in the electrical compartment (exterior pax side rear) that seems a little too warm. Not hot, but noticeably warmer then other electrical equipment in compartment.
I am thinking it may control current between the coach and the chassis and is inop. Will do some more checking tomorrow.

PS - FWIIW check out the Amp-L-Start (Google it) for your coach. I have used it on my previous DP and was very satisfied with it. Basically, when chassis battery is being charged it draws off a little power to charge the coach battery. When there is no charge voltage to the chassis battery it maintains the isolation between the batteries so one does not drain the other. I intend to install one on this coach just have not yet. There is also a version that draws less current to maintain the chassis battery. I will probably use that one instead of the Amp-l-Start. The company is LSL Products and they are very responsive to questions or requests for help. Check them out. (I have no affiliation with the company except as a satisfied customer)

I am still seeking inputs on possible solutions to my problem, especially anyow with experience with the solenoid.
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Old 08-08-2015, 09:00 PM   #7
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Brand: Thor Motor Coach
Model: Palazzo
State: Florida
Posts: 113
THOR #2248
Well I did not think my previous reply posted because we have such weak, inconsistent i-net connection here on top of the mountain in Pisgah National Forest NC where we are volunteering for several months. But, not only did it post, it posted twice. And, I wish it had not posted at all!!

Tim got me thinking about back to basics! I rechecked the batteries and they were weak. I got a power pack to jump start it and hooked it up and had lights at the dash and the shade would go up. Wahoo! After a few minutes I tried to start it but would not, power pack may have been too weak to start a diesel or the clamps may not have let enough amps flow, not sure. Got the manual out again and read the Aux Start section for the first time and found out that this Aux Start is different then in my previous coaches. It is only for starting the chassis engine using the coach batteries. My previous RVs had two way Aux switch, it would help start the genset, which normally used the coach batteries, from the chassis batteries and as soon as you pressed the Aux Start switch the dash lit up. This one you press and hold the Aux Switch and then turn the ignition to start as normal. And it did just that.

So I will be ordering an Amp-L-Start AMP-L-START Starting Battery Charger/Maintainer - Overview Page

or a Trik-L-Start http://www.lslproducts.net/TLSPage.htm

as soon as I finish this post. As I posted above my experience with them is excellent. I had my previous DP for a year before I installed one and did not have this problem even when dry camping for several weeks so obviously this coach has more parasitic draw then I expected.

Thanx to you all for your inputs with special thanx to Tim for getting me back to basics; where I should have started.
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