trombetta solenoid

[rickycca]

2016 Hurricane 27K coach.
getting ready for trip, connected to shore power, switch in USE position, voltage at 13.4. However about every 40 sec. the trombetta solenoid clicks and is warm to the touch. this is a new solenoid about 3 months old. could it be that the batteries are fully charged and the solenoid is floating back and forth charging off and on? I will go back to storage mode and see if it stops cycling.
any ideas?

[lwmcguir]

I have never heard or seen mine do that. You might want to look at your charger settings and verify each is set properly for the type batteries in place.

Did you replace it with a 100% duty cycle solenoid?

[rickycca]

I believe I bought the exact same one using numbers off old unit. Also this unit is pretty warm to the touch. I’m beginning to believe this new solenoid went bad. With the coach running one side of solenoid reads14 volts the other terminal reads 12.65 volts. Same as battery voltage. Should they read the same?

[16ACE27]

The Trombetta is controlled by the BIRD.

The BIRD compares the voltage on the house side and chassis side to see if charging is occurring. If so it energizes the Trombetta to connect the two battery banks together to "share" the charge.

While on SP, the Trombetta will be ON (energized) more often than not. It draws 1 amp through the coil which heats it up pretty good. A constant duty solenoid should be able to handle that.

The other thing that will heat it up and possibly cause your drop-outs(clicking) is dirty connections on the main power terminals.

[rickycca]

good info thanks. i forgot to mention it's 105 degrees outside while testing this. i also forgot there is a delay for the unit to sense voltage. I'll retest in AM when cooler. 108 right now.

[simidrm]

I had lazy days Rv replace the solenoid and the bird and the solenoid gets so hot that you can’t touch it, also it’s the 3rd solenoid in a year, it’s clicks but isn’t connecting the chassis and Rv batteries, the signal wire to solenoid has around 10v when the bird kicks in, thinking of just putting a manual disconnect between the two, only need rv batteries to charge when traveling.

[lwmcguir]

Voltage should be above 12 not 10 at the signal wire

You have something wrong

What are the voltages at the Trombetta when it is hot?

Mine is never hot and maybe luke warm

Are your batteries all good?

[simidrm]

Originally Posted by lwmcguir

Voltage should be above 12 not 10 at the signal wire

You have something wrong

What are the voltages at the Trombetta when it is hot?

Mine is never hot and maybe luke warm

Are your batteries all good?

All of the batteries were replaced after the bird and solenoid was replaced, coach has 4 6v and chassis has 2 type 31, I asked the tech about the signal wire voltage and he said that 10v was ideal for the solenoid, with engine running the chassis is at alternator 13v+\- and coach is typically 12ish if not plugged in.

[lwmcguir]

Originally Posted by simidrm

All of the batteries were replaced after the bird and solenoid was replaced, coach has 4 6v and chassis has 2 type 31, I asked the tech about the signal wire voltage and he said that 10v was ideal for the solenoid, with engine running the chassis is at alternator 13v+\- and coach is typically 12ish if not plugged in.

Interesting as I have the same battery setup and get actual voltage at the signal wire. I would be curious as to what is supposedly reducing the signal wire voltage

My Trombetta failed early when the coach was about one year old and the replacement is still good 6 years later

Never hot but warm so something is wrong

[Arby]

Replaced circuitry with this device. Works perfectly with almost no voltage drop across the contacts. Runs cool

[rickycca]

Thanks for all the reply information. So my 2 month old Trombetta not charging coach batteries again. I connected all wires as it was originally. I always take pictures of wiring before disconnecting. Does it matter which wire yellow or white is connected to the smaller terminals. I have 14.2 volts when coach is running on one side of solenoid. But nothing on output side to house batteries. I purchased a different brand rated at 300 amps. Continuous duty.

[16ACE27]

Originally Posted by rickycca

Thanks for all the reply information. So my 2 month old Trombetta not charging coach batteries again. I connected all wires as it was originally. I always take pictures of wiring before disconnecting. Does it matter which wire yellow or white is connected to the smaller terminals. I have 14.2 volts when coach is running on one side of solenoid. But nothing on output side to house batteries. I purchased a different brand rated at 300 amps. Continuous duty.

But what do you have on the control wires? The solenoid won't connect the two large sides unless it's told to by the BIRD or Emergency Start Switch.

[lwmcguir]

Originally Posted by rickycca

Thanks for all the reply information. So my 2 month old Trombetta not charging coach batteries again. I connected all wires as it was originally. I always take pictures of wiring before disconnecting. Does it matter which wire yellow or white is connected to the smaller terminals. I have 14.2 volts when coach is running on one side of solenoid. But nothing on output side to house batteries. I purchased a different brand rated at 300 amps. Continuous duty.

Do you have your charger turned on at the control panel?

[16ACE27]

Originally Posted by rickycca

Thanks for all the reply information. So my 2 month old Trombetta not charging coach batteries again. I connected all wires as it was originally. I always take pictures of wiring before disconnecting. Does it matter which wire yellow or white is connected to the smaller terminals. I have 14.2 volts when coach is running on one side of solenoid. But nothing on output side to house batteries. I purchased a different brand rated at 300 amps. Continuous duty.

Rereading this I see a bigger problem. You should have house battery voltage on the terminal you say has "nothing". This cable is generally connected to the positive post of one of your house batteries.

[rickycca]

Problem resolved with the help of all of you. Replaced solenoid with different brand. Not Trombetta. Now charging house batteries on SP, generator and alternator. The signal from the BIRD yellow wire is at 12.5. Approximately 60 - 90 sec. The solenoid kicks in and charging begins. I took the Trombetta apart since it was replaced in June. Terminals inside already black and burnt.
Thank you all

[Beau388]

Originally Posted by rickycca

Problem resolved with the help of all of you. Replaced solenoid with different brand. Not Trombetta. Now charging house batteries on SP, generator and alternator. The signal from the BIRD yellow wire is at 12.5. Approximately 60 - 90 sec. The solenoid kicks in and charging begins. I took the Trombetta apart since it was replaced in June. Terminals inside already black and burnt.
Thank you all

Usually caused by trying to start the coach with the emergency start switch. If the chassis battery is completely dead and the emergency start switch is engaged, while trying to start the engine, the current will exceed the relays capability. There are several Trombetta relays used but the one most common has a 100 amp surge rating and 50 amps continuous. It is recommended that the emergency start switch be engaged for 5 minuter or more before trying to start the engine while the emergency start switch is engaged.
The Ford Triton starter is series wound, so the initial starting current will be in the 400 to 600 amps for 1 second. Another reason for gear reduction, permanent magnet starter motors.

[simidrm]

That’s what happens to mine, burnt inside, what brand did you go with? Or a part number

[camperguy99]

The Trombetta has 6 ohms coil resistance that puts 32 watts power at 14.3 volts charging. That makes it very hot, can't even put your hand on. Heat causes the inside of the contacts to corrode. Trombetta has a "continuous" voltage that results in 26 watts. It self destructs itself with heat. It is not made for continuous operation. White Rodgers makes a higher coil resistance and a coil rating of 15 volts much better suited to this application. I switched to a White Rodgers unit 5 years ago when my Trombetta failed (like everyone else) and still going strong.

camperguy99

[lwmcguir]

There are a number of Trombetta solenoids on the web that are 100 amp and not continuous duty

Mine is warm and now starting year 6

It is a 300 amp continuous duty, same rating as the original that failed

I have never tested the ohms or amps