Electrical Issues Help Please!

[bassfarm]

I just pulled every fuse under the dash and with my house (not starting) battery hooked up, the fan under the bench seat runs continuously. Could unhooking the house battery when stopped/camping have caused my starting battery to drain due to being connected by the isolator?
Thanks for all the help!

[86Scotty]

Your fuses under the dash are irrelevant. They are your van (chassis) fuses. There is a second fusebox somewhere else in the van (in the back, under a seat, in a cabinet, in a closet) that is for all of the stuff that has been added to the van. You must remember that you essentially have a house and a van, which together are called an RV. Remember, your dash and underhood fuses are just for the van as it came from the factory. There is another fuse panel somewhere in the back for the heater, all of the aftermarket interior lighting and everything else added to the van.

[BUFFALO]

I'm in the Seattle area and may be available Monday if you'd like a second set of eyes on it.
I have some experience with vehicle electrical systems. Including camper vans, sportsmobiles etc.

[Scalf77]

Originally Posted by bassfarm

I just pulled every fuse under the dash and with my house (not starting) battery hooked up, the fan under the bench seat runs continuously. Could unhooking the house battery when stopped/camping have caused my starting battery to drain due to being connected by the isolator?
Thanks for all the help!

If the isolator is working, it should prevent this. It is difficult to offer up advice with out knowing what you actually have installed, your rig is older for one thing, and then also could have modifications from the PO.

I expect that you have a suburban heater, is the heater propane? is it blowing just hot air? Do you have a manual? if not a 2004 (and 2008) version is posted via this link. http://www.sportsmobileforum.com/for...nuals-116.html

What did the PO do with the wires that went to the thermostat? Was their some kind of switch added?

As other have said find the fuse box for the house side of the camper. There should be a dedicated fuse for the furnace (15 amp). Once you establish a couple of these things, we can probably dig deeper.

to check a isolator , it should look something like this. It could be bad, but it would not cause your


Instructions for testing a isolator,
INSTRUCTIONS FOR TESTING A SURE POWER ISOLATOR WITH OHMMETER*:
1. Remove all wires from the isolator.
2. Using a needle movement ohmmeter RX-1 scale or a digital ohmmeter diode scale, hold the Red* probe on the terminal "A" and with
the Black* probe touch terminal #1 and #2, and the "E" terminal for 3A isolators (group 2), and the "R" terminal for (group 3) isolators.
A good isolator will show a current flow from "A" to #1, #2 and "R", and no current flow to "E".
3. Next, hold the Black* probe on the "A" and with the Red* probe touch terminal #1 and #2 (terminal "E" and "R", if used). A good
isolator will allow no current flow from "A" to #1, #2 or "R" and will show current flow from "E" to "A".
4. Hold one probe on the aluminum heat sink, being sure there is contact by scratching through the protective coating. Then touch
with the other probe, terminals "A", #1, #2 (the "E" terminal for 3A isolators [group 2] , the "R" terminal for group 3 isolators). A
good isolator will show no current flow.
5. Colored terminal indicates "E" post on group 2 isolators and "R" terminal on most group 3 isolators.
*On some import ohmmeters, the red and black probes are reversed for these tests.
**If using a digital ohmmeter, a diode scale MUST be used.

-greg

[bassfarm]

That is the isolator in my van, yes. I bought the van at least 3rd hand with no manual, so I am flyin (drivin) blind. When I got it, we went on quite a few trips with no issues. It wasn't until I bought new batteries, especially the house battery, that issues began. It's this heater fan that started up and won't stop. I believe it didn't do it initially because the secondary battery was bad. Now it runs all the time. Trying to troubleshoot it so we can get out on the road and not camp in the auto parts parking lot (like our last trip). I appreciate all the help!

[bassfarm]

Originally Posted by BUFFALO

I'm in the Seattle area and may be available Monday if you'd like a second set of eyes on it.
I have some experience with vehicle electrical systems. Including camper vans, sportsmobiles etc.

I live in Ballard if you're anywhere near, that'd be awesome to have another set of eyes. I've replaced both batteries and took out the alternator, replacing the connections there. One auto shop tested my alternator in the van and said it was bad. When I removed it and had it tested, it was good - so it has to be a connection somewheres.

[bassfarm]

Well I still haven't been able to find the secondary fuse box. It is a propane heater but it is so tucked under that bed that it's hard to get to. I have pulled all easily accessible wires and the SOB is still running that fan. It looks like I might have to remove the bed to get at it better/remove the heater. I would like to be able to use the heater is the only thing. I need to figure out how to put a switch/thermostat back on it. But really need to get that fan to turn off in the meantime as it just keeps running the battery down. Thinking this might be why the previous owner let it go so cheaply. It came with a big gremlin that makes us cross our fingers that we get back safely when we take it anywhere.

[bassfarm]

Looking at the diagrams on the surepower website, I don't believe the isolator is hooked to my alternator. Perhaps the previous owner unhooked it and just ran the starting battery?

[86Scotty]

Can you post some pics of what the inside of your van, preferably the heater and any access to it? Is there a thermostat on the wall somewhere? If so, have you pulled it and removed any wires from it?

[bassfarm]

Well that's a negative, I just checked and it IS hooked to the alternator. I just want to pull the fuse on this fan. Does anyone have a guess as to where another fuse box might be in a 1989 Ford Econoline Sportsmobile?