Cat 3126 motorhome......IT'S ALIVE!!!!

Hey @Nero , so yesterday..... I got this crunk up...... today..... its like the batteries are shot, but they're not..... (pardon my ignorance, cause this is new business) but ive figured out that theres house batteries and there's chassis batteries..... and im kinda thinking they're wired separately...... i snapped a picture of my mess...... but can you snap a Pic of a battery tray at work? Or maybe draw a diagram of a typical set up?

I cant find anything in the manual other than "it has batteries".....lol.....

Ive spent 3-4hrs sorting out the AC thermostats that the guy had wired in a unique way so they didnt work, because he needed to "fix one"..... and the stereo is wired permanently on, no key on/off power, just stereo on...... so ive got that sorted out, now im studying this battery thing..... my wife and kids got it clean though..... the dually was like Fred Sanfords truck going to the dump this afternoon with trash out of the thing!!!..... anyway, any help is appreciated!

Okay...... i think ive figured out the batteries..... its an absolute miracle it crunk up yesterday...... ill get it sorted out tomorrow.....

Does that have a 24/12 setup?
It's been a long time since I messed with anything like that but we have all been frustrated by the misadventures of the prior owners attempts at electrical service...

Clb said:

Does that have a 24/12 setup?
It's been a long time since I messed with anything like that but we have all been frustrated by the misadventures of the prior owners attempts at electrical service...

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Well.... I guess I really don't know..... the owners Manuel is incredibly uninformative.... the "chassis batteries" are definitely 12v-2 batteries like our trucks...... i "feel" like the "house batteries" are supposed to be 6v batteries done in series parallel to make a 12v set up...... i don't have any 6v stuff but I got some 12v marine batteries that will serve in their place though.... i just gotta get in there and figure it out....

Kittycats are cool,
Some of the old ones are 12/24 volt 12 runs the dash and 24 runs the starter.

Hunt down the service panel for the coach, it'll be 12v, theres probably a internal charging system for the house battery/ s.
Then back track the starter power lead, it may go to a huge relay that is fed 24v, just incase you haven't seen it.

@Jesus Freak gonna send you a DM....

Hopefully someone has a clue...
Nero to thee rescue

Clb said:

Kittycats are cool,
Some of the old ones are 12/24 volt 12 runs the dash and 24 runs the starter.

Hunt down the service panel for the coach, it'll be 12v, theres probably a internal charging system for the house battery/ s.
Then back track the starter power lead, it may go to a huge relay that is fed 24v, just incase you haven't seen it.

Click to expand...

After work today im going to do some detective work...... ill keep you posted!

Alright!!! She's a lot happier now..... guys, not trying to be overly weirdly spiritual..... but there's no way this thing crunk up the other day the way the batteries were outside of the Lord just letting it happen......AND even staying running for like 4 hours straight was a feat!!!

The reason it staying running is a feat is because it will barely run NOW!!!..... my speculation is (and was confirmed by Nero) is that after sitting for almost 2yrs with 80+gals of diesel in Florida humidity, that diesel has to be ugly..... and algaefied..... it would run for a minute or so then just die, and then less and less until it doesn't wanna run.... im gonna do some more new filters on it and see what happens.....unless someone pops up with the better idea....

So, to explain the batteries..... it's like this, it is a 12v starting system.... there's 3 official ground wires and 2 hots..... 2 of the grounds went to the chassis, the other goes....well..... some place else, idk or care right now..... i could see one hot went towards the engine and the other went away from it..... so i set my two best batteries in the frame and jumpered them hot to hot and ground to ground and connected the hot from the engines direction and one of the chassis grounds....as well as all the little wires where they go.....it originally looked like this....
And boom spun over perfectly and fired right up.....then it started its dying thing, and i spun it and spun it....to no avail. So I went back and looked at the batteries and one of the ground bolts had melted the lead and was just dangling.......then it struck me why there was 2 chassis grounds..... one for each battery....duhhhh.... so now it looks like this.......
I might pull the jumper between the grounds, im pretty sure its unnecessary..... but like our trucks... the hots are connected between the batteries and each battery has its own ground......

Without house batteries the ACs dont turn on with even with shore power..... ill study wiring house batteries tomorrow, i gotsta make jumper wires for all that.... should be straight forward........ what a mess.....

Nero said:

Also, the art on the back? What swag

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I love that the art work is a tiger but the rv is a Cheetah! Much like the golfer. His name is Tiger but his wife found out he was a Cheetah . Sorry nothing helpful from me but it is a cool rig sir

DougBoy66 said:

I love that the art work is a tiger but the rv is a Cheetah! Much like the golfer. His name is Tiger but his wife found out he was a Cheetah . Sorry nothing helpful from me but it is a cool rig sir

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It's a Cheetah by Safari..... a Lion is the actual mascot..... but yeah, it got a tiger for a mural....lol.... it was duely noted by everyone.....

I think it's cool. Great find and pretty great you got it running. I love seeing vehicles be saved.

More battery escapades today, but i believe i have it completely sorted out..... there were a couple wires connected to ground that were supposed to be connected to the hot side..... thats all sorted out now but I believe those wires being connected wrong created another problem.

It would run for a minute or two then shut off.... my original thoughts were fuel filters, I bought new filters and it appeared to improve, but it would still shut off...... then i discovered the hot wires to ground...... sorted that out, then BAM!!! Ive got idling and high idle for 20-30 mins..... its fixed! Right?......wrong..... it shut off all of a sudden...... so, i googled it and found a boat forum where a guy described my exact situation...... it has to do with a relay that operates the fuel shut off solinoid..... i did a simple swap test and I think in a pseudo-scientific way ive proved the relay is bad..... probably compromised from having electricity shot to it in the wrong direction for too long..... so i got a couple coming..... good times......lol........

Also, I tore open the water separator filter and I dont see algae, but the paper was really brittle..... it definitely wanted new filters....