Dash switch question

[Troy]

Does anyone know what the dash switch labeled "Rear Heat" does?

Also the battery merge switch is a 3-way toggle with on-off-on, anyone know why? There are 2 seperate starting batteries just in front of the rear wheels, could this switch merge a specific battery?

Troy
1986 Newell 40' Widebody

[fulltiming]

Your coach pshould have a rear heater under the bed. This is heated while underway by coolant heated by the engine. The switch on the dash turns the rear heat off and on. It really does help, if it is working properly. Mpst have an electric blower which also comes on when the dash switch is turned on. If your coach has the Primus heating system, there are additional heating options for the rear.

As near as I can tell, use of either of the On positions on the battery merge switch does exactly the same thing. My manual says to use either On position to merge the coach batteries with the chassis batteries adn doesn't differentiate between the two On positions.

[Troy]

Thanks, Michael

Do you know what the "override" switch is for on the dash? It is a momentary switch that springs back when released.

I tried starting the Detroit for the first time since bringing it home and it won't start. The starter seems to be turning slow when compared to the CAT diesel in the Wanderlodge. I checked the voltage at the starter and got 12.57 volts. I charged one of the starter batteries overnight and still no start. Now when I try to start it from the drivers seat nothing happens. If I use the engine bay start switch it does engage the starter but still turns slow and won't fire. I didn't crank the motor for more than 5 seconds to prevent overworking the starter. Any suggestions are greatly appreciated.

Troy Tikalsky
1986 Newell 40' DD8V92

On mine, the override switch on the dash allows the engine to run for 30 seconds if the red 'Stop Engine' light comes on and the DDEC system pulls power then shuts the engine down. This 30 seconds is to allow you to drive the coach off the roadway. 12.57 volts at the starter is good voltage IF there is adequate current available. Have you tried using the Battery Merge switch on the dash? The procedure for starting my 8V92 is check the coolant level, oil level and fuel supply level, apply parking brake, make sure transmission is in neutral, turn key to on position, wait 6-10 seconds for the yellow "check engine" and red "stop engine" lights to go out, turn key to start for no more than 30 seconds. If it doesn't start wait for starter to cool before trying again. 5 seconds may not be long enough to start an engine that has been sitting for a long time.

[fulltiming]

Sorry about the previous response being from 'Guest'. I had opened another browser window where I wasn't logged in. My bad!!

[ttikalsky]

Thank you, someone had mentioned that the override switch may have something to do with using the engine bay start switch and I thought maybe there was a procedure to follow for the cockpit switch to work. Did all Detroits have this override switch or only the models with the DDEC? The plate on the engine indicates the motor was actually manufactured in 1984. I'm thinking there is probably a bad ground because I tested the volts at the starter and got the same 12.57 volts there. I'll check that next.

Could this be related? I noticed the "DC Ampheres" guage above the drivers seat reading very low around 2-5 amps. I'm assuming this indicates the DC output of the alternator when the Detroit is running, does anyone know what this guage measures?


Troy
1986 Newell 40'

[fulltiming]

I noticed the "DC Ampheres" guage above the drivers seat reading very low around 2-5 amps. I'm assuming this indicates the DC output of the alternator when the Detroit is running, does anyone know what this guage measures?

The ammeter that would show alternator output is on the dash on my Newell. It is scaled from -150 to +150 amps. The ammeter above the driver, at least on my coach is the house battery circuit and is scaled from 0 to 75 amps. That shows the draw being placed on the house batteries.

[77neweller]

The battery merge switch seems to be wired to a solenoid in the rear electrical compartment on my 77 coach. THe two positions on the switch on the driver's panel allows you to choose which battery, house or chassis, the solenoid will be powered by. This way if one set of batteries is dead you can still actuate the solenoid to join all batteries and hopefully charge the dead batteries. Without this feature there would be no way to actuate the solenoid if it was only powered by one set of batteries and that set was dead.

My 77 coach has the override switch and it originally had a Cummins 555 though now it has a 6V92T.

Regarding the DC amps gauge on the driver's panel. I believe mine is wired to the engine batteries since it rises right after starting and then reduces gradually regardless of what I turn on or off in the coach.