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Just to add confusion to this thread, I have owned two Newells. The merge solenoid was wired differently in the two coaches. In the first 1995 # 390, the merge solenoid was activated any time the ignition was on. In the current 1999 #512, the merge switch is only activated by the merge switch on the console.

My point is that there either is some inconsistency in Newell’s thinking on this OR there was a change in thinking along the way.

It might be good to do a bit of testing on your own coach to understand the operation of the merge switch. Easy to do. Put a voltmeter on the activation terminal(s) and run through the different scenarios to understand when the merge is activated.

I should have watched your video first.

Anyhoo, I am using a 300 amp intermittent duty relay for the merge. I think you said yours was 75.

And what is the purpose of the second diode setup on the left side in the video. It only has one in, one out, and I can’t trace the out.

Some how I missed these posts. But I have been busy in Tennesee for a week working on my property. 

So I figured out that my merge solenoid is only activated by the switch as well, the ignition does not change anything, until now with my mod. 

As far as the diode, I guess you are talking about the blue box. I have a still with it circled added below. I have not had a chance to look at what that is for. It has that fuse holder that comes off the battery power and it has a 40amp fuse in it. The fuse is blown and I have not had a chance to figure out what it’s for. The other side connects to a brown wire that goes into a wire bundle that leaves that box and runs along the frame rail towards the front of the coach. Again have not had the time to trace it out. There is also another little black box on the left side that is no longer connected to anything. I will have to get a photo of it next time I am in there. Right now the bus is backed up to the fence and I cannot get into the rear engine hatch without moving the bus forward. 

   

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Wanted to report in on the results of the merge solenoid mod. So far it seems to be working. I was boon-docking for a week at our property in Tennesee and everything worked as it should. Actually the engine batteries were fine up there as long as I remembered to turn off the battery merge. I left the merge off most of the week as the engine batteries seem to stabilize and they stayed at a constant voltage the whole week without being charged. I charged the chassis batteries the day before we left while I was running the generator in the evening. The house batteries actually did surprisingly well. They are 1 year old Napa commercial batteries that the seller put in before I purchased it. We did not have to run much while not having power, the fridge of course was running all the time, and we ran the ceiling fan at night. I put in a new ceiling fan and it’s not bothered by the modified sine inverter. 

Here is the fan and some photos from an overlook about 10 minutes from our property called the Bee Rock Overlook:

   

   

   

   

   

[Jack Houpe]

Great pictures!