[CaptainGizmo]

Welp, the title says it all…well, most of it.

My friend has a newer coach, 1731, and has quite an interesting issue... His Jeep goes dead unless he runs his generator. ?

He has an AF1 and is going to reach out to the installer on Monday.

In the meantime, I’ve been trying to come up with possible causes and am wondering if anyone here has some further ideas or experience.

I feel the only plausible cause is that his Jeep’s charging harness (if one exists) was connected to a power source that’s only HOT when the Gen is running.

I’m not sure if the newer coach’s 7-way is wired differently to power a stacker; perhaps only with a generator.

Thanks in advance.

Any thoughts?

[Chester Stone]

Air Force One has to be operated with the ignition on. Thus he needs to install a battery disconnect to prevent the car battery from discharging.

[CaptainGizmo]

Chester Stone,

Respectfully, not sure where or what you're basing that on, but that is an incorrect statement as per the installation/operation manual for the Demco Air Force 1 system.

The AF1 is to be powered directly off the fuse block with 24/7 power and, thus, does NOT require the IGNition to be on!

As an example, my Raptor is towed in the full OFF function; all electronic start/dash with Neutral Tow enabled..

[MrE]

It sounds to me like the 12v battery power on the trailer plug is wired incorrectly. It should be hot regardless if the generator is running or not.



My Range Rover requires the key to be turned on to Acc. when it's being towed, and without the coach charging the battery, it would be dead at the end of the day and would require a jump to start it. 

I'm using a Hopkins 20007 Break Away Battery Charger to maintain the car battery.

[CaptainGizmo]

Yes Jon, I’m thinking the same thing and having him check that, first thing, once he gets a multimeter.

Thanks.

[MrE]

I would suggest a multimeter that measures AC/DC current. I bought a TackLife CM01A from Amazon that I've been very happy with. Used it to trace a parasitic drain on my Range Rover to a headlight wiper that wasn't returning to park. I don't see them available on Amazon anymore, but a search for "clamp multimeter ac/dc current" returns some that are relatively inexpensive.

[CaptainGizmo]

Thanks Jon, guess you haven’t seen my video on Clamp-meters ?. I’m a big fan of the Ideal.
Look it up on my “rv squared” YouTube channel. ?

[MrE]

Steve, watched your video, very nice. I see why you like the Ideal with the additional display. Got me to thinking, what would I really like. I decided that a Bluetooth connection with a display that I could view from anywhere. Turns out, they're out there. Here's one for $46, don't know anything about it, but it sounds interesting. Bluetooth clamp meter.

[Winegrower]

And as long as a person is investing in a multimeter purchasing one that measures capacitance can be useful too when your AC goes out and you need to find which capicator is the culprit.

[Richard]

As long as the thread is on multimeters, i had the predecessor to the ideal. All the same functions except for the bottom display. It is WELL worn, with a scuffed cover over the readout. I liked it so much that I bought the Ideal just to get the bottom display. One thing I use a lot is probes with threads on the tips because I have alligator lips that will screw onto the probe tips. They are handy when you are out of hands.