[B and C]

Tried to start coach and slow turn over then nothing.  Tried to merge but no luck .  Hooked up to 20 amp power and shows to be charging with merge switch on.  I hear the merge solenoid click when switched on.  Will generator charge chassis batteries faster?  Trying to get coach into heated storage for coming cold weather.
Thanks JC

[Richard]

Generator will not charge batteries faster than 20 amp shore power, the inverter/charger will output the same charge rate on either.

Those merge solenoids go bad with time. Newell replaces them with annual maintenance. The best way to tell is measure voltage on both chassis and house banks with a voltmeter. You can do it right at the merge solenoid. Then activate the merge solenoid and see if the voltages change.

You didn’t say what your house battery voltage was. That is important to know. If they are also dead, then merging them even if you are plugged in won’t help very much since the charger is now trying to charge both the house and chassis batteries

[folivier]

I always wondered if it's possible to make a short jumper cable (of the appropriate size cable) to jump across the merge switch?
This could get you going again if the merge switch goes bad and you don't have a spare?

[B and C]

Thank you for the responses.  Turns out the merge solenoid was bad!  It not only did not work but had shorted out.  The chassis batteries were 12.8v and the house batteries were 13+v.  Changed out the solenoid and coach started up off the chassis batteries.

[Richard]

Hmmmmmmmmm.

I am just reacting to your words. The merge solenoid being bad would NOT explain why the coach would not start with both chassis and house batteries being charged. HOWEVER, there is a solenoid side by side with the merge solenoid, that looks just like the merge solenoid, but is a solenoid that pulls in power to the starter. I am guessing that is the solenoid that was defective.

I could be full of mud.

Or there may be more info not included. Anyhoo, really glad you got it started.

Threads that are pertinent.  http://newellgurus.com/showthread.php?tid=4307

[B and C]

Thanks Richard.  I think you are right..... still learning.

[Jack Houpe]

I worked on a coach that had a cap that went on the terminal of the battery with a 5/16 stud on the top of it and 2 screws to clamp it to the terminal and between the two there was a venereal disease growing also the resettable fuse in the electrical compartment for the echo charger had corroded and failed due to water infiltration. After replacing the resettable fuse and cleaning the terminals on the engine batteries and putting on new battery connections the system worked as it should the owner no longer had to merge the batteries to start their coach. There is a fix for most of these issues by just keeping up with maintenance of batteries and I understand that electrical is intimidatingly for some but battery health is important.