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Volt meter "clunking"

August 07, 2013, 01:52:58 pm

We came home yesterday from getting propane. No problems with volt meter. Today I turned on ignition (I didn't try to  start up tho) so we could check the wiring/lights to our toad. Volt meter jumps around with a loud clunk. Doesn't matter if engine is running or not. The monitor shows voltage jumps from 12.3 down to 11.6 and back. It isn't instantaneous, but intervals of about 15 seconds.

I don't think it is related but I can't get hardly any flame on the stove burners. This after replacing fill valve, shutoff valve, and bleeder.

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Re: Volt meter "clunking"

Reply #1 – August 07, 2013, 04:15:50 pm

I don't think the clunk has anything to do with the volt meter. My first guess is you have a short to ground in a circuit that is protected by a circuit breaker.( possibly under the dash on one of the light circuits) When it breaks, the monitor and the volt meter shows normal chassis voltage. When it resets, the volt meter shows a heavy load and the monitor shows a major drop in voltage. Since you were working on the toad wiring, I would start my search there.

Gary O

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Re: Volt meter "clunking"

Reply #2 – August 07, 2013, 05:30:55 pm

Thanks for the suggestions Gary. Unfortunately the coach wiring for towing a toad has functioned perfectly for three years (since I fixed it). The toad wiring I referred to now is for our Saturn Vue. I disconnected the Saturn plug from the coach and the problem persists. Driving me nuts. I proofed the wiring from the coach to the Vue yesterday and it was fine. The wiring consists of L & R turns, brake light(s), running lights, and a ground. I had run a separate harness to 1157 bulbs I installed in the taillight housings right below the Vue's bulbs. There is no connection between the Vue's electrical system and the light system I installed.
Strange thing is I had done nothing to the coach other than going and getting propane and buying a new Blue Ox tow bar.

Gary, just had a thought!! (strained myself there). This volt meter issue started when we were checking the lights again today in anticipation of taking the toad out for a test ride behind the coach. I 'm gonna check tomorrow for loose wiring or a bad ground/connection somewhere in the original harness.

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Re: Volt meter "clunking"

Reply #3 – August 07, 2013, 06:23:40 pm

Gary's hypnosis is spot on.  Those would be the exact symptoms if you have a short/very heavy load tripping and then allowing a circuit breaker to reset.

Brett

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Re: Volt meter "clunking"

Reply #4 – August 07, 2013, 11:51:15 pm

If there's gonna be hypnosis on this forum.......I'm outta here!! LOL. Just pulling your chain Brett.

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Reply #5 – August 08, 2013, 03:09:12 pm

I found what was causing the "clunk". Sometimes it is hard to track down sounds when one is deaf in one ear and hard of hearing in the other. BUT, the sound was coming from about a foot-and-a-half forward of the voltmeter. Turns out it was the air compressor pump for the Hadley air horns. I took the compressor intake end screen off and found the crankshaft screw had come unscrewed from the crankshaft. Put it back with Loctite and reassembled. Horns work, "clunk" is gone.

Redid the toad cable connection, checked it, works great!! On to the problem with low propane pressure to the stove, etc.

Thanks all for the helpful advice. Great place to find answers, even for my antique.

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Reply #6 – August 08, 2013, 03:34:54 pm

And, was this the loose crankshaft screw the cause of the high draw/low draw that you saw in in the voltmeter?

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Reply #7 – August 08, 2013, 04:04:40 pm

Yes, the little 12V motor would try to turn the compressor crankshaft but the loose screw/crankbolt jammed things and the breaker would trip. Everything electrical is working just fine now.

Thanks,

Norm

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