electrical

[des48]

 Hi can anyone tell me where, or if the clipper has a secondary fuse panel.aside from the Dodge truck  dash fuses. I had some serious arching from a loose heat shield that cut into the main starter wire. The fridge and inside lights, not cab, do not work even with shore power. There must be an in line fuse or reset button somewhere? When I hooked up up my battery charger I had control panel lights water tank capacity etc.  in inside. I hope  that the inverter is protected ? Can a problem in the twelve volt vehicle system affect the inverter Thanks Dan

[JerryT]

Dan
My 78 has a Clipper fuse panel in my breaker box under my couch (rear kitchen model)
Your starter being grounded out by that shield may have pulled power from your house battery. A fuse will blow with over current in either direction, in or out. A converter (battery charger) takes 110v and makes 12v
An inverter takes 12v and makes 110v.  I have both in my rig and both are fused. It sounds like a bad fuse to me, let us know, good luck!
JerryT

[des48]

 Thanks Jerry, I found the panel  and breakers on the back side of the converter inside the coach on passengerside bench seat just above the floor. I had blown two fuses. I also had to replace the solenoid in front under the hood that directs voltage from the alternator to the battery in the rig, or the aux. batteries. I don't know if the short caused the solenoid to fail but I couldn't charge the aux. system until I replaced the unit. I have a two position toggle switch mounted to the dash in one pos. I can charge the battery in the rig and the other pos. lets me charge the two six volt bat. system. Is this toggle switch somebody's idea or do clippers come this way? I wish I could charge both systems at once. Thanks DR. Dan

[JerryT]

The solenoid is used as a battery isolator and needs to be of the continuous duty style (used on golf carts) or they will burn out. Mine is wired to connect the Dodge and Clipper batteries when the key is in the on position and to separate them when the key is in the off position. Some people have an override switch to energize the solenoid with the key off i.e. to steal power from the crank battery for a short time. That same switch could be wired to turn off the solenoid so as to stop the power going to the back battery BUT the Dodge battery should always be charging per factory wiring. The Dodge van has a known issue that my be part of your problem. The output from the alternator goes thru the firewall with the other wiring in a two part plug. That connection fails by arcing/burning leaving the Dodge with no power. A miss guided repair might have left the wiring in a  non factory configuration i.e. someone has the wrong wire on the the wrong lug. It is an easy fix what ever it is. If you need more help let me know.
JerryT

[John Eversoll]

Hi  Jerry, do you have a scematic on that system.  I would love to have something like that to keep mystuff charged.
John