Battery Compartment Wiring Request!

mcichad · December 14, 2009, 05:22:33 PM

Hello,

I am looking for some information on the battery compartment wiring for my '92 MCI 102-C3, there are two wires disconnected and I would like to know where they should go. All wiring is factory, however there has been a monkey in here prior, just need to know how it's supposed to look and all will be good! Everything on the coach appears to work correctly, just concerned it could affect charging....etc.

Would there be a good location to get a schematic for this location?
Your insight would be much appreciated!

Thanks,

Chad

Nick Badame Refrig/ACC · December 14, 2009, 05:42:22 PM

Hi Chad,

Just a hunch but, I'm gonna guess and say that you have the exact same two wires hanging that I did when I purchaced my bus in 04'.

My two wires were a much smaller ga. wire then the battery cables and I found out that they went to an inverter mounted in the next

bay that provided 120v ac to the audio/video systems in the coach.

Nick-

Ednj · December 14, 2009, 05:57:51 PM

There are some pictures here= http://www.busconversions.com/bbs/index.php?topic=166.msg1357#msg1357

mcichad · December 14, 2009, 06:49:57 PM

Nick,

Thanks for tip, actually this was the case on my prior '90, just tracing one leg would actually feed the ECM main supply. It's hooked directly to a center feed from the batteries, therefore moving it to the vanner equalizer will allow powering off these components also. With a direct connection it's consistently draining one battery.

Now just one more to go, it feeds up into the coach floor, a heavier gauge line like the feeds coming from the vanners, just not sure where it heads to, whether it requires 12 or 24, however just had a thought! In the front left compartment there are two converters which take 110V and convert to 24v, when plugged in I haven't found power to be anywhere on the coach, could this be because this line is disconnected? I'll have to plug them in and try the lead, just may be....

Thanks,

mcichad · December 14, 2009, 10:28:23 PM

I checked the inverters for power to the lead in the battery bay, there is no power...therefore it's probably a lead for another source from the 12v source, just not sure where too. As far as i know all components work on the coach, prior to removing most items to do with the passenger area, the only issue we had was with the headlights, low beams work, but pressing the high beam switch would provide 24v to the high beam and burn the lights out. Need to look into this one a little deeper, but everything else seemed work quite well.

I'll look into this a little more this week.

Bill B /bus · December 16, 2009, 06:43:33 PM

If you're burning out the headlights on high beam the unknown could be the dreaded 'balance' wire for the headlights. Try connecting to the mid point of the battery (12V) and then check the voltage when in high beam switch position.
One, of many, projects is to completely convert the headlights over to 12V. No more balance wire for this owner.
Bill

mcichad · December 16, 2009, 07:03:07 PM

Bill, there is a battery equalizer and this could be hooked up to the 12v source there forsure. For balancing the headlights, how does this work? Is this wire purely for high beam to help equalize to 12v, thus preventing overvoltage and burning out the headlight as experienced? Currently redoing a few wire ends, but will be able to test this out in a day or two.

Thanks for the insight!

mcichad · December 16, 2009, 11:01:24 PM

I was able to complete more of the electrical tonight and checked out the headlights, I can now go from low to high beam without burning the bulbs. Previously this wasn't possible, at the same time changed out two battery cables, replaced a corroded terminal strip feeding the computers, cleaned and re-assembled all connections within the battery bay.

Now it starts much quicker, as the positive and cross over cable were corroded and required replacing, charging is much smoother and turning loads such as central fan on only decrease voltage on start-up slightly, where prior the voltage would drop off the voltmeter scale. Now when the main power switches are off, nothing is on as it should be. Even the lights are brighter with a much more consistent power feed.

It's nice having a job done well!