kyidletime wrote:Surely even as far back as 1995 Chinook had more thorough wiring diagrams available, probably even color coded one. One of our problems with my rig is that we haven't identified where certain components such as the smart solenoid and the LVD are located on my rig. That with the combination of not having thorough wiring diagrams available makes it hard, if not impossible to diagnose electrical problems.
I am pretty sure you don't have a "smart" solenoid (such as the Sure Power 1315 or the now-available Blue Sea 7622). Reason I say this is that if you did, you wouldn't need the two solenoids that you do have, and that are shown in the 1995 electrical drawing. The "smart" solenoid takes the place of your two, which are slightly more simple solenoids (but doing the same job, basically).
I also suspect you don't have the Sure Power LVD. Reason I say this is that it was wired in with the Sure Power 1315, and provided (along with the low-voltage disconnect feature) a sort of "roundhouse" area for a number of the small function wires to connect. My guess is that you don't have this, and that it was added along with the Sure Power 1315 in later years. 1997 would be my guess, and I think at this time is when the house batteries were changed from one to two in number, and moved to an outside compartment below the water heater (which in your year doesn't extend forward under the water heater). Your similar wiring looks like it just comes through the firewall and then you have the two switches. So I highly doubt you have "the" LVD and smart solenoid everyone thinks you do. Hence why you can't find them and why they are not on the drawing. And hence why you DO have the two solenoids under the hood that the later ones don't have.
I do hear you on how this makes it harder. For one thing, the documentation is not as good as later years. For two, "most" people seem to have the 1997-2005 era Chinooks, and so they may assume yours is the same when it isn't. So other people can't help you as easily.
On the other hand, in my opinion, aside from better documentation and easier help from others (not to be underestimated), there is nothing "magical" about the later setup, and nowadays there are better/more efficient ways to do what Chinook was doing in even the later years. For example, the function of the Blue Sea 7622 is better than that of the Surepower 1315. Blue Sea makes an LVD that is good (although I would submit that there are better ways to make sure your batteries don't get ruined). The charger Chinook installed even in the very last year is not very smart and there are much better ones now that won't ruin expensive batteries. The solar systems were very minimal, with long, lossy wire runs. And on and on.
Not that Chinook did a bad job. On the contrary: I've looked at a lot of RV's, and helped re-wire a few, and Chinook is up there with the best of them. But time marches on. Also, an owner can tailor any upgrades to their purpose and style, whereas manufacturers are "forced" to choose an average customer and build to that (in the case of most RV's, this hypothetical person drives from power post to power post 99% of the time).
So I guess what I'm saying is that although it's kind of sucky right now as you are trying to figure things out -- and perhaps a stock/functioning 1997+ system would be a godsend at the moment - you can do very well with some upgrades that will easily eclipse the 1997+ setup. There is nothing magical about it, and it's a bit outdated now (plus tailored to "average consumer").
Of course it would have been handy to have your stuff all up and running while you get a feel for how you like to RV, but perhaps it IS fine for that as-is, or with a few mods. Once you figure out what you want to set up, then you can design what you want, with efficient, modern components. Or at least that's an option.
I think most folks find their "standard RV" electrical setups to be slightly lacking. Not everyone, as some people just happen to hit that targeted use pattern - but even they find that the original chargers cook batteries, they can't add to the solar system but instead have to start from scratch, etc.
Again, not to diss Chinook as they did a fine job for their goals and with what was available at the time. I have seen much, much worse (and few better). In summary, Chinook did a good job, but with two limitations: 1) Electronics have improved in the 1-2 decades since they were building our coaches; and, 2) They had to choose a theoretical RV-er to design for, and that may not match your usage.
If I were you I would get the system up and functioning in the most basic way, then use the rig and figure out what you want for YOUR RV-ing style, and then upgrade accordingly. If the solenoids you have are working now, great. If they are not, a simple manual switch can get you by with the exact same functions (just not automatically) until such time as you know better what you want in the long run. At that point any upgrades you do will be tailored to your usage (which it sounds like you haven't really decided on yet, as your rig is new to you).
BG
*****
As an aside and an example, I have tailored my upgrades to boondocking, as that's what I do most of the time. As such, I removed many of the original components and wiring, and instead put in newer/better ones (even the best electrical components have improved with time, and some weren't that great for my usage anyway) with a different "slant" in usage pattern. However, even if I were the "average RV-er," who drives from campground to campground, plugging in at each one, I would have made some upgrades. For example the original charger is not kind to batteries - technology has marched on. Even if one plugs in all the time, that is in use. The chargers available back then were just not as good (think of it a bit like computers in that regard).
