Chinook RV

For reference, here is a link to detailed LVD documentation, on the old Chinook forum (formerly Yahoo):

https://groups.io/g/Chinookrvowners/fil ... 0%28LVD%29

Clay,

That link requires login access, which I do not have. Are you referring to this document:
?

I cannot see where it references reverse voltage to charge the batteries.

Jon

Hi Jon,

I added a new LVD topic under "reference materials" and copied the documents from the io forum. You should consider joining the io group, as it contains a wealth of information dating back to many original owners' information. The pdf you mentioned is one of the documents but there are a couple more references. viewtopic.php?f=6&t=2072

I don't think the bi-directional use of the "Store" button was an original intent of the LVD designers, but I did verify that my alarm goes off if I switch to the Store position when plugged in to shore power (even with my batteries charged), so you do seem to have a problem.

I would check the other wires for rodent damage, especially the grey (alarm) and blue (manual override) wires between the sense wires and Vout. Check the "LVD Measurements" file for a nice picture and normal voltages for the Store switch on and off. Unfortunately, I don't think Dave recorded values with Shore power connected/disconnected.

Good luck.

Clay,

Thank You!

These documents are very useful in understanding how the LVD and the Coach Batteries On/Store switch work! I think a lot of Forum Chinook owners will be accessing these.

I don't believe the rodents got into the interior of the coach - I see no evidence of it. I'm probably going to have to do what Chin_k suggested and try to lower the voltage going to the Sense wire to deactivate the LVD to see if that triggers the alarm.

BTW: One of the first things I did was to replace the CRT TV, the radio and the VHS, and I followed yours and other members lead on doing that. Particularly making sure that the new radio had aux input so that all four speakers worked. Thanks to you!

Jon

Jon:
if you look at the measurement doc that Clay uploaded, you will see that the alarm post is relatively low in potential related to ground (it says 1.00 V when OFF). So when the genset is on, or when the shore power is available to run the converter, the V-out post will be ~13+ V. By connecting an LED and an alarm between the two potentials, they will light up and buzz because the potential is ~ 12V DC. When you flip the switch to ON, you will see the voltage on the alarm post goes up to 11.8 V. This is because the line voltage on V-out goes up thru the resettable breaker, the alarm/LED, and come back down to the alarm post. The voltage drop thru these devices is why it is not full line voltage, but reduced to 11.8. There is no current flowing, so the alarm and led do not work. (This is how I interpret the table from an arm chair. In practice, if you measure the LVD alarm post, it should be very close to ground voltage when OFF, and disconnected when it is ON, unless the LVD wants to buzz you per its specification.)

This brings me to the other question that you have. If you want to test the LED and the alarm, you can simply disconnect the gray wire off the LVD, and ground it to the chassis, or electrical ground. If you hear nothing, then either your LVD was off, or there are issue with the gray or other wires.

In regard to Bob's story, I am just glad that only a few people here knows how to find me. Clay is one of these people, and fortunately I don't think he will ever need my two cents.

Chin_k and Clay,

Well now I am beginning to understand all of the moving parts here. Thanks for the documentation and the explanation. And, a little LED in my brain just illuminated. The Vehicle Batteries Switch IS the Optional Override Switch as described in the Sure Power LVD installation instructions!

With respect to the 11.8 Volt measurement on the alarm post, is it just a coincidence that it is the exact voltage of the LVD disconnect set point, which was set by the Sure Power factory for our particular LVD model (135001)?

Regarding testing the LED and alarm, can I just simply disconnect the gray wire from its post and connect it to the post having the white wire (ground) on the LVD to test the LED and alarm? And, should the Vehicle Batteries Switch be on or off when I do that, and shore power connected or not? I have to admit that I am a little anxious of doing this test.

Jon

Jon:
Yes, you can use the white wire as the ground for the gray wire. You should want the battery switch be ON to turn the LVD on, independent of the shore power. As long as the LVD is on, you should hear the buzz, and the LED lit. When you switch the switch to OFF, they should stop.

If you do not hear the buzz and/or the light, then you should use your multi meter to go along the gray wire and do some troubleshooting, starting at the LVD post. Good luck.

Chin_k,

Well, my stubby phillips and my stubby flat head screwdrivers won't fit to unscrew the grey wire, and my angle screwdriver wants to strip the screw. I am going to have to remove the side panel of the couch so I can better access the LVD connections. That's going to have to be on another date because I am trying to make an appointment with my health provider to get a COVID vaccine and their website as well as their phone number to call are down. Don't these people understand that if they announce to everyone in the county 75 or older that EVERYONE in the county will try at the same time! The announcement should have been staggered by city or area. They know who is 75+ and where they live. It is going to take me a while to get through. It will get even worse when they announce everyone over 65 make an appointment.

Jon

I am not in a hurry, so get your other business done. They want to put the LVD out of the way, since it should be one of those things that you installed it, and forget it. This is why it is so inconvenient to service it. Once every 20 yrs is not too bad.

For whole COVID thing is just a classical example of bad logistics. You be surprised how little do they know about us. Good that these thing only happens every 50 or 100 yrs. We won't be around for the next round.

Chin_k,

Actually I shouldn't have sounded off, particularly about the 65+ people who deserve to get a vaccine! All of us deserve to get vaccinated against this terrible virus, right now. I am sorry I said that. I did get through and got an appointment, but I have to drive to Palo Alto to get vaccinated.

I did try to remove the side panel of the couch, but my poor little power screwdriver wasn't strong enough. The screws are more than 2 inches long! I'll try again sometime this week end.

Thanks so much for your help!

Jon