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Home » Public Forums » GMCnet » Cable??? (Large cable coming from solenoid passenger side firewal)
Cable??? [message #348212] Fri, 20 September 2019 21:02 Go to next message
Samuel Ferguson is currently offline  Samuel Ferguson   United States
Messages: 107
Registered: September 2019
Location: Pittsfield, Illinois
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Senior Member
What is the large battery cable coming from the left side of the solenoid on passenger firewall. I originally thought it was the booster cable. But I have found today that the cable will have 12 volts to it from the engine battery if hooked up. No voltage from House battery on it.

The cable runs down to frame area behind the front grill and runs to the driver's side area and into the back firewall towards below the dash. Once inside, I am unbale to locate the cable!


Samuel Ferguson
(Although I beginning to pull my hair out over this, I refuse to allow electrical issues kick my butt!!!!!) Shocked


Samuel Ferguson Summer Hill, Illinois (West Central Illinois) 1976 GMC Palm Beach
Re: Cable??? [message #348216 is a reply to message #348212] Fri, 20 September 2019 21:29 Go to previous messageGo to next message
RF_Burns is currently offline  RF_Burns   Canada
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Registered: June 2008
Location: S. Ontario, Canada
Karma: 3
Senior Member
I'm guessing you have the house battery in the rear beside the generator (26 ft).

The large cable runs from the Boost solenoid under the passenger hood, along in front of the rad, then alongside the driver's side to the back of the coach. On my 1977 Palm Beach, it stop at a large terminal behind the electrical cabinet, where it feeds the 12VDC house distribuition fuse panel. Another wire continues on from there to the house battery beside the generator.


Bruce Hislop
ON Canada
77PB, 455 Dick P. rebuilt, DynamicEFI EBL EFI & ESC.
1 ton front end
http://www.gmcmhphotos.com/photos/showphoto.php?photo=29001
My Staff says I never listen to them, or something like that
Re: Cable??? [message #348220 is a reply to message #348216] Fri, 20 September 2019 21:57 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Samuel Ferguson is currently offline  Samuel Ferguson   United States
Messages: 107
Registered: September 2019
Location: Pittsfield, Illinois
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Senior Member
I pulled the converter and breaker box out. I unhooked what I think is the booster cable. I checked the post after doing so and with house battery hooked up, I 12v to the post. (Is this normal). If I connect the engine battery, then I have 12v to what I believe is the booster cable end that I unhooked from the block. (Is this normal)

I am asking, because I think I have a short in the cable coming from the front to rear due to the coating rotted off. And the fack the 10 amp fuse is blowing in fuse panel under glovebox that says Aux Battery.

Is there any wires splitting from the boost cable running to the back that would cause concern?

I am baffled!!!!


Samuel Ferguson Summer Hill, Illinois (West Central Illinois) 1976 GMC Palm Beach

[Updated on: Fri, 20 September 2019 21:59]

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Re: [GMCnet] Cable??? [message #348231 is a reply to message #348212] Sat, 21 September 2019 04:37 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Ken Henderson is currently offline  Ken Henderson   United States
Messages: 8726
Registered: March 2004
Location: Americus, GA
Karma: 9
Senior Member
Samuel,

The large "red coated" cable from the passenger side solenoid, across the
front of the frame, and into the driver's side wall IS the "boost cable"
(which is what I'll henceforth call it). It passes through holes in the
aluminum wall structure and eventually connects to the "house junction
block" which you've found behind the converter. It should NOT have voltage
applied from the front of the coach unless the boost solenoid is either
stuck closed or the cable's been mis-connected.

The deteriorated insulation at the front of the boost cable was cause for a
GMC recall which should have caused that to be covered with a corrugated
insulation tube. The portion of the cable inside the driver's side wall is
generally, but not always, in good shape as it's protected from the
elements. But the aluminum wall structure it passes through are tempting
short points.

You need to disconnect BOTH ends of that cable, at the front solenoid and
the house junction block. Now use the Ohmmeter function of a multimeter to
check for continuity between the cable and the coach metal ("ground" or
"gnd"). If there's less than infinite resistance there, you MAY be lucky
and locate the short along the exposed section of the cable and re-insulate
it. But if the short is in the wall, your chances of finding it without
completely gutting that side of the coach are slim -- replace the entire
cable with a similarly sized one, well protected with an added cover, and
carefully run and suspended inside the frame.

That's probably enough "advice" for one note.

Ken H.

On Fri, Sep 20, 2019 at 10:03 PM Samuel Ferguson via Gmclist <
gmclist@list.gmcnet.org> wrote:

> What is the large battery cable coming from the left side of the solenoid
> on passenger firewall. I originally thought it was the booster cable. But I
> have found today that the cable will have 12 volts to it from the engine
> battery if hooked up. No voltage from House battery on it.
>
> The cable runs down to frame area behind the front grill and runs to the
> driver's side area and into the back firewall towards below the dash. Once
> inside, I am unbale to locate the cable!
>
>
> Samuel Ferguson
> (Although I beginning to pull my hair out over this, I refuse to allow
> electrical issues kick my butt!!!!!) 8o
> --
> Samuel Ferguson
> Pittsfield, Illinois
> (West Central Illinois)
> 1976 GMC Palm Beach (A newbie who will not allow this thing to kick my
> butt!!)
>
> _______________________________________________
> GMCnet mailing list
> Unsubscribe or Change List Options:
> http://list.gmcnet.org/mailman/listinfo/gmclist_list.gmcnet.org
>
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Ken Henderson
Americus, GA
www.gmcwipersetc.com
Large Wiring Diagrams
76 X-Birchaven
76 X-Palm Beach
Re: [GMCnet] Cable??? [message #348395 is a reply to message #348231] Sun, 22 September 2019 18:19 Go to previous message
Emery Stora is currently offline  Emery Stora   United States
Messages: 959
Registered: January 2011
Karma: 4
Senior Member
The deteriorated insulation on the boost cable was not in a RECALL.

It is mentioned in a DEALER SERVICE BULLETIN,
NUMBER: 77-TM-4
GROUP: 12-Chassis
Electrical-2
DATE June, 1977

The difference is that a Recall is mandated by the government and the dealer is to repair or replace it at GM’s expense
and there would be no time limit on the service.
A Dealer Service Bulletin is suggested maintenance and the costs would be borne by the owner.

Emery Stora
77 Kingsley
Frederick, CO




> On Sep 21, 2019, at 3:37 AM, Ken Henderson via Gmclist wrote:
>
> Samuel,
>
> The large "red coated" cable from the passenger side solenoid, across the
> front of the frame, and into the driver's side wall IS the "boost cable"
> (which is what I'll henceforth call it). It passes through holes in the
> aluminum wall structure and eventually connects to the "house junction
> block" which you've found behind the converter. It should NOT have voltage
> applied from the front of the coach unless the boost solenoid is either
> stuck closed or the cable's been mis-connected.
>
> The deteriorated insulation at the front of the boost cable was cause for a
> GMC recall which should have caused that to be covered with a corrugated
> insulation tube. The portion of the cable inside the driver's side wall is
> generally, but not always, in good shape as it's protected from the
> elements. But the aluminum wall structure it passes through are tempting
> short points.
>
> You need to disconnect BOTH ends of that cable, at the front solenoid and
> the house junction block. Now use the Ohmmeter function of a multimeter to
> check for continuity between the cable and the coach metal ("ground" or
> "gnd"). If there's less than infinite resistance there, you MAY be lucky
> and locate the short along the exposed section of the cable and re-insulate
> it. But if the short is in the wall, your chances of finding it without
> completely gutting that side of the coach are slim -- replace the entire
> cable with a similarly sized one, well protected with an added cover, and
> carefully run and suspended inside the frame.
>
> That's probably enough "advice" for one note.
>
> Ken H.
>
> On Fri, Sep 20, 2019 at 10:03 PM Samuel Ferguson via Gmclist gmclist@list.gmcnet.org> wrote:
>
>> What is the large battery cable coming from the left side of the solenoid
>> on passenger firewall. I originally thought it was the booster cable. But I
>> have found today that the cable will have 12 volts to it from the engine
>> battery if hooked up. No voltage from House battery on it.
>>
>> The cable runs down to frame area behind the front grill and runs to the
>> driver's side area and into the back firewall towards below the dash. Once
>> inside, I am unbale to locate the cable!
>>
>>
>> Samuel Ferguson
>> (Although I beginning to pull my hair out over this, I refuse to allow
>> electrical issues kick my butt!!!!!) 8o
>> --
>> Samuel Ferguson
>> Pittsfield, Illinois
>> (West Central Illinois)
>> 1976 GMC Palm Beach (A newbie who will not allow this thing to kick my
>> butt!!)
>>
>> _______________________________________________
>> GMCnet mailing list
>> Unsubscribe or Change List Options:
>> http://list.gmcnet.org/mailman/listinfo/gmclist_list.gmcnet.org
>>
> _______________________________________________
> GMCnet mailing list
> Unsubscribe or Change List Options:
> http://list.gmcnet.org/mailman/listinfo/gmclist_list.gmcnet.org


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