Question Firefly not coming on

[LawrenceSolomon]

I have a 2021 Roadtrek Zion Slumber. Just purchased, only 70 total miles. I started up the engine today and the Firefly panel will not come on. I pushed the battery disconnect rocker switch to "on" and still nothing. This means I cannot use any of the appliances or check levels. The step that goes out from the side of the van will not go back in after I close the side door. Does anyone have any ideas?

 

[NWIP]

House battery? Charged?

 

[LawrenceSolomon]

Do you mean plug it in to shore power? What do you mean by house battery?

 

[NWIP]

Asking if you had another battery besides chassis battery and if so was it fully charged

 

[TJ&LadyDi]

Most coaches have two separate batteries; one to start and run the engine (chassis battery) and one to power lights, appliances, etc. (house battery) in the coach itself. I don’t know the RoadTrek unit, but I would assume it is set up this way. If the ”house battery” is not charged, things like your Firefly panel will have no power.

If everything in your coach is powered off a single battery (unlikely IME), then a dead house battery isn’t the issue since you were able to start the engine.

TJ

 

[LawrenceSolomon]

Thank you. I've been running the engine but still the panel does not come on. Should I plug into the A/C outlet at my house to charge it? I would have thought the engine would charge via the generator.

 

[TJ&LadyDi]

First, you need to determine where your batteries are. Then, you need to check voltages and have the house battery load-tested. If the battery is OK, you may have a fuse or breaker open, a bad wire connection, etc. Are other 12V items in the coach working (e.g. overhead lights, charging outlets, etc?,

Have you checked with the service department where you bought the coach? They should be able to help.

TJ

 

[LawrenceSolomon]

Thanks to all

 

[TJ&LadyDi]

Please post a follow-up when you get the problem figured out. That could help another RVer with a similar problem.

TJ

 

[John&Andrea]

Make sure the switch for the coach battery is on while driving and it should charge while driving. I did not think it will charge if switch is off, mine does not. My thought is the coach battery may be dead.

 

[TJ&LadyDi]

Make sure the switch for the coach battery is on while driving and it should charge while driving. I did not think it will charge if switch is off, mine does not. My thought is the coach battery may be dead.

Excellent point! I don’t know this specific coach, but if it has a “battery disconnect” switch (aka “salesman switch”), that could certainly be the problem…even if the battery is charged.

TJ

 

[LawrenceSolomon]

Please see attached photo. Is the battery disconnect the red rocker switch? I push it up but nothing happens on the Firefly screen. I've run the engine and also charged with shore power overnight. Again, the van has only 70 miles on it so I don't understand how such an issue could emerge so quickly. Could the house battery already be gone? Seems odd.

 

[NWIP]

Yes the red switch is the battery disconnect. Since you say nothing happens (no red light) would presume house battery is depleted. Need to locate the battery and test as @TJ&LadyDi stated. You want to store the RV with the battery disconnected or with shore power connected to prevent depleting the battery.

 

[LawrenceSolomon]

Thank you. Is a house battery something that can be reactivated with jumper cables?

 

[NWIP]

Possibly depending on location. How long have you had the unit? Was the panel on, lights working previously? There should be a charger/converter that provides a charge when plugged into shore power. I would locate the battery and check the voltage to see if is depleted.

 

[LawrenceSolomon]

I just got off the phone with Roadtrek tech support. The issue is a little different that the discussion above. The van has lithium batteries. To get those batteries going, there is a "kicker" battery. Apparently that kicker battery went dead and it could be because I didn't push the battery disconnect button long enough after I last used it. No amount of shore power or driving the van will recharge the kicker battery. It will need to be jumped but jumping it is complicated. I will let the dealer fix it. The tech support guy said that this problem could be avoided in the future by keeping the van plugged into a 15 amp circuit when not using it.

I'll update after the dealer takes a look.

 

[TJ&LadyDi]

I just got off the phone with Roadtrek tech support. The issue is a little different that the discussion above. The van has lithium batteries. To get those batteries going, there is a "kicker" battery. Apparently that kicker battery went dead and it could be because I didn't push the battery disconnect button long enough after I last used it. No amount of shore power or driving the van will recharge the kicker battery. It will need to be jumped but jumping it is complicated. I will let the dealer fix it. The tech support guy said that this problem could be avoided in the future by keeping the van plugged into a 15 amp circuit when not using it.

I'll update after the dealer takes a look.

Looks like you are on the right track; glad to hear it.

TJ

 

[GoD2]

I just got off the phone with Roadtrek tech support. The issue is a little different that the discussion above. The van has lithium batteries. To get those batteries going, there is a "kicker" battery. Apparently that kicker battery went dead and it could be because I didn't push the battery disconnect button long enough after I last used it. No amount of shore power or driving the van will recharge the kicker battery. It will need to be jumped but jumping it is complicated. I will let the dealer fix it. The tech support guy said that this problem could be avoided in the future by keeping the van plugged into a 15 amp circuit when not using it.

I'll update after the dealer takes a look.

Thanks for your post and update. I bought a Slumber in May and now have the same issue with the with firefly monitor not coming on at all.
Was the service center you went to able to fix the problem?

 

[Bb1980]

I just got a slumber in Sept and I have the same issue. We’re you ever given instructions to reset the lithium batteries?

 

[One4uTwo4me]

Looks like you are on the right track; glad to hear it.

TJ

I just got off the phone with Roadtrek tech support. The issue is a little different that the discussion above. The van has lithium batteries. To get those batteries going, there is a "kicker" battery. Apparently that kicker battery went dead and it could be because I didn't push the battery disconnect button long enough after I last used it. No amount of shore power or driving the van will recharge the kicker battery. It will need to be jumped but jumping it is complicated. I will let the dealer fix it. The tech support guy said that this problem could be avoided in the future by keeping the van plugged into a 15 amp circuit when not using it.

I'll update after the dealer takes a look.

Any update? I am curious to know how to jump the kicker battery. Is the "kicker" battery also called the AGM battery? And when you say "plug into a 15 amp circuit" you mean use the 30 amp shore power cord with a 15 amp adapter so it can be plugged into a household outlet? Or are you talking about a trickle charger direct to the kicker battery, which I've heard people do to prevent the kicker battery from going dead?