Lazy Daze Owners' Group

Let's start with the generator. Its starter motor is powered from the house batteries, so if those are drained, the generator won't start. However, running the truck engine sends power from its alternator to the house batteries, so that's why you can start the generator in that scenario.

"why would the generator cut out even after it has been started?"

That I don't know. Maybe somebody else does?

"the range hood keeps reading that the batteries are fully charged even though you think it would be reading as weak."

That's a puzzle. The range hood LEDs are not very accurate, but if the batteries are really dead (all 12 V circuits dead), I wouldn't expect those LEDs to work either. Of course they'll light up when either the truck engine or the solar controller are sending 12 V power back to the coach. They don't know the batteries' actual condition; just what the voltage in the whole system is at a given time. (See below for the way to know the batteries' actual state of charge.)

"The previous owner may have added a component that I have yet to identify clearly."

If you can upload a photo, we may be able to recognize it.

General advice: replacing the house batteries is definitely a good idea. After you do that, however, you'll need to find out whether they are being charged correctly by the engine and by the solar controller... and whether something is draining them overnight. I assume you already have a digital multimeter; if not, they're not expensive.

But although I hate to tell you to buy more equipment, you really need a good battery monitor to see what's going on. Those LEDs on the stove hood not only aren't accurate, they can't tell you how much power is flowing into or out of your batteries. With a smart battery monitor, you'd be able to spot any drains instantly.

There are two good candidates, both from Victron. A popular one is their BMV-712 Battery Monitor, which includes a display panel that can read out things like your house batteries' state of charge in percentage--not just red/yellow/green!--and amps in and out of your batteries. It also has Bluetooth, so that you can read all the information from the free VictronConnect app on your phone, tablet, or PC (iOS/Mac/Android/Windows apps are available).

The other possibility is Victron's SmartShunt Battery Monitor, which is a Bluetooth-only product that does everything the BMV-712 does, but has no display panel. It's a simpler installation, since you won't have to find a place to mount a display, or run a cable to it. But you'll be relying on your phone, tablet, or computer to read what's going on via the VictronConnect app. It's your choice.

Either way, there's some wiring involved: the shunt that measures all those amps in and out has to be connected between your house batteries' negative post and all your grounds. Depending upon how comfortable you are with wiring, you may want to have a service person do that job. It's very straightforward.

Sorry if that sounds like a sale pitch. :-) But without a smart battery monitor like the two mentioned, you're really in the dark as to how your whole 12 VDC system is functioning. I know--I was in that situation for years, and I was pulling my hair out trying to figure out what was going on until I got a shunt-based smart battery monitor.

So if I were you, I'd first replace the house batteries, then install a smart battery monitor, and take it from there.

The other possibility is Victron's SmartShunt Battery Monitor, which is a Bluetooth-only product that does everything the BMV-712 does, but has no display panel. It's a simpler installation, since you won't have to find a place to mount a display, or run a cable to it. But you'll be relying on your phone, tablet, or computer to read what's going on via the VictronConnect app. It's your choice.

Lori, that photo looks like the base of the CB antenna, with wiring in even-worse-than-usual condition. The sun rots the coaxial CB cable after a few years. Mine (2003 midbath) looked similar.