Post storage suggestions - house batteries and stuck brakes

[Peter Tourin]

My ‘20 RL has been standing in VT over a long winter. I started it today and found thar the chassis battery is fine. I have no house DC though. Each battery reads around 6.5 volts, and when I measure at the output of each fuse in the battery compartment, they all read about 13v. But no house power when I throw the DC switch. Is there a main fuse or breaker in the RL that I’m missing? Any other thoughts?

My brakes are also locked. I left the rig with the parking brake engaged. The brake lever releases properly. When I go into Drive or Reverse the van moves a tiny bit, but I can’t get it to move more than a tiny jiggle. Any suggestions about how to get the brakes to release?

 

[msmolow]

In my older Unity there is a MEGA fuse multifuse block behind the batteries, one of which is for house DC.

nd the

 

[Peter Tourin]

I checked all the fuses behind the red cover - all the output sides measured 13 volts, so the problem must be downstream of the fuses.

 

[Peter Tourin]

I solved the electrical issue. After turning the DC switch on and off a number of times, the house came back on - Iʻm wondering if I had a problem with contact corrosion or some such. But my brakes are still locked. Iʻd appreciate hearing from anybody who can give me some info and advice on this!

 

[Abe123]

On my 2015.5 Unity TB after you apply the hand pulled parking brake by the drivers seat you can just push the handle down towards the floor so you can swivel the seat. To release the parking brake you pull the handle back up then push a button at the end of the handle with your thumb then lower the handle to release the parking brake. Check your owners manual for the release process on yours to see if it is similar.

 

[autostaretx]

On the T1N there's a dashboard indicator ("PARK") if it thinks the parking brake is engaged.
It uses a switch at the handle to determine that.
If you are seeing a similar warning on your dashboard, it does not think you've released the handle.
(i like Abe123's suggestion)

If your (equivalent) PARK warning is not displaying, then it thinks you've successfully lowered the handle, and you may indeed have frozen pads/shoes.
Among the things that can do that is rust (or mechanical obstruction) in the tubes surrounding the parking brake cables betwixt the handle and the wheel assemblies. The handle can be released, but the brake springs cannot overcome the tubes' resistance.
Crawl underneath and tug/push/wiggle the cables.
There may well be a mechanism half-way back where one cable (from the handle) splits into two (to the wheels).
Those can rust up/seize as well ... bring pentrating oil and something (screwdriver handle) to whack it with (medium-gently to avoid bending anything).
Wearing goggles can help, since rust, dirt and dust will come falling down aiming at your eyes.

--dick

 

[GJS]

On my 2015.5 Unity TB after you apply the hand pulled parking brake by the drivers seat you can just push the handle down towards the floor so you can swivel the seat. To release the parking brake you pull the handle back up then push a button at the end of the handle with your thumb then lower the handle to release the parking brake. Check your owners manual for the release process on yours to see if it is similar.

And just to add; keep the button pushed in with your thumb while lowering the handle. It took me a while to figure that one out.

 

[TwoClinks]

Peter it sounds far fetched but it is possible that your emergency brake cable is rusted into one position inside the outer cable cover or the rear brake shoes & or rear brake components have been in the "brake on" position for so long that they stuck there. I would never store a vehicle over winter with the e-brake on. You may need to crawl under while someone activated the brake handle an see if the cable is moving to disprove my theory.