WInnebago EKKO Alternator Regulator Relocation

Slide the driver's seat all the way forward to access the battery cover.

Lift up on the release tab for the access cover.

Remove the cover and set aside.

Using a 10mm socket and wrench, remove the nut securing the negative cable to the battery terminal.

Lift the negative cable up and off the terminal.

Place a rag or other non-conductive item to prevent the negative cable from falling back onto the negative terminal and making contact.

Open the battery compartment

Locate the battery ON/OFF switch on the battery. This is located on the front left corner of the battery.

Depress the ON/OFF button for 5 seconds to shut the battery down. The blue LED light will be off.

f the blue LED light is still illuminated or flashing, the battery is not off. Depress the ON/OFF button for 5 seconds again.

Do this for each battery.

Locate the 2 screws on the front corners of the lower compartment flange. Remove using a #2 Phillips bit.

Locate the 4 screws on the bottom of the lower compartment flange. Remove using a #2 Phillips bit.

Pull the lower flange off the compartment and set aside.

Locate the 4 screws securing the breaker panel assembly to the inverter compartment. Remove using a #2 Phillips bit.

Pull the breaker panel assembly out of the compartment.

Use a 10mm socket and wrench to remove the control wires from the breaker.

Pull the temp. sensor wires to remove them from the temp. sensor.

Use a 15mm socket and wrench to remove the wires from the inverter disconnect switch. Mark the location of the wires if needed.

Use a 17mm socket and wrench to remove the wires off the breaker. Mark the location of the wires if needed.

Once all the wires are disconnected, set the breaker panel assembly off to the side.

Locate the 4 bolts securing the charge piping. Use an 8mm socket and wrench to remove these bolts. Set bolts aside.

Locate the electrical plug on the solenoid on the small diameter piping that connects to charge piping.

Disconnect this plug by depressing the release tab and pulling the plug to disconnect it.

Using the trim removal tool, pry the cable mount from its securement tab on the solenoid.

Locate the small diameter rubber hose that connects to the upper charge pipe.

Using a pair of pliers, release the clamp that secures the hose to the charge piping. Depress the ears of the clamp to expand the clamp.

While keeping the clamp expanded, work the rubber elbow off of the charge pipe.

One the driver's side of the van, locate the lower charge pipe fittings. There are two clamps that need to be loosened to remove the charge pipe.

Using a 7mm socket and wrench, loosen both of the worm drive clamps securing the rigid charge piping to the rubber couplings.

On the passenger side of the vehicle locate the coupling for the lower charge pipe. loosen the worm drive clamp using a 7mm socket and wrench.

With all 3 clamps loosened, gently work the charge piping free from it's couplings, and set aside.

Locate the coupling for the upper charge pipe on the driver's side. Loosen the clamp using a 7mm socket and wrench.

Locate the coupling for the upper charge pipe on the passenger side. Loosen the clamp with a 7mm socket and wrench.

With all the clamps loosened, gently remove the charge piping and set aside.

Locate the Balmar alternator regulator on the passenger side of the engine compartment on the inner fender.

Disconnect the wiring from the regulator.

Using a #2 Phillips bit, remove the screws securing the regulator to the inner fender. Set the regulator aside once removed.

Under the vehicle, locate the auxiliary alternator on the passenger side of the engine compartment.

Using a 13mm wrench, remove the nut securing the positive (red) lead to the alternator. Remove the small gauge red wire from the positive post on the alternator. Leave the large 4/0 gauge red wire on the post, and reinstall the washer, lock washer, and nut. Tighten the nut at this time.

Disconnect the field wire connector from the alternator. Depress the tab, and pull the connector off the alternator.

Locate the alternator temp sensor on the alternator.

Use a 10mm wrench to remove the bolt securing the temp sensor to the alternator.

Pull the regulator harness down and over the frame crossmember.

Locate the zip ties securing the alternator power leads and the regulator harness to the cross member.

Cut the zip ties and begin removing the alternator regulator harness towards the battery compartment.

The harness runs from the alternator to the battery compartment along the drivers side of the vehicle. Start cutting any zip ties securing the regulator harness, and work your way back to the battery compartment, pulling the regulator harness with you.

Once you reach the battery compartment, cut the remaining zip ties securing the bundle of wires.

Once all the wiring is free, you can pull the harness out from under the vehicle to begin cutting the harness apart.

Cut the zip ties around the split loom to remove the split loom and expose the regulator harness wires.

There are only a few wires we will be saving. The first is the alternator temp sensor wire. This is the shorter of the two gray sheathed 2 wire harness'. Set this harness aside, as it will be used in a later step. The other longer gray sheathed 2 wire harness is the battery temp. sensor. This will be rerouted.

The other two wires we will be reusing are the brown and black wires from the alternator regulator harness.

The red wire from the regulator harness is the power wire, and is attached to the buss bar located in the rear of the inverter compartment.

Remove the buss bar protective cover, and using a 17mm socket and wrench remove the nut securing the small gauge red wire to the buss bar. Reinstall the lock washer and nut, but do not tighten. We will be installing a harness onto the buss bar in a future step.

You can leave the buss bar cover off for now, as we will be connecting a wire to the buss bar in a later step.

With the regulator harness power wire and fuse holder removed from the buss bar, cut the fuse holder off and pull the red wire out from the compartment and discard this wire and fuse holder.

With all the split loom removed, and wiring disconnected you will be left with a large amount of wire. Most of this will be discarded.

Located the brown and black wires. Measure out approx. 6 feet of both the brown and black wire form the side of the van. Cut and discard the excess brown and black wire.

Using some of the smaller diameter split loom removed, cover both the brown and black wires.

The only wires still connected to the vehicle at this point should be the brown wire, the black wire, and the gray sheathed 2 wire harness which is the battery temp. sensor harness. These all run into the rear of the battery compartment. Discard all other wires and connectors at this time.

On the back of the battery/inverter compartment you will see a grommet. This grommet goes into the inverter compartment.

Feed the black and brown wire, as well as the battery temp. sensor through this grommet and into the inverter compartment. We will route these wires into the coach under the bench seat in a later step.

Remove both lower seat cushions. Grasp the front of the lower seat cushion, and lift up unsnap the cushion.

Once the cushion has been unsnapped, pull the cushion towards the front of the coach while lifting up to remove. Set both cushions aside.

Locate the 5 screws securing the front wood panel on the bench seat.

Remove the 5 screws using a #2 Phillips bit.

With the 5 screws removed, tilt the wood panel forward to expose the heat vent hose and output vent. Locate the screw securing the vent hose to the output vent.

Remove the screw using a #2 Phillips bit and seperate the vent hose from the output vent. Take care not to crush the fragile vent hose and deform it.

With the vent hose removed, remove the wood panel and set aside.

The transfer switch will be relocated to make room for the regulator.

The transfer switch is secured to the floor with 4 screws, 2 screws on each side. Use a #2 Phillips bit to remove the screws.

The wiring for the transfer switch is secured to the floor via several insulated clamps. Use a #2 Phillips bit to remove the screws securing the insulated clamps to the floor.

With the screws securing the transfer switch, and the screws securing the insulated clamps removed, the transfer switch can be moved off to the side.

Place the Balmar regulator under the seat base, against the driver's side seat base frame on the floor.

Use the 4 of the screws provided to secure the regulator to the floor using a #2 Phillips bit.

Locate the wire pass through in the floor of the coach in the inverter compartment. There are two openings in the floor. You will want to route the regulator harness wires through the forward most opening.

Take the brown, black, and battery temp. sensor wires and route them through the forward opening in the floor, and up to the bench seat area.

Ensure the wires are not pulled tight against the ceiling of the inverter compartment. The wires should make a gentle, gradual curve up through the floor.

This is a diagram of the Balmar 618 Regulator pin out. This will help in the coming steps for connecting the relocation harness.

With the regulator mounted and the battery temp sensor wire run to under the bench seat, we need to cut the excess wire.

Position the battery temp. sensor wire on the regulator. The wire should make a gentle curve over the regulator. Mark the wire, and cut the battery temp. sensor wire as shown.

Set the excess that was cut aside, it will be used in a later step.

Strip approx. 2-3 inches of the sheathing off the battery temp sensor wire, exposing the red and black wires.

Strip approx. 3/8" of both the red and black wires.

Install the provided spade terminal ends onto both the red and black wires. Use the dual crimp pliers to crimp the terminals onto the wires. Give each terminal a tug to ensure it is properly crimped.

Connect the black negative wire to terminal #7 on the regulator.

Connect the red positive wire to terminal #8 on the regulator.

Position the brown and black wires on the regulator. The wires should make a gentle curve over the regulator. Mark the wires, and cut the brown and black wires as shown.

Strip approx. 3/8" of insulation off the brown and black wires.

Install the provided yellow spade terminal end onto the black wire. Use the dual crimp pliers to crimp the terminals onto the wire. Give the spade terminal a tug to ensure it is properly crimped.

Install the provided blue spade terminal end onto the brown wire. Use the dual crimp pliers to crimp the terminal onto the wire. Give the spade terminal a tug to ensure it is properly crimped.

Connect the black wire to terminal #1 on the regulator.

Connect the brown wire to position #3 on the regulator.

Take the alternator temp sensor that was removed earlier, and cut off the spade connectors.

Strip approx. 3/8" of insulation off both the red and black wires.

Install the two provided 22-24 gauge wire butt connectors onto the red and black wire, and crimp the butt connectors. Give the butt connectors a tug to ensure they are secure.

Take the excess wire that was cut from the battery temp. sensor in step 23.

Strip approx. 2-3 inches of insulation off the cut end of the battery temp. sensor wire to expose the red and black wires.

Strip approx. 3/8" of insulation from the red and black wires.

Place and crimp the stripped red and black ends into the butt connectors installed on the alternator temp. sensor wiring in the previous step. Match red to red, and black to black. Give the wires a tug to ensure the crimp is secure.

Using a heat gun or torch apply heat to shrink the butt connectors. Take care to not damage the wires with the heat gun or torch.

Slide the provided heat shrink over the butt splices, and apply heat using a heat gun or torch to the heat shrink.

Locate the blue wire with connector provided in the kit. This is the alternator filed wire.

Take both the field wire, and the alternator temp sensor that was extended, and install both sets of wires into some of split loom from the original wiring that was removed previously.

The alternator temp. sensor should protrude 3" further than the connector on the field wire. This will aid in connecting the wiring to the alternator.

Starting at the front of the vehicle, route the field wire and temp. sensor over the front engine cross member, following the power wires for the alternator.

Once the filed wire plug alternator temp sensor are routed to the alternator, using the bolt removed previously, reconnect the alternator temp. sensor to the alternator using a 10mm wrench.

Connect the field wire plug to the alternator.

Once the field wire and the alternator temp. sensor are connected, begin routing and securing the wiring along the power wires. Secure using the provided large zip ties.

Continue following the power wires along the driver side of the vehicle, over the CV axle securing the wires as you go using the zip ties.

Continue running the wires towards the battery compartment, following the existing wiring and securing along the way.

Continue routing the alternator temp. sensor and field wire to the battery compartment, following the existing wiring, securing along the way with the included zip ties.

Once the alternator temp. sensor and field wire are routed behind the battery compartment, locate the grommet for the wire pass through into the inverter compartment.

Feed both the alternator temp. sensor and field wire through the grommet and into the inverter compartment.

Now is a good time to ensure all wires are properly secured, and not dangling behind the battery compartment. Secure any dangling wires with the provided zip ties.

With the alternator temp. sensor and field wire in theinverter compartment, feed them up through the opening in the top of the cabinet to the area under the bench seat. Follow the existing wires that were run up previously.

Ensure the wires are not pulled tight against the ceiling of the inverter compartment. They should make a gentle gradual curve into the opening.

With the alternator temp. sensor and field wire routed to the bench seat area, connect them to the regulator.

Connect the blue field wire to pin #4.

Connect the black negative wire from the alternator temp. sensor to pin #5

Connect the red positive wire from the alternator temp. sensor to pin #6

Locate the voltage sense and regulator power harness.

Route the fuse side of the harness to the rear of the inverter compartment.

Locate the buss bar on the rear of the wall of the inverter compartment. Remove the nut and lock washer from the middle post on the buss bar.

Attach the ring terminal on the harness to the stud. Reinstall the lock washer, the nut, and tighten using a 17mm socket and wrench.

Ensure the other 17mm nuts on the buss bar are tight and secure.

Reinstall the plastic cover on the bus bar.

Route the voltage sense and power wire up to the regulator, through the opening in the top of the inverter compartment.

Connect the red wire to pin #2 on the regulator.

Connect the red wire with black strip to pin #9 on the regulator.

The automatic transfer switch will be relocated to the front panel of the bench seat.

Position the transfer switch, and mark the top screw locations.

Using the provided screws, start the upper 2 screws into the panel.

Hook the transfer switch mounting tabs into the 2 screws, and tighten the screws.

Install the remaining 2 screws on the bottom mounts of the transfer switch.

Reattach the heater vent pipe to the outlet. Secure using the single screw removed previously.

Secure the front bench seat panel to the bench seat using the 5 original screws removed.

Hook the rear of the cushion on the catches, and push down the front until the cushion clips into place.

Place the upper charge pipe into position, and into the couplings. The pipe can only fit one way.

Ensure the charge pipe is fully seated into the coupling, and the coupling is not folded or rolled over on its self.

Tighten the driver's side clamp using a 7mm socket and wrench.

Tighten the passenger side clamp using a 7mm socket and wrench.

Place the lower charge pipe into position, and slide the pipe into the couplings. It is easier to start with the driver's side first, which has 2 couplings.

Tighten both clamps using a 7mm socket and wrench.

Slide the charge piping into the coupling on the passenger side. Tighten the clamp using a 7mm socket and wrench.

Using a pair of pliers, depress the ears of the clamp to expand the clamp.

With the clamp expanded, slide the rubber elbow onto the charge piping. Ensure the elbow is fully seated, and release the clamp to secure.

Reconnect the electrical plug to the solenoid. Ensure the connector is fully seated.

Place the wire securement tab back into the ear of the solenoid to secure the wire.

Reinstall the 4 bolts for the charge piping mounts. Ensure the metal inserts are in the mounting bushings before inserting the bolts.

Tighten the 4 bolts using an 8mm socket and wrench. Tighten the bolts until the rubber bushing starts to compress and bulge. Take care not to over tighten and strip the speed clip!

Connect the cables to the breaker panel. Install the cable, washer, lock washer, and nut in that order. Tighten using a 17mm socket and wrench.

Connect the wires to the inverter disconnect switch. Tighten using a 15mm socket and wrench.

Connect the temp. sensor wires to the temp sensor.

Connect the control wires to the breaker. Tighten using a 10mm socket and wrench.

Reinstall the breaker panel into the compartment. Secure using the screws removed previously.

Place the lower battery compartment flange back into position. Reinstall the 2 screws in the front corners of the flange.

Reinstall the 4 screws securing the flange to the bottom of the compartment.

Ensure the breaker and inverter disconnect are in the ON position.

Place the negative cable back onto the battery terminal.

Reinstall the nut using a 10mm socket and wrench.

Reinstall access cover on battery compartment.

Plug each SAE connector into the junction block on the roof. Ensure plugs are fully seated.

Press the ON/OFF button on the battery to power the battery back on. The blue LED light should be illuminated.

Turn on each battery, if your vehicle is equipped with more than 1 battery.