I have not dealt much with these issues, and need some guidance.
We temporarily relocated our coach to a friend's front yard while we had some paving done. While there, the generator auto switch started the generator to charge the house batteries. I did not know the button was pressed - may have been that way for ages.
It SEEMS like the house batteries did not accept a good charge, but that is secondary.
When plugged into shore power, I get no AC in the coach. I checked and cycled all of the breakers. Inverter charging is off. When I run the generator, I get AC, and the inverter starts charging the house batteries. A few years ago, I replaced both transfer switches with PD52s.
1. I cannot think of a reason that low house batteries (11.6 volts) would prevent the transfer switch from operating.
2. I THINK one transfer switch is for allowing shore power, and the second is for prioritizing shore over generator. Correct?
3. I THINK there is an AC wire that signals the transfer switch to operate. Is there anything between the big AC input on the transfer switch, and the wire that triggers? Any separate breaker or circuitry?
4. Should manually pressing the contactors in the transfer switch make the power transfer (assuming the contactor is not burned up?)
I will be digging for some paper manuals, and I would welcome your guidance.
Looks like I found the problem!
My "hold against" AC tester showed power at the inlet of the transfer switch. But it was only the hot, and not the neutral. A little adapter was the problem. Things electrical seem OK now, and I will see if the house batteries charge properly.
I am sure someone more familiar will chime in but I believe one transfer switch is for the inverter and the other to switch between shore and generator. Priority is determined by how the transfer switch is wired.
Actually, like Chuck (craneman) says, one transfer switch selects between shore power or generator power. The other one controls the inverter/charger.
See typical 110V power schematic linked below:
https://www.foreforums.com/index.php?media/item/a-2700-07-2000-u270-295-320-110v-elect-relay-syste.5273/
Yes! That makes sense. Thanks!
Main transfer switch: Inputs= 1)Shore 240volt & 2)Generator 120volt (or 240volt), Output= Main breaker panel main 50-amp 240volt breaker.
Secondary transfer switch: Inputs= 1)Main breaker panel sub 50-amp 120volt breaker & 2)Inverter 30-amp output breaker, Output= Inverter breaker panel (often on front of bed) input main breaker.
Note: All coaches do not have Secondary transfer switch. With Secondary tran-sw, inverter breaker panel can handle more appliances when coach is on Shore or Gen, fewer appliances when inverting off house battery bank. Coaches without Secondary tran-sw can only handle 3600 watts of appliances all the time.