Foretravel Owners' Forum For owners and Fans of Foretravel Motorcoaches September 15, 2025 ...

Generator Started By Itself and Burnt Electrical Component Smell

April 25, 2016, 03:36:38 pm

I was watching TV an hour ago when the generator started up out of nowhere.  I first thought that I might have lost shore power but it was still there when I checked.  Next I checked to see if somehow the manual start had gotten knocked but no, the AUTO/ON/OFF interior switch was still in the OFF position.  I next headed outside to check the running generator itself and noticed a burnt electrical component smell as soon as I walked out the door.  I could smell it coming from inside the front wheelwell area but haven't gotten under there due to it being quite muddy from the 2 days of rain.

The generator will no only shut off by flipping the OFF switch on the generator itself.  Is there some kind of generator start box under the coach and back behind the generator enclosure that I should be looking for as the burnt/malfunctioning component that has caused the generator to run nonstop?

Quote Selected

Re: Generator Started By Itself and Burnt Electrical Component Smell

Reply #1 – April 25, 2016, 03:39:47 pm

There is a module under the center section on the dash. You might have a slide up board with it mounted on it.

Quote Selected

Re: Generator Started By Itself and Burnt Electrical Component Smell

Reply #2 – April 25, 2016, 03:54:38 pm

I do have the slide up board but there is only the windshield wiper controller and a series of Bosch relays for other things mounted to it. No burnt electrical smell emanating from that interior area either.

I wonder if there is a chance that it got mounted down below the floor for some reason?  Maybe there was a change in location over the years?

Quote Selected

Re: Generator Started By Itself and Burnt Electrical Component Smell

Reply #3 – April 25, 2016, 04:03:52 pm

On my 99 270 it was on a 3 inch sq relay for auto start. It might have done the wipers too.  It goes back to 2004 now so my mind is a bit hazy on it

Quote Selected

Re: Generator Started By Itself and Burnt Electrical Component Smell

Reply #4 – April 25, 2016, 04:25:30 pm

You might have taken a surge power hit, check your transfer switch box and look/smell it.

Quote Selected

Re: Generator Started By Itself and Burnt Electrical Component Smell

Reply #5 – April 25, 2016, 04:36:08 pm

In mine the Auto start control box is in the very front compartment driver side. I am going to guess something in there went south and that caused the generator to think it needed to start.

Since I keep my MH in the garage all the time I disconnected the Auto Start so it would not start the generator on it's own.

Quote Selected