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Generator not generating

Saturday morning we left one park on our way to another. As is our practice, I started the Detroit and then the generator. That provides air conditioning and refrigerator as we drive. All was good on Saturday as we started our trip south. Drove 70 miles to our weekend stop with no problems. Yesterday afternoon we drove the last 70 miles. Detroit and generator started normally. Went to turn on the a/c and no electricity. Tried flipping various circuit breakers, but no change. Drove with windows open and turned on the a/c when we got to the new park. Too hot to work on anything today and we're waiting for the park superintendent to come by with the paperwork, but will be able to poke at it some tomorrow. Suggestions?

Off the top of my bald head I'm thinking that the problem is likely to be in a transfer switch somewhere. I think there are two of them in the space at the foot of the bed. I haven't traced any wires yet. Why there are two transfer switches (if, in fact, there are actually two) I don't know. There are two boxes that look alike there.

Re: Generator not generating

Reply #1 –
One of the transfer switches is for the inverter.
previous 1984 35 ft ORED 250 HP 3208 Cat       
previous 1998 40 ft U295 CAI 325 hp Cummins
previous 2003 40 Ft u320 build #6140 450 Cummins M11.                                                         
1999 Mazda Miata
Ron, Nancy, Tipper the cat, Max The dog
1997 U 270 36 ft build number 5174 8.3 Cummins

Re: Generator not generating

Reply #2 –
Quote from: kb0zke –
There are two boxes that look alike there.
If your coach is like ours was (both our boxes are gone now) then it looks like the photo below showing the two silver boxes.

The Progressive PD52 is a automatic transfer switch (ATS) that selects the 50 amp source from either shore power or generator and sends it to main breaker panel.

The other box is a manual transfer switch (MTS) that allows selection of AC power source from either the "main" breaker panel OR the inverter.

I suspect your problem is in the ATS.  Pop the cover (cautiously) and see if you smell smoke or see anything that looks burned or broken.

Link below shows the innards of a typical automatic transfer switch.  Yours may be slightly different, but same principle.

Replacing a Transfer Relay

1993 U280 SE 40' WTBI, Build: 4359
C8.3 300hp, 6-Speed, Exhaust Brake
960 watts on the roof (6 x 160)
Sorento (or BOLT) on a Kar Kaddy SS
"Surely, no age has been more fraught with insecurity than our own present time."

Re: Generator not generating

Reply #3 –
Finally had a bit of time this morning to see what's what. I pulled the cover off of the transfer switch (after pulling the cover off of the inverter box first) and verified that I had 120 VAC coming in and going out while plugged into the power pedestal. Then I turned off the breaker and started the generator. I had 8.7 VAC on each leg at the transfer switch. No wonder nothing was running. Thoughts? Suggestions?

Worst case is that we run on the inverter while traveling, since our next travel isn't until early November and we'll be heading to Nac. I doubt that we'll need the rooftop a/c then. Here are some pics of the generator, if that helps.

Foretravel for sale | 1993 Foretravel U300
Foretravel for sale | 1993 Foretravel U300
Foretravel for sale | 1993 Foretravel U300

Re: Generator not generating

Reply #4 –
Probably the voltage regulator on the generator, lots of issues with them. Call Jeff at Powertech and he will walk you through the trouble shooting to verify.
1999 40 ft. U-320 wtfe build 5563 Chuck & Lynda's "Rollin' Inn"  2030 watts solar
prev. mh's 71 GMC 5 yrs. 73 Pace Setter 1 yr. 78 Vogue 5 yrs 81 FTX 40ft all electric 18 yrs. 1996 Monaco Signature 3 yrs.
2014 Grand Cherokee Overland
Dream as if you will live forever. Live as if you will die today.  James Dean

Re: Generator not generating

Reply #5 –
Quote from: craneman –
Probably the voltage regulator on the generator, lots of issues with them. Call Jeff at Powertech and he will walk you through the trouble shooting to verify.

I agree. But before you do, check each wire and make sure they are connected. Mine had broken in the spade connector and looked ok but wasn't. Once I fixed that, it ran fine.
'99 U320 40 WTFE
Build #5462,
1500 Watts Solar 600 amp Victron lithium
2012 Jeep Grand Cherokee Overland Hemi
Instagram bobfnbw
Retired

Re: Generator not generating

Reply #6 –
Quote from: kb0zke –
Here are some pics of the generator, if that helps.
Probably nothing to do with your "not generating" problem, but you need to keep an eye on that white plastic radiator overflow bottle.  It should be about 1/2 full of coolant when the generator engine is cold.  If bottle is empty, the cooling system could be running low and have air pockets.
1993 U280 SE 40' WTBI, Build: 4359
C8.3 300hp, 6-Speed, Exhaust Brake
960 watts on the roof (6 x 160)
Sorento (or BOLT) on a Kar Kaddy SS
"Surely, no age has been more fraught with insecurity than our own present time."

Re: Generator not generating

Reply #7 –
Yes, I know. That picture was taken while I had the door open and was adding coolant and checking oil. Since those were part of the album for selling the coach I probably ought to take another picture AFTER I check the coolant level.

Re: Generator not generating

Reply #8 –
Well, it is generating again. I pulled it out as far as it would go, took the lid off of the electrical box, and poked around a bit. First discovery was that the nut holding the elbow for the high voltage wires was loose, so I put it back on. I poked and prodded every connection it could, and all seemed pretty tight. A quick spray of contact cleaner made things look a little better. Jo Ann turned the a/c off, then I turned the breaker off, and she started the generator. After the normal minute or so delay, there was power in the coach. I'll still have someone who knows what they are doing look at it in Nac, though.

Re: Generator not generating

Reply #9 –
It sounds like after your experience that you are the one who knows what they are doing ^.^d

Larry
Larry Warren
1996  U320 36' SBID "Lola" sold 2020
Build #4970
Motorcade #18318

Re: Generator not generating

Reply #10 –
KB0ZKE DE N1RPN
You really need t trust yourself.  This type of trouble shooting isn't brain surgery, and you have a better chance of finding the source for this type of problem than the $140/hour experts in Nacodoches.  Save the experts for when their expertise is needed.
1992 Foretravel Grand Villa
U225 SBID Build No. 4134
1986 Rockwood Driftwood
1968 S.I.A.T.A. Spring
1962 Studebaker Lark
1986 Honda VF700C
1983 Honda VF750C
Charlie, the Dog was broken out of jail 24 Oct 2023
N1RPN
AA1OH (H)e who must be obeyed.

Re: Generator not generating

Reply #11 –
I can poke and prod stuff, but WHY it stopped working is my question. Since it is working now, I may never know. I'll probably mention it to whoever I get to do the service work (if I remember) and see what they think. They are going to have to pull the generator out to change the oil anyway, so loosening the four screws to see what's what inside the box isn't going to add much to that part of the work. Those people probably know what it should look like inside there.

I'm one of those people who is willing to give something a try, but most of the time I don't really know what I'm doing. I'm just going on previous experience with similar things - and sometimes things that aren't all that similar. I did have enough sense to keep my fat fingers away from the ends of the wires, and I know that letting the magic smoke out of things generally is not a good thing.

Re: Generator not generating

Reply #12 –
I'm pretty sure you have a loose connection in there and when you were moving the wires around it tighten things up a little bit but don't be surprised if it happens again unless you splice new connectors or tighten things up or something like that. Either that or your regulator is bad.
'99 U320 40 WTFE
Build #5462,
1500 Watts Solar 600 amp Victron lithium
2012 Jeep Grand Cherokee Overland Hemi
Instagram bobfnbw
Retired

Re: Generator not generating

Reply #13 –
I would still call Jeff at Power Tec and go over the issue with him.  He is very good at trouble shooting everything with you.  The call is free and worth it.  Those regulators get very hot.  Maybe yours is starting to go bad.  If that's the issue it's  an easy fix.
John M.
John & Carm Morales

"We travel not to go anywhere, but to just go.  We travel for travel's sake.  Our great desire is to move."

Re: Generator not generating

Reply #14 –
Quote from: kb0zke –

I'm one of those people who is willing to give something a try, but most of the time I don't really know what I'm doing. I'm just going on previous experience with similar things - and sometimes things that aren't all that similar. I did have enough sense to keep my fat fingers away from the ends of the wires, and I know that letting the magic smoke out of things generally is not a good thing.

We can always learn new things.

The Feynman Technique: The Best Way to Learn Anything
1992 Foretravel Grand Villa
U225 SBID Build No. 4134
1986 Rockwood Driftwood
1968 S.I.A.T.A. Spring
1962 Studebaker Lark
1986 Honda VF700C
1983 Honda VF750C
Charlie, the Dog was broken out of jail 24 Oct 2023
N1RPN
AA1OH (H)e who must be obeyed.

Re: Generator not generating

Reply #15 –
Quote from: Old Toolmaker –
We can always learn new things.

The Feynman Technique: The Best Way to Learn Anything
I love that concept....  except I don't much like 6 graders...  @#$!@*%$# know it alls.....  :))
No really its a great concept.  8)
'99 U320 40 WTFE
Build #5462,
1500 Watts Solar 600 amp Victron lithium
2012 Jeep Grand Cherokee Overland Hemi
Instagram bobfnbw
Retired
 

Re: Generator not generating

Reply #16 –
Quote from: Bob and Julie –
I love that concept....  except I don't much like 6 graders...  @#$!@*%$# know it alls.....  :))
No really its a great concept.  8)
Richard Feynman was invited to join the committee investigating the space shuttle Challenger explosion.  There were things his education and intellect made obvious but it was his curiosity that lead him to the o-ring being too cold to function properly, that was the root cause of the disaster.

All of us can use this technique, this method for learning new subjects, and regarding our mobile homes, we have a better chance of finding an intermittent problem than a technician laying eyes and hands on for the first time.

The Challenger Disaster – Richard Feynman
1992 Foretravel Grand Villa
U225 SBID Build No. 4134
1986 Rockwood Driftwood
1968 S.I.A.T.A. Spring
1962 Studebaker Lark
1986 Honda VF700C
1983 Honda VF750C
Charlie, the Dog was broken out of jail 24 Oct 2023
N1RPN
AA1OH (H)e who must be obeyed.