Generator problem need help

The friendliest place on the web for anyone with an RV or an interest in RVing!
If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.

eldcas57

Well-known member
Joined
Jun 7, 2015
Posts
60
Hello

Have a 1999 Rexhall, 35', V-10.  The on-board generator is an Generac. I exercise it regularly. it starts right up, runs good, but recently it has started to not .... and I'm not quite sure how to say this...it doesn't power anything. My question is, is there a switch, chip, or board that i need to be looking for that may be bad. Thanks ahead of time for any thoughts, suggestions, or solutions.


 
I have a Generac on my unit and once I was cleaning around the generator area and must have bump the circuit breaker.
I ran the generator and nothing worked.  It took a while to find what had happened. Once I flipped the circuit breaker off and on
everything worked.

My circuit breaker was/is under a plastic cover so it wasn't the easiest thing to see that it was barely tripped.

Worth a look if nothing is working but the engine starts and runs.
 
Most generators have an on board breaker,, check the unit all over the outside for a switch (or two) that will reset the breaker/s,<<<Dan
 
clmjmpr and red

That was one of the first things I check. I switched them on and off, there's two.  ghostman it starts and runs good, just doesn't power anything.  Dan could the breakers just be bad themselves or would they throw themselves if they were bad.
 
You will also have a "gang" plug somewhere to attach the genny to the house,,I would pull it apart and reinstall it, then try again.>>>Dan
 
Some motorhomes you have to take the shore power cord and plug it into the outlet in the storage bay to power the rv.
 
texaslime said:
Some motorhomes you have to take the shore power cord and plug it into the outlet in the storage bay to power the rv.

I know what you're talking about, though my M/H is configured with a power management sys. when the M/H is not plug into shore power and you start the gen it automatically switches to power the M/H.
 
eldcas57 said:
I know what you're talking about, though my M/H is configured with a power management sys. when the M/H is not plug into shore power and you start the gen it automatically switches to power the M/H.

In that case, you may have a problem with the ATS (automatic transfer switch)
 
kdbgoat

Thanks for that.  I'll have take a look see at it and see if that's the problem. I will let you know what I find.
 

thanks all for the help and info.

 
Hello again:

Update.....I looked into the automatic transfer switch, and the electronic voltage reg on the gen.

when I first start the gen the led light, on the voltage reg, lights indicating that it is producing voltage. 3 to 5 seconds after starting the led light goes out. 20 to 30 seconds go by and it comes back on for 3 to 5 sec again. this sequence continues til I shut it down.

At the transfer switch I measured the voltage on the incoming side of the switch from the gen. readings are 160.1/160.2 when the led light is lit. 6.3/6.5 when the led light is out.

One other thing I tried was, when the led light came on I manually threw the transfer switch, figuring the switch would stick with the higher voltage.  that wasn't the case. 

Opinions:  is the gen shot, bad transfer switch, bad voltage reg, or something else.

I did search the forum for answers, but I didn't find an answer.

Thanks again for any help/suggestions



 
eldcas57 said:
Hello again:

Update.... readings are 160.1/160.2 when the led light is lit. 6.3/6.5 when the led light is out.

Opinions:  is the gen shot, bad transfer switch, bad voltage reg, or something else.

I did search the forum for answers, but I didn't find an answer.

Thanks again for any help/suggestions

eldcas57
When my Onan generator did that it was because the linkage was sticking resulting in the inability to run at the proper RPM.
A little WD40 fixed the problem.
Mel
'96 Safari
 
Mel

Thanks for the tip, I will look at that tonight when I get home from work.
 
eldcas57 said:
Hello again:

Update.....I looked into the automatic transfer switch, and the electronic voltage reg on the gen.

when I first start the gen the led light, on the voltage reg, lights indicating that it is producing voltage. 3 to 5 seconds after starting the led light goes out. 20 to 30 seconds go by and it comes back on for 3 to 5 sec again. this sequence continues til I shut it down.

At the transfer switch I measured the voltage on the incoming side of the switch from the gen. readings are 160.1/160.2 when the led light is lit. 6.3/6.5 when the led light is out.

One other thing I tried was, when the led light came on I manually threw the transfer switch, figuring the switch would stick with the higher voltage.  that wasn't the case. 

Opinions:  is the gen shot, bad transfer switch, bad voltage reg, or something else.

I did search the forum for answers, but I didn't find an answer.

Thanks again for any help/suggestions

It may be shutting it self down because it's putting out too much voltage. If the generator is running too fast, it will cause this, and burn out the regulator. Have you messed with the speed setting on the generator? The generator needs to run at 3600 rpm NOT engine RPM. If your meter has a HRZ setting on it see what it reads when the led is lit. Shouldn't be over 62 HRZ. if it is you need to lower the rpm, that will in turn lower the HRZ and the output voltage. Should never be more than 128 VAC.
 
135 is the maximum allowed voltage.. At some point between 130 and 140 an ONAN generator's control compuer (yes it is a computer) will say DANGER WILL ROBINSON and shut down.  Flashing the Over Voltage code. watch your indicator light for a flash sequence and write down the pattern..

Something like 3 2  3 2  3 2 indicates a progblem number 32.. NOTE I picked a number at random.
 
Charlie

No I haven't messed with the speed setting, didn't realize there was one. the only things i've done were chg oil, plugs, air filter, muffler, and recently the starter contact. Everything to seem to work fine during our trip to and from Florida. this issue just recently started back in April when i started it for it's monthly exercise. sometimes it would finally catch and flip the automatic transfer switch and wa-la power, but not this month.


John

I did watch the light but no flash sequence.

thanks guys, i'll either figure it out and get it fixed, or have to take it to a shop and let the knowledgable people fix it. Just trying to save myself some bucks.

I
 
eldcas57 said:
Charlie

No I haven't messed with the speed setting, didn't realize there was one. the only things i've done were chg oil, plugs, air filter, muffler, and recently the starter contact. Everything to seem to work fine during our trip to and from Florida. this issue just recently started back in April when i started it for it's monthly exercise. sometimes it would finally catch and flip the automatic transfer switch and wa-la power, but not this month.


John

I did watch the light but no flash sequence.

thanks guys, i'll either figure it out and get it fixed, or have to take it to a shop and let the knowledgable people fix it. Just trying to save myself some bucks.

I

John was trying to help but he is giving you info on a onan generator. There is no flashing code on a generac. There are trouble shooting manuals on line for generac generators. There is a speed adjustment, and it's controlled by the governor. Leave the circuit breakers off until you get this sorted out, you don't need to be damaging the electronics in the coach. Check the HRZ when the led is on if it is 60 to 62 there is a voltage adjustment pod, the little blue and white deal next to the led. With a very small screwdriver turn the pod CCW, that will reduce the voltage. You aren't shutting the generator down with a load on it are you? If so that's a bad practice as that is very hard on regulators. 

Try this link for a manual.  http://www.bdub.net/manuals/Generac_IM-NP-Q.pdf

Here's another. https://www.yumpu.com/en/document/view/31814451/quietpact-55-65-75-diagnostic-repair-manuals-generac-parts
 
IF you can (Do this when the light is lit) measure frequency. Some mult-meters can do that.

I'm guessing it's high.

And yes. I missed that yours is a Generac.. I tend to think ONAN since that's what I'm sitting on.
 
Sounds as if you may be measuring peak to peak voltage rather than rms (rms sb 120 Vac and p-p is 1.414 times rms).

Ernie
 
Thanks, John, Charlie, and Ernie for all the info and the links to the manuals.  I now know how to check the Hz, but my meter doesn't read Hz. a friend of mine is bringing one over next week and he'll help me with getting the readings and make adjustments if needed.  I will update you all with what I find next week.  I'm determined to figure this thing out and get it fixed.

Again a shout-out of thanks to all.  And I will not let you guys hanging as to whether I get it fixed or not, or if I finally break down and take it to the shop.
 

Forum statistics

Threads
131,749
Posts
1,384,218
Members
137,520
Latest member
jeep3501
Back
Top Bottom