generator

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.

ro

Well-known member
Joined
Oct 16, 2012
Posts
130
Location
Reisterstown,Md
Hi I have a winnebago vista 35p will the generator start while driving? as the parking must be on to start when sitting still
 
I think it should start when driving. Mine does on my Itasca Horizon. I can start it and shut it off from the dash switch while underway. Someone will correct me if I'm wrong.
 
my friends bounder genny starts on the fly. if we were travelling and it got too hot in the mh he would just hit the dash switch and fire up the genny. the motor ac couldnt keep it cool enough so he would run his roof airs while we were driving.
 
Hi Ro...

Parking-brake lockouts are usually associated with hydraulic jacks and sometimes slideouts, not generators. Your generator "should" fire up and work just fine while you're cruising down the road. I, and many others I know run our generators all the time to power the roof-air, when the dash-air can't cool adequately while driving across the desert.

Kev
 
thanks for the info,you are correct about the parking brake,but i don't have a dash switch.the only switch is on the controll panel at rear of coach,
so i cant start and stop it on the fly with out a co pilot,unless i am missing some thing.this is a 2013 coach,the dealer is no help.any ideas ?

Ron
 
my 2000 37g has one on the dash. my friends bounder is a 94. you would think a new unit would have one. also handy for shutting off the genny on the fly.
 
ro said:
... i don't have a dash switch.the only switch is on the controll panel at rear of coach,..

It would be relatively simple to add another gen start/stop switch, the wires are in parallel - just splice on to the existing switch or where the wires enter the gen set, whichever is easier.
 
Ro,

Have you called Winni's customer service line (see above)?? They are usually much more helpful than many of those dealers!! Have your VIN number handy....
 
  I'm thinking all you folks must have thermostats for your AC.  I don't and I was taught not to start the Generator with a load on it.  What I have to do and works well is when I start getting warm I fire up the Genny (yes I have a switch up front) and then find a safe place to pull over.  This gives the Gen time to stabilize a bit then I can turn on the AC and continue on my merry and cooler way. 
 
mypursuit said:
  I'm thinking all you folks must have thermostats for your AC.  I don't and I was taught not to start the Generator with a load on it.

Yes - there is a 2.5 minute start delay on the compressors, probably better to get the gen set warm up a bit more before adding loads though.  The type of gen set might have a factor in warm up time - small engines can come up to temp fairly quickly.  Diesels might need a little more time - just speculation on my part.
 
Thanks to everyone,I will call Winnebago and probably install the dash switch,doesn't seam to hard.It's a shame its not standard equipment on a new unit and new model
 
mypursuit said:
  I'm thinking all you folks must have thermostats for your AC.  I don't and I was taught not to start the Generator with a load on it.  What I have to do and works well is when I start getting warm I fire up the Genny (yes I have a switch up front) and then find a safe place to pull over.  This gives the Gen time to stabilize a bit then I can turn on the AC and continue on my merry and cooler way.

I do have a Thermostat and a gen switch on the dash, and I still need the Generator to run a while before I can switch the TS on.  I use the dash Gen switch when I see an exit that I'm going to take, then it's warm so I can use the microwave or turn on the AC as soon as I get stopped. 
But on my diesel Generators in my trucks I've had the Rigmaster APU's breakdown due to drivers turning them on with a full load.  There is a relay or solenoid that goes out if one turns on the Gen with a full load too many times.  Drivers have to be instructed to wait until the display unit comes on before turning on the AC.  Now if there is a delay switch that prevents these in the MH units, I don't know, but the RV dealer where I bought mine, also told me to wait until the microwave display light comes on before turning on the AC units.
 
mypursuit said:
  I'm thinking all you folks must have thermostats for your AC.  I don't and I was taught not to start the Generator with a load on it.  What I have to do and works well is when I start getting warm I fire up the Genny (yes I have a switch up front) and then find a safe place to pull over.  This gives the Gen time to stabilize a bit then I can turn on the AC and continue on my merry and cooler way.

Yeah, I've got two thermostats and both are OFF when the generator is started - and yes, the gen should be allowed to warm up before turning the A/Cs on (doesn't take long).  Starting a generator with a heavy A/C load on is kind of like starting a standard transmission truck in first gear, with the clutch out - not good!

Kev
 
Yeah, I reach down and start the generator via the dash switch while driving....and have already Pre-turned-on one or two of my THREE air conditioners....yeah THREE.  And after the generator runs about a minute.....BAM, the compressor load hits it.  ;)

That's part of the joy of having a generator....keeping the inside of the box cool in the Summer as we drive.  ;D
 
We drove from Houston to Indiana and it was cold so we started the genny and the furnaces would run.  They didn't pull it down like the AC.  I had a hose loose on the back furnace so we had one of the small electric heaters back there and would turn the thermostat up while moving, but Sue Anne could do that.  It worked well.  I put a heater up front too as I thought the dash heater had quit.  Hubby informed me when he went to repair it I had one switch on AC :-[, and now the back hose is attached so the furnaces should do fine if needed.  But I keep the heaters in case we run out of propane.

I have a switch for the genny on the front too.  But I have a warmer I need to hit for 30 seconds before starting the genny the button is right beside it, has done fine so far and like everyone else the AC's sure are nice in summer.
 

Latest posts

Forum statistics

Threads
134,549
Posts
1,431,334
Members
140,124
Latest member
Pete b
Back
Top Bottom