running on genset; having an issue

[steiny93]

2013 3950; took delivery last year
Brought it out of storage; fired up the genset and for some reason it will not power the coach (worked great last year).
Within the genset (onan 5000) cover there is a pair of 30amp breakers; flipped them both ways, no joy.

If I go with shore power the coach is lit with 120; but nothing on the genset.
Is there a transfer switch that i need to reset? I'm assuming their is one but i can't find it. Any other ideas? Its still under warranty but we are leaving on a trip and the dealer is very very booked.
Any ideas?

 

[danemayer]

Power from the Generator and the shore power cord come together at the transfer switch, which is usually located behind the basement wall. Here's a link to the manuals section of the forum with a few of the transfer switch manuals, and a troubleshooting guide for the Progressive unit.

 

[porthole]

Gen off, trailer unplugged.
You can take the rear basement wall off if you like, the transfer switch should be about in the center right behind that wall. Possibly a gray box with 3 bundles of wire going in, 2 on one side (gen and shore) and 1 on the opposite (breaker panel feed).

Find the swithch and have some one plug in the trailer, you should hear a very noticeable clunk as it switches to shore power.
With shore power the odds are good you will hear the switch humming.

Have someone start the genny. After a brief warmup delay delay the switch should transfer to genny. Genset is priority in the power flow.

If it doesn't you either don't have power from the genny or the switch is not transferring.
If you are not able to work with 120 AC stop.

If you are, shut down the genny, unplug the shore power and remove the cover of the switch. Check that all the wire connections are tight, common issue after some time.
Retest.

Thats the simple stuff.

 

[oscar]

What Porthole said. If that all checks out you need to get a multimeter. Check for AC output from the genny, then see if it makes it to the transfer switch, then see if it makes it out of the transfer switch.

Note.....I prefer manual either/or source selector switches. Never had one go bad.

 

[scottyb]

Since you already checked the breakers, my guess is the transfer switch. Mine went out when it was 2 days old. It smelled burnt when I opened it, and had power in but nothing coming out.

 

[steiny93]

problem solved
not sure what fixed it; but after starting the genset and flipping the breakers on the genset back and forth a couple times it magically started working
I have no idea what I did differently; but all is working now

 

[danemayer]

problem solved
not sure what fixed it; but after starting the genset and flipping the breakers on the genset back and forth a couple times it magically started working
I have no idea what I did differently; but all is working now

The transfer switch might have a marginal relay or marginal connection on the genny side. Flipping the genset breakers a couple of times may have cleared it up for the moment.

 

[porthole]

problem solved
not sure what fixed it; but after starting the genset and flipping the breakers on the genset back and forth a couple times it magically started working
I have no idea what I did differently; but all is working now

Any chance in the prior times that you did not give the genset a long enough warm up time? It can take up to a minute before it switches from shore power to genny or no power to genny. Maybe you increased that start up time unknowingly by activating the breakers several times

 

[oscar]

All of the info in the last two post, with the addition that breakers do get silly and that flipping the breakers on the genny may have juggled them back with the program.

Once again, get a multi meter and learn how to use it. If it happens again, don't touch anything and start checking for voltage starting at the generator and working your way down the line. This systematic approach is the ONLY way to positively identify a malfunctioning component.