Generator Trouble, Ideas?

RTSchacht

Rick & Terri
Hello Campers,

Here's my situation... Generator starts and runs just fine with both 30 amp breaters turned off. Generator runs fine when I trip the top breaker, I have 120 volts at the outlets, the transfer switch lights up, life is good.

When I turn the bottom breaker on, the generator shuts down right away, flashed the code #27 indicating no voltage present, see dealer.

I switched the load wires on the back of the breakers to see if the problem followed the wires or stayed with the breaker. The problem followed the wires and I have the same problem on the top breaker now with the bottom breaker working fine.

Any ideas on if it's the control board or voltage regular? Is the regulator and control board behind the black back plate located inside the box that contains the breaker, primer/stop/start switch? I'm guessing that it plugs into the big plug in harness?

As I said, any ideas?

Thanks,

Rick
 

recumbent615

Founding MA Chapter Leader-retired
I will suggest that you turn off the 50AMP breaker in the RV breaker panel. This will isolate the power the issue will now be either on the ATS Side of the breaker box or the RV side of the Breaker Box..

If you can get both Circuits powered up with the "main breaker" off then power off all of the breakers in the breaker panel and turn on the main breaker - if still powered ( no error ) then one at a time turn on each circuit breaker - until you identify the circuit that is causing the issue.

If with the main breaker off - you still get the error code on the one line - then check the ATS, it could be a bad connection or it could be failing. It goes without saying but I will say it anyway - be sure your power is off and shore power is unplugged before working with any of these power lines ..



Kevin
 

danemayer

Well-known member
Hi Rick,

I'd check the transfer switch. With the original wiring, the top breaker was powering L1 going into the transfer switch. When you moved the wires, the bottom breaker was powering L1. For the transfer switch contactors to actuate, it needs 120V on L1.

If you do open up the basement, keep in mind that working on a live transfer switch is VERY dangerous. Shore power supplies 50 Amps of 220V power and the generator supplies 30 amps of 220V power. A mistake could kill you.

Get a non-contact voltage tester from your local hardware store. Skip the $10 models and get the better one for $20 or so. You can check the wires coming from the generator and going through the switch without touching anything.
 

RTSchacht

Rick & Terri
Good idea on the AC circuits...

The two breakers that I switched were the ones located on the generator control panel .. none of the breakers in the ac panel, but that's a good idea.

I just thought that the problem was in the generator circuit before it left to go to the ac panel...

I'll give that a try tomorrow...

Rick
 

RTSchacht

Rick & Terri
Thanks for the ideas... and yep, I've got the camper unplugged while working on it. Another bit of information and the transfer switch information... I added a progressive surge guard before the last time I ran the generator... never gave that a thought, black to black, white to white, red to red.. tightened the lugs down and everything worked fine.... until today's problem...

Can't see where that would make a difference since it's on the other side of the transfer switch to shore power... or is it a problem?
 

recumbent615

Founding MA Chapter Leader-retired
Rick,

I believe that you have good reason to believe that it is not an issue with the Generator, since the issue followed the Load wires - to me with that information I would suspect that it might be the ATS - one way to isolate the ATS is to shutoff the main breaker at the AC Load center. other than the possibility of a bad wire or connector the only thing on the circuit is the ATS.


Kevin
 

recumbent615

Founding MA Chapter Leader-retired
Thanks for the ideas... and yep, I've got the camper unplugged while working on it. Another bit of information and the transfer switch information... I added a progressive surge guard before the last time I ran the generator... never gave that a thought, black to black, white to white, red to red.. tightened the lugs down and everything worked fine.... until today's problem...

Can't see where that would make a difference since it's on the other side of the transfer switch to shore power... or is it a problem?


Just to be sure where you wired the EMS unit - that is between the shore power and the ATS - not on the between the ATS and Breaker Box correct.

Kevin
 

RTSchacht

Rick & Terri
That's correct, removed the shore power from the ATS, cut off enough to splice in the surge guard, wired out of the surge guard back to the same spots on the ATS..... never removed the generator cables or cable to AC panel.

I looked at the ATS when the shore power was removed, generator running and the green light was on, measured 120 volts at outlets inside the camper, I would think it's switching over or I wouldn't have AC at the outlets...

I'm liking the AC panel test run with all the breakers off then going down the line..
 

porthole

Retired
Don't have my manual handy, but, if you are getting a FC 27 at the genny, the genny has a problem, not the wiring post genset.

Code 27 is a "voltage sense" output from the generator. That means the genset is not producing voltage, which could be caused by a variety of problems. Brushes, voltage regulator, stator failure.
It sounds like you may need a dealer.
 

RTSchacht

Rick & Terri
I'm leaning that way but the idea of having installed the surge protector, even though I don't believe it has anything to do with my problem, has me a little concerned since it all meets in the ATS. I'll try turning off the AC main panel and see if it has any merit to checking the breakers individually to find the culprit... But, switching the wires on the breakers inside the Gen still gives me the same error code for the one circuit that does not work. The one that does work, goes through the ATS and produces a solid AC voltage at the outlets which makes me lean towards it not being the ATS and back to the Gen again....

I've only had the camper since last October and it's the last of the systems that I haven't gone through or had checked out anyway..

Back at it tonight after work
 
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