thor vegas generator changeover

[exit55]

Wife is on the road with motor home. When she stopped last night and started generator, nothing would work. Generator did start and run. Got to campground today, plugged into shore power and everything works. She was plugged into shore power at the home, and everything worked. After determining everything worked at campground and shore power, she again unplugged and started generator. Nothing worked inside motor home. I think it is the transfer switch. Is there a button/switch she can push to make generator power feed thru?

[Mark54]

Originally Posted by exit55

Wife is on the road with motor home. When she stopped last night and started generator, nothing would work. Generator did start and run. Got to campground today, plugged into shore power and everything works. She was plugged into shore power at the home, and everything worked. After determining everything worked at campground and shore power, she again unplugged and started generator. Nothing worked inside motor home. I think it is the transfer switch. Is there a button/switch she can push to make generator power feed thru?

What model/floor plan? The Tellaro/Sequence generators have to be accessed by crawling under the rear to find the breaker on the unit. Fun in bad weather or muddy ground. Glad I do not have one any more.

Breaker in that model is usually on the backside of the genny.

If it's on, you have a loose wire, bad transfer switch, or other issue to be determined. May need to take to a mobile tech to test for voltage inside ATS. (I cannot tell you to do that yourself.)

Most generators have a breaker built in- just need to find.

[16ACE27]

Originally Posted by exit55

Wife is on the road with motor home. When she stopped last night and started generator, nothing would work. Generator did start and run. Got to campground today, plugged into shore power and everything works. She was plugged into shore power at the home, and everything worked. After determining everything worked at campground and shore power, she again unplugged and started generator. Nothing worked inside motor home. I think it is the transfer switch. Is there a button/switch she can push to make generator power feed thru?

It MAY be the Automatic Transfer Switch (ATS)
It MAY be connections at the ATS
It MAY be the wiring in a junction box between the generator and ATS
It may be the output breaker on the generator

Or: On an older MH, the SP cord has to be plugged into an outlet in a storage area because it was not equipped with an ATS. This and the generator output breaker are the only easy magical buttons to push. But since you said it is a Vegas, the SP/Plug issue is eliminated so that just leaves the output breaker as the only simple fix.

[exit55]

Originally Posted by 16ACE27

It MAY be the Automatic Transfer Switch (ATS)
It MAY be connections at the ATS
It MAY be the wiring in a junction box between the generator and ATS
It may be the output breaker on the generator

Or: On an older MH, the SP cord has to be plugged into an outlet in a storage area because it was not equipped with an ATS. This and the generator output breaker are the only easy magical buttons to push. But since you said it is a Vegas, the SP/Plug issue is eliminated so that just leaves the output breaker as the only simple fix.

I agree, Think it is ATS. Will have to wait until she gets home and go to work with my multimeter.

[16ACE27]

Originally Posted by exit55

I agree, Think it is ATS. Will have to wait until she gets home and go to work with my multimeter.

Historically it is not the ATS, but the wirenut connections to the ATS if the generator output breaker is not tripped.

[Chateau_Nomad]

Why not look at the simple things first? The most common and frequently an easy fix is checking that the breaker on the generator itself isn't tripped... no voltmeter needed.

Has she found and checked that breaker?

If that doesn't fix it, start with the other stuff... voltmeter in hand.

[macdaddy1111]

Originally Posted by 16ACE27

Historically it is not the ATS, but the wirenut connections to the ATS if the generator output breaker is not tripped.

I still have never seen a bad one yet! I have 300 dollar one bought 5 years ago because client bought for me to replace. Once going in I found fried mombo fuse crisppy
Dude gave me the ats. Its brand new in box under my dinette! One day I will save someone!

[MJC62]

As stated, did she check the breaker on the genny?

[exit55]

Thanks everyone for help. Wife got back home and I haven't felt like messing with it. Pulled cover off gen and looked for 20 mins. Could not find a breaker. Call thor help line so maybe they could direct me to a area to look in. Really no help but while was was talking to them, the light caught just right, and I found it. Below the start/stop button for gen. So deep down, you can't read the on/off on breaker. Started gen and everything worked find. Ran gen under load for 2 hrs to make sure everything was ok. Have shown location to wife (she travels alone) so she will know. Have to literally put my finger on it before she could see. Hidden very well. Again thanks.

[dkoldman]

Originally Posted by exit55

Thanks everyone for help. Wife got back home and I haven't felt like messing with it. Pulled cover off gen and looked for 20 mins. Could not find a breaker. Call thor help line so maybe they could direct me to a area to look in. Really no help but while was was talking to them, the light caught just right, and I found it. Below the start/stop button for gen. So deep down, you can't read the on/off on breaker. Started gen and everything worked find. Ran gen under load for 2 hrs to make sure everything was ok. Have shown location to wife (she travels alone) so she will know. Have to literally put my finger on it before she could see. Hidden very well. Again thanks.

While you are on a roll, make sure she knows where Inverter is, manual On/Off, Reset buttons etc. It too has breaker but usually somewhere near the batteries.

I had ATS go out, it has burnt smell so it was easy to tell something was wrong. It was a dealer issue when they did some work on the ATS mounting that they did not properly torque a wire nut as was told to you earlier. They replaced with new ATS for free under warranty.