Generator Power Issue

monteu · 05-24-2022, 02:26 AM

Good Evening! I'm working on going over our new to us 2005 Four Winds Chateau. I have the power turned on in the coach and the lights all work great. The electric refridge works great, but none of the receptacles have electricity to them. I tried it with just the battery on and also with the generator running. Did not try hooked up to a electricity. Where do I head in at on this one? Seems like maybe there should be a breaker box somewhere?

dkoldman · 05-24-2022, 02:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by monteu

Good Evening! I'm working on going over our new to us 2005 Four Winds Chateau. I have the power turned on in the coach and the lights all work great. The electric refridge works great, but none of the receptacles have electricity to them. I tried it with just the battery on and also with the generator running. Did not try hooked up to a electricity. Where do I head in at on this one? Seems like maybe there should be a breaker box somewhere?

Can you clarify with more detail what both statements in red mean to you?

Also, did the receptacles work when you were looking to buy or have they always not worked to your knowledge?

Yes there should be a breaker box and it could be tripped on certain circuits. I assume you have an Inverter? Did you confirm it has 120vac output?

**16ACE27** · 05-24-2022, 03:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by monteu

Good Evening! I'm working on going over our new to us 2005 Four Winds Chateau. I have the power turned on in the coach and the lights all work great. The electric refridge works great, but none of the receptacles have electricity to them. I tried it with just the battery on and also with the generator running. Did not try hooked up to a electricity. Where do I head in at on this one? Seems like maybe there should be a breaker box somewhere?

Receptacles are 120 VAC.
They are not powered by 12 VDC house batteries.
Lights are 12 VDC
Your fridge can work off of either 120 VAC or propane. In either case it requires 12 VDC control power.

When you say you "have power turned on" I suspect you mean the house batteries disconnect is shut connecting the house batteries to the DC load center.

Your receptacles, microwave, air conditioning and other 120 VAC loads will be powered when you have the MH plugged into Shore Power (SP) or when the generator is running. You need to check to see if the SP cable needs to be plugged into a generator outlet for that power to flow.

Chateau_Nomad · 05-24-2022, 04:05 AM

Try this: Plug your electric into shore power. Do your outlets work?

There likely is a breaker on the generator itself... especially if it's a Cummins Onan. Take the cover off the front of it and explore... you should be able to find it.

Then please report back on your findings from both of these.

Jimbo56 · 05-24-2022, 10:24 AM

Check for a tripped gfci receptacle if only the receptacles don’t have power. Do you have a lit display on the microwave?

10scDust · 05-24-2022, 10:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jimbo56

Check for a tripped gfci receptacle if only the receptacles don’t have power. Do you have a lit display on the microwave?

Yes, this is one of the no-powered outlets cause.

One more I can think of is the entertainment outlets.
What I mean by that is; the outlets the TVs use. At least it's that way in our RV. We have 3 outlets controlled by the inverter. One is hidden in a compartment above the cabin entrance, there is a DVD player in that cubby.

We have a row of switches near the steps upon entry to the RV cabin. They do various things like, interior lights, the use/store switch, power awning, outdoor light, etc.
What I'm getting to is, next to them is a little plate with a green pushbutton to turn on, or off, the inverter. It also has a little display that gives you a voltage reading for the house batteries. This is where you make the outlets to the TVs work (ours has 2 TVs). It controls powering on, or off the inverter.

Let us know once you discover the remedy.

Are these the outlets under no power monteu is referring to?

monteu · 05-24-2022, 10:41 AM

Thanks, I contacted the former owner and he told me where the breaker box is. I'll also check on the generator. The microwave does not have power because it also plugs into a receptacle.

dkoldman · 05-24-2022, 12:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by monteu

Thanks, I contacted the former owner and he told me where the breaker box is. I'll also check on the generator. The microwave does not have power because it also plugs into a receptacle.

Where was it?

Did he seem convince the issue was with the breakers? If so; did he happen to say if they have tripped before did he suggest he had turned them off?

Lot of people trying to help but like batting in the dark.

monteu · 05-24-2022, 12:39 PM

The former owner took meticulous care of the unit, and showed me many details and the flaws he knew about. So I think he thought they were working....It could be like someone mentioned that there is a switch or something down by the generator that's not on. I had my maintenance guy changing oil and checking ground connections on it. I'll try connecting to shore power also and see what happens.

monteu · 05-25-2022, 02:06 AM

Ok, I did some more investigating. The receptacles work while hooked to shore power, but they don't work when just running off of the generator. I'm still a bit unclear on this. The receptacle should have power right when running off of the Onan generator correct?

**16ACE27** · 05-25-2022, 02:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by monteu

Ok, I did some more investigating. The receptacles work while hooked to shore power, but they don't work when just running off of the generator. I'm still a bit unclear on this. The receptacle should have power right when running off of the Onan generator correct?

120 VAC from the generator is delivered to the coach in one of two ways.

Newer coaches have an Automatic Transfer Switch (ATS) which automatically delivers generator power to the coach after the generator has been running for about 30 seconds IF the output breaker on the generator is not tripped.

Older coaches would have a receptacle in the storage compartment that the SP cord is in; that you need to plug the SP cord in to in order for the generator to supply 120 VAC to the coach.

You need to determine which system your RV uses.

monteu · 05-25-2022, 02:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 16ACE27

120 VAC from the generator is delivered to the coach in one of two ways.

Newer coaches have an Automatic Transfer Switch (ATS) which automatically delivers generator power to the coach after the generator has been running for about 30 seconds IF the output breaker on the generator is not tripped.

Older coaches would have a receptacle in the storage compartment that the SP cord is in; that you need to plug the SP cord in to in order for the generator to supply 120 VAC to the coach.

You need to determine which system your RV uses.

Thanks, I'll check that out.

pappy18pa · 05-28-2022, 11:29 PM

Not familiar with your model motorhome if it's a class c you have to plug the shoreline plug into the receptacle for the generator.

monteu · 05-29-2022, 02:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pappy18pa

Not familiar with your model motorhome if it's a class c you have to plug the shoreline plug into the receptacle for the generator.

I got this sorted out. Like you say here, you need to plug the shoreline plug into a receptacle. It was tucked back inside and not real easy to see. Everything works off of the generator now. Thanks for all your help.

MJC62 · 05-29-2022, 04:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by monteu

I got this sorted out. Like you say here, you need to plug the shoreline plug into a receptacle. It was tucked back inside and not real easy to see. Everything works off of the generator now. Thanks for all your help.

Another successful and CHEAP fix

The best kind!

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