Generator issues

[dave and ginny]

For all of you that have Onan generators, I took mine into the shop to get it fixed. The factory service center said that they've had a few like mine come in for the same thing. There's a nut with plastic inert that holds the governor at the correct speed. The plastic is giving out so they placed a second nut above the original so it can't move. It this nut loosens up the generator shuts down due to over revving.

 

[5th_Time-REDW]

Hi Dave:

Is the nutvisible when you remove the cover, or do you have to be a Onan Tech to be able to inspect it? Also, is the issue obvious when you are viewing it? I'll check mine tonight.

 

[dave and ginny]

if you take the cover off and look to the right, you'll see a spring running down to the governor with a 10mil. nut attached to the end of a hook like connection. If I were you I would simply put another nut on top of the original nut so it can't move. Apparently the nylon bushings get loose allowing the nut to unscrew and causing the generator to over rev.

 

[KR2011-REDW]

Be careful if you so much as move the plastic nut an 8th of a turn the Gen will not run. Then you will have to take to a shop to have it reset.

 

[BradPAjax-REDW]

All,

Found an issue today. My wife was blow drying her hair using the bathroom GFI. The washer was running at the time and we were on 30 amp service in a campsite. Blew the campsite breaker at the shore power connection. While I waited for the camp attendant to come and reset the breaker for our site I thought we could use the $4000 generator.

I disconnected our shore power, opened the main breaker so I had no load and started the generator. I had everything turned off and closed the 50 amp breaker on our panel and .... WTFO! The only thing that would work was the AC. The frig showed no AC and switched to DC mode, the dryer would work, the microwave would go thru start up mode and then shut off. No power to any 110 outlets either...

What is going on... is there a overload disconnect that I am not aware of when we exceed 30 amps?

Is there some sort of magic to having the genset power the whole trailer? I assumed the genset supplied 50 amps to everything.

I assume the electrical box is split between 120 v and 12 v and there are no hidden fuses somewhere else?

Nice to find this now rather than in a Wal-Mart on my way home with 30lbs of lobster in my freezer!

 

[mhs4771]

There should be two breaker on the front of the Genny, make sure they're both on and that one hasn't tripped

 

[dave and ginny]

I agree...there must be something wrong with breaker. My generator supplies power to everything without a problem. When I went to the factory for service I camped in their parking lot without any inconvenience at all.

 

[BradPAjax-REDW]

Hi,

Found the 2 breakers hidden behind a wiring harness... one was tripped. Hope problem is now fixed. Breakers only good for 30 amps so I only have 30 amp capacity with genny?

Dave... what were you able to run while in the parking lot?

 

[5th_Time-REDW]

Brad, It's 55A. Manual says46A120V output. Both Red and Black legs in the 6/3cord are hot. 30A breaker for each leg. If one breaker was popped, you only had about 23A output. You should be fine now that you reset breaker on the other leg..
Edited by: 5th_Time

 

[dave and ginny]

Hi,

Found the 2 breakers hidden behind a wiring harness... one was tripped. Hope problem is now fixed. Breakers only good for 30 amps so I only have 30 amp capacity with genny?

Dave... what were you able to run while in the parking lot?

I can run everything in my trailer including both A/C if I want to.

A special note from the Onan folks: when I was getting mine service they said they'd never seen a Onan worn out. They always see the under used ones, which causes problems. They said to ALWAYS run them at least 2 hours EVERY month even in the winter. AND always run them under a heavy load like with both A/C units on.

They routinely get people coming in with a 6 year old generator complaining about them not working and the hour meter reads 7 hours on it. The people think the generator should still be like new since it hadn't been used.

 

[Russ-REDW]

I have a dumb question.mwe have never had a generator on a fifth wheel. Do these run on propane or do you always have to carry gas or diesel fuel with you?

 

[dave and ginny]

Mine runs on LP

 

[Adamsvr]

Dave&Ginny, had a similar problem... forgot to unplug from the CG A/C. Turned out we blew the GFI in the bathroom and had to replace it. Interesting note, todays GFI's are designed so you can't mis-wire them. They come tripped and won't allow you to reset them unless they are wired correctly.

 

[Rolly and Laurie]

Dave What model is your onan LP generator? This is our first post so we are testing to see how this works. Really wish we could have made the rally to get our questions answered - we had a wedding we could not miss. we'll b

 

[5th_Time-REDW]

This is the factory-installed generator: Onan Marquis Gold 5500 LP, Model: RV QG 5500 LP, HGJAB

 

[dave and ginny]

Dave What model is your onan LP generator? This is our first post so we are testing to see how this works. Really wish we could have made the rally to get our questions answered - we had a wedding we could not miss. we'll b

Welcome to our little Redwood family! I have a 5.5 Onan LP and I love it. It does go through the LP but they wouldn't put a gasoline unit in the 5th wheel so I didn't have a choice. Remember if you get a generator, the Onan folks want you to run it under a full load 2 hours a month.

Again welcome to our group, I'm always glad to see new folks

 

[mhs4771]

FYI: If you go to the Onan site and compare the Gas vs Propane, you'll see that the propane does use more, but not by much (Gas under full load 0.9 gal/hr while Propane under full load is 1.1 gal/hr). It's just that the propane isn't as easy to refill as haveing a spare can of gas. That's one of the reasons they recommend the 40 pound tanks.

 

[Rolly and Laurie]

Thanks for the info everyone. That is the generator we have been looking at. Our batteries have been doing the job when needed but we did need a portable generator when we were boondocking at a Country Jamboree for 5 days. We had hoped to have our installed generator before that but shipping costs to Canada are outlandish. We are going to wait until we are in the south this winter to buy and install our generator . We have been following all the info posted since forum started and really appreciate the knowledge of all the contributors.

 

[dave and ginny]

FYI: If you go to the Onan site and compare the Gas vs Propane, you'll see that the propane does use more, but not by much (Gas under full load 0.9 gal/hr while Propane under full load is 1.1 gal/hr). It's just that the propane isn't as easy to refill as haveing a spare can of gas. That's one of the reasons they recommend the 40 pound tanks.

I have an extra 40# tank