generator issue

h10fsc · 05-25-2012, 12:47 PM

I have an 07 Octane 24z and I have a generator problem. Generator will run for a short time the shut down and not restart. I took it to a church campground for my niece's birthday campout tonight and church camp out this weekend so I don't have much time to search. Going to get the battery checked or replaced. Luckily I'm only 20-30 minutes from home so I came home for lunch, tools and info. Thanks for any input. Ron

Old Blue · 05-25-2012, 01:43 PM

Does it have an oil sensor if so then it will shut down after a few minutes if low on oil? Also at work we have a lot of generators and have had to bypass the low oil sensor to keep some running when sensor went bad

h10fsc · 05-25-2012, 01:49 PM

Low oil or another type sensor? Either way I'm not sure if it has either. Just dropped the battery off to get charged and checked. Thinking about doing the two 6 volt battery conversion instead of buying a new 12 volt.

h10fsc · 05-25-2012, 01:50 PM

The oil quantity is fine I did check.

h10fsc · 05-25-2012, 01:51 PM

It seemed to be pulling the battery down.

h10fsc · 05-25-2012, 05:30 PM

Ok I'm back home. Generator is up and running but won't power the air conditioner or microwave. The groundskeeper is letting us use a stand alone generator and it is running everything just fine. While I'm searching the web for camper electrical tips yall's input will be greatly appreciated. Converter, inverter whatever component isn't doing right.

David472 · 05-26-2012, 06:12 AM

The air conditioner and microwave both require a lot of power. To run both at the same time, you pretty much need 30A at 120V. How much does your genny put out?

vwprostock · 05-26-2012, 09:31 AM

Any and all details would help out a tad.

When you say it won't run the AC, does the AC unit "try" and start, and then generator bogs down/slows down/labors for a few seconds? Or the generator runs and hums like normal and nothing happens with the AC??

As someone else asked...what make/model/wattage is the generator?

In a VERY general description, if the battery is a stand alone battery just on the generator, it typically is ONLY there for starting the gen. Once running, the generator "should" run just fine and power the coach if the battery was low/weak, hell even removed from the generator once its started. If your talking about your coach battery, unless the battery has some crazy dead short in it, I am not sure how it would be causing your issue.

h10fsc · 05-26-2012, 09:53 AM

Gen is an Onan 4000. Working on the model number since I'm not at the camper right now. With it running there are no lights on the microwave at all and the a/c doesn't even try to start nor does it effect the gen running. As soon as my brother in law sends me the info I'll post it.

rwilley · 05-26-2012, 09:53 AM

Maybe a partially clogged fuel line or filter.

h10fsc · 05-26-2012, 09:59 AM

Onan microquiet 4000, model 4KYFA26100K, spec:k kw:4 amps 33.3 Everything is running fine while plugged into a stand alone gen.

h10fsc · 05-27-2012, 09:22 AM

looking thru the gen installation manual and I found the transfer switch. This would explain why it works off the utility power cord but not the gen. Now where is the transfer switch? I have followed the wires from the gen to the breaker/fuse panel under the fridge and haven't found a switch. Is it in the converter mounted on the back of the breakers/fuses?

vwprostock · 05-29-2012, 04:28 PM

Ok trying to sort this one out in my head.

A-Did you get it fixed or just run off of the loaner gen all weekend?

If its still not fixed...just to clarify...

1- The engine runs fine on the gen but no 120V power is going to the coach, at all or runs for a given amount of time and shuts off?

If it shuts totally off (the gen engine) how long until it will re-start?

h10fsc · 05-29-2012, 07:49 PM

Sorry for the confusion.
A: ran off the loaner generator one night and a honda 2000i and 2000i companion on the second night for a quieter set up.
1: After getting the battery charged the engine on the generator runs fine with no shutting down but no power to the microwave (no lights on display at all) and no effect on generator when turning air conditioner on.

MacEFL · 05-30-2012, 09:11 AM

Have you tried flipping the breakers on and off? Sometimes they will trip without looking like it.

h10fsc · 05-31-2012, 10:23 PM

Sorry for taking so long. I thought I replied to this last night. Guess I didn't hit enter or post. Anyway yes I have tripped and reset all breakers. I located the IOTA automatic transfer switch under the closet floor tonight. Haven't started trouble shooting yet.

vwprostock · 06-01-2012, 11:22 AM

Hmm....almost sounds to me like something went haywire on JUST the microwave circuit.

If the overall generator issue surged and did some funky things, is there a seperate fuse/breaker/link from where the power comes out of the generator and goes to a junction box prior to going to a panel?

If the actual generator gas engine is now functioning fine, and the AC works, you now know at least part of the generator set is working fine. Now its time to figure out how the microwave is wired.

Is it simply plugged into a 110V outlet behind it or near it? Plug a lamp in there and see what you get. Maybe the microwave died in the process??

h10fsc · 06-01-2012, 07:19 PM

Last time I ran the generator it seemed to run fine. It just didn't supply power to microwave or air conditioner. The lights, drop down beds in garage area both worked. I think thats all I tried. I'll start the transfer switch troubleshooting sometime tomorrow. Thanks everybody for your time and all the input on these forums.

cablerum · 06-02-2012, 07:41 AM

It sounds to me from reading through your posts that you have 2 separate issues.

#1 Is or was an issue with the generator engine
#2 Is an issue with the generator output, not related to the engine

When you said it would run for 20 minutes and die, a battery usually can't cause that to happen. It can cause you not to be able to restart, but should not be the cause of the initial stall. Once the generator is started, it shouldn't care if you removed the battery completely. Stalling is usually caused by carb, fuel or air issues, low oil sensor, overload, etc.

I understand that you replaced the battery and now everything is running, however there may still be an underlying cause for when it died on you.

So now you have a running engine but nothing is powering up. First step would be to use a volt meter and see if the generator is in fact putting out proper voltage. Once that is determined you will know if the fault lies with the generator itself or deeper into the system. If the generator is putting out 120v then using the volt meter work your way along the system to determine where the failure is located. If there is no output from the generator, look no further.

Your lights and drop down bed may be working because it is DC powered from a battery and it's throwing you for a loop. Maybe all your DC powered items are working, but all AC powered items which require the generator are not. That's my guess. With your generator NOT running, do you still have lights?

h10fsc · 06-03-2012, 08:20 PM

Thanks again to everybody for their help. Being a first time camper owner since October I've learned a lot and have a ways still to go. My weekend is thur-sat off and it was all messed up so no camper work was done. Maybe Monday. Going to STL in a week so fixed or not it'll need to be reassembled.

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