Generator seems to work but no power inside

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Generator seems to work but no power inside

June 03, 2015, 12:31:12 am

Yahoo Message Number: 153131

Hi all, We just hit the road in our newly purchased 2007 MB and are delighted. The previous owner had everything checked out, and everything we tried prior to leaving town worked like a champ.

However... we discovered at a lunch stop just before we headed east into the So Cal desert that while the generator started up and ran just fine, we were getting no power to the inside 120 circuit. Can live without microwave but AC - don't think so at this time of year in 100 degree country. Tonight we're staying just uphill from the Colorado River and everything works fine with shore power.

My husband checked circuit breakers on generator and inside and all seemed ok. Any suggestions would be much appreciated. We'd like to do some dry camping as we head east from here.

Also, if all else fails, can anyone recommend rv repair facility in Kingman?

Many thanks, Susie

Re: Generator seems to work but no power inside

Reply #1 – June 03, 2015, 10:22:36 am

Yahoo Message Number: 153133

If the breakers (including the one inside the generator compartment) were checked by first flipping them completely OFF and then back to ON then the next place I'd check would be the transfer switch. This would require check 110V electrical leads with a multimeter. If not familiar and comfortable doing that, please find an experienced tech. You want to find out of the generator is providing power to its input to the transfer switch. I assume that no codes flash on the generator start switch in the generator?

Art

Re: Generator seems to work but no power inside

Reply #2 – June 03, 2015, 01:37:26 pm

Yahoo Message Number: 153137

Susie, I agree with everything Art said. I've experienced automatic transfer switch failure several times, and assuming you cycled the breakers as he recommended, the ATS is the next likely candidate.

The ATS is a metal box mounted on the back of your brown Parallax power center--the box with all the AC breakers and DC fuses. It's not too difficult to get at once you pull out the power center (remove four or six screws)... but the terminals inside the ATS can carry potentially lethal 120 VAC power, so unless you know AC circuitry, find a technician.

A replacement ATS (Parallax ATS301) costs about $75. In an emergency, if you need power in a hurry, it is possible to rewire a defective ATS so that it always connects generator power and never allows shore power. (Or vice versa, if that's your preference.) This is not hard to do--you just have to move a couple of wires--but again, it requires knowledge of electrical wiring, so don't try it if you're not sure.

If you can't find an RV tech in Kingman, try Lake Havasu City--about an hour south--which is a much larger town and has a plethora of auto and RV stores. Good luck!

Andy Baird

Re: Generator seems to work but no power inside

Reply #3 – June 03, 2015, 08:31:05 pm

Yahoo Message Number: 153140

P.S.--Parallax's ATS301 is what was installed in my 2003 Lazy Daze midbath. But before ordering a replacement, you should double-check the model number on yours, in case it's different.

Amazon lists the ATS301 for $72.73 on this page, but shows an incorrect photo. Nevertheless, the part number and specs match Parallax's catalog, so I'm betting that's what Amazon will ship, despite the wrong photo.

Andy Baird

As an Amazon Associate Lazy Daze Owners' Group earns from qualifying purchases.

Re: Generator seems to work but no power inside

Reply #4 – June 06, 2015, 11:41:18 am

Yahoo Message Number: 153160

Thanks for all the helpful responses. As it turned out, my husband was trying to figure out where the generator circuit breaker was by reading the LD manual. When we stopped that night and he was able to study the Onan manual, he realized that he had misunderstood where the switch was.

All works well now. Thanks again.
Susie

Re: Generator seems to work but no power inside

Reply #5 – June 06, 2015, 11:50:16 am

Yahoo Message Number: 153161

Thanks for posting your problem resolution. It is always nice to hear what the problem/repair was.

Art

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