Author Topic: Intermittent Charge On Generator  (Read 3531 times)

Norm Green

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Intermittent Charge On Generator
« on: October 11, 2018, 11:14:44 PM »
I am presently at the Balloon Festival in Albuquerque and I am having some problems with my generator.  While running, the generator seams to be charging normally except that every 10 minutes or so the charge appears to get interrupted and the Magnum system reverts to inverting for several minutes and then back to charging.  I had a Cummins tech out today and he thinks it might be an issue with the brushes.  The Generator has just over 2,000 hrs.  Any one else have any ideas or suggestions?
Norm & Cynthia Green
Franklin, TN
2018 Entegra Cornerstone 45W
Previous, four different Beaver coaches

Norm Green

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Re: Intermittent Charge On Generator
« Reply #1 on: October 11, 2018, 11:27:47 PM »
Some additional information.  During the “inverting” time, while monitoring the Sure Guard screen, it will say delay Active, then 129v 0a and 130v 0a, then occasionally it says Hi Voltage L1 - 138v, then Hi Voltage L2 - 136v and it has even said Reversed Polarity, Remove Power.  On occasions it has stayed in the inverting mode while the generator is running for as much as 15 minutes.
Norm & Cynthia Green
Franklin, TN
2018 Entegra Cornerstone 45W
Previous, four different Beaver coaches

Steve Huber Co-Admin

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Re: Intermittent Charge On Generator
« Reply #2 on: October 11, 2018, 11:35:44 PM »
Norm,
Sounds possible. Another possibility is that the Magnum is intermittently losing the signal from the generator. You could try turning the Magnum off and seeing you lose power from the generator intermittently or disconnect the generator from the load and see if AC at the generator terminals drops out intermittently. Your symptoms seem to indicate generator issues though.

FWIW, Rocky Mtns Cummins in Albuquerque has received very good reviews so if they did the service call, I'd tend to rely on them.   http://beaveramb.org/forum/index.php/topic,1692.msg11905.html#msg11905
Steve
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2005-2013: 01 Contessa Naples, 3126B, 330 hp

Norm Green

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Re: Intermittent Charge On Generator
« Reply #3 on: October 12, 2018, 12:59:17 AM »
Thanks Steve, yes Rocket Mountain is the ones I’m dealing with.
Norm & Cynthia Green
Franklin, TN
2018 Entegra Cornerstone 45W
Previous, four different Beaver coaches

Jerry Emert

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Re: Intermittent Charge On Generator
« Reply #4 on: October 12, 2018, 04:43:28 PM »
Long shot...connections in the transfer switch.  Try tightening them.
Jerry
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Gerald Farris

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Re: Intermittent Charge On Generator
« Reply #5 on: October 12, 2018, 04:54:38 PM »
Norm,
One thing that came to mind for me when you said that the generator when from no out put to 136 volts is the generator control module. I had the 12.5 KW Onan in my coach producing overvoltage and I traced that down to a bad control module. However, you do not want to just replace the control module until it is thoroughly diagnosed because it is not easily accessible and it is expensive. I was able to find one online for a little over $600, but Onan's price was in the $1400 range.

Gerald     

Norm Green

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Re: Intermittent Charge On Generator
« Reply #6 on: October 13, 2018, 03:50:08 AM »
OK, time for an update.  Earlier today Greg Ross, who is also attending the Balloon festival, stop by my coach to see if he could help.  After reviewing the conditions I stated previously in this post, we looked at the wiring inside the Surge Guard and confirming all connections tight and voltages in spec, he suggested we “reboot” the system by tuning off the generator and turning off the battery switches, which we did.  After turning the batteries back on we once again started the generator and it appeared to work properly.  I ran the generator for 4 hours while it went through bulk, absorb to float, all worked well.  After turning off the generator for several hours I restarted it and it performed as it should.  It appears that the reboot worked.  Lights and heat for the first time in four days.
Norm & Cynthia Green
Franklin, TN
2018 Entegra Cornerstone 45W
Previous, four different Beaver coaches
The following users thanked this post: Rick and Laura Stephens, Karl Welhart, Jerry Emert

Bill Sprague

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Re: Intermittent Charge On Generator
« Reply #7 on: October 13, 2018, 04:29:47 PM »
Interesting update and one to remember for future surprises!  Norm, do you think it was the Surge Guard or the Magnum that needed the reboot?

Greg Ross

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Re: Intermittent Charge On Generator
« Reply #8 on: October 13, 2018, 04:37:24 PM »
Pretty sure it was the Surge guard, that’s where most of the errors showed up.
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