Generator Issue

[SC RV'er]

Unable to figure this out: Start generator and power transfered from shore to generator. Then crank engine and generator shuts down within a few seconds. Crank engine. Then start generator and generator shuts down within a few seconds. In other words, generator runs well for hours unless engine started. Have set the AGS mode to manual start and manual stop with no effect. I had Cummins/Onan dealer look at the problem when they had it for an oil change and tech said he fixed by disconnecting battery from generator and started of external battery and some how it magically stopped shutting off. He could not offer any further ideas. I think it is the Xantrex but don't know why. Any ideas would be much appreciated.

[wa8yxm]

Kind of reminds me of working on the "Haunted Trail" a couple of halloweens ago (I will get around to a suggestion)

The station I haunted had a light and radio (Well cd player) so they provided us with a Honda EU-2000i. and the first night it ran great, During the day (Day 2 of the haunted trail) they re-fueled it and that night no joy at all, it ran for a few minutes, then died, acted starved for fuel (It was).

I finally "Fixed" it for them (Told them what they were doing wrong).

Now.. How old is your rig, Diesel or Gas (Don't bother answering to me as I forgot the next step) And now the important question "ORIGINAL FUEL CAP?"

My guess is the more powerful fuel pump on the main engine is creating a vacuum in the tank and starving the generator with it's less powerful pump.

This can be cuased by a clogged or kinked fuel tank vent line and/or wrong gas cap (Older Gas units, and I assume diesel, have vented caps, newer gas units, camp may be non-vented or check valve vented, it is important to have the right cap)

[JLMunsil]

This is a well known problem with communication between the generator and the inverter/charger. With the engine,the generator, and the battery charger all running the generator will shut down if there is not a load on it. Turn the charger off and the generator will keep running. If there is a load on the generator when it kicks in to deliver power it will keep running even if the charger is on. I have the same problem with my coach. If I want to run the roof air conditioner while driving I turn it on first, let it time out, then start the generator. If you do a search for generator shut down problems you should find more information.

[SC RV'er]

Thank you for taking the time to reply to my problem. Your issue is exactly as mine in that this time of year, we want to run the generator for roof a/c. This was not a problem in the beginning but certainly is now. Someday I would like to have an idea as to why the problem started but for now a fix is all I require. I have asked Xantrex how to turn of the charger but they seem baffled and unable to tell me how. Any help as to the steps you take would be most helpful.

[Old Scout]

Easy--go to RS2000 on the main menu and select charger off--the same way you would the inverter portion of the Xantrex. Trick is that the Xantrex also has a "hot start" function for the charger so unless you disable the hot start option [farther down on the menu] the Xantrex charger will try to start every time it gets AC input from the genset or shore power..... OR--you can be really quick and disable the charger right after the genset starts but before/as the transfer switch gets power to the charger/inverter----OR some say you can start the genset first and then the Cummins but as soon as the genset comes off load ie, the A/Cs cycle, the genset will stop so you do have to disable the charger if you need to run the genset and the Cummins at the same time.....good luck!!!!

[Renipladlo]

As stated above, it's I think built in protection in the Genset. Do as OS says, and things will work properly. It's a known issue, (the genset throws code 27) and I am not sure just to alpines only. I don't know for sure if folks with different inverters/chargers/converters (i.e., other brands than Xantrex 2000/3000) have this issue. Some alpine owners have changed their units to Magnum and not sure if the problem still exists. I have personally tried to put a load on the genset first, like calling for a/c's, but that did not make it work properly. Disabling the charger once the genset takes over coach load does it for me.

[EngineerMike]

On mine, I'd be driving and start gen thinking it needed to warm up (before starting A/C); gen would start, cycle a while then shut off. I started engine, turned on AC as indicated above, then started gen and Voila! Works like a champ.