EC30 will not go into AutoGen Start mode

[Gary.Jones]

I know this has been discussed and have used the new search algorithm written by R U Rocking and still cant find what I am looking for..... For some reason, the option to go into AutoGen mode while connected to good shore power does not come up on the EC-30 menu..... I had to recycle the 12V of the coach last night to deal with an AC unit that was not working correctly, and my guess is that I need to recycle the 12V (off - on ) again, but not absolutely sure that is the cure..... so before doing more, thought I would consult. I see all the other options on the EC-30 and the EC-30 looks "normal", its just that the Auto Gen Start (enter) option does not come up when you scroll through the options. Suggestions?

Gary

[Tall Tex]

If you turn off shore power will it work? If it does when you turn shore power back on will the ec30 continue to stay on auto start?

[Matt D]

Gary, what exactly do you see on the control remote? Specifically what does the screen indicate when you depress the AUTO GEN button?

In our case, when I pressed AUTOGEN and the screen simply says IGNITION ON & OFF.

On the EC30 there are a few safeties, one of which periodically requires you to turn the ignition key ON, not to actually start the engine.

Evidently, Cummins has programmed this safety to reoccur every so often. I can't recall the interval but I want to say every 3 weeks or so.

I hope this helps,

-Matt

[Marcosdad]

My EC30 has a separate switch for auto gen

[Gary.Jones]

Matt:

Thank you.... You will the free drink when we next meet.... That did the trick. What I was getting was the ignition on / off message as my only option when I pressed the "Auto Gen" button...... (which doesn't make a hell of a lot of sense as a message when the EC-30 won't go into Auto-Start). So, I took your advice, turned the ignition of the bus on and waited for the start engine light to go off (we all know the one), and then turned the ignition back off, and now as soon as I press the "Auto Gen" button and now I see the Press Enter button. So that did the trick. I had no idea that duration from last ignition on/off cycle mattered at all..... I have been stuck here at this location for over a month. We decided to paint some walls and do some minor repairs to the first house we bought in the mid '70s and have been renting since we moved out of Mississippi and instead decided to "flip" the house.... (Bring it up to 2016 standards). Nice idea, but has involved a lot more changes and more work from contractors, DW, and me than we ever anticipated.... Hope to get out of here after 6 weeks.... Darn !!

Gary

[Matt D]

Gary, glad to hear that worked. I hope your renovations turn out as you wish.

I'm in the middle of our Master Bath as we speak. I did the rest of the house 3 years ago, so this is the "easy" part.

-Matt

[757driver]

Gary,

The Ignition ON/OFF message will come up every 30 days for the auto gen start and must be verified by cycling the ignition key ON and OFF prior to Auto Gen Start working.

[Gary.Jones]

And Don, have you discerned a logic to that algorithm? What does that guarantee or accomplish, or is it just that it forces you to do something different every 30 days? Any logic to it, you think?

Gary

[Matt D]

Gary, here is the pertinent guidance from the EC-30 manual..

Safety Signal Verification
The EC-30 maintains a record of the last change of the Safety Input signal. If the EC-30 does not see the Safety Input change in 30 days, it will prompt the user to re-verify the Safety Input by activating the safety signal. (i.e. switching the ignition, changing transmission position, or operating the parking or trailer brake.)
If the Safety Input signal has not been turned on or off for 25 days the display will flash the “SAFETY OFF & ON” screen. Turn the Safety Input signal off and on, or on and off, to reset the 30 day timer. If the Safety Input is not verified by day 30 AUTO GEN is disable. The next time AUTO GEN key is pressed, the user is prompted to verify Safety Input signal.
Verify the Safety Input
The safety input must be verified before automatic operation is allowed. The first time the AUTO GEN key is pressed (after power is applied) the EC-30 requests:
Where SAFETY = IGNITION, PARK, or BRAKE. Turn on or off the appropriate signal:
• Ignition: Input is connected to the vehicle ignition system (motor homes or van conversions).
• Brake: Brake light for all trailer, 5th wheel, and pickup camper installations, or air brake on diesel motor homes.
• Park: The park signal/neutral (transmission) from motorized motor homes or van conversions.
If the safety input is functional, the display will say:

Cummins/ONAN graphics box ENTER for AUTO

Only press the ENTER key if the genset is in a safe location for automatic operation.


That is the what, as to the why I can only speculate. Cummins wants to mitigate any potential legal liability arising from an undesired AGS trigger, by designing a safety interaction on a routine basis.

Our last coach didn't have this, but was also managing the Generator and AGS via the Magnum remote.

There are good and bad with either setup.

The Magnum arrangement makes for a less complicated number of devices to manage. The Magnum eliminates this nonsensical safety verification. The Magnum also mandates that if you have a Generator or AGS issue, the tech is qualified to work on a Cummins generator and the Magnum remote. Compare the number of techs that meet this criteria against the number of techs qualified to work on Cummins equipment.

The EC-30 gives a seamless approach to managing the generator and AGS. That we must deal with some poorly conceived design issues is the price we pay. Aside from the safety verification, who decided it was wise to enable the generator to use AGS, and if it starts from AGS and is running, that starting the main engine will kill the generator?

I guess it would be easy to simply disconnect the EC-30 and shift over to the Magnum for AGS, but I'll see how I like the EC-30 before I work around it.

-Matt

[rogelling]

Gary we all learn this sh*t the same way...by banging our heads over and over...Grrrrrr

[757driver]

Originally Posted by Gary.Jones

And Don, have you discerned a logic to that algorithm? What does that guarantee or accomplish, or is it just that it forces you to do something different every 30 days? Any logic to it, you think?

Gary

Gary,

The only thing I can think of is they want to make sure at least every 30 days that the ignition being turned ON will disable AGS via their safety switch so that no one can set AGS, drive the motorhome into a storage building and then have the generator start up and kill someone with CO. A little overboard with the CYA but that is the system we have to deal with.

[voltdoc]

Originally Posted by Matt D

I guess it would be easy to simply disconnect the EC-30 and shift over to the Magnum for AGS, but I'll see how I like the EC-30 before I work around it.hi

-Matt

Not necessarily easy, but for some potentially worth the effort. For one thing the Magnum AGS can be triggered by actual battery state of charge (SOC) which should be much more reliable than voltage alone as with the Onan. That got my attention and I have been looking into this a little and here is what I found so far:

New items needed to support SOC trigger will be an ME-AGS-N and an ME-BMK battery monitor if you haven't already installed one. Also the existing ME-RC50 remote panel may need to be replaced with the advanced version ME-ARC50. Finally to maintain A/C trigger operation an ME-PT1 pigtail will be required and possibly three diodes to isolate the three existing trigger wires that come from the A/C units (the Onan AGS has three separate inputs for those triggers).

[DebbieMH]

Also, if all that fails - check the fuse under the drivers seat. #2 on our Anthem. Been there, done that - more times than I care to remember!

[The Taj]

Originally Posted by Matt D

Gary, here is the pertinent guidance from the EC-30 manual..

Safety Signal Verification
The EC-30 maintains a record of the last change of the Safety Input signal. If the EC-30 does not see the Safety Input change in 30 days, it will prompt the user to re-verify the Safety Input by activating the safety signal. (i.e. switching the ignition, changing transmission position, or operating the parking or trailer brake.)
If the Safety Input signal has not been turned on or off for 25 days the display will flash the “SAFETY OFF & ON” screen. Turn the Safety Input signal off and on, or on and off, to reset the 30 day timer. If the Safety Input is not verified by day 30 AUTO GEN is disable. The next time AUTO GEN key is pressed, the user is prompted to verify Safety Input signal.
Verify the Safety Input
The safety input must be verified before automatic operation is allowed. The first time the AUTO GEN key is pressed (after power is applied) the EC-30 requests:
Where SAFETY = IGNITION, PARK, or BRAKE. Turn on or off the appropriate signal:
• Ignition: Input is connected to the vehicle ignition system (motor homes or van conversions).
• Brake: Brake light for all trailer, 5th wheel, and pickup camper installations, or air brake on diesel motor homes.
• Park: The park signal/neutral (transmission) from motorized motor homes or van conversions.
If the safety input is functional, the display will say:

Cummins/ONAN graphics box ENTER for AUTO

Only press the ENTER key if the genset is in a safe location for automatic operation.


That is the what, as to the why I can only speculate. Cummins wants to mitigate any potential legal liability arising from an undesired AGS trigger, by designing a safety interaction on a routine basis.

Our last coach didn't have this, but was also managing the Generator and AGS via the Magnum remote.

There are good and bad with either setup.

The Magnum arrangement makes for a less complicated number of devices to manage. The Magnum eliminates this nonsensical safety verification. The Magnum also mandates that if you have a Generator or AGS issue, the tech is qualified to work on a Cummins generator and the Magnum remote. Compare the number of techs that meet this criteria against the number of techs qualified to work on Cummins equipment.

The EC-30 gives a seamless approach to managing the generator and AGS. That we must deal with some poorly conceived design issues is the price we pay. Aside from the safety verification, who decided it was wise to enable the generator to use AGS, and if it starts from AGS and is running, that starting the main engine will kill the generator?

I guess it would be easy to simply disconnect the EC-30 and shift over to the Magnum for AGS, but I'll see how I like the EC-30 before I work around it.

-Matt

In my 2016, when I push the AGS button and "ENTER" shows in the window and I push enter, the generator starts
Haven't owned it long enough to test it out completely.