Bounder: Transfer Switch

[mrwrench]

In my 99 Bounder the transfer switch make a rattling noise when I stop the generator...also when the 2 A?C are working I feel the breakers box little warm and I smell like hot wiring .... no problems if I use only one A/C...
any suggestion??
thanks...

[96 Wideglide]

You have to get into the back of your breaker box and make sure all the lugs are tight.

[Old Scout]

Yup--loose connections can cause heat under higher amp loads....

[mrwrench]

Thanks all , I will check that tomorrow .... good night...

[frogger1]

mrwrench,


I just went through the same situation (2000 Bounder 39Z DP) last week.


The Fleetwood documentation states that it's normal for the relay(s) to chatter on genset shutdown. Since the coil(s) are connected to the genset output, when it is coasting down during shut down, as the generator voltage decreases the relays will chatter.


The warm breaker box, as mentioned, is not normal. Also as mentioned, the heavier the load the warmer it will probably get. In my case with both AC's running, it was too hot to touch, and the smell was unmistakable.


My breaker box, which houses the transfer relays, is at waist level in the hallway which was a plus for me making it easy to work on. Removing the front panels, the ac breaker cluster, and the DC fuse buss block will reveal the two transfer relays located at the back of the box of course. (some models of box have to access the relays from the rear.) Mine had two relays, which switch two generator output circuits, but some boxes with only one generator output circuit will have only one relay.


One of the relay armatures on the left relay, likely due to a loose connection earlier, had turned into a crispy critter and had gotten hot enough to "blue" the steel and do a pretty good job of melting it's braided connection to the load making it brittle. While removing the relay for replacement, the armature came off in my hand, so probably my next trip out it probably would have cashed in which would have been a show stopper disconnecting the load from both generator or shore power.


The good news to all this, the replacement relay is available from Amazon for around $25 or so. The relay, I guess you could say, is an industry generic type, so there is no mention of it being part of a transfer switch and it appeared identical to my second relay which came from the factory.


If the forum allows it, I can post the link for the relays, which is a fairly standard part for a number of transfer switches.

[twinboat]

With a built in 30 second delay, I don't see how the generator side of the transfer relay can chatter. Once the voltage drops and it opens, it would need 30 seconds before it reconnected. By then the generator has stopped turning.

It's possible that its wired backwards ( generator and shore connections crossed ) or the delay has been turned off, with the internal dip switch.

I would get the paperwork on it, and check it out.

If its a 30 amp system, I would expect the breaker box to get warm, running two ACs.

[chuckbear]

My transfer relay is also causing the breaker box to feel much warmer than I would like if there is a heavy load on like AC units and other items on at the same time. I have checked all the connections and they are all tight and the relay does not show any signs of overheating, although at times it gets pretty warm. At what point should I be concerned? Will replacing it fix the issue or will the new relay warm up also? Chuck

[mrwrench]

Originally Posted by chuckbear

My transfer relay is also causing the breaker box to feel much warmer than I would like if there is a heavy load on like AC units and other items on at the same time. I have checked all the connections and they are all tight and the relay does not show any signs of overheating, although at times it gets pretty warm. At what point should I be concerned? Will replacing it fix the issue or will the new relay warm up also? Chuck

my concern is that I smell some hot wiring.....

[chuckbear]

Originally Posted by mrwrench

my concern is that I smell some hot wiring.....

That would be a concern for me too. In my case, there is no smell and if I didn't lay hand on the fuse panel I wouldn't know there was an issue. I just don't know if I should be considering replacing the relay or if it's normal. Chuck

[frogger1]

twinboat,


Here is a cut and paste from the PDF file for the transfer switch that was emailed to me by Fleetwood:


"While the generator is being turned off, a chatter will be heard coming from the Transfer
Switch. This is a normal occurrence due to the characteristics of Alternating Current on
the Transfer Switch Coil."


This is my observation, not from the PDF ---> The time delay circuit does not do anything during the changeover back to shore power. Any delay and chatter you observe going back to shore power is not due to the time delay circuit, but due to the genset voltage dropping to zero as the genset shuts down. [edit] this is a good reason to disconnect loads from the generator during transfer back to shore power, other wise you subject them to "brownout" conditions while the generator spins down and finally reconnects to shore power.



I can email you the PDF file if you like. It is 5 pages with photos showing the PDC-1001, PDC-1009, and PDC-1020 panels. This document would be worth a sticky.

[frogger1]

Here is a picture of the relay I removed:


The little braided wired near the bottom center of the photo, near the white wire, is one of four wires that carry the entire 110v load. The one connected to the burnt armature was brittle from the heat and came apart in my hand as I was removing the relay.


The burning smell was the insulation burning off the wire that has the conductors exposed on the left center.


That oversized yellow ring terminal on the upper right was not my handiwork so someone has been here before. I found all connections to be tight, even the burned one, so I'm guessing the heat may have been caused by a bad or arced relay terminal.

[frogger1]

Here is the PDF file for the transfer switch that I got from Fleetwood:

[chrgnu]

I had same issue with 2 AC's running. I had 1 loose neutral and 1 that was broken but touching the neutral bar. The breaker box would get so hot tou couldnt touch it. Make sure all the connections are tight and unbroken.. good luck

[ga traveler]

I have a 1999 Pace Arrow. It chatters everytime I shut off the generator. We were a Fleetwood dealer and I can assure you the chatter is normal. The smell is NOT normal. Check the connectors and pull up the wire until it is clean wire and add a new connector, Buy a contact file and clean the points of the relay. Pitted points will cause high resistance.