Community Forums

Pat Markey · 01-18-2022, 12:06 PM

I have a 2011 Entegra Aspire SKT that has an Onan Generator with an Energy Command 30. I am having trouble with the Auto Gen settings. When I place the coach on Auto Gen (I am plugged in... 50 Amps) and when I press enter it sometimes starts the generator immediately.....other times it it will wait 3 to 8 minutes and then start. Have I got an internal setting wrong?

Pat Markey
2011 Entegra Aspire SKT

HarryStone · 01-18-2022, 12:37 PM

According to the instructions, there are only two run commands; 1 from battery voltage low, and the other is a command to run from high demand load, like an AC. First, make sure your ON voltage is about 11.5V or so. Too high and the gen will be commanded on too often. There should be a connection available that will sense 120VAC coming in and suppress the gen from starting. Do you have the manual?

https://www.cummins.com/sites/defaul...-operation.pdf

BigEvi · 01-19-2022, 07:44 AM

Will the generator start at 11.5? 11.5 would be fully depleted batteries.

Pat Markey · 01-19-2022, 08:00 AM

Unfortunately, this coach was not set up to sense 120 volts. However, my ON setting was set at 12.2 volts. I lowered it to 11.5 volts and it seemed to solve the problem. Is 11.5 the right setting I should be using?

HarryStone · 01-19-2022, 09:11 AM

You will have to determine that by trial and error, likely. (Sorry, I picked 11.5 because I have lithium, 11.5 is too low for LAB's, but it was a test to determine what was causing the AGS to kick on) If you set the turn on voltage too high, when you load the batteries, they could dip down to the turn on voltage momentarily and kick the AGS to command the generator on. If 12.2 causes it to turn on, what is the battery resting voltage? I think that is the next thing to look at. You should be at 12.6 or 12.7 fully charged. If your batteries are not there after the charger has charged them up, then possibly you have a battery issue.

Pat Markey · 01-19-2022, 10:43 AM

The batteries are 2 years old but have gone almost dead twice (rv repair service forgot to turn them off after service). I bumped the "ON" setting to 11.8 and when I opened the awning the Gen wanted to start. I am now at 11.7 and I reset the awning and it held.

BigEvi · 01-19-2022, 12:47 PM

Fyi...11.8v is fully discharged. 12v is 25% 12.2 is 50%.

Some generators are designed to start down to about 10v...I would check/test yours before expecting the gen to start at 11.7.

HarryStone · 01-19-2022, 05:35 PM

If your batteries are dipping down to 11.8V just opening an awning, then I'd suggest they are gonzo. They don't have any capacity left.

Pat Markey · 01-20-2022, 12:23 PM

Looks like new batteries are in order. Thanks for all the advice.

Pat Markey
2011 Entegra Aspire SKT

iowaone · 01-20-2022, 04:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BigEvi

Fyi...11.8v is fully discharged. 12v is 25% 12.2 is 50%.

Some generators are designed to start down to about 10v...I would check/test yours before expecting the gen to start at 11.7.

Remember those discharge voltages are after setting with no load. The voltage most of us our see and the command system is seeing is with a load. So 11.8 with a load is not fully discharged.

BigEvi · 01-20-2022, 06:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by iowaone

Remember those discharge voltages are after setting with no load. The voltage most of us our see and the command system is seeing is with a load. So 11.8 with a load is not fully discharged.

Regardless of load...if the batts are indicating 11.8 the extra load added by the gen starter won't work...unless the gen starts off of chassis batts that are on a separate system...or the gen can start at a lower voltage.

blang311 · 01-23-2022, 12:07 PM

I also have a 2011 Aspire and experienced exactly what you did. My batteries drop to 12.2 quickly when boondocking and the auto start on the generator will kick on almost immediately. So much so that we stopped using it. So I did some testing and found my voltage would drop to 12.2 and then stay there for up to 8 hours after which the generator would still start fine. Not sure what to make of this, but thats what we experienced.