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Rchase513 · 10-09-2021, 07:00 AM

I have had a 37’ Aerbus for a couple yrs now

Generac genny has recently had $2,800 rebuild

I have burned up a couple portable heaters a hair dryer and am now on my second coffee maker.

They don’t smoke or anything they just go dead. This has happened before and after the genny repairs

What am I doing wrong?

Thx!

wolfe10 · 10-09-2021, 07:14 AM

What is VOLTAGE???

xrated · 10-09-2021, 07:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rchase513

I have had a 37’ Aerbus for a couple yrs now

Generac genny has recently had $2,800 rebuild

I have burned up a couple portable heaters a hair dryer and am now on my second coffee maker.

They don’t smoke or anything they just go dead. This has happened before and after the genny repairs

What am I doing wrong?

Thx!

Low voltage is one of the most harmful factors when it comes to equipment failure. When the voltage is low, the current (amps) will go up. Prolonged use of equipment being supplied with low voltage CAN AND WILL cause issues, including premature equipment failure because of the excessive current through the equipment.

My suggestion is to check (or have it checked if you don't know how) by someone that knows what to look for voltage wise. Another suggestion is to make sure you have a good quality/working EMS system on the camper that will take you offline from the power if the voltage goes too low.....or if it goes too high. You need to get to the bottom of this or you will continue to experience equipment failure, as you probably already know.

YC1 · 10-09-2021, 07:25 AM

Voltage aside, are you running them on an inverter at any point in time?

A floor heater of course would be a tremendous load for an inverter and a coffee pot is likely sensitive to modified sine wave power.

It is really important to start with the voltmeter. Measure with no load and then with a floor heater on to put a big pull on the system.

Low voltage can be just as damaging as high voltage. Voltage regulated components in the electronics can die when taken out of their designed voltage range. Think of brown outs when your pc would go blue for example.

Rchase513 · 10-09-2021, 07:50 AM

I should also say that this dp had a new intelex 2500 ems system installed after I bought it-

Are you saying read voltage with a meter? Or watch amp draw on intellex load meter?

Could I be smoking this stuff by plugging in when just inverter is on (genny not fired up or shorepower on)

I guess maybe I don’t understand the ems system(?)

I know not to fire up both AC unless 50 amp or 1 on 30 amp shorepower)
The genny will run everything when running
Inverter only runs the small stuff when it is primary
I did run a coffee pot on the inverter last week and tripped a breaker half way through a pot brewing.

Thx!

TXiceman · 10-09-2021, 08:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by xrated

When the voltage is low, the current (amps) will go up. Prolonged use of equipment being supplied with low voltage CAN AND WILL cause issues, including premature equipment failure because of the excessive current through the equipment.

Low voltage only causes inductive loads like motors to draw more amps. For a coffee make or other resistive heater loads, this is not the case.

Ken

NITEHAWK · 10-09-2021, 08:15 AM

#1 rule in our coach is that NOTHING electrical be running or on (like the TV) until PowerWatch meter indicates full voltage.
The appliances do not like low voltage when the generator is coming up to full load or coming down to Off.
Haven't lost anything in 10 years with this coach.

Podivin · 10-09-2021, 08:17 AM

If you've been running these devices on the inverter then I would first focus on the inverter rather than the generator. Some inverters create modified sine wave power, some create true sine wave power. Some devices don't care for modified sine wave and it will eventually cause problems with them. So find the model number for you inverter and look up the specs on it - that might give you a idea of where to start.

twinboat · 10-09-2021, 10:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TXiceman

Low voltage only causes inductive loads like motors to draw more amps. For a coffee make or other resistive heater loads, this is not the case.

Ken

Absolutely, and why a loose connection will burn up your connection and not trip a circuit breaker. It's a resistive load.

Rchase513 · 10-10-2021, 06:18 AM

So is there a good rule when using the inverter?

Like only lights or tv? No microwave no coffee pot etc?
Thx

YC1 · 10-10-2021, 06:34 AM

Is the inverter original? In any case chase down the manual and see what kind it is. It will be good for you to know all of the specs.

If it is a modified sine wave inverter and original the Microwave may work with it but may not work optimally.

I would definitely not run a modern coffee pot on a modified one. Proved that to myself by accident. I know better but forgot to unplug it. Emergency trip to store for new coffee maker was the results.

Televisions seem to work well on modified units. Watch, feel, and smell anything new you try.

As for heaters and a blow dryer. I would never try to use those on any kind of inverter in an RV. Of course there are exceptions for folks with enough solar to run a city block but that is rare.

If those devices are failing that is a different issue and it is very common to have more than one system issue.

Interior lights are likely 12 volts so are not part of the issue.

it is important to clean and tighten any transfer switch contacts. The number of fires caused by those is amazing.

As mentioned multiple times. You need to plug in a voltmeter while using one of the floor heaters to load things down.

In any case, a good PM of the wiring is critical for any rv at least annually. Poor things live on a fault line and lots of things shake loose.

astrnmrtom · 10-10-2021, 11:28 AM

First place I'd go is to check the output of the generator even though it's been rebuilt. Low voltage has been mentioned but there's overvoltage too. I had the voltage regulator go in mine which made things do weird stuff. It worked fine at first until it heated up.

While the heating elements and mechanical switches aren't effected much by low voltage, except for reduced output, and digital controls can be sensitive. A lot of small appliances have internal fuses, even one's marked "No user serviceable parts inside." I've revived several that suddenly died, by opening them up, removing the burnt fuse or link, and adding a fuse holder. Not really worth the hassle for something cheap. A lot of modern electrical appliances are not very robust. They are throw away items and it doesn't take much to kill them.

Also verify your generator is operating at the proper RPM so it's producing 60 cycles +-. Don't have stuff plugged in and turned on when starting the generator.

Yes, yes, yes, on checking connections. Agreed it should be part of everyone's yearly maintenance to do so including inside the breaker panel and transfer switches - no power please when checking. If you have a loose connection that arcs, it could send transient spikes or inrush current to an electronic component which if poorly protected, could fry. This can cause fuses to pop too. I had a couple of cheap 12v USB charger/power supplies go when I re-connected my battery cables once.

Another place where you can have a bad connection is in the outlets. Some RV outlets use a pinch connector and they can be daisy chained using an outlet as a junction box of sorts. Look for signs of heat, either discoloration, back or blue of the wire, melted or crispy insulation, or burnt plastic on the outlet or connector. I spotted a loose connection at work by accident by entering a mechanical room with the lights off. As I was reaching for the switch I noticed a bright red glow on the opposite wall. Thought, "I don't remember a red indicator light there before." Turned on the light, and it was an exposed screw connection glowing red hot. The box SHOULD have had a cover, but in this case it was fortunate it didn't, or I never would have seen the problem. It WAS corrected - nasty code violation!