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Agility57 · 07-22-2013, 06:22 AM

Hello all,

I have been a forum lurker for a while now and decided to join after I have seen all the valuable information sharing. With that said, I have a question that certainly somebody can answer.

I have a 2004 Fleetwood Southwind 32V. The recurring problem is when I am using the genset for power (virtually all the time).

It is too load sensitive in my mind, we trip the 20a breaker all too often. I replaced the breaker two weeks ago thinking it might be weak but since then have popped it three times. The last occasion was just using the microwave and the rear air. The rear air was already on and after a few seconds of using the microwave the breaker opened. The incident before that was trying to heat the water electrically with the front air on.

So, determined to nail this thing down, I needed to investigate. I started to look at what the 30a breaker was tied to since I have never had an issue with it. I have read somewhere (maybe here) the 30a is for the front air and the rest of the house circuits and the 20a is for the rear air.

I turned the 30a breaker off, went inside the coach and could not find anything that did not have power to it. That leads me to believe everything is wired to the 20a breaker and hence the problem.

Am I missing something? Where is the transfer switch located, behind the house panel? Are there any real schematics of how the breakers should be wired? I see the two feeds in the four by four box leaving the genset, I would have to assume one is for the 20a and one for the 30a. My next step is to pull the house wiring panel to see where they go from there. From what I can tell, there has not been any work on the electrical systems or genset since it left the factory. The genset had <100 hours on it when I bought it last year.

Thoughts?

Thanks in advance.

**CLIFFTALL** · 07-22-2013, 06:37 AM

If you call FW and have your FW ID # , they will email you your wiring diagram and or walk you through it. It's also a good idea to put your MH year , make and model in your signature for future posts.

Agility57 · 07-22-2013, 07:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Clifftall

If you call FW and have your FW ID # , they will email you your wiring diagram and or walk you through it. It's also a good idea to put your MH year , make and model in your signature for future posts.

Thanks for your response.

I did call them Friday and they were no help really, at least from the person I spoke with. She discussed the simple electrical drawing supplied by Onan's manual, not specifically a wiring schematic as I need.

2004 Fleetwood Southwind 32V
Ford V10

**CLIFFTALL** · 07-22-2013, 07:52 AM

If you don't first get someone to answer your question , try , try again

. Maybe someone else can . I've asked to speak to someone more technical when the person I was speaking to didn't have a clue.

FTInMyDreams · 07-22-2013, 08:48 AM

The 20 amp should run the front A/C (front A/C is a bigger load so is isolated) it should feed up to a time delay relay behind the panel in the coach that closes on gen and takes it off of the main panel. The 30 amp should feed into the main panel and run rear A/C and rest of coach. Have you made sure all connections are tight a loose wire can cause a higher amp pull that could cause the breaker to fail.

Agility57 · 07-22-2013, 09:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FTInMyDreams

The 20 amp should run the front A/C (front A/C is a bigger load so is isolated) it should feed up to a time delay relay behind the panel in the coach that closes on gen and takes it off of the main panel. The 30 amp should feed into the main panel and run rear A/C and rest of coach. Have you made sure all connections are tight a loose wire can cause a higher amp pull that could cause the breaker to fail.

Okay with your answer now I am getting somewhere.

Is that all the 20a is supposed to run, the front-larger air? The 20a breaker at the genset is the only breaker that has been tripping with the water heater, microwave, hair dryer etc. If the case you stated is true, which I am not doubting BTW, the 30a should be handling all the other loads outside of the front air. What is the main purpose for the time delay relay? I have not pulled the panel yet, that was my next step. I did check the connections at the individual breakers but not behind.

Jeff

FTInMyDreams · 07-22-2013, 09:43 AM

The relay is the transfer for that circuit, it gives gen time to get up to speed before transfer. There is also a 30 amp transfer in back of main panel for that circuit.

Agility57 · 07-22-2013, 09:55 AM

That makes sense.

All in all though, I still do not know why there seems to be no load on the 30a breaker.

96 Wideglide · 07-22-2013, 10:10 AM

Your not alone. I think my gen is wired the same way

.
I've tripped the 20A breaker a few times with AC and microwave on.

Agility57 · 07-22-2013, 11:21 AM

Yes, exactly.

And to be able to go out to the genset, turn off the 30a breaker and find nothing off in the coach concerns me...............

FTInMyDreams · 07-22-2013, 11:29 AM

Sorry but can only tell how your motorhome is most likely set up with the information available. As far as trouble shooting would need to know more, when you say the 30 amp has no load does that mean you turned off the 20 amp from genset and MH had no power which could indicate transfer switch to main panel could not closing, you state you think too much is being feed by the 20 amp but you don’t think any work has been done on the electrical does that mean you checked that wiring at genset was correct with larger (10/2, main panel) on 30 amp and smaller (12/2, relay) on 20 amp, do you have any issues on shore power or just genset, etc. If you can detail what you have done somebody might be able to point you in the right direction.

96 Wideglide · 07-22-2013, 11:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Agility57

Yes, exactly.

And to be able to go out to the genset, turn off the 30a breaker and find nothing off in the coach concerns me...............

I'll have to try that. Did you manualy trip the 30A with the gen running, or fire it up with the 30 off?

Agility57 · 07-22-2013, 11:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 96 Wideglide

I'll have to try that. Did you manualy trip the 30A with the gen running, or fire it up with the 30 off?

Manually trip, or turn off with the genset running.

Agility57 · 07-22-2013, 12:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FTInMyDreams

Sorry but can only tell how your motorhome is most likely set up with the information available. As far as trouble shooting would need to know more, when you say the 30 amp has no load does that mean you turned off the 20 amp from genset and MH had no power which could indicate transfer switch to main panel could not closing, you state you think too much is being feed by the 20 amp but you don’t think any work has been done on the electrical does that mean you checked that wiring at genset was correct with larger (10/2, main panel) on 30 amp and smaller (12/2, relay) on 20 amp, do you have any issues on shore power or just genset, etc. If you can detail what you have done somebody might be able to point you in the right direction.

When the 20a pops, I have no power anywhere in the coach. Both a/c units are off as well as all outlets, microwave etc. My assumption is then, there is no load on the 30a. My next step is to put my amp probe on the 10/2 wire is the 4x4 junction box in the genset compartment.
As I stated, I do not think any work has been done to the MH, no add-ons or genset removal is obvious.
I have not had the opportunity to verify shore power and will most like not use shore power in my MH usage (show parking lots)