Community Forums

chuck7 · 05-11-2007, 06:47 PM

I'm looking for some expert advise. after I start the generator and the relay switches over to 110v the interior lights will flicker.

chuck7 · 05-11-2007, 06:47 PM

I'm looking for some expert advise. after I start the generator and the relay switches over to 110v the interior lights will flicker.

adj · 05-11-2007, 11:45 PM

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by chuck7:
I'm looking for some expert advise. after I start the generator and the relay switches over to 110v the interior lights will flicker. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

If I'm reading this correctly, your lights are flickering only when you are running on generator power. If so, you apparently have a problem between the generator and the transfer switch.

RV Wizard · 05-12-2007, 12:37 AM

Follow up on what Dale is suggesting to check shore power also. If the lights are getting bright and then dim, I would think you should also check the converter/charger as well. Make certain that all connections at batteries and frame are good. Some of the old converter chargers would cut in and out more often but you still may have a problem in the batteries. After they are charged, remove the surface charge by putting on a good load for a minute or so. Now you chould check the specific gravity of each cell and record the reading. Compare each cell to the others and let us know what you find. Give us as much info as to when this happens and under what conditions. Thanks.

hamguy · 05-12-2007, 05:58 AM

That happened to me once. Turns out we had the battery cut-off switch kicked and the converter alone was powering the systems. The voltage from the converter was unstable enough without the solid load of the battery to cause wide fluctuations.

Gary RVRoamer · 05-12-2007, 06:15 PM

Usually the interior lights are powered by DC, not Ac, so are not directly powered by the generator. Light power comes from a combination of batteries and converter (or inverter) charger. However, it is possible that your generator is not putting out stable AC current and the charger is reacting to that with uneven 12V output. This could happen if the generator is not running smoothly because it has to be running at a fixed and constant RPM to produce a proper AC voltage wave form. Over or ender RPM or varying RPMs will produce uneven AC output and that may be causeing your converter/charger to produce fluctuating DC voltage.

chuck7 · 05-19-2007, 05:06 PM

Your right Gary the converter changes the ac to dc sorry I wasn't more informative. the lights flicker both ways with the generator and using shore power and whats weird is it doesn't do it all the time. Maybe a weak converter? The onan is new with only 79 hours. I just replaced the house batteries 5 months ago with 2 deep cycle golf cart batteries also put new cable ends on so I know the battery connections are good.

adj · 05-19-2007, 05:30 PM

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by chuck7:
Your right Gary the converter changes the ac to dc sorry I wasn't more informative. the lights flicker both ways with the generator and using shore power and whats weird is it doesn't do it all the time. Maybe a weak converter? The onan is new with only 79 hours. I just replaced the house batteries 5 months ago with 2 deep cycle golf cart batteries also put new cable ends on so I know the battery connections are good. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
Try the lights on battery power only. Disconnect any ac input.

chuck7 · 05-20-2007, 07:40 AM

I've never had a problem with the lights flickering on 12v power alone.

adj · 05-20-2007, 04:35 PM

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by chuck7:
I've never had a problem with the lights flickering on 12v power alone. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Well, there you go--it sure looks like a converter problem.