Community Forums

wendyjeff · 05-05-2011, 06:03 AM

I had my 2002 Winnebago 35U plugged into the garage and started the generator. Now I keep tripping the breaker in the garage when I plug the shoreline back in. Is there something I may have done that I shouldn't have? I can't find anything in the manuals about not starting the generator when the shoreline is plugged in.

pa0gri · 05-05-2011, 06:28 AM

There should be a relay that engages when the generator starts and switches over from shore to generator power.
I am afraid that while traveling from one to the other position the relay contacts sparked to both sides and you now have a "permanent" contact to both sides.
Shore power sees a heavy load in a generator and trips.
Be careful, when you start the generator there may be hot voltage on your shore line connector points.

Luckely I have to take the shore line plug out the generator socket when I need shore power (Simple class C...)

Luv2go · 05-05-2011, 06:28 AM

No, the garage breaker should not trip when generator is running. Transfer switches usually have "Generator priority", that is, the coach will be powered by the generator when you have both shore power plugged in and generator running. I suspect the transfer switch is bad.

If this is truly the problem, you may even have generator voltage on your shore power plug when you are running the generator and the plug is not plugged in. This is really dangerous!

You can open and inspect the transfer switch with all power disconnected, you may find one of the relays stuck. If you have a DMM and feel comfortable troubleshooting AC power, you can try measuring the voltage at the plug with the generator running, tracing back through the transfer switch until you find the problem.

pa0gri · 05-05-2011, 06:33 AM

Luv2Go, That is what I said, you call it transfer switch, I call it relay.
The transfer switch (IMHO) is a relay actually, powered by the voltage the generator creates.

I also gave the reason why the transfer switch/ relay got bad.

Probably the same as Tomatto and Tomato, US english versus "Real" english.

The result is the same.

RV Wizard · 05-06-2011, 02:59 AM

Turn all the circuit breakers off; including the generator circuit breaker(s). Plug the coach back into the garage receptacle and if it trips you may have a shore in the power cord, transfer switch or cable to the distribution panel. If the breaker holds, turn on the main circuit breaker first and one circuit breaker at a time until you find the circuit that is the culprit. If you are plugged into a GFCI circuit, I will bet you have a bad heating element. Let us know what you find.

wackymac · 05-06-2011, 04:21 AM

pa0gri---In my Fleetwood Fiesta class A, my "transfer switch" is the same as yours. Could't be any simpler and less trouble free.

wendyjeff · 05-06-2011, 04:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RV Wizard

Turn all the circuit breakers off; including the generator circuit breaker(s). Plug the coach back into the garage receptacle and if it trips you may have a shore in the power cord, transfer switch or cable to the distribution panel. If the breaker holds, turn on the main circuit breaker first and one circuit breaker at a time until you find the circuit that is the culprit. If you are plugged into a GFCI circuit, I will bet you have a bad heating element. Let us know what you find.

I had the power cord from the MH plugged in to an extension cord and that was plugged into the garage. I turned the MH around so I could get the power cord close enough to be able to plug directly into the garage and the problem has gone away. I'm guessing I had a bad extension cord. Thanks for everyone's help.

Gary RVRoamer · 05-06-2011, 07:30 AM

You are both correct. An RV "power transfer switch" is a set of relays that operate in a particular way, always giving the generator priority over shore power as the power source.

pa0gri · 05-07-2011, 01:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wendyjeff

I had the power cord from the MH plugged in to an extension cord and that was plugged into the garage. I turned the MH around so I could get the power cord close enough to be able to plug directly into the garage and the problem has gone away. I'm guessing I had a bad extension cord. Thanks for everyone's help.

Glad it was an easy and cheap fix.
We all assumed the worst but fortunate it was "simple".

Greetings, Gerard.