Generator help in San Diego

[RJ]

Jim -

You might give Bob Rowsell at HB Industries a call.  He's close to you - in El Cajon - and has been playing with bus conversions for quite awhile.

http://www.hb-industries.com/

Might also poke around and see if there's a "Copart Inc" or similar lot in your area.  This is an outfit where the tow companies tow wrecks to be stored/auctioned off after the insurance companies do their thing.  Be a perfect place to buy a wrecked S&S that still has the genset in it - if, in fact, you really do need another one.

Along the same lines, you may have seen some small SUVs running around with "Progressive" emblazoned on them.  These are adjusters for Progressive insurance.  If you can track one down, you might inquire as to where you could find wrecked S&S that they've totaled, since they're a big insurer in the RV industry.
 
Oh, and FYI, Generec gensets are often referred to as Gen-a-wreck.

FWIW & HTH. . .

[JT4SC]

Thanks RJ, Bob looks like a great resource!!  I will give him a call and see if he has some insights and maybe a lead on a good generator.

[JohnEd]

Hey guys,

5.) JohnEd - If I am following you correctly - if the interior bus electrical system is working when I am plugged in to a campsite then the overall electrical system is fine, and would not be the reason for killing the generator.  Is that right? 

Not what i meant to say.  In a post it was offered tat your "load", being your house wiring, might be taking out the generators.  My point was that if your house system worked on the pole you should look elsewhere for your problem.  Knowing where "not" to look can be very helpful and time saving.  Unless by "overall" you meant the house system and in that case "yes".

Good luck with this,


John

[desi arnaz]

my house wiring had a lot of white wires where the blacks should of been and this was causing me a lot of problems, so i just ohmed everything out and placed the wires in the box according to neutral and hot.

[Bill B /bus]

I will go farther: 1 verifygenerator connection wiring as installed is correct as per CODE, 2 find out if generator head good or bad, 3 voltage regulator needs to be tested 4 if generator head has failed then determine failure mechanism and verify that the 120VAC house wiring is per CODE. If not IAW with National Electrical Code you have a problem which must be fixed, Right now you have only one fact that the generator has failed three times. Well actually four.

You can buy a replacement generator head for a lot less than $2500.
We built a 7KW generator and installed for less than $4K. That's a water cooled diesel engined, 3 cyl, with sound box and quiet exhaust generator that fits inside the AC condenser compartment(MCI102A3) with room to spare.   If I remember correctly the generator head was around $500.

Bill

[gus]

JT,

You still didn't say if it is the whole set that was replaced or just the head?

As already posted, heads are a lot cheaper than gensets.

[JohnEd]

my house wiring had a lot of white wires where the blacks should of been and this was causing me a lot of problems, so i just ohm ed everything out and placed the wires in the box according to neutral and hot.

Desi,

It is legal to use a white wire where a black or red might be called for.  You must, however, recolor the wire at it's ends.  They sell different colored electrical tape for exactly that purpose.  You can also slip on some colored sleeving and spray painting the wire the correct color is also OK.  Once you find a white that should be colored black just spray all the wires connected as black with black paint.  Doing it right you should attach circuit number tape and document what that circuit conductor is and where it terminates.  Runlists!  Just takes time....right?

[Len Silva]

my house wiring had a lot of white wires where the blacks should of been and this was causing me a lot of problems, so i just ohm ed everything out and placed the wires in the box according to neutral and hot.

Desi,

It is legal to use a white wire where a black or red might be called for.  You must, however, recolor the wire at it's ends.  They sell different colored electrical tape for exactly that purpose.  You can also slip on some colored sleeving and spray painting the wire the correct color is also OK.  Once you find a white that should be colored black just spray all the wires connected as black with black paint.  Doing it right you should attach circuit number tape and document what that circuit conductor is and where it terminates.  Runlists!  Just takes time....right?

John,

I have to challenge that statement.  You are correct that it is legal to use a white wire as hot if properly marked, but only if that is the only option.

1.  Wire sizes larger than #6
2.  Two wire cable used for 220 volt service
3.  Switchlegs

I can think of no other situation where it would be acceptable practice to re-identify a white wire as hot.

[JT4SC]

Hi Gus -
The whole set was replace 3 different times, and I think each time it was with one of the cheap chinese brands.  I am going to try to get a picture today and post it online so people can see what I currently have.
Thanks!
Jim

[JohnEd]

John,

I have to challenge that statement.  You are correct that it is legal to use a white wire as hot if properly marked, but only if that is the only option.

1.  Wire sizes larger than #6
2.  Two wire cable used for 220 volt service
3.  Switchlegs

I can think of no other situation where it would be acceptable practice to re-identify a white wire as hot.

Challenge away, my friend, challenge away.  That's my story and I am sticking to it.

[dougyes]

Try Ricks RV in El Cajon

[gus]

JT,

Thanks, this has been a good drill for all of us.

When you get another genset make sure you get one with a coolant overheat shutdown on the engine and a thermal shutdown on the gen head.