PowrTech generator question

bigred · January 08, 2018, 12:56:08 PM

Some one in the know on gen-set's please help.We took a trip in early December which was for the most part uneventful We parked it and had not started it since.I have a factory installed 17.5 Power Tech generator which has worked flawlessly since I have had it .We are just emerging from the Grand Daddy of all cold snaps .I needed my 120V block heater,as I was going to drive the bus some.True to form ,the drama started.Here is what I can tell you .I have no 120v from the genset .It starts and runs but no 120. The set up on my bus is as follows .I have two inverter chargers ,four 8d batteries .The genset has two thirty amp breakers ,a start switch and a reset button mounted on the genset it self .None of them are tripped.Non of the resets on the inverters are tripped and neither is the 50a main breaker In the automatic transfer switch,there appears to be pilot light bridged across in put terminals none of these are glowing when the genset is running ,This is my question .Does this sound like the MB from the house panel or one or both of the breakers on the genset or neither.The breakers on the genset look like they would be a real pita to remove

buswarrior · January 08, 2018, 05:03:02 PM

First step, go right to the generator's own output connections, check for voltage there, cycle the CB off and on.

No point digging any further if it isn't making power.

happy coaching!
buswarrior

Utahclaimjumper · January 08, 2018, 05:15:19 PM

Can you verify that you have a load in place..Most won't activate with out a load present.>>>Dan

luvrbus · January 08, 2018, 05:58:35 PM

Is it brushless or the brush type,check the voltage at the exciter when running

bigred · January 08, 2018, 06:18:34 PM

Cliff:Don't know if it is brushless or not .I will find the poop sheet tomorrow and find out .This just seems to have happened out of the blue and I haven't really dug into it yet.

AndyG · January 16, 2018, 05:00:40 PM

I don't know if you have solved your problem yet. I have a 7.5KW Powertech in my rig. There are a couple of tube type fuses that screw into the side of the control box on my genset. One controls the 12V charging circuit and the other is associated with 120V power. Check these fuses. After you check the fuses get your meter to see if 120V is coming out of the genset. If you have voltage out check your transfer switch. The most common trouble that I have is with the transfer switch. If it has been a long time between uses the automatic transfer switch does not always energize. I have to remove the cover and press the contacts closed with a screwdriver.

eagle19952 · January 16, 2018, 05:03:21 PM

9v battery to flash the field ?

maybe ?

bigred · January 17, 2018, 07:28:00 AM

Thanks Guy's,But this is another one of those things that drive me up the wall .Went out and fired the bus up then fired up the generator .It worked flawlessly .Here is what I think happened.This bus has two inverter's and four 8d batteries During the cold snap we had ,the batteries from one of the inverter's had completely drained down.Evidently ,this is where the the coil on the transfer switch is fed from.When I started the bus ,the voltage from the generator must have been enough to get the coil on the transfer switch to switch to generator power thus restoring the 120/240v systems to working order.

luvrbus · January 17, 2018, 07:32:39 AM

Don't you love a easy fix some way they just seem to fix their self if you don't panic

chessie4905 · January 17, 2018, 12:04:26 PM

You still need to determine whether is uses brushes or not for future issues that will crop up.

bigred · January 17, 2018, 12:33:34 PM

Quote from: luvrbus on January 17, 2018, 07:32:39 AM
Don't you love a easy fix some way they just seem to fix their self if you don't panic

That is an absolute fact Cliff!! I kind of learned that the time the Prevy wouldn't go in gear!! Two tows latter and then the thing went in gear every time .Two years latter and it is still going in gear!!

Scott & Heather · January 18, 2018, 10:56:30 AM

Ok guys, let's not get carried away, my problems never fix themselves.....after this past week, I am painfully aware of this...

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bigred · January 18, 2018, 02:21:17 PM

Quote from: Scott & Heather on January 18, 2018, 10:56:30 AM
Ok guys, let's not get carried away, my problems never fix themselves.....after this past week, I am painfully aware of this...

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

No Scott ,It doesn't usually work that way for me either,but when it does HOW SWEET IT IS !!!! lol