Generator help in San Diego

[JT4SC]

Hey guys!!  I'm not sure if you remember me but my name is Jim, and I bought one of Mike Kadletz's  Moose Creek Motorhomes in 2007, then my wife and I and our two dogs took the Moose all over the US and Canada for 6 months.  We didn't know anything about RVing or Bus Conversions at the time, and this community really came through for us.  We are so thankful to many of you here - this place is filled with good people!!

After our trip we have had a tough time financially (go figure).  When we left for our road trip the economy was fine, my old firm had 80 people working in our local office and I assumed I could just go back and get my old job back if I wanted to.  When we got back in December 2007 all 80 people had been laid off and the economy was in the tank.  We were in trouble.

To make a very long story short life has been tough financially since the road trip.  Luckily I have the love of a great wife.  I still have the Moose (I paid it off just before the whole financial world collapsed), but it's been sitting for over a year as we just didn't have any extra money to take it anywhere.

Finally, I have a little breathing room and things are starting to get back on track!  I went to the storage yard about a week ago, got a new 8D battery and was able to charge and save the other 8D, got her started and she ran pretty darn well.  She is a very forgiving lady.

Now to my question (sorry for the long intro – but if you remembered me and my wife Roilyn I just wanted to bring you up to speed on our RV life).  I am looking for a good (but hopefully reasonably priced) person or shop to help me diagnose and fix my generator issue - which is it keeps burning up brand-new generators in about 2 hours.

The background is the generator system has never worked properly since we owned it.  I think Mike just didn't know how to do it properly (no offense to Mike - we got along great – he is the one who replaced the generator at his cost 3 different times).  The issue now is I need this done right.  Anyone know someone in San Diego that knows RV generator systems?

Thanks guys!!!
Jim and Roilyn

[TomC]

What kind and make generator is it? Good Luck, TomC

[robertglines1]

pic& more info  might be surprised how simple solution might be.  2hrs?

[JT4SC]

Hey guys,
I will go get a pic, I don't have one with me.  I have a bad feeling its one of those chinese brands talked about on the "possible genset" thread...

[Busted Knuckle]

Jim & Roilyn,

Welcome back and good to hear that things are looking up!

First off I don't even own a conversion. And know practical little to none about the working of a generator except put fuel in it and run it!

But FWIW I know your coach I looked it over several times while I was @ Mike's place delivering buses he'd bought here or there.
IIRC it didn't have a gen in it then and there was one in his shop floor his "shop" guy told me they "had pulled it from a coach because it just kept screwing up!"

Now keep in mind that was hear say, but maybe be food for thought.

If I were you I'd find a way to get to someone who knows RV gen systems and have them check out the bus wiring and the gen itself if it's burning them up that fast there is a major problem somewhere!
Might see if Clifford has anyone to recommend or if he could/would look @ it if you were to take it too him!

At this point I would not be as worried about "cheap" as I would be "good" since the more times you have it "fixed cheaply" would pay to have it "fixed right" once!
JMHO! And again welcome back & good luck!
  BK 

[demodriver]

I dont have advice for the generator but I do have some for your batterys.  Its generally not a good idea to hook a new battery with a old one. The old one will draw the new down to its "level".

Good Luck
Eric

[luvrbus]

A photo or make and model would help you never knew what Mike installed for generators gas or diesel,I don't think he ever installed a new one unless the owner bought it and then it was a little iffy

good luck

[gus]

Did you replace just the generator head or the whole genset the times it failed/

What failed, exactly? Very often it is just the rectifier in the gen head or if it is any wiring it can usually be rewound.

Of course the primary question here is why are they failing? From my recent experiences it could be heat.

[JohnEd]

Right there at the gront of the breaker box is a "switch" to select "gen".....shore power.  If you bus works on "shore power" then your wiring is OK.  If things seem to work and you don't smell smoke you are pretty much alright.  Check the yelloow pages for RV service with a speciality for gen sets.  Call the RV shops to get a recommendation.  Check the net for the brand of your genset and see their site for service in your area.  Got to shops in Nasty City or Chula Vista for better prices.  Santee is also a more reasonable area for work.  Ask each shop the same question....what will you charge me to diagnose the problem....what will you charge to fully test the system/genset.....what all do you do when you test the system.  You will have a feel for who is doing what and where the bears shat in the buckweet.  Listen carefully cause you can hear when people lie even on the phone to a stranger.  Go shopper person...go.

After you hear "oh, one of those" the third time you will know what you have to do.

Good luck,


John

[JT4SC]

Hey guys,
Thanks for all the replies!!  I will answer each of them in order:

1.) I will get a pic of the gen ASAP, the guy who owns the storage place where I keep the coach is a pain in the butt, and it's hard to get in there sometimes.

2.) BK - its great to hear from you again!!  Is Nick still around?  I agree with everything you said, but which poster is Clifford, I haven't seen anyone with that handle on the board yet (but I have only been back on for a couple days). 

3.) Demodriver - good to know, I will be keeping a close eye on those batts and if I see any change for the worse I will change out the old one.

4.) Gus - Mike kept replacing the broken one with (what appeared to me) as being a new one (it sure looked new at least). 

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? 
As far as smoke goes, there was smoke from the generator but I believe it was only typical exhaust from the generator and didn't seem out of the ordinary (at least to me).

[Busted Knuckle]

Hey guys,
Thanks for all the replies!!  I will answer each of them in order:

1.) I will get a pic of the gen ASAP, the guy who owns the storage place where I keep the coach is a pain in the butt, and it's hard to get in there sometimes.

2.) BK - its great to hear from you again!!  Is Nick still around?  I agree with everything you said, but which poster is Clifford, I haven't seen anyone with that handle on the board yet (but I have only been back on for a couple days).  

3.) Demodriver - good to know, I will be keeping a close eye on those batts and if I see any change for the worse I will change out the old one.


4.) Gus - Mike kept replacing the broken one with (what appeared to me) as being a new one (it sure looked new at least).  

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?  
As far as smoke goes, there was smoke from the generator but I believe it was only typical exhaust from the generator and didn't seem out of the ordinary (at least to me).

Jim I'll start at the top.
Clifford is aka "Luvrbus" and is very knowledgeable in all things bus. (and many more too!) He's been @ this game lot's longer than most of us and knows ALL the players . He knows who, where, what & why about just about every Eagle bus around and also knows all the suppliers, converters and shops in the West and many on this side of the Mississippi river too!

Eric aka Demodriver is correct too it's hard on a new battery when hooked up to an old one and the "general" rule is to do both @ one time. (but that ain't written in stone and you'll find many who argue till the cows come home it don't make a difference!)
"
Mike kept replacing the broken one with (what appeared to me) as being a new one (it sure looked new at least)."  
Boy you said it all right there! I have no knowledge of whether it was new or not. But you are talking about the guy who is an expert @ polishing turds and putting them on silver platters and selling the heck out of them. (knows how to clean and polish things to a perfection)
And just because he is replacing them it doesn't mean it's being done right. It could be the installation causing the problem.

And no  just because the house system works fine of the power pole does not mean all is OK with the "overall" electrical system.  Just that part of it!

It still could be between the generator and the main house breaker system like in the transfer switch, bad wrong ground location or method, crossed wires, shorted wires, wrong size wiring, poor connections etc. Many many possibilities there! (and trust me I am by far no expert on electrical stuff so get PROFESSIONAL help in this area!)
And as far as smoke goes when things electrical are working right there will be NO SMOKE, but just for the split second that it goes south there will be  quick puff of smoke that will come out and disappear and then things don't work. (it's known as "letting the smoke out" and once an item has let the smoke out it no longer works!)

Hope this helps some.
I still recommend finding someone KNOWN to KNOW what they are doing with RV systems & generators and have it fixed right the first trip instead of finding a bargain priced tech that may or may not fix it in 3-4 tries.
 BK  

[Busted Knuckle]

And oh yes Nick is still around, but he's very busy with other things (biz, hurricanes, etc. & son's racing go karts and Nick's putting 200% into that effort) these days and very rarely get graced with his presence.
But he is still here.
  BK 

[JT4SC]

Thanks BK, your insight and opinion makes good sense, especially the stuff about getting it done RIGHT!!  I am going to heed that advise.

As for the generator itself, there are a TON of options, and I don't want to cheap out, however I just can't afford anything above $2,500.  So, I saw this generator when I googled "RV generator" -

http://www.norwall.com/products/Generac-Quietpact-55G-5.5kW-Gasoline-RV-Generator.html?gdftrk=gdfV23267_a_7c1096_a_7c3327_a_7c5855

Is there a consensus on this brand of generator?  Its not as big as I would like, but its made in the USA and looks to be a pretty reputable manufacturer.

[Busted Knuckle]

Before buying one lets make sure it's the generator and not the install!

Won't do any good to replace it if it's not the generator and burns up the new one too!

Besides I know Bob, Clifford and some of the other guys here can point you to a better genny than that one for your needs.
  BK 

[JT4SC]

Sounds good, I will hang tight.  Thanks BK!!