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Sometimes It’s the Simple Answer
So,
Yesterday I serviced my generator, new belts/hoses, coolant, oil/oil and air & filters, etc.
I was in such a good cleaning/maintenance mood, so I cleaned out my second bay where my electrical boxes are located, including my golf clubs, luggage, etc.
Today, I went to turn the generator on just to re-check all hoses/filters, etc. While doing this, I went inside to turn on my Salon A/C. Nothing … Hmm. I had nothing coming out of anything from my #2 Inverter.
So … for the next three hours, I checked everything I could think of, including calling Leon at Marathon. After three hours, I had pulled every electrical panel, checked all applicable breakers, relays, relays I didn’t know I had, electrical boxes I hadn’t opened previously, power at the main junction box, power inside both breaker boxes. Volt metered everything. At times, on Shore power, I didn’t have power on one leg. Af times my stove didn’t work. I think you get the picture of testing everything, a lot with Leon on the phone. Still couldn’t figure it out so he said to call back tomorrow.
Well, remember I said that I cleaned out the second bay where my electrical panels are located. After three hours, I went back to button up my bay doors for the evening, frustrated. Then I noticed, my #2 Inverter was “OFF”, apparently while cleaning the bay yesterday I knocked the switch from “Normal” to “Off” and didn’t notice it. Really, can I be that dumb???
I gotta say, Leon never mentioned the obvious to me either, probably thinking he shouldn’t have to mention that, thinking I was smarter than that 🙁
Bottom line, sometimes it’s the simple answer, to a problem I thought would cost me thousands.
But I do know my electrical systems much better 🙂
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2 Replies
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Those of us that have driven ourselves absolutely crazy trying to find out why something has suddenly stopped working have learned the very first place to look for the source of the problem is where we were recently working.
Self inflicted problems are much more common than we are willing to admit.
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These kinds of experiences and situations can be applied to many things, not just our motorhomes … airplanes, race cars, our fastened to the ground homes, software systems at work and home, business processes, etc.
I’ve been fortunate. Through my experience airplanes, the mortgage business, race cars, and now the motorhome I’ve been fortunate to have mentors and advisors who didn’t go jumping to quick conclusions and often a quick attempt to solve the problem that didn’t work. Stop and think a little (if you have time). Like the OP says, “Sometimes It’s the Simple Answer”, or alternatively “not what appears to be the obvious problem”.
These are skills that can be learned. For example, it’s taken a while but my wife has learned that when we are faced with a new problem on the coach the first step to fix it is not “let’s call Jeff”. If your wife or partner isn’t there yet, be patient … you’ll get him or her there eventually. It might take a while, but you’ll get there.
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