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New Generator Problem.
Now I have a generator problem. Two issues.
1. The autostart button on the panel over the left windshield is green and will not change to yellow when the button is pushed. I don’t know if the autostart system is operative and can’t be turned off, or if the system is inop and for some reason the green light is on in error or not. This is an issue that came with the coach and I just haven’t had the time to start to track it down.
2. This issue just came up. The generator can’t be started with the start button on the panel over the windshield nor will it start using the button in the bedroom. It starts fine and works OK when started with the switch on the generator. After it has been started from outside it will not shut down by using the stop buttons on the inside. It must be shut down by using the switch on the generator. I think that this is probably a simple problem and that somebody out there probably can send me to the source of it. Thanks for any suggestions.
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19 Replies
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John;
You probably have something wrong with the card in the ECC (Electronic Control Cabinet) that controls the auto gen function. Maybe Buddy could help us out here with the correct card number.
Michael
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John,
You probably know all this but, the Sunmulon switches all run thru the ECC cabinet. I would start with the fuses. Per CC ” Each circuit is fused either on a PC Card or by a fuse block located on the floor of the ECC housing. Next to every fuse is an LED which should burn green indicating a good fuse and no light at all if the fuse is bad. The PC Cards are accessible directly behind the ECC cover plate and Motherboard connections and test switches are reached by swinging the hinged motherboard support forward and accessing the back portion.” If you don’t have the CC information on the card numbers to narrow down which card / fuse I will try to track mine (2002) down but as Michael said Buddy has your year model and probably has the card # information for your year model. If it is a card problem CC is doing repairs again I am told. I was able to check my CC info and my generator functions run thru a PC Card listed simply as “Generator Card”. Let us know the outcome in case we have a similar issue and good hunting. -
John, sorry I just re read your post and realized I missed the switch info. I have the same problem but for overhead bedroom lights that are stuck on. Switches are also stuck on green and neither location of the on/ off buttons will operate the lights. Pulling the fuse solved my immediate problem to get the lights off but not a cure. By following the suggestions of much more knowledgeable folks to eliminate possible problems it is almost certainly a card problem for me. Ben at Parliment has the ability to fix the card ( he felt a bad transistor on the card was the likely culprit) and CC as I mentioned above but I stalled out on time and haven’t gone any further on the repair. Good luck and let me know if you find a solution. -
Thanks for the info. I feel also that the problem is with the daughter board and according to the key that I have it’s card #14. I’ll check it further when I have time. I’ll keep you posted.
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John, some of my stuff for the gen is on card in slot 16, so check that card to.
What I have found to be if the switches stay green it is the fuse or a bad card.
Some of these cards have a manual reset button on the back side of the card.
I don’t remember which ones but it is a small round white button sticking out of a small metal housing. Very small.
Need any help I will go check my bus to help trouble shoot.
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Thanks for the input. Haven’t been able to get to it yet, but will let you know what I find. Probably will get into it next week.
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Just got around to emptying the forward compartment and getting to the ECC panel to check further. Pulled card #14 and upon examination found a broken copper printed circuit conductor probably damaged when the board was removed and replaced on a previous occasion. Soildered in a jumper wire and all generator operations appear normal. I suppose I’ll have to let the house batteries get down to 10.8VDC to know if the autostart function works as it should. Thanks for all the help.
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John, I am not familiar with how you can change the voltage level for auto-start but the lower the voltage the greater the harm to batteries. Even though Tom likes to sell batteries he has always strongly suggested the re-charging should begin in the 12.2 to 12.3 volt range I think.
The deeper the discharge the fewer charging cycles your batteries will have.
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Thanks Jon, I’m aware of the discharge issue and the effect on the batteries. The CC manual says that the generator will autostart when the house batteries or the generator starting battery drops to 10.8. I thought about loading the generator starting battery and letting it discharge to check the system. I would like to up the setting to 12.2 and the question is, how? I can’t immagine how the 10.8 number came into being and if it was set there then surely it can be set to a higher number. I was hoping someone would read this and offer that information. I have a call in to Gregg at CC and I hope to get some info from him that will be useful. In the mean time, if anyone can offer info on how to check the system, or how to adjust the trigger voltage please chime in. Thanks.
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I have no clue how the system is set up, but if it has a sense wire that is providing battery voltage to the “brain” that starts the generator AND the generator shut down is based on time and not battery voltage you can put a resistor in the sense wire to make 12.2 volts in drop to 10.8 volts out.
That completely ignores another element of the start protocol. Just measuring voltage is not the best way to determine when the generator should run. If you impose a load on the 12 volt circuit such as starting a large water pump or in some manner cause a deep temporary voltage drop that could start the generator prematurely so you have to consider all the conditions under which your system does an auto-start and make sure chaging it, such as with a resistor is not messing something up.
So the bottom line is ignore anything I tell you unless you have learned how the system functions and that any change you might make is not going to adversely impact its operation.
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I think the drop in voltage has to be for a period of time in order not to cause a premature start. In actual operation, I never would let the system cycle on the autostart feature. When dry camping, I keep an eye on the voltage and start the generator myself and I never am really conservative on generator use. If it’s hot weather, I’ll let it run continuously for days on end. I always go into parking with a topped off tank. As far as I’m concerned the autostart feature is an emergency backup system to save me in case of a power outage when operating on shore power and I happen to be away for an extended period.
Even considering all that, I would still like to know how to test the autostart system and how the 10.8 number was decided on and how it’s established and can it be adjusted. We will get to the bottom of this and any information would be appreciated.
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I had a 2000 CC XL John and don’t believe there is a way to modify the autostart voltage setting. You obviously know that 10.8 will kill the batteries and all I can suggest is to control it manually when able and start at 12v at the least.
If not, keep my number handy.:)
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Thanks for posting your fix John. The information sharing is appreciated. -
John, on my 99 I have Trace inverters so if you don’t have the same set up ignore my comments.
You can get in the programing function on one of the remote control panels in the coach. Mine are
RC 7 controlls so you hold down the two arrows that are side by side (up and down) on the control panel for a few seconds and you will hear a beep and the display will change to the first programable function.
You can use the arrows to scrool through the programing menue till you get to the field for the battery voltage start limit.
I will ck my manual in the morning and repost the exact field you are looking for.
I have the Trace 3012’s.
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On my previous SOB coach I had Trace RC7 GS inverter controls. The settings on the remote were always a mystery until a friend sent me an excellent write-up that explained things in everyday terms and provided some useful intital settings that worked well for RV’ers.
If interested, send me an email (les@usa-aus.net) and I will forward you the PDF. And Jon, if this might be of use to the Community, I can sent you a copy for the website files.
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