[Travis]

I suspect but don’t know for sure the clicking sound is a relay attempting to close.

I question why you are tripping the breaker in the transfer box. It is good practice to to reduce loads when changing power sources such as from inverter to shore or generator power, but that is best done by turning off the electrical devices, usually in the electric panel. Then based on the source of power the transfer switch will automatically select the source and close the contacts.

My first question is when you connect to shore power (and the breaker on the transfer case is reset) do you get power at your electric panel? If so will the shore power be adequate to carry loads such as a couple of AC units ? That is even with the clicking sound.

If you are using the generator do you hear the clicking? If power gets to the electric panel on generator, but not shore power one of the contactors or relays has gone bad from your description..

When I am connected to shore power there is a noise associated with that connection. It is a hum likely associated with a relay or contactor and I am hearing the hum associated with the 60 Hz frequency, but no clicking.

[Greg]

Jon,

This unit is new to me (4 days now). Everything seems to run well on the generator. The previous owner told me to keep that 70 amp breaker in the off position until I plugged into shore power and then when I was all plugged in, turn it on. The first time I hooked it up to this same 50 amp receptacle it worked fine. I even ran all 3 AC units for several hours.

now it is giving me this problem. I have not left it on and clicking long enough to go inside and look at the panel to see a reading though.

[Greg]

I once had a similar problem with the Liberty transfer switch not wanting to ” latch” when I plugged into shore power, yet worked fine using the generator. It would make a clicking noise and fail to engage.

In my case, it was a faulty relay in the transfer switch box. My transfer switch had 2 time delay relays within the transfer switch. They were identical and there was one for the generator and one for shore power. I swapped them to resolve the problem until I could get replacements. I replaced both with new and kept the old “good” one as an emergency spare.

Hope this points you in the right direction.

[Archived]

If you do swap those relays make sure you are disconnected from shore and the generator is not running.

[Travis]

And adding to Greg’s comment, make sure the inverters are turned off.

As to the previous owner saying to shut off the breaker at the transfer switch I question the validity of that advice. It is good practice to reduce or eliminate loads when going from one AC source to another (inverter to shore to generator) but the place to do that is at the AC panel.

[JIM]

I agree with Jon.

When I first bought our Liberty, I was also told to shut off the breaker in the transfer switch every time I connected/disconnected from shore power. It just didn’t sound right to me.

In general, breakers are not intended to be used as switches, constantly being turned on and off. So, when I asked Liberty about the proper procedure, they recommended shutting power down at the main panel inside the bus rather than using the breaker in the transfer switch, just as Jon has mentioned.

Reducing the electrical load prior to connection/disconnection from shore power is important to keep arcing minimal at the contact points of the relays within the inverters as they switch from incoming AC power.

[Greg]

thanks for all the input. Last night an electrician looked at it and he messed with the breaker a little and finally it began to work without the clicking. Just to be sure of a couple things (I cannot find the manuals with this info, I will try to find them on the Internet today maybe).

This breaker I am referring to is a 70 amp and is located on the front of a metal box in the bay next to the bay that has the generator radiator. It says “shore power breaker”. Is the transfer switch in that box? And if I am understanding you all correctly, I should just leave this breaker in the on position all the time?

Thanks again.

[Archived]

Yes, that box with the 70 amp breaker is your transfer switch. It is that 70 amp breaker that normally should just be left in the “on” position.

The relays that I referred to are within that box.

Good luck, and hopefully your problem has been resolved.

[Paul]

I think the fact that messing with the 70 amp breaker seems to have set things right is suggesting the same thing we are. Those breakers are not switches per se. They are not built to handle the arcing associated with on off cycles and if the previous owner did that all the time you might want to consider having a spare.

You will find a lot of information about the chassis here:

http://prevostparts.volvo.com/technicalpublications/en/manuel.asp

Playing with this site will yield a lot of information about the chassis. What it will not do, and what you will not find on-line will be the Liberty owner’s manuals for your coach. The best way is to ask other owners, such as posting a request on this site with contact information to see if others with your vintage coach will copy or lend you their manual for copying.

As an owner who did not get manuals with my coach I was able to get help from an owner of my vintage coach, plus I was able to accumulate a lot of operator or user’s manuals for a lot of the appliances and devices on line. The Liberty manual is important because it offers a lot of good information about the conversion itself.

[Greg]

Liberty will sell you a replacement manual for your coach. Not cheap, but worth it. Call Bill in Chicago.

[David]

Everything about a Liberty is not cheap…….but worth it!

[Greg]

I tried to get a manual for my 94 Liberty and there was nothing Liberty could do for me.