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Gotta Love it when it all works!
We are in West Yellowstone arrived about noon got all set up and headed into the park. Left two ACs on to keep buddy the super dog cool and comfortable…
Got back from the park a bit after 9pm… shore power off was beeping, geny was running both ACs were running, dinner in the slow cooker cooking… Buddy was happy!
One side of the breaker appeared to fail on the campground pedistal as only two of the 4 green LEDs were on at my main power breaker in the bus. Breaker didn’t actually trip but the bus figured it all out and started the geny and life was good. Campground replaced the breaker in the pedistal and 4 green lights and we were back in business.
Got to love it when it all works!
Bill
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6 Replies
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We hear so much about our problems, nice to know at times all is well, the system worked as designed, the dog is happy and dinner is near.
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Love to hear it and can’t wait to get to Yellowstone someday.
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For those who have pets on board we had an experience that was an eye opener.
Our pet was on board and we had the AC units working when we left. We were gone several hours. When we returned we found the campground maintenance guy turned off our shore power because he had some maintenance to do and when he turned it back on the AC units did not restart. Even if we had autostart set so in the event of a power outage it would fire up the generator, the AC units needed to be restarted at the panel.
Fortunately it hadn’t gotten too hot in the coach, but it was a real wake up call. Test your coach to verify the system will work as you need them to work. Before you have a situation we had.
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Jon,
Really good point as always… We were concerned about the dog on this long trip so every couple of months we would purposely test the auto gen by letting the house batteries draw down to the point where the auto gen had to engage. When we purchased this coach it took a while to get it all working but since then it’s been great.
Bill
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My concern is not auto-start on low batteries, but an auto-start due to shore power interrupt and then a re-start of AC units.
We don’t travel with our pups so there is no longer a safety issue, but if were to be with our pups and gone for an extended period of time I would check to verify it the power is out even for a minute, that when restored the AC units will re-start.
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Carole and I took a trip to Maine in 2010 with Jim Skiff’s group. Before leaving I had everything checked that I would need for dry camping that one night at the air museum. We got to Rockland just before lunch. No shore power so fired up the generator. All was running nicely, including the three Cruisaires. We left our little Wilma in the bus and went to lunch. When we returned the generator was not running, and would not start. The generator start battery was dead. OK, so off to NAPA and picked up a new battery. Installing it was literally a pain in the back. Fortunately for me, Miles Circo was on that trip. He suggested I get out of the underbay and let him do it. That was an offer I could not refuse. So battery installed and generator started. Miles then checked the alternator output. Only getting part of the charge out that should have been. Removed alternator and back I went to NAPA. Now remember, this is in northern Maine, NAPA said they did not have one but could order it and have it shipped here – in three days. The caravan was leaving the next morning so that was not an option. I asked for referal to a local rebuild shop. NAPA referred me to, “the starter shop” in Warren Maine. I called ahead and the shop was open but would close in 30 minutes. I launched off in my towed pick-up and highballed it to the shop. Got there about 5 minutes before closing. A gentleman named Arthur Anderson, no not the accounting firm, took my alternator, went into the back to check it out, came back and said he could rebuild it for me. I asked if he could do it overnight so I could depart with the caravan the next morning. Arthur told me to be there at 9:00 AM and the alternator would be ready. It was, went back and installed it with help but not in time for departing with the caravan.
If you are ever in that area of Maine and need battery alternator/generator problems solved I’d suggest a call to Arthur Anderson’s shop at 101 Western Road, Warren, Maine (207) 273-2161.
That night spent without the generator was hot, humid and a terrible thunderstorm rumbled thru the area for hours – no windows open, no AC, no shore power – that was our night without. So even if you have an Auto-start for your generator there are other devices that can fail at any time and shut down the generator. One of the stators had broken off which is why it was not getting a full battery charge from the alternator. Arthur rebuilt everything inside the alternator right down to new shaft bearings.
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