Bill
Forum Replies Created
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I’ve never heard of your equalizer brand? Find the manual for it and read the trouble shooting section and/or call them. If you had a Vanner brand equalizer this would be possible.
The Vanner monitor EM70D is giving you a warning like it is supposed to do. A voltage difference greater than 0.5v between the voltage reading on the 12v post and the voltage reading on the 24v post divided by 2 turns the balance light on. Also, any voltage greater than 15v turns the balance light on. Go on the Vanner website and read about it.15.88 is killing your new batteries by overcharging them. You should (almost) never see more than about 14.8v on a 12v lead acid battery.2005 XL Thompson Coach
Rarely tow anything behind us.
Sold: 1993 Liberty that we loved for 12 years. -
Thanks for searching for this complete thread / video and the many messages.
I don’t have any problem with this having a permanent place on PC to help new and old members do the right thing if a blow out happens.
I was sort of the gate keeper in posting this video with the many stories each month for many years.
Again, from the most recent post, the right front tire!
Thanks in advance, PC team.
AL
2005 XL Thompson Coach
Rarely tow anything behind us.
Sold: 1993 Liberty that we loved for 12 years. -
Bill:
What I think I know is;
The louvers that vent the hot air from the electrical end of the generator (where the generator bolts to the motor) was discharging the hot air right on to the electrical box where the voltage regulator was mounted. It’s been awhile so forgive me if my numbers are off but as I remember it, the voltage regulator upper temp limit is around 145 degs. Inside the electrical box where the VR was mounted the temps were around 180-185 deg. Hence the reason I moved it outside of the electrical box.
Chuck
2005 XL Thompson Coach
Rarely tow anything behind us.
Sold: 1993 Liberty that we loved for 12 years. -
Bill,
Can you check the voltage at the generator while the issue is happening? Obviously the gen breaker would have to be on this time. If its 123v there during the episode it isnt a generator issue but a problem further on. Transfer switch, connection etc. I also think VR. Had the same issue same symptoms.
2005 XL Thompson Coach
Rarely tow anything behind us.
Sold: 1993 Liberty that we loved for 12 years. -
As I suspected the small fuel issue had nothing to do with the voltage drop issue. It started again after about 40 mins this time.
2005 XL Thompson Coach
Rarely tow anything behind us.
Sold: 1993 Liberty that we loved for 12 years. -
Bill, my first coach, a late 1987 had a power source selector switch as shown in your photo, and I assumed the switch selected the source. What I do not know is if that switch handled the load or if it only closed the points on a contactor that was handling the load because I never had an issue.
Given what you described I would start my investigation by opening the box you depicted, and with a helper listen or see if any relays or contactors in the box switch to close their contacts. I would use all positions on the switch to verify and perhaps identify which contactors are for shore, inverter or generator power.
Next I would run the generator and see or listen to determine if a relay or contactor is dropping out or chattering. If I was unable to determine visually or by listening I would use a multi-tester to verify what is happening.
As to an automatic transfer switch, assuming the manual switch in the coach is only powering relays and not carrying loads then converting to an automatic transfer switch will be relatively easy. If the manual switch carries heavy loads the wiring or cabling may be more complex and difficult. I bet Liberty can answer that question easily. An automatic transfer switch makes life easy, but may add a small amount of complexity for future repairs.
2005 XL Thompson Coach
Rarely tow anything behind us.
Sold: 1993 Liberty that we loved for 12 years. -
Ok I am sitting in the coach with the generator running. Everything in the coach is on and running if possible. No issue as of yet.
I did check the voltage at the panel pictured above. They tested at 120 and 123. When I look at the 2 gauges inside the coach the read 125 and 126.
My questions thus far are these. It appears through a brief search that most of the new transfer switches are automatic. Is this the way I should go? It concerns me that it would be something else to go wrong and also that I may not be qualified to install myself.
Another question. Providing that it might be a switch how do I make sure all power is off to the switch? Gen off, shore power disconnected and do I need to turn off this house battery switch?
Also does anyone have a source for this transfer switch?
Bill III
Tom if you can help I will apologize for my last comment:)
2005 XL Thompson Coach
Rarely tow anything behind us.
Sold: 1993 Liberty that we loved for 12 years. -
Dick,
I am still trying to wrap my head around moving further north than you already were. But it is home, so I get that.
I totally agree with others, 14′ wide door and as wide and deep as possible. As for height, I have 17′ at the shortest point and it sure is nice to have room on top of the bus when I need to work up there. Otherwise, I would have to pull the bus out if I needed to get on the roof.
Davy
2005 XL Thompson Coach
Rarely tow anything behind us.
Sold: 1993 Liberty that we loved for 12 years. -
I am late reading this sad news. Buddy was very kind to me and my family. We have missed him since he sold his bus and moved home to Louisiana. I miss him even more now.
Davy
2005 XL Thompson Coach
Rarely tow anything behind us.
Sold: 1993 Liberty that we loved for 12 years. -
Why would the right side windshield be $100 more than the left side for the H3? Makes no sense…..
2005 XL Thompson Coach
Rarely tow anything behind us.
Sold: 1993 Liberty that we loved for 12 years. -
Rick I have one of those covers and it doesn’t help. a rag is your best option
2005 XL Thompson Coach
Rarely tow anything behind us.
Sold: 1993 Liberty that we loved for 12 years. -
Get it tuned up, between you and Jon and your Liberty’s, Nance and I had to use gas masks in our coach. Skeeters couldn’t live through that smoke.
2005 XL Thompson Coach
Rarely tow anything behind us.
Sold: 1993 Liberty that we loved for 12 years. -
Engine upgrade before and after
2005 XL Thompson Coach
Rarely tow anything behind us.
Sold: 1993 Liberty that we loved for 12 years. -
The first thing i would do is turn off the (70ish amp) breaker that is in the generator compartment. Start the geny and test the voltage on the feed side of that breaker. If it is within 10 percent of 120/240 you are good atleast at no load. If its higher or lower than that your transfer switch will act like you describe. That is just a starting point.
2005 XL Thompson Coach
Rarely tow anything behind us.
Sold: 1993 Liberty that we loved for 12 years. -
Click this link for Marathon Driver Monitor I am talking about:
/threaddetails.asp?Category=Electrical&ThreadID=12566
This monitor is the main monitor in my bus not yours for displaying Techlink information. Once again this screen displays the information from the waterbay board and generator bay board which collect data from various sensors around the bus including your house batteries. This is true for your bus as well as mine. Trust this screen…….. In the pictures in my link is what normal batteries that are fully charged should look like on screen.
Your Marathon bus should have two Vanner one for house and one for chassis. Check the readings at your Vanner for house side. One reading for 12 volt side and one reading for 24 volt side. The house Vanner is what is keeping your 12/24 system on the house side in balance or equalized. Anything above 13 volts at Vanner is good on 12 volt side. The 24 volt side should be double the 12 volt reading (26VDC). Readings below this are either bad batteries or bad Vanner…so test house batteries individually and if they test good a bad Vanner would be next in my book. The Vanner is pretty robust….. unit.
Post the picture of what your looking at in dash versus what your seeing on TV’s in cabin.
2005 XL Thompson Coach
Rarely tow anything behind us.
Sold: 1993 Liberty that we loved for 12 years.