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Old 11-29-2011, 07:12 AM   #1
RAG
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2004 30' Land Yacht Gas 30
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Generator Powers Rear A/C Only

Hi Folks,

Just bought an ’04 Land Yacht 30 motorhome and signed up to be part of Air Forums; great things seem to happen here! After spending a year in chemo-therapy, the ability to re-enter life and travel is a dream come true.

I could use some help with a situation though: When running off the generator, the only 110 system that works is the rear A/C. Not the microwave, front A/C, neither of the two TV's, none of the electric outlets and the refrigerator will only run on the gas setting, not the 110 volt. With shore power hooked-up, everything functions as it should.

I sure would appreciate any and all help possible with this problem. Being a newbie, I figure I must be doing something wrong.

Regards and best wishes to all…….
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Old 11-29-2011, 08:24 AM   #2
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There are two breakers on the genset. Make sure that both breakers at the generator are on. Also make sure that all the breakers are closed at the MH breaker box. Check for a front/rear AC switch. In most cases you can only run one AC unit at a time unless you have full 50amp service. The switch on my 92 is in the top kitchen cabinet.
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Old 11-29-2011, 10:15 AM   #3
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I don't know the specifics of your classic motorhome in 94, but think it is probably similar to the 310 '83 I used to own. The rear AC unit on that rig ONLY operated from the generator, and the front one, microwave and so on operated from the 30 amp shore power cord. On my 83, there was an automatic transfer switch that connected the generator to the 30 amp shore input system when the generator was running (after a 30 second delay). Those transfer switches often develop problems and don't work. You will probably find it as a gray metal box, about 8" x 8" with three heavy looking wires going into it. One will be the power cord, or input from the power cord reel, if you have that, one will be the line to the generator, and the third will be the output to the main breaker panel. Unless you are electrically proficient this may be a system that needs to be professionally repaired.

If your rig does not have an automatic transfer switch, there will be an outlet somewhere near the power cord connection. It will have a matching female connection, the same configuration as the male shore power plug. If you have one of those systems, just plug the shore power plug into the outlet (which is supplied by the generator) and all systems should work.

So, one of those two ideas may get you going.
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Old 11-29-2011, 10:20 AM   #4
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Thanks for the response; I will check on the 2 breakers on the generator.

The front/rear switch you mentioned doesn't seem to exist on the '04, as the front/rear A/C switching is done automatically on 30 amp systems of this year; although I do remember seeing that switch in a kitchen cabinet above the sink on an '01 we looked at.

All 110 breakers seem to be fine, as everything works on shore power.

Thanks again for your thoughts.......
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Old 11-29-2011, 12:41 PM   #5
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on my 89 Airstream, I have the switch above the stove in upper cabinet. Only one A/C works when plugged into shore power, but both will operate when genset is fired up.
No idea if changes were made after mine, I'm sure there was, especially with the advent of 50amp services being made available at campgrounds.
Thanks, Derek
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Old 11-29-2011, 03:10 PM   #6
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More power when my generator is feeding power, 30 amps from shore only does one a/c using the switch. If switch is on Front then both a/c's will work on generator. Sounds like your generator isn't putting out on the 30 amp circuit.
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Old 11-29-2011, 03:42 PM   #7
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I'm sorry, I guess I didn't explain the problem correctly. The only thing the generator WILL power is the rear A/C. That means none of the 110 outlets or anything else will work on generator power whether the rear A/C is on or off.

If I plug a desk lamp into a 110 outlet, unplug shoreline power and turn on the generator, the lamp doesn't work.

There is no switch in the kitchen cabinet on 2004 models.

Thanks for the continuing help, it's appreciated.
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Old 11-30-2011, 07:21 AM   #8
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My generator power output is divided into two lines the 30 amp for all electric except the rear a/c. When switch is set for rear on shore power the rear a/c is powered. There is an automatic switch determining which power source is connected. so if shore power is working that switch is stopping or there isn't power from the generator from the 30 amp line.
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Old 11-30-2011, 08:42 AM   #9
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Do you have 30 or 50 amp shorepower?
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Old 11-30-2011, 09:12 AM   #10
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On the Onan gen-sets, there are two breakers for bow and stern. As has been mentioned, unless you have 50 amps, both roof airs will not run on shore power (I wish).The 6.5 Onan we have will run the whole coach.
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Old 11-30-2011, 09:16 AM   #11
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@DaveFL

Our Land Yacht is 30 amp service. Not sure why the 50 amp wasn't standard on all of them, as the option was only $707. I know I'd pay it!!!

This is the info from the 2004 manual:

"Because of the amount of power drawn by the air conditioners, it is only possible to operate one at a time when plugged into city power. The Intellitec Automatic Energy Selector Switch shown on the previous page controls this function. Front a/c is priority. The rear a/c will cool when the cool mode is selected on it and when the front a/c has finished its cooling process and the thermostat shuts it down. The front a/c will come back on as its thermostat detects the need to cool and the rear a/c will shut off. The A/C fan (powered by 12-volt) on both units will run even if the other is cooling on the 120-volt circuit. Turn the front a/c to fan or off to run the rear a/c only."

On running the generator it continues here:

"Both air conditioners may be operated when the generator is running or if you have optional 50-amp service. When the generator is running, the front air conditioner is powered through the normal shoreline circuit on the generator 30-amp circuit. The generator powers the rear air conditioner through its 20-amp circuit at the same time."

Being a newbie, I'm not sure if I'm doing something wrong or if there IS something wrong. I just expected a 60 watt bulb in a desk lamp would light-up when the generator is running and shore power is disconnected.

Any and all help is GREATLY appreciated.
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Old 11-30-2011, 09:29 AM   #12
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Why AS made it so complicated in those coaches, I have no clue. When we are on shore power, the only thing that does not work is the rear roof air. The fact you have no power to the front of the coach with the gen set on makes me think the little dweeb breaker has tripped. Why?, sometimes too many things could be on at the same time.
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Old 11-30-2011, 09:31 AM   #13
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I would still say your automatic transfer switch, mentioned in my first post, is not working properly.
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Old 11-30-2011, 10:39 AM   #14
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Is it all the 115v outlets in the bow that don't work? Does the 12 volt stuff work?
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Old 11-30-2011, 10:52 AM   #15
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@ Mike Leary

None of the 115 volt outlets work when on generator power.

All 12 volt works fine.
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Old 11-30-2011, 12:01 PM   #16
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Quote:
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@ Mike Leary

None of the 115 volt outlets work when on generator power.

All 12 volt works fine.
All the way through the coach, bow to stern? Those are seperate circuits, pretty much split between the middle of the coach. Does the fridge go to 115 when the gen set is activated?
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Old 11-30-2011, 12:26 PM   #17
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@ Mike Leary

With generator only, every 115 outlet in the entire coach was tested with the desk lamp; none worked.

The fridge works fine on shore power. On generator only, the fridge automatically switches to LP.
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Old 11-30-2011, 02:08 PM   #18
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Quote:
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On generator only, the fridge automatically switches to LP.
It should not, of course. If you've tried the breakers and the fuses at the gen set, AND, some of those coaches had a 50 amp fuse at the 12 volt panel that would blow if some strange thing happened between shore power and gen-set and you've checked that, I'd be thinking, so far, as has been mentioned, the transfer switch is haywire, or a wire has come free somewhere between the gen-set and the transfer switch. Is is odd that you can run your rear roof. Do the 115 outlets in the stern work on gen power?
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Old 11-30-2011, 02:46 PM   #19
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Tomorrow morning, weather permitting, we'll try to pull off the front panel of the generator and check for the breakers; didn't originally realize there were two. The fact that the rear A/C functioned off the generator, originally led us to believe the problem was elsewhere.

No outlets work on generator power; all outlets work fine on shore power. Go figure.......
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Old 11-30-2011, 03:14 PM   #20
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Is it an Onan gen-set and have you checked for the 50 amp fuse?
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