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Old 06-30-2013, 05:32 PM   #1
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2013 Interstate Coach
Dayton , Ohio
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Posts: 35
Unhappy Power problems and Auto Park issue

Went to the races this weekend at K.Y. Speedway. On the way down the Auto Park lite came on (I replaced the Rotten Green Switch in 2011). We stopped at a GM dealer and bought one while not putting it in park for fear of it locking up. Went across the street where there was room to work on it but no 'lock up'. Got to the track and experienced rain and high winds all night. Now to the second problem. I had the genset running the whole night and woke up with it still running but no coach power. Checked all of the breakers none tripped. I plugged in my shoreline to a neighbor's generator and still no power. I called Airstream (no help), Onan (no help) and three different dealerships...(no help). Just got home and the Auto Park light is still on but hasn't locked up.... plugged the shore line into the house, no power. I decided to try the breaker box in the back and hit the test button and boom, the breaker tripped. After resetting it, I now have shore line power but still no power when I turn on the genset. Anyone have a clue? 94 Airstream Land Yacht 33, Onan Marquis 7000. By the way, nobody that I spoke with could tell me if the breakers on the genset go towards the coach or towards me! Thanks for reading my book, sorry for being long winded......
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Old 07-02-2013, 07:49 AM   #2
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2000 31' Land Yacht
Fort Erie , Ontario
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You have a couple of separate issues.
The Autopark light may be the "other" rotten grey switch. Not sure which system you have, but if all of the A/P stuff is in a steel box curbside rail a yellow knob on dash do this: If you have a foot pedal actuated system, disengage.
Ignition to run position, do not start engine
Yellow button in
Tranny lever in anything but "park"
Listen for the hydraulic pump to energize run a few seconds and stop.
Assume you have replaced the green switch.
If pump runs continuously, then it may be: The rotten grey switch- check the electrical connector for hydraulic fluid leak. If so, replace grey switch.
Check the relay in the steel box for operation, replace if necessary and the last is the hydraulic dump $olenoid which could be sticking, can be cleaned (more work). Also check the A/P actuator for leaks and the hydraulic reservoir for fluid.

On your circuit breaker issue, the c/b can trip and there is no indication of that, reset it, (toggle on then off then on) you should feel a resistance moving the lever to the on position.

For more inf/help on the A/P issue, contact Roger aka OldUsedBear.

Regards,
Steve
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Old 07-02-2013, 08:36 AM   #3
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Your generator/shoreline problem may be the transfer switch.

I have seen them hang in the middle.


Best of luck.

Regards,

JD
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Old 07-03-2013, 08:37 AM   #4
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2013 Interstate Coach
Dayton , Ohio
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Steve, thanks for the info. I didn't realize that there were two 'rotten' switches. Sounds like I will have a busy weekend. Roger was the one who told me about the 'green' switch a couple of years ago. He's a knowledgeable man!

JD, I thought of the transfer switch but I for the life of me can't find it. Airstream told me it was in the trunk but when I removed the panel all I saw was wires going to the breaker box and rear camera. I did find the inverter by accident. Airstream told me it was in the galley but it is actually behind the kick panel in front of the passenger front seat. Do you have any idea where the switch may be?
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Old 07-04-2013, 04:17 AM   #5
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trictoryde, I can't speak for your 1994, but in our 2004 Land Yacht, all the wiring and switches that connect the generator to the "house" circuits are in the trunk behind a panel on the right side of the trunk. The panel is screwed in and is parallael to the side of the coach.
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Old 07-04-2013, 07:05 AM   #6
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Let me know if you locate the transfer switch. I've never been able to locate it on my 92 LY.
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Old 07-05-2013, 08:08 AM   #7
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I plan on 'tearing' into it this weekend if the rain ever stops. '92, if I find it I will let you know. Thanks for the input Airstream12557, I will start there.
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Old 07-25-2013, 09:41 AM   #8
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Yesterday I discovered that I had a small rodent issue. I bought a couple traps and eliminated it. As I was cleaning out the roadside bedroom bed stand cabinet I finally found the location of my transfer switches. I pulled out all the draws and... BEHOLD!... There they were. Amazing how AS mounted things completely inaccessible. In order to get to the transfer switches I would need to remove the cabinet since the cabinet frame blocks access to them. You would think that they would have made it easier to get to such a vital component as a transfer switch. I'll post pics in the near future so others will know where to look.
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Old 07-26-2013, 06:57 AM   #9
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I would be interested in seeing those pictures when you post them. The weather has been very wet and I put the old girl back into the garage and still haven't had the time to 'dig' into her.


I
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Originally Posted by 92landyacht View Post
Yesterday I discovered that I had a small rodent issue. I bought a couple traps and eliminated it. As I was cleaning out the roadside bedroom bed stand cabinet I finally found the location of my transfer switches. I pulled out all the draws and... BEHOLD!... There they were. Amazing how AS mounted things completely inaccessible. In order to get to the transfer switches I would need to remove the cabinet since the cabinet frame blocks access to them. You would think that they would have made it easier to get to such a vital component as a transfer switch. I'll post pics in the near future so others will know where to look.
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Old 08-09-2013, 08:30 AM   #10
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Well, I finally had some time to go back and take a look at the old girl. I did find the transfer switch. Took out the mattress, removed the wood and looked around the water tank and there it was...no not by the water tank but wedged in the right side night stand cabinet. An area had been notched out of the cabinet and it does have to be removed. Lots of work there. I don't think a ATS switch is bad because I do hear it cycle when I plug in the shoreline. I still have to reset the gfi breaker to get coach power for some reason when I connect the shoreline. Now I am still not getting genset power. We checked with a voltmeter and it seems there is no power getting to the breakers. (they flip towards the back, by the way) I cleaned the rings last night hoping for a simple fix but am still stumped. I hate to buy a new voltage regulator ($300.00) and that not be it, a new ATS switch ($??? and lots of tear out) and that not be it....are there anymore gfi's in this thing? I found one in the floor of the bathroom but I believe is was put there by the previous owner as it is just a line that was run out by the dumping area for an extension cord. ANY comments would be welcomed! As far as the AUTO PARK I haven't even attempted that part yet. The light is still on but the RV isn't locked up....YET.
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Old 08-09-2013, 02:47 PM   #11
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There are two transfer switches on my 92 LY with 30-amp service. The one you described and one more that can be seen when you remove the drawers from the cabinet. Removing the cabinet isn't as bad as it seems. Just a few screws is all it takes. Once out, getting to the switches to measure voltages is a piece of cake.

Have you checked genset voltage right at the generator output junction box? Are you sure that the breakers on the genset are not tripped? There are two of them. One feeds 30 amps to most of the RV while the other is 20 amps and feeds the rear AC when the AC selection switch is set to front. Try them in both directions if you're not sure which way they are supposed to be. I'll check mine when I get home to verify which way they are set when on. Keep in mind that there is a 30 second delay inside the MH before generator power kicks in through the transfer switches. The power should be available at the junction box in the genset compartment as soon as the generator starts though.

If you have no power at the genset and the genset has sat for some time it could simply be dirty slip rings. Can't remember if you can get to them with the genset installed, but I used a green scotch bright pad to make them nice and shinny when I had mine out. Just turned the engine over while the pad was pushed up against the rings. Had to remove the brushes to do it but was a VERY easy job when the genset was out. Don't start buying a bunch of parts till you've diagnosed the problem. There are manuals for the Onan Marquis 7000 on line. There is a complete trouble-shooting guide in the manual. Here's a link from the Cummins/Onan web site in PDF format if you're interested:
http://www.cumminsonan.com/www/pdf/m.../965-0531B.pdf
.
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Old 08-10-2013, 09:28 AM   #12
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I plan on trying to get back at shortly. As far as the breakers I have actually tried them both ways. I can't see which way is on but I managed to get a picture of them and when pushed towards the coach, the buttons are marked 'on'. My next step it seems will be trying to clean the rings as you mentioned. I just wish that I had the room to do so without having to remove it. There is no room to work on it while it is still mounted....bummmer. I'll keep you posted.
What still is weird is that I have to reset my gfi when I plug in the shoreline to get power. Thanks for your input!
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Old 08-10-2013, 04:31 PM   #13
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Did you check for voltage right at the generator junction box? I wouldn't pull the genset until you've verified that you have no power there.
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Old 08-15-2013, 04:30 PM   #14
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Well, the auto park issue was the gray switch. So that part is settled. I checked the genset at the voltage regulator and practically nothing is coming out. The night that the generator stopped producing power I had the A/C set on auto and the compressor was kicking on and off much of the night. I am curious that since the load on the genset was up and down if that maybe would have knocked out the voltage regulator. Now when I plug in the shoreline I hear the ATS switch over and am having no power issues with it. That makes me think that the problem is not the ATS switch.

Now, another problem! I used the RV yesterday and I noticed I now have a leaking air tank for my air suspension system. Airstream replaced it about 3 years ago and this one has hole in it. The problem is that I called Airstream to get another 'acumulator' but they told me that haven't ordered them since 2008 and just sold their last one... Does anyone know where I can find one and if so, how do you remove the other one? I was just looking at it and I can feel one bolt that is almost impossible to get to. Me thinks that the old girl is trying to tell me that it's time for the bone yard!
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Old 08-16-2013, 09:23 PM   #15
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I've had my MH running the AC's (both) for hours on end with them cycling over and over. This should not knock out the genset. It's what the genset was designed to accept as a load. If you have little to no voltage at the junction box, then you have multiple possibilities as to the source of the problem. Have you looked at the generator repair manual that I gave you a link to? Have you followed the troubleshooting guide that's inside? You may have to drop the genset to get a good handle on what the problem is.
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Old 08-17-2013, 10:05 AM   #16
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I did check and there is very little voltage at the junction box. A friend of mine knows a guy that used to work at an RV dealership in their service department and I'm trying to get him over before I do anything to see if maybe I have missed something small before dropping the genset. The thing that puzzles me is that it has been used four or five times this summer and just to suddenly stop producing power in the middle of the night seems odd.

I really do appreciate your input and yes I have the manual (thanks!) that I plan on using to troubleshoot when I have a 'pro' looking at it. I am somewhat electronically challenged.

I did manage to find an air tank (Airstream had it after all) and it's on the way, so hopefully that problem will go away shortly. So, the auto park issue is fixed, the suspension issue will soon be, and now back to getting the generator issue figured out.
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Old 08-18-2013, 07:19 AM   #17
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Good luck and keep us informed.
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Old 08-24-2013, 07:56 AM   #18
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Tictoryde, you mentioned in a previous post of resetting the GFI when plugging in to shore power. Have you resolved that issue? Not familiar with your coach circuitry, but which GFI was tripping?

In my case the gfi circuit was feeding the reefer and would trip due to a defective heater calrod which problem was 'cured' after 3 replacement calrods.

Steve
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Old 08-25-2013, 07:15 PM   #19
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It must have been a snafu. Every since the one time that I had to reset the GFI it has worked find. I am speaking of the GFI circuit breaker that is wired to the kitchen and bathroom.
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Old 08-25-2013, 08:16 PM   #20
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So what was the problem with the generator?
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