Hooked up to shore power and nothing working.

[RLloyd]

I had the same problem. I believe it was because the batteries were so low, so I held the auxiliary switch and started the generator and continued to hold the auxiliary switch for about a minute. Everything worked fine. Good luck

[mikeborny]

FR wants me to replace the Buss fuse? in the battery bay to see if that is the issue. I tried holding the aux switch for over a minute while generator was running, but as soon as I released the swith the generator shut off. Everything looked tight and secure inside the transfer switch.

[mikeborny]

I am assuming this is the fuse!

[cavie]

Pay an electrician to look at your rig. This is way over your head.

[mikeborny]

I have tried 3 rv shops and none can get me in before July! I use this site to get as much information as possible to try and eliminate spending hundreds of dollars on diagnostics! If I can replace a fuse and solve my problem, or find that someone rlse had the same issue solved by a simple fix great. If your a retired master electrician, feel free to chime in any time!!!!

[cavie]

Originally Posted by mikeborny

I have tried 3 rv shops and none can get me in before July! I use this site to get as much information as possible to try and eliminate spending hundreds of dollars on diagnostics! If I can replace a fuse and solve my problem, or find that someone rlse had the same issue solved by a simple fix great. If your a retired master electrician, feel free to chime in any time!!!!

1st you don't need an RV shop. Any good electrician that understands generators can fix it. We install standby generators in Florida as a stand-alone business. There is a lot of control wiring involved in your problem that I can not fix on this forum. Too many variables.

I'm thinking a $75.00 service call and about 15 min should have you on the road in no time. Good luck.

[dave-g]

Originally Posted by cavie

1st you don't need an RV shop. Any good electrician that understands generators can fix it. We install standby generators in Florida as a stand-alone business. There is a lot of control wiring involved in your problem that I can not fix on this forum. Too many variables.

I'm thinking a $75.00 service call and about 15 min should have you on the road in no time. Good luck.

Prices are sure different in FL- I have not charged $75 for a service call since the 90's in NJ.

[mikeborny]

Mitch at forest river believes that given all the symptoms I am having it is a blown 130 amp fuse located in the battery bay. Will be checking that tonight and he is sending me a fuse anyway as he does not believe it is the transfer switch.

[5picker]

Originally Posted by mikeborny

Mitch at forest river believes that given all the symptoms I am having it is a blown 130 amp fuse located in the battery bay. Will be checking that tonight and he is sending me a fuse anyway as he does not believe it is the transfer switch.

Are you able to test the fuse/buss bar you posted a photo of?
Did you forward this photo to Mitch at FR to be sure this is the component he is referring to?

[mikeborny]

Yes, I forwarded a picture of the wrong fuse! It is the flat fuse right after the battery disconnect. It is in the rear wall of my 390BH battery bay. I am going to test it tonight.

[5picker]

Best of luck to you Mike.

I hope you are able to get things figured out and get back to enjoying camping!

[tmmar]

Mike,
What year is your coach? Also, could you post a picture of the 'correct' fuse that they think is causing the issue? I would be interested to see what may be causing the problem.
I also hope you get things figured out and corrected quickly.
Tom

[Oscarvan]

I'm going to break radio silence here.....

I believe Mitch is correct and that one of your major fuses is blown.

First off... the transfer switch has NOTHING to do with the 12V side, so forget about that.

I believe the reason that the Genny will run with the emergency switch depressed is that it has a "normally off" fuel shutoff solenoid. This is an electric fuel valve that needs 12V to it to be open. With the emergency switch depressed there is 12V on the system from the engine bank, thus the generator will run. Let go of the switch, no 12V, solenoid closes. (safety features, low oil pressure shutoff etc etc).

This is the same reason the salesman switch won't stay on. It too operates a relay and needs 12V to operate.

So everything points at no 12V on the house side. You've replaced the batteries you said so those are healthy, it's just that the electricity is not getting out of them.

Now......go to Home Depot/Lowes/NAPA/Pep Boys and get a 12V test light. If they don't sell those get a cheap multi meter. Go into your house bank compartment and follow the cables coming off the positive side. There is one goes directly to the inverter, it has a fat fuse in it. You don't care about this one. (Probably the one in your picture but I can't tell from here for sure) There's another one that has a shutoff in it this is the house feed. Right before the shutoff is a large fuse. THAT is the one you need to verify healthy. Finding 12V on the other side with a test light or meter is the ONLY way to verify it's health. Then there may be more large fuses depending on model/year. You may find them in the electronics bay.... But first verify the big one.

There should be a schematic of the heavy 12V wiring on the inside of the compartment door. Looks like this on my 38A.....(minus the series/parallel notations, those are mine)

[cavie]

12 volts DC control wiring, fuses, relays, whatever, IS part of the transfer switch. So you can't forget about it.

[Oscarvan]

Originally Posted by cavie

12 volts DC control wiring, fuses, relays, whatever, IS part of the transfer switch. So you can't forget about it.

If we're talking about THE transfer switch.... the one that clicks over (quite audibly) when you plug in shore power (120V) or in it's normal position allows Generator power on line (120V) there is no 12V involved. It's inside a big gray box inside the compartment where your shore power cord lives..... and it's "either/or" (the transfer of power) is designed so you don't have shore AND generator on line at the same time. (120V) Unlike 12V you cannot combine AC sources unless you bring them in phase without which bad things would happen. That's it, that's all it does. No DC control wiring, fuses, other relays or "whatever".

There is no other device that is called THE transfer switch that I am aware of.

But I am always ready to learn.. please explain. On second thought, I'm reminded why I don't like this forum so I'll go back to radio silence. I hope OP will get something out of my post.

[mikeborny]

This is the fuse Mitch is sending me to replace. I hope to have it tomorrow!

[Oscarvan]

That looks like the right one.....

Should be able to get that locally though.....

https://www.amazon.com/Bussmann-AMG-.../dp/B000PSPGMO

https://www.napaonline.com/en/p/BK_7821138

[Mmnsc]

Just a thought, but have you checked the battery disconnect switch to make sure it is passing power to the coach from the batteries. They do burn out on rare occasion from the arcing when you turn them on and off.

[Oscarvan]

Originally Posted by Mmnsc

Just a thought, but have you checked the battery disconnect switch to make sure it is passing power to the coach from the batteries. They do burn out on rare occasion from the arcing when you turn them on and off.

Good point.... and the very next thing after the fuse. Again, use a test light/meter and verify voltage passing through..... Follow the yellow brick road until you find the sink hole. It's a logical process.

[mikeborny]

Happy to say it was just the 150 amp buss fuse in the battery bay! Now hooked up to shore power and have electricity to everything, and generator stats on when not hooked up. I fo not have power to the Dometic ac control unit. I checked the breakers in the box under bed and nothing was tripped. Any idea where there may be another fuse for that?