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Old 08-26-2013, 04:42 AM   #1
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Another Genesis Problem

Seems like we've got several Genesis system problems cropping up but mine is a little different than the others, which I've read over.

I've got a 2013 Rockwood 2703WS with a Geneis GT-3.0 unit. Everything has been working fine (I think.).

When I first got the trailer, I installed a 250W solar system with a Samlux 1000W modified sine power inverter, all exactly the way the instructions say. All functions of the GT-3.0 were working fine. I've had the trailer out four times since June 6, when I picked it up from the dealer. No problems with the GT-3.0 that I know of before this last (4th) time and after I installed the inverter.

After setting the trailer up this last (4th) time, I noticed that the power tongue jack foot wasn't centered on the supporting blocks I'd placed underneath it. I had already leveled the trailer and had the Genesis radio playing. Being the perfectionist that I try to be.. I thought, "I should center the jack foot." I did, hooking the truck back up, raising the foot, centering it on the support blocks and unhooking the truck.

It was almost 6 in the evening so I thought I might as well turn on the inverter so I could watch a movie later. I flipped on the inverter power switch and went inside.

(Two actions taken. Operating the power jack and switching on the inverter.)

I went inside the trailer and the radio was making a really loud shrieking noise. It wasn't doing it when I went outside and I'd never had the noise on any of the previous three camping trips. My immediate reaction was that the power jack had caused some kind of noise suppression circuit in the GT-3.0 to blow and I was mad as hell with myself for not turning off the radio before operating the power jack.

However....The rest of the GT-3.0 systems (DVD, CD) were working fine as before (only the radio had the shrieking noise). I watched a movie.

The next morning I turned on the radio and the noise was still there so I turned it off. From my camping spot, I called the dealer, explained the loud shrieking noise and they said they would order a new Genesis unit. (I know this post is a little long but I want to make a clear picture of the problem.)

Still morning, I mauled the situation over and over in my mind. I turned on the radio again and it was shrieking again but saw it was off channel and after tuning it, the noise was less noticeable (AM channels pick up more noise.)

I called the dealer back and sheepishly told them the unit seemed to be working okay and they said they would cancel the order for a new one.

I'm still mauling it over and over in my mind. Then it hit me! The night before when the problem first started, I had flipped the inverter on after I ran the power jack. I'd then turned off the inverter after watching a movie and went to bed.

So...I went outside, opened up the front storage unit where the inverter is located (less than two feet from the batteries) and flipped the power switch on and went back inside. The radio was shrieking again!

So now, to watch the TV and play a DVD, I have to turn off the radio (if it's on), go outside and turn on the inverter, come back inside, turn on the radio and quickly turn the volume down, insert a DVD then turn the volume back up. It's either this process or listen to a shrieking sound system until the disc finishes loading.

Bottom line: Everything was working fine after I installed the inverter and used the trailer and Genesis system three times previously. No noise from the GT-3.0. It was only after I used the power jack this last time. So now I'm wondering if I did in fact mess up a noise suppression circuit in the Genesis unit when I operated the power jack, allowing electronic interference from the inverter to get through. Or...did the GT-3.0 just develop the problem?

One of the posts on Genesis unit problems said we have someone on the forum with lots of expertise on the units. I hope I've suffienciently laid out the problem.

Thanks everyone for your patience.

wyoman
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Old 08-26-2013, 05:27 AM   #2
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The Genesis system is 12v same as your power jack, Will the radio work when the inverter is off? Did you check the antenna wire and plug behind the unit? (might have worked lose) Are your battery's up to full charge. Your inverter will suck some power out real quick depending on what you have on that draws A/C power. Modified sine wave are different then the pure sine waves. The unit might be causing the interference. This is just a guess on my part. the only common link is the A/C that is being supplied to the TV with the inverter on, but sounds more like an antenna problem. At least that is were I would start. If it would be a suppression problem you would have it all the time not just with the radio.
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Old 08-26-2013, 09:38 AM   #3
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The radio "works" without the inverter on as it is straight 12V. I only use the inverter for the TV. I haven't messed with the GT-3.0 at all so I don't know if the antenna has worked loose or not. The batteries are fully charged and even after running things all day and the TV in the evenings, the solar system recharges the batteries after a couple of hours of sun the next morning. The inverter was put in before the first camping trip and there was no shrieking on the radio until this last trip. But I will go ahead and see if I can figure out how to check the antenna.

Thanks,
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Old 08-26-2013, 10:02 AM   #4
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The radio "works" without the inverter on as it is straight 12V. I only use the inverter for the TV. I haven't messed with the GT-3.0 at all so I don't know if the antenna has worked loose or not. The batteries are fully charged and even after running things all day and the TV in the evenings, the solar system recharges the batteries after a couple of hours of sun the next morning. The inverter was put in before the first camping trip and there was no shrieking on the radio until this last trip. But I will go ahead and see if I can figure out how to check the antenna.

Thanks,
If the radio works without the inverter on then it's your inverter causing the problem. Check to see if you have any wire on the A/C side that is close to any 12 Volt. If your wire is unshielded and I bet it is, you will pick up interference. The wire could have moved during travel. Or more then likely you will have to install a filter. Radio Shack carries them......
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Old 08-27-2013, 04:25 AM   #5
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If an when you dont use the inverter and everything works fine, it certainly sounds like the inverter or an installation issue such as a bad ground.

Grounds are CRITICAL in a 12V system and any loose or poor quality connection will cause issues (like noise in audio systems).

Also the new RV are using LED lights that had caused radio interference when first installed, but they had since taken care of the issue via the light manufacturer. Maybe the inverter installation is causing an issue with the lights and then the radio. WIth the inverter on and the radio making noise, try shutting off the lights to see if that impacts the noise.
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Old 08-27-2013, 09:01 PM   #6
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Ok I'm going to try everything that's been suggested but I'll add one thing. A bit ago, I went out, turned on the inverter, went inside and turned on the Genesis radio. It would come on momentarily then go off. I tried several times and the same result. I went back outside, turned off the inverter and tried the radio again. It stayed on and worked fine. So...I turned on the TV (to get the AC flowing). Fine! No shrieking on the radio. Both radio and TV fine. Confused? I'm dumbfounded!
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Old 08-28-2013, 02:55 AM   #7
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Ok I'm going to try everything that's been suggested but I'll add one thing. A bit ago, I went out, turned on the inverter, went inside and turned on the Genesis radio. It would come on momentarily then go off. I tried several times and the same result. I went back outside, turned off the inverter and tried the radio again. It stayed on and worked fine. So...I turned on the TV (to get the AC flowing). Fine! No shrieking on the radio. Both radio and TV fine. Confused? I'm dumbfounded!
You have a gremlin in there. Just kidding. I would be confused to, but it is either looking like a loose ground wire or you will need to install a filter. Is your inverter grounded? I'm talking about the case that it is in? sometimes if you attach a ground wire to the body of the unit (casing) that helps. It also could be that the inverter is just starting to go bad. I have also found that a mod. sine wave compared to a pure sine wave can cause problems because of the frequency. I have had both. I do not know what else I can tell you to do. Good Luck I really do not think that it is the Genesis, but this is just a guess on my part, and steps that I have been through.... let me know what happens.
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Old 09-05-2013, 08:49 PM   #8
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Letting You Know gljurczyk

I got the unit home and tried to duplicate the malfunction and it won't do it. Everything is working fine, including running the TV and Genesis unit at the same time. I did go ahead and ground the inverter housing, just in case. I'm planning another outing next week and see if anything happens. If so, it might be a loose connection or ground.
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Old 09-06-2013, 03:31 AM   #9
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I got the unit home and tried to duplicate the malfunction and it won't do it. Everything is working fine, including running the TV and Genesis unit at the same time. I did go ahead and ground the inverter housing, just in case. I'm planning another outing next week and see if anything happens. If so, it might be a loose connection or ground.
Well I'm glad it's working again at least for now. You might have found the problem, sometimes inverters are finicky. They do like to be grounded...
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Old 09-16-2013, 07:35 PM   #10
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Interesting, I have a new 2014 30RKSS. The Genesis radio does not pick up any AM or FM stations. Nobody not the dealer, not Genesis seem to care. Everybody around me is getting 20 - 30 stations. I get nothing! We have a perm site. After reading so many forums, I can only conclude that Genesis Radios are junk....Period. Buy a trailer that doesn't have one,or force the dealer to swap it out with a Jensen or something, anything else!

by the way, I tried a different antennae, no difference.
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Old 09-18-2013, 12:30 PM   #11
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i have GT-2.0 that has a cd dvd problem put the disk in it says loading and spits the disk out.
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Old 09-18-2013, 12:34 PM   #12
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i think your right
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Old 09-22-2013, 10:40 PM   #13
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The Genesis Sage Continues

Just got back from a four day outing with the trailer. Tried to play a DVD and it stalled several times, causing me to have to shut the unit down, recycle and remove the DVD and start from the beginning or when it started stalling(freezing), push the STOP button then resume, etc.

Is there a similar unit on the market that does basically the same thing that the Genesis does (exluding the Bluetooth, which is really a nuisance)?
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Old 09-23-2013, 03:52 AM   #14
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Just got back from a four day outing with the trailer. Tried to play a DVD and it stalled several times, causing me to have to shut the unit down, recycle and remove the DVD and start from the beginning or when it started stalling(freezing), push the STOP button then resume, etc.

Is there a similar unit on the market that does basically the same thing that the Genesis does (exluding the Bluetooth, which is really a nuisance)?
look at the Jensen Model. Try running a cleaning CD through it first. disable the bluetooth it drives me nuts to on my phone calls I always have to shut it off.
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