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Old 08-04-2019, 02:51 PM   #1
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Surge Guard Transfer Switch problems

My issue started a few weeks ago. Drove to our destination, running the generator for about 6 hours, once we got there I turned the generator off. An hour or so later I attempted to start the Onan generator and it ran for 5 or so seconds and shut off. It gave me an error code of 12- Over voltage. I called a mobile RV repair guy and he said it sounds like the main board on the generator went out and it cost $ 2,000.00 plus labor to put it in. I went to a local rental store and rented a 7k generator and plugged in to that. During the night the air went off, I could here the generator running, so I waited until morning to try to figure this out. The next day I took the front off the Surge Guard transfer switch and told my wife to start the generator. I took a screwdriver once it started and pushed in the contactor on the transfer switch and the generator work fine. I wedged the flat screwdriver below the contactor to hold it in place for connection. Same on shore power. Problem solved, bad transfer switch. I had the dealer I bought it from install a new Surge Guard 41260 transfer switch in my motorhome. Fast-forward two weeks, got the motorhome out for trip, ran the generator app 2 hours, shut it off, and when I tried to start it again, same issue. Generator wouldn't run and error code 12. I had to take the ATS apart, had wife hit gen start and held in contactor and everything is fine. I wedged a screw driver in the contactor to make everything work until I can get if fixed. The shoreline side of the ATS is working normal.

With all that said, what is going on with the ATS. Can anyone help me with this issue
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Old 08-04-2019, 03:13 PM   #2
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Might help if you tell everyone what year model RV you have???
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Old 08-04-2019, 03:43 PM   #3
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30 or 50 amp? If 50 get rid of the Surge Guard which doesn’t have the best reputation and replace with a Progressive Dynamics model. https://www.amazon.com/Progressive-D...sive+pd&sr=8-1

Also available without surge protection or in 30 amp.
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Old 08-04-2019, 04:12 PM   #4
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Might help if you tell everyone what year model RV you have???
It’s on a 2015 Force. 50 amp
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Old 08-04-2019, 06:29 PM   #5
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i'm a bit confused. how could the status of the transfer switch affect the operation of the generator? the transfer switch responds to the power the generator makes. to my knowledge the generator does not monitor or sense the status of the transfer switch.

you are suspicious of the new transfer switch. one possible problem might be a loose / burnt / corroded connection between the generator and the transfer switch. check hots, neutral, and grounds.

you may have two different unrelated problems going on, transfer switch and generator shutdown (error 12).
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Old 08-04-2019, 07:50 PM   #6
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i'm a bit confused. how could the status of the transfer switch affect the operation of the generator? the transfer switch responds to the power the generator makes. to my knowledge the generator does not monitor or sense the status of the transfer switch.

you are suspicious of the new transfer switch. one possible problem might be a loose / burnt / corroded connection between the generator and the transfer switch. check hots, neutral, and grounds.

you may have two different unrelated problems going on, transfer switch and generator shutdown (error 12).
You think your confused. It took me the better part of three days to figure this out. That’s why I’m looking for y’alls help. I doesn’t make sense but when the switch goes bad, the generator gives me an error message. Something in the switch makes the generator think there is an issue. I really figured someone else has had a similar issue.
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Old 08-05-2019, 08:38 AM   #7
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Have you reached out to the Surge Guard guys on this? They might have a better idea. Either something is not wired right, or now you have a transfer switch that was blown after the first one. Where are you plugged in at??? Was it the same spot? Getting spiked twice is rare.
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Old 08-06-2019, 03:39 PM   #8
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Have you reached out to the Surge Guard guys on this? They might have a better idea. Either something is not wired right, or now you have a transfer switch that was blown after the first one. Where are you plugged in at??? Was it the same spot? Getting spiked twice is rare.
The dealer that I bought it from and that installed the second ATS is suppose to contact Surge Guard. The first ATS was original from the factory. This second one was wired correctly and the shore line side is still working. It is crazy that when the generator side of the contactor goes out, it makes the Onan think there is a issue (error 12). I was hoping that someone else has had a similar issue, maybe I just got a bad one again.
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Old 08-10-2019, 12:21 PM   #9
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The dealer that I bought it from and that installed the second ATS is suppose to contact Surge Guard. The first ATS was original from the factory. This second one was wired correctly and the shore line side is still working. It is crazy that when the generator side of the contactor goes out, it makes the Onan think there is a issue (error 12). I was hoping that someone else has had a similar issue, maybe I just got a bad one again.
Well Surge Guard refuses to warranty the second switch saying it must be a generator issue. Onan said it might be the control board. $ 1,800.00 for that, $ 250.00 for another ATS plus labor. Generator is a RV QD 8000. I will let you know if all this fixes the issue
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Old 08-19-2019, 06:30 PM   #10
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Well Surge Guard refuses to warranty the second switch saying it must be a generator issue. Onan said it might be the control board. $ 1,800.00 for that, $ 250.00 for another ATS plus labor. Generator is a RV QD 8000. I will let you know if all this fixes the issue
Well the dealer put in a new control board on the generator and found the original was wired wrong, apparently from Onan, called them and still waiting to hear if it might be warrantied, I doubt they will. They hooked it up and ran it on and off Friday and Sat. Sat afternoon the generator died and has never started back. They can not figure out what it is. They thought it was low fuel and filled the tank, It still won't start. I am truly at my wits end with this. On my third transfer switch, Invertor, converter, and a 2k control board, over 3k plus labor. Generator has 350 hrs on it. Has fried over 1k in electronics, where is the backing of your product here. The RV QD 8000 diesel generator should run 10k hours or more. I have spent a small fortune here just trying to use a motorhome that I bought that is a Dynamax Force 2015 model. I hope B Clemens reads this and can help. Man this is frustrating as hell.
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Old 08-19-2019, 06:34 PM   #11
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What dealer did you buy this from?
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Old 08-19-2019, 06:58 PM   #12
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What dealer did you buy this from?
Haskell,Tx, RV. They got as a trade in. Had it over 11 months when I bought it. 21k miles and 307 hrs on generator.
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Old 08-19-2019, 07:08 PM   #13
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We had one in that was burning up transfer switches and smoking batteries. For the life of us we could not find the issues. Swapped transfer switch, brand new batteries, inverter, charging solenoid....was back 2 or 3 times. Finally found out he had modified the wiring. Tapped into the wrong circuits, was not to code. We lucked upon it because he had said nothing.

There are not many guys that can track that down. I’d find out where the guy works that won the RVIA tech challenge and take it to him. That guy has won 2 years straight.
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Old 08-19-2019, 07:12 PM   #14
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Found him.

https://www.rvia.org/news-insights/b...ch-second-time
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Old 08-19-2019, 07:16 PM   #15
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We had one in that was burning up transfer switches and smoking batteries. For the life of us we could not find the issues. Swapped transfer switch, brand new batteries, inverter, charging solenoid....was back 2 or 3 times. Finally found out he had modified the wiring. Tapped into the wrong circuits, was not to code. We lucked upon it because he had said nothing.

There are not many guys that can track that down. I’d find out where the guy works that won the RVIA tech challenge and take it to him. That guy has won 2 years straight.
Haskell RV got it on trade from the guy that bought it new. They said he never had one issue with it. He is good friends with the owner. I just need help with Onan. They should step up here on their product. I know you get a lot of requests for help but you also need to know about the products you put in you MH. I love everything about the MH. The chassis is awesome, the layout is great, I’ve talked to you about the seats flaking off but damn, made two trips and had nothing but hell with ATS, generator etc. Thanks for everything but I hope you can put some pressure on Onan
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Old 08-20-2019, 10:55 AM   #16
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I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but let's put this into perspective. If it's a 2015 Force, then it was likely built in 2014.

That means it is likely over 5 years old. Even if the gen had a 3 year warranty (which I can't remember what Onan calls out) or like an auto it had a 3 year/36k warranty, OR even a drive train with a 5 year warranty....it would be out of warranty in every case.

So asking them to step up on a product that is out of even some of the best warranty coverage available, is more than a stretch. Especially if the original owner supposedly never had any issues.

Having said that, I have sent this post to my tech AND asked that it be sent to Onan for at least technical advice.

My advice...is that the dealer that sold it and/or the dealer that is doing the troubleshooting and repair should be somewhat liable for diagnosing and making repairs that are obviously not the root cause of the problem. So at what point do they have to take ownership of their work?
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Old 08-20-2019, 11:11 AM   #17
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Can you shoot me the last 8 of the VIN and the get serial number?
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Old 08-20-2019, 01:26 PM   #18
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Can you shoot me the last 8 of the VIN and the get serial number?
Last 8 of VIN-FHGJ7815
Onan RV QD 8000 serial number- J140751820

Thanks for any help you can give
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Old 08-21-2019, 07:28 AM   #19
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We've been emailing back and forth with the Onan Service tech. They keep getting hung up on the board being "wired wrong". They have no idea what that means.

However, in running the serial there is NO service or warranty claims associated with that unit. So their primary issue is that the OEM was jumped over for a 3rd party tech, which isn't always ideal. Best bet at this point is to reach out to Onan directly and see if there is a service center close by that is run by Onan.

I know a lot of dealers have said things to customers that I shake my head at. Things about our product that are flat out false...just to give a reason.
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Old 08-21-2019, 01:40 PM   #20
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Last 8 of VIN-FHGJ7815
Onan RV QD 8000 serial number- J140751820

Thanks for any help you can give
In my area I have a Cummins dealer that will work on Onan generators, you might try that if you have a Cummins shop near you?
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