genny problems

Lil'Darlin1972 · 11-19-2007, 06:50 PM

<span class="ev_code_PURPLE">We have been having on/off problems with the genny and it is making me crazy !!

We didn't have any problems all summer and then in the fall the genny started turning off while we were on the road. It happened more and more and then it wouldn't start. So we took it to a Cummins shop a few weeks ago and they discovered the on/off switch on the genny was coroded. They replaced it and it seemed good to go.

We've started it a couple of times in the driveway since then with no problems. It ran for 15-20 minutes both times.

Fast forward to today. We took the motorhome up to Frankenmuth to do some shopping and have dinner. The genny stopped about 15 minutes into the trip. I restarted it from the control panel inside and it lasted about 3 minutes this time. 5 hours later after shopping and eating, we let it run in the parking lot while we are warming up the coach. It was about 20 minutes this time before quitting. GRRR

I am REALLY frustrated because we are supposed to take the motorhome to a nighttime parade on Friday and we were counting on being able to use the genny !! It took us a week just to get the last appointment.

I'll keep you posted.</span>

Lil'Darlin1972 · 11-19-2007, 06:50 PM

<span class="ev_code_PURPLE">We have been having on/off problems with the genny and it is making me crazy !!

We didn't have any problems all summer and then in the fall the genny started turning off while we were on the road. It happened more and more and then it wouldn't start. So we took it to a Cummins shop a few weeks ago and they discovered the on/off switch on the genny was coroded. They replaced it and it seemed good to go.

We've started it a couple of times in the driveway since then with no problems. It ran for 15-20 minutes both times.

Fast forward to today. We took the motorhome up to Frankenmuth to do some shopping and have dinner. The genny stopped about 15 minutes into the trip. I restarted it from the control panel inside and it lasted about 3 minutes this time. 5 hours later after shopping and eating, we let it run in the parking lot while we are warming up the coach. It was about 20 minutes this time before quitting. GRRR

I am REALLY frustrated because we are supposed to take the motorhome to a nighttime parade on Friday and we were counting on being able to use the genny !! It took us a week just to get the last appointment.

I'll keep you posted.</span>

Y-Guy · 11-19-2007, 07:02 PM

Shannone how much fuel do you have in the RV? More then 1/4 tank? How many hours do you have on the generator? Have you serviced it, checked the oil level, air filter?

Lil'Darlin1972 · 11-19-2007, 07:20 PM

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Shannone how much fuel do you have in the RV? More then 1/4 tank? How many hours do you have on the generator? Have you serviced it, checked the oil level, air filter?

Steve </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

<span class="ev_code_PURPLE">The gas tank is full. We've always made sure it stays above 1/4 tank.

I'm not sure how many hours we have on it...that's something I would have to ask Chad. Where would I find that out ?? </span>

mrbojangles · 11-19-2007, 07:31 PM

Lil D.
Low oil can cause the problem as same as low gas. You might check your oil.
Just my 2 cents.
mrbojangles

Lil'Darlin1972 · 11-19-2007, 07:37 PM

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Lil D.
Low oil can cause the problem as same as low gas. You might check your oil.
Just my 2 cents.
mrbojangles </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

<span class="ev_code_PURPLE">Thanks...I left Chad a note to take a look at that in the morning.</span>

Y-Guy · 11-19-2007, 08:04 PM

Hour meter is back by the bathroom on the control panel, should be right near the gen start switch. Hard to read since its an un-lit LCD panel.

bsavage · 11-19-2007, 11:03 PM

What brand and size gennie do you have? In our '06 Beaver, the gennie had a "known issue" fan belt problem, had to be retrofitted from two fan belts to 1 serpentine belt... your problem sounds very similar to what we experienced. Ours is a 12,500 Cummins. Hope that helps... p.s. we were out of warranty and they still did the retrofit for free because of the "known issue" status. Is yours giving you an overheat code?

Belgique · 11-20-2007, 02:25 AM

I'd ask this is the Tech Issue section of RV.Net. There are a couple of guys there that eat, sleep and dream of gensets, But, be sure and tell them the brand, and specific model of the genset or they'll yell at you

. This not meant to disparage here, its just that a couple of those chaps REALLY know gensets. As an aside, I had the oil level problem: it was down just a little and would shut off on a curve.

Loving our 35J! Steve

John_Canfield · 11-20-2007, 03:29 AM

Is their a flashing code on the light of the start/stop switch when it stops?

Chief · 11-20-2007, 05:04 AM

I would change out the fuel filter-Just to eliminate the possibility of it being gummed up.

Lil'Darlin1972 · 11-20-2007, 05:37 AM

<span class="ev_code_PURPLE">I have a few answers to some of your questions.

The genny has a little over 300 miles on it, and we have had 2 oil changes done so far. I would think they checked the fuel filter at that time, but I will double check.

The oil level is fine, they just changed it when it was in the shop a couple of weeks ago.

There wasn't a flashing code on the panel.

We called Cummins this morning and they said they could look at it tomorrow morning. I really hope they can figure it out and get it fixed tomorrow too (wishful thinking??) so that we are all set for the parade on Friday. I didn't ask the people on the tech board because they scare me a little...rofl

I was hoping some fellow Winnie owners could give me a couple of suggestions or at least commiserate with me, lol

If the Cummins people are no help...I will definitely get my info together and post over on the tech board.
</span>

jcar6109 · 11-20-2007, 05:54 AM

We had a similar problem when going up a small hill or turning a corner the generator would shut off and then after a while finally wouldn't restart at all. It acted like it was going to start and then quit as soon as I removed my finger from the switch.

In our case the wire harness in the wall behind the hallway control panel was too heavy and with all the vibration and bouncing the top wire on the generator switch was pulled down and shorted to the middle terminal on the switch which sent a stop signal to the generator. I had to make a strain relief and hold the harness up.

I hope that this helps. It's just another scenario.

Gary the Wombat · 11-20-2007, 07:35 AM

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Lil'Darlin1972:
<span class="ev_code_PURPLE">The genny has a little over 300 miles on it,
</span> </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Shannone. Do you mean 300 hours? If so, wow--you sure have used it a lot for a fairly new MH. I've only got about 12 hours on mine, but it seems the only time I use it is for it's monthly runs.

Lil'Darlin1972 · 11-20-2007, 05:52 PM

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Shannone. Do you mean 300 hours? If so, wow--you sure have used it a lot for a fairly new MH. I've only got about 12 hours on mine, but it seems the only time I use it is for it's monthly runs. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

<span class="ev_code_PURPLE">Yes...lol, I meant hours

We drove 9500 miles this year and we used the genny while driving so the kids can watch tv and have the a/c on. It was a pretty hot summer !! We didn't use it at all while camping...just while driving.</span>

Gary the Wombat · 11-20-2007, 06:05 PM

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Lil'Darlin1972:
We drove 9500 miles this year and we used the genny while driving so the kids can watch tv and have the a/c on. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Those darn kids! Don't you just love em? I usually strap them to the roof so they can check the road ahead.

smlranger · 11-21-2007, 02:47 AM

It's a long shot but on my previous gas coach with a gas Onan genset, there was a lever on the generator that you could either select 'warm' or 'cold' weather operation. When the weather got colder, if I did not flip that level to 'cold', it would often sputter and shut off.

Not sure the newer models are the same.

SCVJeff · 11-21-2007, 10:52 PM

Ding-Ding-Ding-Ding....
It was just in the shop?
That there is a clue..

gunny · 11-22-2007, 08:34 AM

Guess it wasn't the switch they thought it was.

Time for it to go back, ask they find the real cause and not just change parts, might be a long and expensive process if they try to fix it that way.

As it is a '07, it should be under the factory warranty.

Having worked for Cummins for a number of years, many years ago, experience from that side indicates that you sometimes get an inexperienced person who will change a part, if it runs long enough to get it out the door, everyone is happy until it comes back. Those intermitant problems, like what you describe can be very frustrating and hard to find and repair.

Running 3 to 20 minutes before shutting down. No faults being recorded? That is unusual. If it were to shut down to a fuel problem such as it running out from a loose hose connection, etc, it should record something, failure to maintain frequency, some sort of a fault.
If I were the one doing the trouble shooting, I'd start looking at something electrical. The controller might think it is being commanded to shut down and act accordingly, that would explain no trouble codes.

A lot of shops won't allow you in the shop areas, did they start it, it ran, they let it run a few minutes, write it up as being unable to duplicate the customer complaint and send you on your way? A week wait for an appointment? The genset didn't make an appointment to cause you grief did it? You might consider getting the MH seller in on this, if they can't find and repair the problem in a reasonable time frame, I would ask for a new genset.

Having worked in the generator business, folks that came in and refered to the genset as a "genny" were viewed as folks who have no knowledge of what it really is, where it is and how it works. Kind of like the person coming in asking to have their headlighrt fluid level checked.