No power from generator 2023 Spirit 25B

4x4Winnebago · 06-26-2023, 11:57 AM

Hello all. I have a 2023 Winnebago Spirit 25B, a class C RV. Recently, I was running the Onan 4000 generator with the AC on. I mistakenly started the microwave, which caused the generator to stop. I restarted the generator. When powered by generator, I can no longer use the AC, the microwave, and have to use the inverter for 110V outlets. Additionally, the battery isn't getting a charge. I looked for all the obvious things to restore power from the generator:

I opened and closed each circuit breaker in the main controller.

I checked all fuses in the 12V fuse box.

I checked the circuit breaker on the generator itself and opened/closed that several times. Sometimes waiting a few minutes before resetting to on.

Using a multimeter, I tested the 30 AMP outlet that the generator powers, and it was producing 120 volts of electricity. However, when I plug the 30 AMP power cord in, power does not make it to the house. Here's the wiring diagram for that: https://www.winnebago.com/Files/File.../000174053.pdf

These issues do not exist when I'm plugged in to shore power. I do not believe that my RV has an ATS, which would be the next thing to check. Here's the wiring diagram for the controller:
https://www.winnebago.com/Files/File.../000035833.pdf

Has anyone solved this problem before? Apologies for a request for help being my first post to this forum, but in reading similar posts, I didn't see exactly this situation enumerated. Calls to locale mobile RV mechanics have been unhelpful as those I've spoken to are allergic to issues where the word "generator" is associated.

Thanks in advance.

(A picture of the rig included just for an intro.)

**creativepart** · 06-26-2023, 02:00 PM

Hello, and welcome.

Can you open the generator receptacle to look for burning or pitting or other issue caused by the overload.

It is possible that the generator circuit breakers - on the genset - have failed or burned.

Here's a good video just as a possible help.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yzxx8Ht2hOs

Morich · 06-26-2023, 03:19 PM

I think you have done a great job of getting it worked down to being very close!
So if I understand what you are saying, you are correct in not having an automatic transfer switch and that is something I consider GOOD as it makes for less trouble.
We are pretty sure when WE plug the cord in but in this case there is something missing.

You've tested the outlet where the power comes out of hte generator and found it good?
You've tested the cord and all parts from it to the rest of the RV ?
But when you plug the good cord into the good outlet, it doesn't work??

That only leaves a few parts to go wrong! The meter probes are hitting the contacts in the outlet in a different spot than the points on the cord!
OR there may be an odd thing like loose wires in the outlet which are making contact when testing with the meter but not when trying the cord??

Yes, it is time to take the cover of the box from the generator and look for trouble there as well as making sure you are not dealing with some kind of hit and miss thing with something like a bad plug.
Maybe the plug happened to work at the time when plugged to shore power but not
when plugged to generator?

It might be time to try looking for weird by twisting the plug as it is in the outlet from the generator to see if holding it twisted someway makes contact but not when you turn it loose?
Burned or loose contacts or wires, etc and they are right there within an inch of where the cord and box have to make contact, so looking carefully is needed.
Normally we would expect arcing to show where they are not making good contact but things do try to confuse us.

My new saying of the week? Wired and weird are spelled just the same if we rearrange the letters! Trust nothing!

4x4Winnebago · 06-26-2023, 04:31 PM

Thank you for the replies so far. I will take a look inside the junction box and the outlet to look for any possible issues. I haven't gone that far yet, since the same plug works with the shore power...however, that would not rule out the contact issue Morich mentioned. I was also inspired to check inside the coach one more time this evening - I got to thinking that maybe the inverter switch had a GFCI issue where it's plugged into the inverter. I don't know if that would really be materially different than shore power, but it occurred to me that I hadn't doublechecked it. I'll keep you apprised if I track down the issue.

Morich · 06-26-2023, 05:12 PM

When dealing with a question on the 110AC side, I often like to use th elights on the microwave as a quick check. One is that they are easy to see but also because the microwave is rarely if ever passing through things like the inverter.
So looking at the lights and knowing that it comes as straight in from the cord as possible kind of acts to cut any confusion like the inverter being off or not working right.

Something else that I thought about may be happening? When testing the voltage at the outlet using the meter, did you put one probe in the ground on the outlet and then the other on the hot from the outlet?
Or did you test from some other ground like the frame to the hot?
If the ground side was open on the outlet, that could let you miss the ground being bad in the outlet because you were using a different ground point!

4x4Winnebago · 06-26-2023, 05:35 PM

Thank you, Richard. I'll test from the ground, which I did not do before. (I tested hot to neutral). A bad ground would do it also.

4x4Winnebago · 06-26-2023, 07:09 PM

Thank you, Richard. I invested a lot of time investigating a bunch of options.
I followed through on testing the simplest thing...just to find out that it was a bad contact. One of the prongs was very slightly out of alignment, and I straightened it manually. I can probably only do that so many times before needing to replace the power cord. However, my issue is resolved for now. Lesson learned. Thanks again for the help.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Morich

I think you have done a great job of getting it worked down to being very close!
So if I understand what you are saying, you are correct in not having an automatic transfer switch and that is something I consider GOOD as it makes for less trouble.
We are pretty sure when WE plug the cord in but in this case there is something missing.

You've tested the outlet where the power comes out of hte generator and found it good?
You've tested the cord and all parts from it to the rest of the RV ?
But when you plug the good cord into the good outlet, it doesn't work??

That only leaves a few parts to go wrong! The meter probes are hitting the contacts in the outlet in a different spot than the points on the cord!
OR there may be an odd thing like loose wires in the outlet which are making contact when testing with the meter but not when trying the cord??

Yes, it is time to take the cover of the box from the generator and look for trouble there as well as making sure you are not dealing with some kind of hit and miss thing with something like a bad plug.
Maybe the plug happened to work at the time when plugged to shore power but not
when plugged to generator?

It might be time to try looking for weird by twisting the plug as it is in the outlet from the generator to see if holding it twisted someway makes contact but not when you turn it loose?
Burned or loose contacts or wires, etc and they are right there within an inch of where the cord and box have to make contact, so looking carefully is needed.
Normally we would expect arcing to show where they are not making good contact but things do try to confuse us.

My new saying of the week? Wired and weird are spelled just the same if we rearrange the letters! Trust nothing!