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no power from generator

Yahoo Message Number: 30227
We have a 1997 Intrigue 10468, and are not getting power from our Powertech CD7000 generator. Here are the items I have checked so far:

1. I have tried turning on the generator with the shore power connected and with it disconnected. Still no generator power.

2. At the auto transfer switch, I have confirmed that it is not receiving the 120V from the generator. I checked both circuits coming from the generator. No voltage on either.

3. At the generator I have confirmed that the breakers on the generator are not tripped. I even turned them on and off 3 or 4 times to make sure.

4. With the power off, I have ohmed out the circuit breakers on the
generator. With them off, they are open as they should be. With them on, there is only .1 ohms of resistance, so they seem to be in normal working order.

Everthing seems to be pointing to the fact that the generator is not generating any power.

I should mention that usually when we start the generator, it trips the GFI on the outlet for the shore power. When I started the generator today, I noticed the circuit breaker in the panel for my house was tripped. I am not sure if there is a connection here or not. We know the outlet was working earlier because we vacuumed the coach without any problems. It wasn't until after we started the generator that we noticed we had no 120V power in the coach. I suppose it is possible the breaker tripped just as we finished vacuuming. Like I said, I am not sure if the tripped breaker is related or not.

Any help or suggestions would be appreciated

Sandy

1997 Intrigue Grandview 10468

Re: no power from generator

Reply #1 –
Yahoo Message Number: 30228
ygrps-yiv-2037985917 v0003a* {} ygrps-yiv-2037985917 v0003a* { } First things first, does the generator stay running when you start it if so then the voltage through the breakers on the generator should be 110 volts to ground on each side of the top screws of the breakers like wise on the bottom this will tell if the voltage is going out. You say it has no voltage at the switch gear in the back so if the generator is running it is producing voltage but not through the breakers to the back of the coach . I expect you need to replace the breaker on the generator I have a 95 and had to do this to mine.

hope this helps!!!!!!!

Brian Eichhorn
10030

95 intrigue

Re: no power from generator

Reply #2 –
Yahoo Message Number: 30238
Yes, the generator runs fine, starts and keeps running. At the generator, I noticed the breakers are jumpered together on top. I assume yours are as well?

I checked them to ground with the breaker open and closed and could detect no voltage. To be honest, I am not sure whether I had a good ground, I kept trying a bunch of places and either could not find a ground, or there we no power. I am fairly confident I had a good ground.

The coach is new to us, and we do not have a manual for the Powertech. Do you have the CD7000? Could I talk you into getting a copy PDF'ed or copied and mailed?

Thanks for the help.

Tom (and Sandy)

Quote from: BRIAN EICHHORN
>

First things first, does the generator stay running when you
start it if so

Quote
then the voltage through the breakers on the generator should be

110 volts

Quote
to ground on each side of the top screws of the breakers like

wise on the

Quote
bottom this will tell if the voltage is going out. You say it has

no

Quote
voltage at the switch gear in the back so if the generator is
running it is

Quote
producing voltage but not through the breakers to the back of the

coach . I

Quote
expect you need to replace the breaker on the generator I have a

95 and had

Re: no power from generator

Reply #3 –
Yahoo Message Number: 30241
We had a similar problem in our 2000 Intrigue. The output line from the generator goes into a junction box and the nut connecting the wires was not tightened which allowed the wires to come apart. Just a thought....Hope this helps. BRIAN EICHHORN wrote: #ygrps-yiv-1634574633 v0003a* {} #ygrps-yiv-1634574633 v0003a* {} First things first, does the generator stay running when you start it if so then the voltage through the breakers on the generator should be 110 volts to ground on each side of the top screws of the breakers like wise on the bottom this will tell if the voltage is going out. You say it has no voltage at the switch gear in the back so if the generator is running it is producing voltage but not through the breakers to the back of the coach . I expect you need to replace the breaker on the generator I have a 95 and had to do this to mine. hope this helps!!!!!!! Brian Eichhorn 10030 95 intrigue --

Re: no power from generator

Reply #4 –
Yahoo Message Number: 30244
This is not going to help you, but thought I'd share one of our favorite anecdotes about generators on this fine Easter Sunday.

A friend had a 42' Chris Craft (yacht) with a huge generator that just never worked no matter what he did to try to get it working. He and a friend decided to dismantle the generator and replace it with a small Honda generator, because the old one would have cost tens of thousands of dollars to replace.

So they're hacking away at the old generator, cutting away parts one at a time and deep-sixing them, when they get to the last piece. With a flashlight they notice a circuit breaker around the back. My friend presses the breaker button and hears "click!"...
Bill & Debbie in San Diego

Re: no power from generator

Reply #5 –
Yahoo Message Number: 30248
Tom,

I have the 1995 PowerTech setup with a 3-cyl Kubota. When I requested a manual, they sent me one that covers their 8K, 10K & 12K models. Claim is that nothing significant except packaging changed. Since it's 2meg in size, I put it up on my web site and you can download at your leisure.

Let me know when you have it so I can remove it.
http://users.sisna.com/cebula/PTGen.pdf
Mike

sandydepottey wrote:

Re: no power from generator

Reply #6 –
Yahoo Message Number: 30249
Mike,

Thanks for the manual. I REALLY appreciate it. The first thing I need to check is the 6A fuse and the resistance on the exciter leads.

Thanks again.
Tom

Quote from: Mike Cebula \[br\
]
Tom,

I have the 1995 PowerTech setup with a 3-cyl Kubota. When I

requested a

Quote
manual, they sent me one that covers their 8K, 10K & 12K models.

Claim

Quote
is that nothing significant except packaging changed. Since it's

2meg in

Quote
size, I put it up on my web site and you can download at your

leisure.

Quote
>

Let me know when you have it so I can remove it.
>http://users.sisna.com/cebula/PTGen.pdf >

Mike

sandydepottey wrote:
>
>

> Yes, the generator runs fine, starts and keeps running. At the > > generator, I noticed the breakers are jumpered together on top. I > > assume yours are as well?
>

> I checked them to ground with the breaker open and closed and

could

Quote
detect no voltage. To be honest, I am not sure whether I had a

good

Quote
ground, I kept trying a bunch of places and either could not find

a

Quote
ground, or there we no power. I am fairly confident I had a good > > ground.
>

> The coach is new to us, and we do not have a manual for the > > Powertech. Do you have the CD7000? Could I talk you into getting a > > copy PDF'ed or copied and mailed? > >

> Thanks for the help.
>

> Tom (and Sandy)
>

> -

Re: no power from generator - solved

Reply #7 –
Yahoo Message Number: 30281
Here is the latest, in case anyone is keeping track. With the manual in hand, (thanks Mike), I checked the resistance of the generator coils. The Exciter coil is supposed to have a resistance of 86 ohms....but anything between 50 and 100 is ok since the reading varies with temperature. I was reading 20 Kilo-ohms. I called Powertech and confirmed that the high resistance indicates a bad Excitor stator. I talked to a local service rep. He said a new stator would cost about $400 plus labor, but I could save a couple bucks by pulling the unit myself. It was obvious at this point that any solution begins with pulling the generator. I yanked it out yesterday, it took a 3 hours or so. There was an exhaust connection, 2 fuel lines, the power wires going to the transfer box, the 12V connection to the battery, and the remote start wired. Not too bad, the exhaust was the worst.

When I got home from work today, I had a friend come over to give me a hand. We pulled the brush assembly off, and was able to get a look at the slip rings. They were completely corroded. We pulled of the end cover, cleaned the slip rings with some emery paper. Ohm readings are now about 60 ohms directly on the slip rings. I am pretty confindent we have nailed the problem. I am going to add a new brush assembly, since were in so deep, and brushes are a wear item.
I hope to have it back together this weekend.

I guess this is a lesson in making sure you run the generator regularly. We purchased this used a few months ago, so it is anyones guess how long ago it has been since the generator was used.

Thanks to everyone for the input along the way
 

Re: no power from generator - solved

Reply #8 –
Yahoo Message Number: 30282
Great news!! This is one more reason I like to be on this site, great do-it-your-selfers!!

Paul Dark 01 Magna 5946