Generator quit

[jj628]

I have been running the generator on my 93 H340 Liberty Elegant Lady on auto start for a few days while waiting for some work to be done. Everything worked perfectly for a week or so then I didn't check it for a couple days. When I did I found that the generator had stopped running or failed to start at some point ( it had failed to fire off the first time on a couple of occasions). Now after charging all of the batteries including the generator battery, there seems to be no electrical power going to the generator. When the start button is pushed in any of the three locations nothing happens--no gen indicator lights come on --no gen start. I may have lost the house lights circuit also. Having trouble with some of my Tivoli lights. Coolant level is perfect as is the oil level. Any simple answers today?

[Jon Wehrenberg]

I don't know enough about your vintage so what I am suggesting may not be correct.

On my first coach there was a resetable fuse on the generator start box. If the generator cranked for an extended period it would trip the fuse (breaker) and before I could attempt a restart that had to be reset.

If the coach has the "watchdog" auto start control the problem may be a reset button located on the bottom of the "watchdog". That button is very small and hard to see, but pushing it resets the watchdog which allows you to manually start the generator.

If you suspect you have other problems, such as the loss of some of your house circuits, the problem may not be related to the generator, but it may be a global house problem. Your coach is between the two Liberty's I have had. My first had the house circuits divided into two and each had its own dedicated batteries and circuit breakers. My current one has individual system circuit breakers also. So I would surmise if part of the house circuits are lacking power to start at the house batteries and follow the circuits checking for power at each location, such as at the circuit breakers located at the batteries and then at the buss bars in the electrical bay, then at the individual circuits. If the problem relates to a tripped system breaker that might explain why the generator is not working because it has no power. I do not know if your generator has dedicated power from the start battery, including power to the start and run circuits.

[truk4u]

John,

Your vintage is close to mine. There should be a green LED light on the face of the Watchdog in your compartment. If that light is not on, there is something obliviously wrong with the electrical circuit. Also, if the light is on, try starting the gen from the compartment toggle switch instead of inside the bus.

[Charles Spera]

John,
I have a coach like yours and had a bit of a problem like yours with the generator starting.
I found a reset button on the back side of the generator start box located on the forward side of the partition around the generator radiator. You will find it by looking on the backside (awkward) or feeling the backside for it.
Once found and pushed in, mine seemed to work fine. Let us know how it goes.

[jj628]

As we study the no generator problem it appears that the real problem is we have no dc power coming from the house batteries. None of the control panels inside the coach have power. No overhead lights from the driver/passenger seat back. house batteries have been charged, the red button breakers have been pushed, the breaker switches for house power have been cycled. I think Jon is correct when he says we have to start at the battery and work forward. Troy at Liberty said to check the "Ford type" solenoid near the the master cut off switch. Thanks for everyone's help. I'll keep you posted. jjf

[jack14r]

The red button breakers are really hard to reset,the handle of a screwdriver will usually reset them.

[Larry W]

The plastic coach we had before had some of those Ford type relays. Found that when they stuck all it took was a firm blow with a small hammer to make it work again. Cost was 0.

[Jon Wehrenberg]

Jack is right. I suggest starting at the batteries and checking voltage at each point along the way. I don't know where the house batteries are located on your coach, but there should be circuit breakers and shut off switches very close to them.

Check for voltage on each side of every component until you find the point at which the circuit is open. I suspect you are going to find the open circuit is not between the batteries and the point at which the inverters tie into the curcuit on the house disconnect panel, but down stream from that. I suspect your inverter panels show normal.

So that suggests the disconnect or open circuit is at a circuit breaker down stream from the point at which the inverters connect to the panel, possibly at a breaker located on the panel. Since Liberty does not have terminals or connections buried where there is no access, if the problem is not on the house DC main panel near the batteries, check in the electrical bay at the bus bars and work backards. You need to do this with a voltmeter or ohmeter.

Remember what Jack said. If it is a big CB that tripped, it may not look like it tripped, and unless you try to push it in with a tool you are unlikely to have enough oomph in your thumb or fingers to reset it.

As to looking for a Ford type relay, I don't know of any on my coach that would carry the circuits you have described as lacking power. In fact I cannot think of any in my house curcuits except for specific tasks such as the water pump. My money is on a CB and those have shown a tendency to weken over time and trip.

[Prevost.Rick]

the ford sol. they are talking about are in the 2nd bay dr side where the inverters or chargers are on the left behind the plastic cover,they are (st80) sol.s at napa ,they turn your main and tiv. lights on and off at your front door,

[Jon Wehrenberg]

Rick,

Does he have those solenoids on an Elegant Lady? Also, from the description (assuming he does have those solenoids) the outage affects more than just interior lights but sounds like he has lost 1/2 or more of all DC circuits.

[jj628]

Progress Report. After talking to Liberty Coach today and crawing into the bowels of the beast in 100 Degree heat it has been determined that we have a fault in the Allen Bradley system CPU. We will cycle the on/off switch a few times before calling the Allen Bradley field rep. I was told we could bring it to a Liberty repair center and --they would call the Allen Bradley rep. Keep you posted. jjf

[jack14r]

If the AB gets hot it will shut down,check to make sure the boxer fan in that bay is working.

[jj628]

The fan in that bay is working. jjf

[jj628]

And he said " Let there be light--and generator and AC and all that other stuff" and there was after the little round,balding man made a trip to Joplin to pick up a circuit board to replace the blown one in the Allen Bradley unit.
Thank you all for the good advice. jjf