AC Panel Problem

Status
Not open for further replies.
H

Happy Place

Well-known member
Joined
Mar 16, 2021
Messages
96
Fluid Motion Model
C-302 SC
Vessel Name
Happy Place
2014 R31 CB ....I'm having a problem with my generator. I start up, switch to generator on the AC panel. The analog dial on the AC panel shows that on 1 I'm am putting out 120 volts but when I switch to 2 it shows zero.

AC 1 and 2 light up when I switch them on, as do the switches for the air con relay, air con fore and aft...and accessory however ....none of the other switches will light up it operate. So no power to the wall sockets, water heater, etc....

Also....when I switch on the charge switch, the green light dies not come on....not sure if I'm even charging. The yellow charging light on the inverter also does not come on.

I've checked every fuse and switch I can think of to no avail.

Can anyone help?
 
Presuming you have engaged your inverter the inverter still needs to sense a draw to use outlets and such.
 
When I switch on the inverter, with the generator running, then turn on any device...vacuum cleaner, power drill, etc.....I immediately get a low state of charge alarm from my house bank monitor....which lead me to believe that the inverter was drawing directly from the house bank and not from the generator.

Am I wrong?
 
I’m confused. Why are you turning on the inverter when the generator is running. The generator is producing ac power. The inverter supplies ac when there isn’t a source of ac.

Jim Demerest
2010 R29 Chessie
 
I've been trying everything trying to figure out my problem. Someone mentioned that everything ran through the inverter so at one point yes, I turned on the inverter with the genset running.

The genset is providing power to only selected items on my ac panel...the aircon relay and the fore and aft will light up when switched but no the wall outlets......this is my most immediate problem as I'm on a mooring ball....no shore power.

Any thoughts on why the generator won't seem to power the wall outlets?
 
Jim is correct in that you do not need the inverter with the generator. The generator supplies 120. Check all the plugs and be sure GFI is not tripped. Check panel to be sure ac main is on.
You may also have a switch (looks like a light switch) on the generator itself. Check to see it is on. The generator will still start with this switch in the off position but it will not supply power.
 
Still no luck guys....I have tried everything...checked the switch at the generator...its on....checked the GFI at the outlets...they're not tripped.

I can get power to the outlets by running the inverter... ie microwave, etc....but it really hits the house bank hard so I want to use the generator.

BUT.....

When I run the generator, I'm seeing 120 volts at the analog dial on the AC panel but the outlets refuse to power up. On the AC panel, I can run the air conditioning...the little green lights come on and the unit works fine but when I go to switch on the breakers for any of the wall outlets, the green lights do not come on and the outlets are dead.

What am I missing??? Is there a fuse somewhere between the AC panel and the outlets that I'm missing?
 
My R29 only has a single 30 amp input and my generator powers to all of the circuits on the ac panel including the air conditioners. What you have described is the generator is working and outputting ac to only the air conditioners circuits. There should be a switch/fuse/ circuit breaker to the connect the generator to the rest of the ac panel. I would call The factory they should be able to help you.

Once everything is working you’ll need to do power management when running the generator.

Jim Demerest 2010 R29 Chessie
 
Problem solved. In the port lazarette, to the left of the inverter is a Perko switch, which controls the power from shore power AND the generator.

I assumed that when not using shore power, it should be turned off. I was wrong.

When switched on, all is well.

Thanks to all for the help and thanks to Kenny at the factory...
 
I know this an old post but I just experienced a similar problem. My RT31S with generator/AC units - Line 1 which powers everything but the AC units would not power up when hooked up to shore power. They also did not work when I started the generator. House batteries were discharged and my ProMariner inverter would not recharge them while in the normal battery charger mode. Living on the west coast of FL in the lightning capital of the world I am used to seeing circuit breakers trip and I was aware that the inverter needs to see an adequate level of voltage before it charges. Switching on the parallel circuit did not help. I was dealing with something different this time around. None of the Line One circuit breakers had their green LED lighted - dead... At this time, I did use a separate trickle charger to start building up house battery voltage while I trouble shot the AC voltage problem.

In the quarter berth I pulled off the panels to allow access to the back of the AC panel. Sure enough, no voltage going to the long bar that powers all the Line 1 circuit breakers - but I could trace good voltage coming off the main Line 1 circuit breaker at the top of the AC panel. However, this wire leads back to the inverter, not to the Line 1 circuit breakers - so yes, the inverter is involved and must pass back the voltage/power coming off that main circuit breaker before the other Line 1 circuit breakers are energized. That was not happening. Crawling back in the port lazarette I found two small black buttons that looked like circuit breakers on the side of the inverter - I gave them a push. Power was restored to the panel and all the individual circuit breakers were now energized. Looking at the ProMariner Owner's Manual - those two buttons are "Overcurrent Protection" for Charger Input and Inverter Output. If you have a similar problem, I would first look at your inverter and reset those two buttons to ensure they are not tripped.

Here is the one thing I would like to get some feedback on - since I dug into the AC panel. There are two "Accessory" Circuit Breakers on the AC panel that are not hooked up to anything. That is fine, but there are also two unused boat cables (three wires each) with all the other AC wiring behind the AC panel. One leads forward, one leads aft. So I am interested in knowing where they go to. I would like to use the one going forward to install another 110 plug and change out the 12-volt TV to a 110V Smart TV and hook it to one of the Accessory CBs. Appreciate knowing the termination locations for those two unused boat cables - that would be useful. Maybe I did not waste time after all... 🙂
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

  • Tugnuts.com is the community hub for Ranger Tug, Cutwater, and Solara owners. Since its inception in 2008, the Tugnuts forum has grown into an active and thriving community of more than 9,000 members. It serves as both a meeting place for the best boating community online, and an invaluable archive of information.

  • User menu
Back
Top