Going to tackle two things with this post. First, I plan on releasing new posts every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. Hopefully I can hang in there with this kind of schedule. I feel that it is enough time for me to put some thoughts together and get them to you.
Second, frequency of the generator. This is commonly over looked and not enough techs check this. A good bit of people forget that not only do you need 120VAC, but even more importantly, we work on 60Hz cycle. This 60Hz is dictated completely by the speed of the generator. This is very important and should be looked at whenever the output of the generator is in question. Too many times I have customers that try adjusting the speed of the generator to increase or decrease the voltage and there is total disregard for the frequency out.
We need to remember that the things we use in the RV are set up and expecting 60Hz just like you get out of our wall outlets. A good bit of damage can be done by trying to run a generator at the incorrect speed. AC units, Microwave Ovens, TV's, Computers....etc. All of these things have power supplies and motors that work off of 60Hz cycle. I am not going to go into what the 60 Hz means, and yes, Europe and most of the world use 50Hz. I know. In the United States of America we almost always use 60Hz. This is important. Generators can be set up for either one and unless asked I'm not going to cover that either.
I am just trying to raise awareness that this is important! For the sake of your equipment, make sure you check it or have it checked.
Monday, April 23, 2012
Wednesday, April 18, 2012
Understanding the MODEL number.
One of the things I run into often is the lack of information provided by the owner of the generator. One thing that is needed by any generator technician is the FULL MODEL NUMBER. Sorry to yell. It is frustrating. I know a lot about these generators by heart. What I don't know is which one you own. Please, always start a question or comment with the model number of the generator in question. Let me give you an example of how to identify the model number.
The section marked "Model No:" is the model number. The serial does not help me but the model does. The first 3 to 4 characters tell me what series generator you have. The very last letter, this is the most important. This is the specification (spec) letter. From the model and spec I can determine every part that is inside your generator. The rest of the tag shows some very useful information but it is not necessary to relay this info.
Most places will not even talk to you without a model number (Onan) but I will do my best to try and help you figure it out.
I understand that over the years these tags can get ruined, painted over, destroyed and misplaced. It happens. I have seen my share. If this is the case for your generator, all is not lost. At this point we need to identify some part numbers inside the generator. Luckily, because of having so many part numbers for different models, I can use these to identify the generator. If you don't have a legible tag, please take the time and remove the control board (located behind the START/STOP switch). The control board will have a small bar code sticker on it and a very small number printed underneath it. This is the identifier. We can now assume the model of generator and get within a few letters of the proper spec.
The section marked "Model No:" is the model number. The serial does not help me but the model does. The first 3 to 4 characters tell me what series generator you have. The very last letter, this is the most important. This is the specification (spec) letter. From the model and spec I can determine every part that is inside your generator. The rest of the tag shows some very useful information but it is not necessary to relay this info.
Most places will not even talk to you without a model number (Onan) but I will do my best to try and help you figure it out.
I understand that over the years these tags can get ruined, painted over, destroyed and misplaced. It happens. I have seen my share. If this is the case for your generator, all is not lost. At this point we need to identify some part numbers inside the generator. Luckily, because of having so many part numbers for different models, I can use these to identify the generator. If you don't have a legible tag, please take the time and remove the control board (located behind the START/STOP switch). The control board will have a small bar code sticker on it and a very small number printed underneath it. This is the identifier. We can now assume the model of generator and get within a few letters of the proper spec.
Tuesday, April 17, 2012
START but no RUN! Why u no stay runnin generator!
The most common problem to baffle Onan generator owners is the dreaded "Starts and cranks over but will not continue to run!" symptom. This is by far the most common problem I run into daily. Let me start by saying this, it's normally not the control board. This symptom means that the control is doing its job. Do not just buy a control because your local expert said so. They are likely wrong.
The controls on the Onan generator are designed to look for AC voltage and oil pressure. If you have the symptom above, you are missing AC voltage or oil pressure. Let me be clear, there must be AC voltage and oil pressure present. Clear enough? One model is the exception to the rule, The Marquis. All other Onan generators follow this rule. So now you know where to start right? At least a better idea, right? No? It's cool, I get it. They are two things that are not always so straight forward when testing.
Here is where it gets tricky, there are so many different models of generators and all have different pin assignments that it is best to ask about your specific generator. I can always try to help and you may feel free to ask. I put a good bit of that info into troubleshoot guides but it still is vague and slightly confusing.
So just to recap, AC voltage and oil pressure are two things these generators need in order to get up and running, and stay running.
The controls on the Onan generator are designed to look for AC voltage and oil pressure. If you have the symptom above, you are missing AC voltage or oil pressure. Let me be clear, there must be AC voltage and oil pressure present. Clear enough? One model is the exception to the rule, The Marquis. All other Onan generators follow this rule. So now you know where to start right? At least a better idea, right? No? It's cool, I get it. They are two things that are not always so straight forward when testing.
Here is where it gets tricky, there are so many different models of generators and all have different pin assignments that it is best to ask about your specific generator. I can always try to help and you may feel free to ask. I put a good bit of that info into troubleshoot guides but it still is vague and slightly confusing.
So just to recap, AC voltage and oil pressure are two things these generators need in order to get up and running, and stay running.
Monday, April 16, 2012
Straight from the hive!
Starting the work week is always a chore. I look forward to seeing my quirky co-workers and getting phone calls from people all over the world. To share all my conversations would take a long, long time. So let's cut it down to a choice few. I hope to cover some common terminology that refer to Onan generators and I am going to specify the RV generators. These are by far the most common and most numerous generators out there.
I have helped create a troubleshooting guide and feel that this is a little too vague. While I hear great feedback from it, I feel that it is only a guide and there could be more specifics given about these generators. http://www.flightsystems.com/pdf/onanrvtshootgd608.pdf
Terminology is a huge gap to traverse when your talking about generators and electricity in general. Here are some of the things to know when starting to talk about generators.
Field = Rotor = The rotating portion of the generator.
Stator = Stationary winding of the generator. Surrounds the rotor. Responsible for the connection to the AC output.
Brushes = Pieces of carbon that complete the electrical connection to the rotor. Found within a brush block.
Brush Block = Device that contains and holds the brushes. Includes springs for keeping constant pressure on slip rings. Very similar to an armature found on DC motors.
Slip Rings = The copper bands that revolve with the rotor and make up the end connections to the Field circuit. Commonly found under the brushes.
I have helped create a troubleshooting guide and feel that this is a little too vague. While I hear great feedback from it, I feel that it is only a guide and there could be more specifics given about these generators. http://www.flightsystems.com/pdf/onanrvtshootgd608.pdf
Terminology is a huge gap to traverse when your talking about generators and electricity in general. Here are some of the things to know when starting to talk about generators.
Field = Rotor = The rotating portion of the generator.
Stator = Stationary winding of the generator. Surrounds the rotor. Responsible for the connection to the AC output.
Brushes = Pieces of carbon that complete the electrical connection to the rotor. Found within a brush block.
Brush Block = Device that contains and holds the brushes. Includes springs for keeping constant pressure on slip rings. Very similar to an armature found on DC motors.
Slip Rings = The copper bands that revolve with the rotor and make up the end connections to the Field circuit. Commonly found under the brushes.
Sunday, April 15, 2012
Hello all! This is the start of what I hope becomes one of the finest troubleshooting blogs ever created for Onan generators. Shouldn't be to hard, huh. I hope to take my knowledge of Onan generators and help pass it on to you. These things are not mythical, black magic beasts. I typically hear those exact references. I hope I can help express and translate their secret operations so that you may fully understand them. It may seem like a huge undertaking but I feel that I am well qualified and have the largest reference library available for Onan generators to be of some use to the generator world.
So let me give you some background as to why I fell I can best help you. I have done this for the last 5 years. Over the phone, with a company that has been successful making our own replacement electronic generator controls. The company has been doing this for a lot longer then 5 years, and the minds I work with, I get to pick, are some of the best in the world. We are the people that the manufacturer comes to when they need help.www.flightsystems.com . This is my library. Flight has been together for 42 years. Wow! 42. There are a lot companies that have not been together that long. So, add in 5 years of retail electronics, experience with a formal education in electronics and electricity. BAMM! Here I am.
Now you know a little more of my qualifications and should I get the interest, I will tell you more. I just wanted to introduce myself to you and hope you will follow, participate, and benefit from this blog.
Thank you, sincerely,
Dan
So let me give you some background as to why I fell I can best help you. I have done this for the last 5 years. Over the phone, with a company that has been successful making our own replacement electronic generator controls. The company has been doing this for a lot longer then 5 years, and the minds I work with, I get to pick, are some of the best in the world. We are the people that the manufacturer comes to when they need help.www.flightsystems.com . This is my library. Flight has been together for 42 years. Wow! 42. There are a lot companies that have not been together that long. So, add in 5 years of retail electronics, experience with a formal education in electronics and electricity. BAMM! Here I am.
Now you know a little more of my qualifications and should I get the interest, I will tell you more. I just wanted to introduce myself to you and hope you will follow, participate, and benefit from this blog.
Thank you, sincerely,
Dan
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