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Generac generator problem

Posted: Mon Aug 17, 2009 8:11 am
by Dennis Park
Born Free 2009 22 RD cabover
anyone else have this problem

3.6 kw gasoline generator, Generac
discription of problem:
Starts and runs fine, turn on air conditioneer again runs ok but some strain, which from past experience is common. The problem is when the compressor cycles back on generator quits making electricity but continues to run, after several seconds electric back on and all is ok until next cycle of compressor.
Your thoughts on what might be the issue?
airconditioneer is 13.5 Duotherm

I plan on calling BF today.

Generator problems

Posted: Mon Aug 17, 2009 6:08 pm
by TomLong
I have the same problem. If I turn the air on above the setting 2 the generator will quit generating but will continue to run. After a while it will start generating again.

Re: Generac generator problem

Posted: Mon Aug 17, 2009 7:26 pm
by SteveS
Dennis Park wrote:Born Free 2009 22 RD cabover
anyone else have this problem

3.6 kw gasoline generator, Generac
discription of problem:
Starts and runs fine, turn on air conditioneer again runs ok but some strain, which from past experience is common. The problem is when the compressor cycles back on generator quits making electricity but continues to run, after several seconds electric back on and all is ok until next cycle of compressor.
Your thoughts on what might be the issue?
airconditioneer is 13.5 Duotherm

I plan on calling BF today.

Several of us are having this problem. Let us know what BF says. I am pricing a switch to Onan.


Steve

Posted: Mon Aug 17, 2009 9:44 pm
by Peter Robinson
I've had the same generator problem with AC on higher settings. Generac works for a while then slows down or stalls out then starts functioning again. Sure like to know how to fix this.

Posted: Fri Aug 28, 2009 11:54 pm
by Mike Jean Bandfield
I installed the propane Generac in our 2005 RSB 4 years ago and have not experienced these problems even with the AC on max. I'm always careful to make sure the electric water heater is off and we turn down the thermostat (and let the fan run) on the AC temporarily when we need to use the microwave. The Generac can handle the micro and AC at the same time but it is obviously straining and the voltage drops quite low when the compressor kicks in. (Low voltage kills electric motors.)

Have you tried turning off all other AC devices (i.e., refer, converter, WH, and micro) when running the AC as they can compete with the AC for the limited amount of power available from the generator.

Mike

Posted: Thu Sep 03, 2009 11:16 pm
by John S.
Anyone get an answer from Bornfree on this issue.

Posted: Fri Sep 04, 2009 8:43 am
by dsfriday
Who has the hammer. I talked to Kim about this issue but he was pretty general about the subject mentioning that there is a gentleman in Florida replacing some regulator in the generator thinking that was the problem. Come on now, from what I'm reading, quite a few of us with the new style coach are having his problem and its time, in my opinion, for Born Free and Generac to get their heads together and come up with a fix. Maybe some of our senior membership with a connection to John could mention the problem, surely he would be interested in getting it resolved.

Posted: Fri Sep 04, 2009 1:02 pm
by bfadmin
I received a call from Kim Olson at the Born Free factory today saying that they are concerning about this Generac generator problem and are working with the Generac distributor to try and solve it. According to Kim, the Generac has an internal 'circuit breaker' that will reset itself sometime after tripping off caused by what the generator perceives as an excessive load - that being the heavy shock load when the air conditioning compressor cycles on.

Anyway, the Born Free factory is working with the Generac distributor to solve this problem and Kim indicated to me that he will hopefully have more information by Friday September 11th and I will post that when I get it.

Bill Hemme
Spencer, IA

Posted: Fri Sep 04, 2009 2:22 pm
by dsfriday
Thanks Bill for your timely response. Denny

Posted: Fri Sep 04, 2009 5:26 pm
by John S.
bfadmin wrote:I received a call from Kim Olson at the Born Free factory today saying that they are concerning about this Generac generator problem and are working with the Generac distributor to try and solve it. According to Kim, the Generac has an internal 'circuit breaker' that will reset itself sometime after tripping off caused by what the generator perceives as an excessive load - that being the cycling on of the air conditioning compressor.

Anyway, the Born Free factory is working with the Generac distributor to solve this problem and Kim indicated to me that he will hopefully have more information by Friday September 11th and I will post that when I get it.

Bill Hemme
Spencer, IA

I sent a note to Kim and a link to this discussion. I got a very nice letter back... I hope they do fix this issue for it is the only issue I have had with my BF other then a bathroom door that needed to be adjusted. I can say if all manufacturers could do as well as BF we would have a much tougher time picking a coach. Oh well. I would like to see a 26-27 foot wide body on a Freightliner chassis. Now that would be a major seller.

Posted: Sat Sep 05, 2009 12:52 pm
by thestoloffs
bfadmin wrote:I received a call from Kim Olson at the Born Free factory today saying that they are concerning about this Generac generator problem and are working with the Generac distributor to try and solve it. According to Kim, the Generac has an internal 'circuit breaker' that will reset itself sometime after tripping off caused by what the generator perceives as an excessive load - that being the cycling on of the air conditioning compressor.

Anyway, the Born Free factory is working with the Generac distributor to solve this problem and Kim indicated to me that he will hopefully have more information by Friday September 11th and I will post that when I get it.
That's good news, Bill. We've been following this discussion with concern, because they've just started construction on our coach (for a mid-October delivery) -- and Marilynn is highly dependent on having a reliable source of both AC & A/C.

Posted: Sat Sep 05, 2009 7:11 pm
by John S.
Now the generator is having problems sooner. I know that it is hot out today but I have found that the hotter the temps the less power the generac seems to put out.

Posted: Sat Sep 05, 2009 8:38 pm
by Mel Wilbur
John, the following was posted 9/2 in the electric generation topic.

We had the same performance problems with our Generac Guardian RV generator as described in this thread. Then, after having two different factory authorized service centers work on our generator, the gasoline engine would run fine but the generator wouldn't put out any AC power at all. After asking around at the FMCA Convention, an Onan generator expert said their testing of a Generac 3600 watt generator revealed that it would only put out 2200 watts of power when the outside temperature was quite hot.

Posted: Sat Sep 05, 2009 9:50 pm
by John S.
Interesting. I found that is the reason that the Prevost guys put 20K units in the busses as they need about 12 - 15 and heat degrades some of the power output. This decline is bigger than I would expect for the units and BF might need to figure out how to put in an Onan or another type unit.

Posted: Tue Sep 08, 2009 12:12 am
by Trisha
I'd suggest going direct to Generac and find a certified repair place. I guess I got lucky, my generator plum quit on me 2 years ago, and I was in Corpus Christi TX. There's a repair place in Rockport TX that ended up replacing the main circuit board in the generator and I haven't had any more problems, except for what I think was old gas. Now that that old gas is gone, it runs quite smooth. I always use the AC for load when exercising the genset, and it's never (knock on wood) gone out).

I wonder if it's something with a bad chipset or a bad run of circuit boards or something... Of course, BF will help you out. But I just let my fingers do the walking (via the web) to find an authorized dealer and gave them all the info.

Send in your warranty cards when you get your rig. I wouldn't want to trash Generac versus Onan...my landlord worked for Onan for years and, well...no place is perfect.

Patty