srl520
Henderson
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I have a 3400 Generic on-board the TC. It will run all the out lets and I have used a tester to make sure they are all working/connected properly. The out let the Microwave is plugged into tests hot and good when the generator is running, but the clock on the Microwave won't even come on. When I plug the TC into shorepower, the Microwave out let test the same and the clock works and Micro operates. I tried plugging the Micro into another out let in the camper that test good and it still does not work if under generator power.
But, with the Generator operating, I take a extension cord and plug into the outlet for the Microwave and run the cord to my other camper where I have a Microwave and it operates fine.
Thinking I will swap Microwaves since I am selling the other TC.
Any ideas??
2006 Kodiak 4500 4x4.
1994 1010 Weekender
2000 1110 Weekender
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sleepy
Oak Ridge,Tennessee
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Up front... I'm guessing
do you have a polarity checker? Have you checked your ground when the generator is running... Lights are forgiving but many things aren't
2003 Lance 1161,/slideout/AGM batteries/255W Solar/propane generator/Sat dish/2 Fantastic Fans/AC/winter pkg
AirFoil, Trimetric, LED lights, Platcat vent heat
2003GMC K3500 LT/Crewcab/duramax diesel/allison/dually/4x4/OnStar/front reciever mounted spare
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88lover
Florida
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I suggest you hang a amp probe on one leg of the 120v line going to the micro wave to see what it is drawing when running. There is always the possibility that your transfer switch which is under the sink has dirty contacts and making a resistance problem when drawing off the generator. Your generator has a stepper motor which speeds up the generator when a load iss placed on the generator. If you have a air conditioner, turn it on to get a load on the generator. if not plug in a small electric heater that draws about 12 amps and see if that works.. Also the DC wires in the generator are aluminum and they carry 187 volts. They are joined in the generator compartment with wire nuts. I suggest that you disconnect all power then apply some GB anti oxidation paste
The easiest place to hang an amp probe is to have a little plug in device that has a probe circle but if you can't borrow one, you can open up a socket and hang the probe on one wire while the microwave is plugged in and started.
cheap amp probes are available at Harbor Freight. They are poor quality but work well enough for a camper tool. Good luck
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srl520
Henderson
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sleepy wrote:Up front... I'm guessing
do you have a polarity checker? Have you checked your ground when the generator is running... Lights are forgiving but many things aren't
Thanks for quick response.
The Microwave clock does not come on when the genny is on, but when plugged into the house/shorepower the clock is on and Micro works fine.
I plug the other Microwave into the same outlet as the original Microwave and the other works fine. Polarity/Ground must be good.
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srl520
Henderson
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88lover wrote:I suggest you hang a amp probe on one leg of the 120v line going to the micro wave to see what it is drawing when running. There is always the possibility that your transfer switch which is under the sink has dirty contacts and making a resistance problem when drawing off the generator. Your generator has a stepper motor which speeds up the generator when a load iss placed on the generator. If you have a air conditioner, turn it on to get a load on the generator. if not plug in a small electric heater that draws about 12 amps and see if that works.. Also the DC wires in the generator are aluminum and they carry 187 volts. They are joined in the generator compartment with wire nuts. I suggest that you disconnect all power then apply some GB anti oxidation paste
The easiest place to hang an amp probe is to have a little plug in device that has a probe circle but if you can't borrow one, you can open up a socket and hang the probe on one wire while the microwave is plugged in and started.
cheap amp probes are available at Harbor Freight. They are poor quality but work well enough for a camper tool. Good luck
The Microwave does not even come on to check any draws. The digital clock does not even light with genny running, but does when plugged into the house/shorepower.
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sleepy
Oak Ridge,Tennessee
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srl520 wrote:sleepy wrote:Up front... I'm guessing
do you have a polarity checker? Have you checked your ground when the generator is running... Lights are forgiving but many things aren't
Thanks for quick response.
The Microwave clock does not come on when the genny is on, but when plugged into the house/shorepower the clock is on and Micro works fine.
I plug the other Microwave into the same outlet as the original Microwave and the other works fine. Polarity/Ground must be good.
Plug the microwave into a extension cord... themn into another recepticle in the camper... it may not mean a thing
and for goodsakes your other responder 88lover seems to know what he's talking about... try what he says
do you have an airconditioner? does it run?
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srl520
Henderson
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88lover wrote:I suggest you hang a amp probe on one leg of the 120v line going to the micro wave to see what it is drawing when running. There is always the possibility that your transfer switch which is under the sink has dirty contacts and making a resistance problem when drawing off the generator. Your generator has a stepper motor which speeds up the generator when a load iss placed on the generator. If you have a air conditioner, turn it on to get a load on the generator. if not plug in a small electric heater that draws about 12 amps and see if that works.. Also the DC wires in the generator are aluminum and they carry 187 volts. They are joined in the generator compartment with wire nuts. I suggest that you disconnect all power then apply some GB anti oxidation paste
The easiest place to hang an amp probe is to have a little plug in device that has a probe circle but if you can't borrow one, you can open up a socket and hang the probe on one wire while the microwave is plugged in and started.
cheap amp probes are available at Harbor Freight. They are poor quality but work well enough for a camper tool. Good luck
I don't have a amp meter and if the microwave lights don't even come on when generator is on, then I don't think there is a draw to read.
I don't have a transfer switch to change from generator to the shorepower. I just plug the shore power cord from the camper directly to the generator outlet. So therefore no dirty contact problem.
I do have a A/C but only the fan comes on. I have not been able to get the compressor to kick in. That's another issue I have not even looked at yet. When I do turn on A/C fan and Refrig AC side, the generator does increase in rpm to provide for the load.
Thanks for the suggestions
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jmckelvy
North Alabama
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Do you have a way to check the frequency of the AC the generator is putting out? Perhaps the frequency is off just enough that the microwave won't work.
06 Dodge 3500,Dually,CTD,Auto,QC,4X4,Torklifts,Fastguns
2008 Northstar 8.5 Arrow, 100W AM Solar
US Navy 1964-1968, 2-Tour Vietnam Vet
States camped in with Northstar.
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srl520
Henderson
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jmckelvy wrote:Do you have a way to check the frequency of the AC the generator is putting out? Perhaps the frequency is off just enough that the microwave won't work.
That is one thing I had thought of. Generators don't always put out a "True" constant wave. Some are more sensitive and circuitry likes more constant power.
Just wondering if anyone else has had this problem before. That is one of the things the Honda adv is the Sine wave is more of a "True" cleaner wave to run todays electronics.
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unimogdave
Ontario
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Generators actually (running at 3600 RPM) = 60 Hz (3600 rev per minute\60=60 cycles per second sine wave. I would go out and buy one of those $5 testers with the 3 LEDs and confirm you have proper grounding at the outlets, starting at the generator outlets. I am suspicious of the adaptor from the camper cord to the generator. Are you using a 30 amp adaptor to the generators high output plug or an adapter to the generators 15 amp plug? It is possible the microwave in the other camper is less sensitive to grounding issues?
The sine wave\ square wave is more an issue with invertors that produce 110V from 12 Volt. Then there is invertor generators, expensive, quiet but no more pure in the 60Hz.
* This post was
edited 02/16/12 07:20pm by unimogdave *
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