Argie7
Tampa
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Joined: 04/17/2006
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My RT 210 has an Onan MicroLite 2.8 generator on board. This past week, the generator started to "act up". After functionung for abot 15-20 minutes, it loses its "rhythm" and starts hesitating, accelerating and slowing down, until it eventually it stops. It does that whether there is any load (e.g. air conditioner on) or not.
The oil level detector is disconnected, since it was more trouble than it's worth. I checked thoe oil level and it is fine. Any ideas of what could be causing it ?
Argie7
RT210 Versatile (SE)
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NewsW
US
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Joined: 02/06/2012
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Check fuel supply first.
That would explain the no load failure.
Then check for regulator issues and go from there.
Isn't there a fault tree chart in the manual?
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1995brave
San Antonio, TX
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Joined: 01/24/2006
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Don't know how old it is, but i would say that the carburator on the generator needs a good cleaning, along with the fuel filter needing replaced.
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Handbasket
Asheville, NC
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Joined: 01/17/2003
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How many hours, and has it had at least semi-regular exercise when not in regular use?
Jim, "Mo' coffee!"
'06 Tiger CX 'C Minus' on a Silverado 2500HD 4x4, 8.1 & Allison (aka 'Loafer's Glory') www.tigervehicles.com
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My Roadtrek
Tucson, AZ.
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Joined: 03/20/2002
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Sounds like the idle needs to be turned up. Would happen to mine 3 or 4 times a year. Vibration would loosen the idle screw, I used a kill-a-watt to get the idle correct, and putting out 120v or a little more, and to make sure the phase was adjusted to 60 HZ.
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scarpi
Phoenix
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Joined: 08/07/2007
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My Pleasure Way Excel has an Onan 2800 generator on it that started to surge then eventually would shut off. I took it to an RV service center and they had to replace the carburator. They told me that those carburators are not meant to be cleaned and should be just replaced. I'm sure that you know that you need to excercise a generator a couple hours per month with a partial load on it once you get it fixed to help prevent fouling the carburator. Hope it is something simple and inexpensive for you.
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rockhillmanor
On the Road
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Joined: 12/06/2003
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When mine started doing that we tried to tweak and fix everything. Last mobile guy came out and showed me it was the fuel pump.
He said the diaphragm's gets a tiny crack in it which gives you the sporadic idling and as the crack gets bigger you get the high and low, mimicking all kinds of other problems.
Actually this same repair guy saw that the coach had way too much fuel line running up and all over under the coach. He shortened it by a couple of feet which created better fuel pressure.
"We must be willing to get rid of the life we've planned,
so as to have the life that is waiting for us".
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SkipJ
Michigan
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Joined: 11/01/2005
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Mine does that when the house battery voltage gets low. The ignition runs off the house battery. If I start the engine, it runs smooth again. Just my experence.
SkipJ
1992 Airstream B-190 van
1989 Airstream 25' Excella Trailer
Outfitter Apex 9.5 Truck Camper Ford F-350 Diesel 4x4
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jauguston
Bellingham, WA
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Joined: 07/03/2005
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A FWIW on setting engine speed on a non-inverter generator. With no load 60Hz is not the correct setting. It should be set at 62Hz. The engine governors on the Onan and most other non-inverter generators are not very precise in their ability to maintain a constant engine rpm with varying loads. A 62Hz no load setting will generally give you a full load 58Hz. If you start at 60Hz no load the cycles will be too low with a high load.
Jim
2005 Coachman Sportscoach Elite 402 40'
350hp Cat C-7 w/MP-8
7500w Onan quiet diesel generator
6-Kyocera 130w solar panels SB3024i MPPT controller
Pressure Pro TPMS
1987 Suzuki Samurai tintop Toad w/VW 1.6 turbo diesel power
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My Roadtrek
Tucson, AZ.
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jauguston wrote:A FWIW on setting engine speed on a non-inverter generator. With no load 60Hz is not the correct setting. It should be set at 62Hz. The engine governors on the Onan and most other non-inverter generators are not very precise in their ability to maintain a constant engine rpm with varying loads. A 62Hz no load setting will generally give you a full load 58Hz. If you start at 60Hz no load the cycles will be too low with a high load.
Jim
I would start at 60Hz then use the kill-a-watt to do adjustments with the ac running. My onan would stay, I think, within 2 to 3 Hz of full load. Long time ago so I don't remember exactly. The microwave kept good time when running on the generator.
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