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rtreptow7's avatar
rtreptow7
Explorer II
Jun 07, 2018

Honda Generator "revs up" every 20-30 minutes?

Got a new rig this year. Still running our Honda Generator 2000. Mainly just run it to charge the batteries up in the coach. I have it set on eco mode and it usually just stays at a low idle. On our new camper, about every 20-30 minutes? The generator revs up for about 5-7 seconds and then settles down again. Never did this on our old camper. Is there something in the new camper that powers on every so often to cause the generator to do this? It happens even when nobody is in the camper using anything. If the generator is running and I turn the sink on to activate water pump, that doesn't cause the generator to increase rpm. Can even have some lights on and a fan with water pump on too and it doesn't cause the generator to rev up. I wonder what could be Powering on every so often to cause the increased RPMs on the generator? Air/Heat is off too. Generator doesn't rev up like that when we plug in to another camper.

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  • Me_Again's avatar
    Me_Again
    Explorer III
    Jun 08, 2018
    Butch50 wrote:
    What brand of fridge do you have? On the some of the Dometic 12 cu ft there is a door heater that comes on to keep the control condensation on the door frame. I don't know how often it comes on or how much it draws.


    I was told by a mobile tech that the heater was actually just turning on the light in the fridge.
  • Butch50's avatar
    Butch50
    Explorer
    Jun 08, 2018
    What brand of fridge do you have? On the some of the Dometic 12 cu ft there is a door heater that comes on to keep the control condensation on the door frame. I don't know how often it comes on or how much it draws.
  • 2oldman's avatar
    2oldman
    Explorer II
    Jun 07, 2018
    It would certainly rev up for a bigger load, but it wouldn't settle back down. I can't think of what kind of load that would be.
  • rtreptow7's avatar
    rtreptow7
    Explorer II
    Jun 07, 2018
    diazr2 wrote:
    How about the Water heater? Is it electric and Propane. If so when the 35 amp water heater turns on that would cause a spike in output.


    I'll double check that, but I'm pretty sure I have the electric option for the water heater off and just leave it on propane all the time unless I'm hooked up to electric continually.
  • diazr2's avatar
    diazr2
    Explorer
    Jun 07, 2018
    How about the Water heater? Is it electric and Propane. If so when the 35 amp water heater turns on that would cause a spike in output.
  • Lwiddis's avatar
    Lwiddis
    Explorer II
    Jun 07, 2018
    Takes a long time to fully charge your RV batteries with a generator. Solar is easier.
  • rtreptow7's avatar
    rtreptow7
    Explorer II
    Jun 07, 2018
    prfssr wrote:
    Fridge comes on? This would explain a split burst of power. Just a thought.


    That would make sense. If fridge coming on causes a little spike then it settles back down. I guess I could put the fridge on just LP once while running the generator and see if it still happens. The fridge in this camper is bigger than our other camper...and like I said...this never happened with our other camper.
  • pianotuna's avatar
    pianotuna
    Nomad III
    Jun 07, 2018
    I suggest putting a kill-a-watt meter in the circuit so you can see if demand is going up for those few seconds. Then start flipping breakers off until you can isolate the circuit that is calling for the extra power.
  • prfssr's avatar
    prfssr
    Explorer
    Jun 07, 2018
    Fridge comes on? This would explain a split burst of power. Just a thought.

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