New rv, and generator questions.
Got my first rv last week, it's a 1999 e350, I think it's 22ft not sure. Paid $2,000 and it has 40,000 miles an runs great, also had a brand new navigation/ GPS/DVD player in the dash. Previous owner ...
Forum Discussion
There are various ways RV generators are wired from the factory. Most common, but certainly not universal, is to have the generator and the shore power cord both go to an automatic transfer switch (a sort of automatic heavy-duty relay) and then the output of that goes to the main breaker and AC distribution panel for the RV.
Sometimes, instead of an automatic transfer switch, the generator output simply went to a socket in the shore cord storage box and you would plug the shore cord into that socket to connect the RV electrical system to the generator.
The easiest thing probably would be to trace the 120V output wire from the generator and see where it goes. If there's no 120V wire connected, then your answer is obvious. Assuming it's an Onan 4 KW unit like mine, the hot output of the generator is hooked onto the generator's output circuit breaker, and the neutral and ground both terminate at a sort of bottle cap shaped binding post inside opposite where the chassis ground wire attaches on the outside. It's necessary to take some of the appertenances off the generator to get at these spots: the voltage regulator/control module (with the starter solenoid mounted to it) for the neutral/ground connector, and some bits around the little on-generator control panel thingy for the hot lead.
If the generator has sat without running for some time, be prepared to need to clean or replace the carburetor and maybe do repairs as well. They are much happier when they're used somewhat regularly.
If you left the 120V panel intact, and just removed the wiring starting at that point, you can check the voltage from there. Often the converter/charger and/or 12V fuse panel are in the same chassis as the 120V panel.
Sometimes, instead of an automatic transfer switch, the generator output simply went to a socket in the shore cord storage box and you would plug the shore cord into that socket to connect the RV electrical system to the generator.
The easiest thing probably would be to trace the 120V output wire from the generator and see where it goes. If there's no 120V wire connected, then your answer is obvious. Assuming it's an Onan 4 KW unit like mine, the hot output of the generator is hooked onto the generator's output circuit breaker, and the neutral and ground both terminate at a sort of bottle cap shaped binding post inside opposite where the chassis ground wire attaches on the outside. It's necessary to take some of the appertenances off the generator to get at these spots: the voltage regulator/control module (with the starter solenoid mounted to it) for the neutral/ground connector, and some bits around the little on-generator control panel thingy for the hot lead.
If the generator has sat without running for some time, be prepared to need to clean or replace the carburetor and maybe do repairs as well. They are much happier when they're used somewhat regularly.
If you left the 120V panel intact, and just removed the wiring starting at that point, you can check the voltage from there. Often the converter/charger and/or 12V fuse panel are in the same chassis as the 120V panel.
