I have a 2003 Bounder D/P with Onan generator. On 50amp shore power I can get both AC's to run but on the generator I only have the rear unit. The thermostat shows that I have them both turned on "Cool high", and I set the temp to freezing and still only get the rear one to come on, the front doesn't come on even if the rear is off. If I turn on shore again, I get both. My generator spools up a little when I engage the AC unit. My inverter is off, really don't know what that thing is for. lol...Both of my furnaces run with shore and generator power. I checked the breakers, none are tripped, and I checked the fuses under the dash, under the bed, and on the wall by the inverter/charger. Anyone have any ideas what is wrong?

Oh, and my electrical outlets do not work on generator either but they do on shore power. I cannot get power to the microwave no matter what I try, as well as the block heater. Just some additional info in case it helps.

I'd say the front circuit for your generator is either not turned on or the circuit breaker is no longer functioning. That is the CB on the generator itself, not a CB in your load-center further downstream. I'd recommend checking generator output with a meter, before and after the CB's on the generator panel.

Your Bounder probably has the 5500 Onan and it cannot run both AC's.You have 12,000 watts available with 50 amp and ony 5500 with the Onan. It can only run 1 AC, especially older ones.

Sorry, it's a 7500 Onan, and I have run both AC s in the past, which is why I'm baffled now. There is one main breaker on the Onan, it's on. Not sure where the others may be.

The 7500 has 2 120V circuits so it sounds like one of them is not working which could be the gen, gen CB, your ATS so some wiring in between. Somewhere the 2 neutrals will be bonded, perhaps in the gen. Start with the ATS and see if you have AC voltage on both input legs and then both output legs. Since it works on shore power one of the output legs will have no voltage. If both input legs are good then you have an ATS problem.

Power to AC's on Generator | Good Sam Community

Laman
Explorer
Jul 24, 2013
Thats not a bad price I paid 90 for mine but was quoted much higher at several places.
Branman1971
Explorer
Jul 24, 2013
Yeah, I opened up the little access door and was able to take the circuit breaker out to get the exact part number and price them. Haven't found one yet less than $80.
Dale_Traveling
Explorer II
Jul 23, 2013
Branman1971 wrote:
Here's my configuration for my ATS. It's an ATS-501.
That helps a bit. The L1 and L2 lines for all three are the hot lines. Not sure what the 'Aux (N2)' is but don't worry about it for now. To check the hot lines measure each one individually to the associated neutral. Each line should read at least 120 VAC.

From what you described sure sounds like you are missing line from the generator. Time to open up the generator and see what's going on there.
Branman1971
Explorer
Jul 23, 2013
Here's my configuration for my ATS. It's an ATS-501.

http://www.parallaxpower.com/ATS501/011-5171-001%20REV_B.pdf

And there are 4 wires coming into the box from generator. It looks to me that line one is black and line 2 is white. I test voltage by putting - probe of voltmeter to ground and + probe to white and get no voltage from generator. But I get 120 from + on black line when - is on ground.
tropical36
Explorer
Jul 20, 2013
JackMS wrote:
tropical36 wrote:
SacsTC wrote:
Branman1971 wrote:
I checked the transfer switch and I have 220 coming in, and 220 on the load side going out, but gotta get some fuel so i can start the generator. Update on Generator side in a little while. I am sure you are all on the edge of your seats. lol

No, if plugged in to an RV 50 amp, you have 2 lines at 120. You should have 120V measuring between Line 1 and neutral and 120V measured between Line 2 and neutral

Yes, but across the hot legs, it's 240vac. These feeds are of opposite potential and the coach breaker box is of the same configuration as any stick house.

Just to add to this, if you read across the 2 hots from the gen it should read zero volts. The 7500 is only 120 volts.

Yes, if this be the case and the gen set is 120vac and still has two hot legs. Both will be of the same potential and won't read anything across. As a precaution, don't be touching them, as you will become the least path of resistance to ground, which is not a good thing, so always read any hot leg to neutral or ground as well.
JackMS
Explorer
Jul 20, 2013
tropical36 wrote:
SacsTC wrote:
Branman1971 wrote:
I checked the transfer switch and I have 220 coming in, and 220 on the load side going out, but gotta get some fuel so i can start the generator. Update on Generator side in a little while. I am sure you are all on the edge of your seats. lol

No, if plugged in to an RV 50 amp, you have 2 lines at 120. You should have 120V measuring between Line 1 and neutral and 120V measured between Line 2 and neutral

Yes, but across the hot legs, it's 240vac. These feeds are of opposite potential and the coach breaker box is of the same configuration as any stick house.

Just to add to this, if you read across the 2 hots from the gen it should read zero volts. The 7500 is only 120 volts.
my996duc1
Explorer
Jul 20, 2013
dirtyharryo wrote:
Look at the genset again, there might be two breakers hidden out of sight on the side of genset sometime they are hard to see .

When our front air wouldn't operate it was one of two breakers had been thrown on the generator.
Reset it and it works fine.

_
tropical36
Explorer
Jul 20, 2013
SacsTC wrote:
Branman1971 wrote:
I checked the transfer switch and I have 220 coming in, and 220 on the load side going out, but gotta get some fuel so i can start the generator. Update on Generator side in a little while. I am sure you are all on the edge of your seats. lol

No, if plugged in to an RV 50 amp, you have 2 lines at 120. You should have 120V measuring between Line 1 and neutral and 120V measured between Line 2 and neutral

Yes, but across the hot legs, it's 240vac. These feeds are of opposite potential and the coach breaker box is of the same configuration as any stick house.
daverich
Explorer
Jul 20, 2013
Jim Cindy wrote:
Your Bounder probably has the 5500 Onan and it cannot run both AC's.
You have 12,000 watts available with 50 amp and ony 5500 with the Onan. It can only run 1 AC, especially older ones.

I have a 1999 Flair gasoline unit with the Onan 5500. It runs both airs just fine. I had a problem one time and found that there are two breaker switches on the right side of the generator. One of them was flipped. When I turned it on, everything worked.
CA_Traveler
Explorer III
Jul 20, 2013
Can you identify the ground and neutral wires from the gen? The other 2 wires are the hot wires and you should have 120V to both hot wires from either ground or neutral. You must measure from the gen wires as the neutral and 2 hots are switched in the ATS.

Wire colors aren't reliable as mfgs can use whatever color they want. But it would be nice if the ground was green and neutral white.

OK If you don't have 12V to the panel and elsewhere then that needs to be resolved. A lot of RV equipment depends upon 12V. Perhaps that's your refer problem.

Forum Discussion

Power to AC's on Generator

About Motorhome Group

Related Content

AC tripping generator

12 Volt Power Issue

Newbie power question

generator damages AC, other electornics

AC power problem