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MustangGT's avatar
MustangGT
Explorer
Feb 20, 2014

Where is my transfer switch?

Yesterday I was mindlessly reading about transfer switches on this forum while I was exercising my RV's generator. Everything went fine until I shut-off the gen and I realized my 110v shore power appliances weren't working. So I checked all the fuses and circuit breakers. Then restarted the gen for a few secounds, then it shut-off. Something reset, because the 110v was back on. So I guess I need to check my switch.
So my questions are: Where is it and what am I looking for? A black box, or switch or what?
1997 Fleetwood Southwind Storm f53.

Thank guys!!
  • On our 1996 Fleetwood Bounder the transfer switch is mounted on the back of the fuse panel over the dinette.
  • Thank you guys.
    I did track down my incoming power lines from shore and gen. They led to the crowded area under my refrigerator. I ID'd everything there and suspected I needed to pull the breaker panel due to online pics of the back of that panel. I'd rather not mess with that mess. And yes I did have the gen exercising under heavy load, both A/Cs, for the first time. Just to see if the load could be handled. Next time I will let things cool down more before turning off the gen.
    thanks OnaQuest
  • On your particular model, your transfer switch is attached to the backside of your main circuit breaker panel. It is very difficult to access and won't reveal much unless you want to take the panel and switch completely out of the cabinet. There's nothing that you can check without removing the panel and removing the cover on the transfer relay (switch).

    It sounds like the contactor (relay) points were temporarily welded together. This sometimes happens when the relay is switched under a heavy load. You should always remove the loads before switching (turning the generator ON or OFF) or plugging into shore power.
  • wolfe10 wrote:
    Start where your shore power cord comes into the coach. It will be between that point and your 120 VAC breaker box (with another conduit/cord coming from the generator.

    For others who may be listening in, not all have transfer switches. Our National product requires plugging it back in to the gen-set when storing the cord. Simple enough to do and just one more thing that we don't have to be concerned about.
  • Start where your shore power cord comes into the coach. It will be between that point and your 120 VAC breaker box (with another conduit/cord coming from the generator.