Looking for some help. I bought a Honda 3000is generator from Camping World. Made a deal with the salesman that if it wouldn't run an air conditioner, that I could bring in back. It runs the air conditioner just fine..... BUT, it will not run the battery charger to charge the house batteries. With OR without the air conditioner on.Anyone ever dealt with this issue?I shut off power at the pedistal. I drained the batteries to 11.3 volts, (voltmeter at the batteries themselves). Hooked up generator..... no battery charger. Unpluged from generator, plugged into 30 amp on pedistal, battery charger immediately kicked in (13.5 volts) at batteries. I have 4-6 volt battery system. I have HeartInterface Source Manager 20. The only thing different between the connections (generator/pedistal), is the 3 pin yellow adapter required to plug into the generator, for the 30 amp connection. I am stumped. What made me notice there was something wrong in the first place, was, the monitor in the cabinet was not showing a charge with the generator, but does with 30 amp shore power.Any ideas? Thanks in advance!

I don't know, nor is it easy to find how many amps that Heart thing charges at. Sometimes chargers can pack a whallop of a surge. Have you tried it with Eco off?

Yes, I never turned the ECO on. The output of the generator, marked right on the front of the case is 23.3 amps. The Source Manager says "AC Input 23 amps". Perhaps the generator doesn't put out enough amps?

That is one monster charger, but I can't imagine it actually drawing 23amps. That would indicate a charge rate of somewhere around 200a! That said, it appears it is drawing that much.A couple things: does the generator surge/sputter then give up and turn on the Overload light? That definitely says it's too much for it.Can you turn down the charge rate on the charger? Perhaps there's an "Ac breaker size" setting like on my old Prosine unit.

The Honda has a floating neutral which is different from shore power.Some RVs have a power management gizmo that thinks something is wrong if it is on a floating neutral.Without that gizmo, the RV shore power cable can go into the Honda and everything is fine. If you have such a gizmo, it can be by-passed when on the Honda (I don't know how, don't have one) or you can make a funny adapter to go in the Honda receptacle that makes it look like regular shore power to what you stick in the funny adapter.

BFL13 wrote:Some RVs have a power management gizmo that thinks something is wrong if it is on a floating neutral.But why would the air run?

Honda 3000is powering a 1999 American Tradition

17 Replies

Adam-12
Explorer
May 12, 2013
Yeah this is highly unusual. A EU3000 will definitely run and charge ANY rv converter or battery charger. Not only that, but I have a Honda EU1000 and it alone powers my RV converter without a hitch!!!!

I wish I knew where I could direct you to start looking for the problem. I too am at a loss for words.
BFL13
Explorer II
May 12, 2013
2oldman wrote:
BFL13 wrote:
Some RVs have a power management gizmo that thinks something is wrong if it is on a floating neutral.
But why would the air run?

Good point! :) No idea. Is this some kind of one leg of two on a 50 not getting power and the charger is on that one?
2oldman
Explorer II
May 12, 2013
BFL13 wrote:
Some RVs have a power management gizmo that thinks something is wrong if it is on a floating neutral.
But why would the air run?
BFL13
Explorer II
May 12, 2013
The Honda has a floating neutral which is different from shore power.
Some RVs have a power management gizmo that thinks something is wrong if it is on a floating neutral.

Without that gizmo, the RV shore power cable can go into the Honda and everything is fine.

If you have such a gizmo, it can be by-passed when on the Honda (I don't know how, don't have one) or you can make a funny adapter to go in the Honda receptacle that makes it look like regular shore power to what you stick in the funny adapter.
2oldman
Explorer II
May 12, 2013
That is one monster charger, but I can't imagine it actually drawing 23amps. That would indicate a charge rate of somewhere around 200a! That said, it appears it is drawing that much.

A couple things: does the generator surge/sputter then give up and turn on the Overload light? That definitely says it's too much for it.

Can you turn down the charge rate on the charger? Perhaps there's an "Ac breaker size" setting like on my old Prosine unit.
Rqse7
Explorer
May 12, 2013
Yes, I never turned the ECO on. The output of the generator, marked right on the front of the case is 23.3 amps. The Source Manager says "AC Input 23 amps". Perhaps the generator doesn't put out enough amps?
2oldman
Explorer II
May 12, 2013
I don't know, nor is it easy to find how many amps that Heart thing charges at. Sometimes chargers can pack a whallop of a surge. Have you tried it with Eco off?

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Honda 3000is powering a 1999 American Tradition

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