Generator questions

[JohnIowa]

I have a tiffin allegro bus. Just looking through manual and found this
"Failure to turn “off” the 120 VAC appliances when starting or stopping the generator may damage the transfer switch and/or electrical appliances. "
Huh? What appliances? When you run Gen on start stop for air-conditioned you don't shut anything off. What am I missing?
Everything works fine when I start my Onan.
Thanks for your help. Apparently I really need it!!

 

[J&JD]

In my opinion, that’s just nonsense. In fact, my generator comes on much more smoothly when there is a load on line.

 

[JohnIowa]

The only thing I can think of if converter is actually running 12v stuff down from 120vac. I don't know if anything like that in my coach. Thanks for the reply. I agree.

 

[TheLooks]

If the power goes out and the transfer switch tells the generator to start, anything drawing 120 is still "on". Sounds like a legal disclaimer made by an attorney.

 

[GTS225]

If the power goes out and the transfer switch tells the generator to start, anything drawing 120 is still "on". Sounds like a legal disclaimer made by an attorney.

I agree, especially when it comes to related warranty work. Good way to avoid replacing the transfer switch and related components if the owner has been allowing his generator to start without turning off the 120V loads. (Oh, and the generator starts automatically.)

Roger

 

[MemoriesByTheMile]

I haven’t measured recent generators but years ago I measured the output on a generator as it was starting.
Voltage was not stable until the engine speed smoothed out.
If you read the owners manual for the current Oman generators they state not to put a load on them for a couple minutes after starting.
I don’t know how long your transfer switch takes to switch to generator, but ours is setup to wait a bit, think it is around 30 seconds. Not as long as Onan states in the owner manual but long enough that the engine speed is stable and smooth.

We always manually turn off A/C units when switching from shore to generator or vice versa. But we don’t worry about our fridge.

 

[JohnIowa]

All that makes sense, especially the part about covering themselves for any damages. I'll just keep autostart as usual. Would be impossible to do what warning says.
Thanks for everyone's help. Really helps in my transition from fifth wheel to DP.

 

[TheLooks]

I don't have an auto transfer switch but I speak with people that say the power hardly blinks when the generator kicks in. Some comments by people that have experienced this in a motorhome would be helpful. Maybe my mind is remembering those with large battery banks and a transfer switch.....

 

[Gizmo]

There is a setting that you can set to how long to wait after starting to power up the motorhome. Here are is what I have mine set to:

-04I Gen Warm Up Time = 60 seconds

-04J Gen Cool Down Time = 60 seconds

During the 60 seconds there is no power being transmitted to the coach.

 

[JohnIowa]

Thanks. I'll pay attention to what mine does then check settings.
Lots of good help on forum.