No 110 Volts or Charger with Parallax

[Bud]

I'm on the road wondering what my options are?

An 05/04 190P here but not with the Tripp Lite rather the 04 Parallax 7345. A week ago the separate zantrex inverter gave up and the charger would not work on shore power or generator. I purchased an inexpensive inverter from the auto parts shore, worked ok. Then the charger started working, odd. Now a week later, no shore power 110 volt or charger, yet the generator now provides 110 volts and runs the charger.

An thoughts on the problem and simple on the road solution? A best solution if I were home? With this B, not a new one I only need simple.

Thanks.

Bud

[hbn7hj]

Just a guess but on the road you will need to run the generator till you can get home and replace the transfer switch.

It isn't a difficult repair but getting a transfer switch on the road may be the problem. Maybe Camping World stocks them. If so, an hour's work and you are good.

[SteveJ]

If they will send it with USPS general delivery you can just pick a post office and pick it up. The PO will hold it for a month. Call the PO you have in mind to verify that it's ok to send there. Works like a charm.

On TDY near Lake Tahoe.

[Bud]

How do I know which transfer switch, e.g. are all 30 amp transfer switches the same size?

I suppose I need to figure out which part is the transfer switch to begin with and measure it.

[cruising7388]

Originally Posted by Bud

How do I know which transfer switch, e.g. are all 30 amp transfer switches the same size?

I suppose I need to figure out which part is the transfer switch to begin with and measure it.

RV transfer switches are rated for 30 amps or 50 amps. Yours is a 30 amp unit. Your transfer switch is enclosed in a 6L x 6W x 4D and is hinged so it can be opened to access the relay.

This iis how the transfer switch relay is supposed to work: The relay coil is unenergized, so the power contacts are normally open and the coach gets it 120VAC source from a shore power pedestal. If the generator is started, it delivers 120VAC to a circuit board in the transfer relay which after a time delay, delivers 120VDC to the relay which energizes and shifts your power source from shore power to the generator.

That's the way it's supposed to work. The typical failure is for the relay to refuse to energize to the generator position. But what is apparently occurring in your case is that the relay is jammed in the energized position which can occur for a couple of reasons which in this case isn't important. What you need to do is to physically force the relay to release. If one of the contacts has welded to its mated contact, forcing its release may trash the relay contact arm but since you're going to replace the entire assembly, it doesn't matter. Doing this may kill generator support but you'll restore the shore power side.

Needless but necessary to say, be sure when doing this that any shore power cable is disconnected, the generator is off and battery is in disconnect.

[Bud]

Originally Posted by cruising7388

RV transfer switches are rated for 30 amps or 50 amps. Yours is a 30 amp unit. Your transfer switch is enclosed in a 6L x 6W x 4D and is hinged so it can be opened to access the relay.

This iis how the transfer switch relay is supposed to work: The relay coil is unenergized, so the power contacts are normally open and the coach gets it 120VAC source from a shore power pedestal. If the generator is started, it delivers 120VAC to a circuit board in the transfer relay which after a time delay, delivers 120VDC to the relay which energizes and shifts your power source from shore power to the generator.

That's the way it's supposed to work. The typical failure is for the relay to refuse to energize to the generator position. But what is apparently occurring in your case is that the relay is jammed in the energized position which can occur for a couple of reasons which in this case isn't important. What you need to do is to physically force the relay to release. If one of the contacts has welded to its mated contact, forcing its release may trash the relay contact arm but since you're going to replace the entire assembly, it doesn't matter. Doing this may kill generator support but you'll restore the shore power side.

Needless but necessary to say, be sure when doing this that any shore power cable is disconnected, the generator is off and battery is in disconnect.

Thanks all for the assistance folks. Now the rest of the story:

I purchased another Parallax ATS, then got lucky to find a professional at their home. The ATS was riveted to the Parallax converter and could not be removed without some major surgery. So, I thought why not just put the shore power in the ATS as the generator power, only have to have the gen for AC.

But no, the fellow checked the shore power, NO neutral. The wire was broken in the plug. All appears OK at this point.

Thanks again.

Bud

[cruising7388]

Originally Posted by Bud

Thanks all for the assistance folks. Now the rest of the story:

I purchased another Parallax ATS, then got lucky to find a professional at their home. The ATS was riveted to the Parallax converter and could not be removed without some major surgery. So, I thought why not just put the shore power in the ATS as the generator power, only have to have the gen for AC.

But no, the fellow checked the shore power, NO neutral. The wire was broken in the plug. All appears OK at this point.

Thanks again.

Bud

LOL! Mea culpa.... I violated Occam's razor which postulates that statistically, the most accurate theory for predicting the cause of any malfunction is the simplest one.

[Bud]

Originally Posted by cruising7388

LOL! Mea culpa.... I violated Occam's razor which postulates that statistically, the most accurate theory for predicting the cause of any malfunction is the simplest one.

Mr. cruising, you did Not violate a darn thing. The experienced professional after discussing options that I did not mention agreed on the option I cited. This consumed a lot of the time. Then unexplained he just tested the power before we implemented the agreed to option.

Oh, unrelated but on this trip, this is not the only really unexpected stuff that you would expect last.

Bud