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12-28-2023, 03:36 PM
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#1
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New Member
Join Date: Aug 2021
Location: Troy
Posts: 4
M.O.C. #29493
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Electric Problem Need Help
I have a 2021 Montana 3121 with Solar Fex 400. This has happened to me twice the vary same way. We set up and run on solar and all is going well, at end of second day worried i will not get through the night on the battery so start up my portable generator and plug it in and run for a few hours then turn off generator for the the night. Later in the night I run out of battery and fridge, lights everything stops. I get up start the generator in the middle of night and I get no power in the Camper. I have to wait till in the morning and the sun comes up and charges the battery before I can move my slides back in and run jacks to hook back up to truck. I finally get hooked up and pull back home and plug into electric cord in garage and everything then runs fine. I have never had a problem with camper switching between battery, solar and elecitric except when I use the portable generator, and the generator does work. WHAT IS THE PROBLEM AND HOW DO I FIX IT ?
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12-28-2023, 04:01 PM
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#2
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Montana Master
Join Date: May 2019
Location: Alton
Posts: 2,892
M.O.C. #24086
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When you plug in your generator, do you connect it to the 50A receptacle at the back of your rig?
OR is it wired into the transfer switch?
I don't don't have the factory Solar Flex System so I can't compare. I installed my own system so I have to manually switch between shore, OR batteries/inverter OR generator.
__________________
Daryl and Marianne,
2019 3130re 20th Anniversary Edition
2016 F350 Lariat
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12-28-2023, 04:15 PM
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#3
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Site Team
Join Date: Sep 2017
Location: Oro Valley
Posts: 4,081
M.O.C. #20477
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Kevin,
First, welcome to the forum!
It sounds like you may have a transfer switch issue. If you are plugging the genny into the 50 amp plug that would rule out the transfer switch. It also sounds like you might need a bigger battery bank to get you through the night.
__________________
Zack and Donna plus Millie and Ranger
2018 3160RL
"Life is too short to stay indoors, enjoy the ride!"
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01-02-2024, 09:30 AM
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#4
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New Member
Join Date: Aug 2021
Location: Troy
Posts: 4
M.O.C. #29493
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Both times I had plugged the honda generator into the 50 amp plug on camper and used a reducer plug to be able to plug into the 50 amp plug. The batteries are not the problem just switched over to two Battle Born lithium. The batteries are OK, my wife was running a bunch of crock pots when we were tailgating. I just need to find out why my camper will not respond when I plug in the generator. When I got back to where I keep my camper I used the reducer to plug into land based electric and everything worked OK.
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01-02-2024, 09:56 AM
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#5
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Site Team
Join Date: Sep 2017
Location: Oro Valley
Posts: 4,081
M.O.C. #20477
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Kevin,
If you have an EMS in your rig, this threat may help.
https://www.montanaowners.com/forums....php?p=1275516
__________________
Zack and Donna plus Millie and Ranger
2018 3160RL
"Life is too short to stay indoors, enjoy the ride!"
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01-02-2024, 11:47 AM
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#6
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Montana Fan
Join Date: Dec 2021
Location: Schertz, TX
Posts: 202
M.O.C. #30294
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Trapper57
... I get up start the generator in the middle of night and I get no power in the Camper. I have to wait till in the morning and the sun comes up and charges the battery before I can move my slides back in and run jacks to hook back up to truck. I finally get hooked up and pull back home and plug into electric cord in garage and everything then runs fine. I have never had a problem with camper switching between battery, solar and elecitric except when I use the portable generator, and the generator does work. WHAT IS THE PROBLEM AND HOW DO I FIX IT ?
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You need a Neutral Ground Bonding Plug for your generator. When you hook up to your house the house wiring has the neutral and ground bonded together, but your generator has a "floating" ground. The transfer switch built into your RV checks for that bond and won't connect the power if the check fails. Check out this video for a "how to" make the plug - or you can order one from Amazon.
https://youtu.be/ebRLyobAPgQ
Good Luck!!
__________________
Clark & Peggy
2022 Montana 3791RD, 800i solar, 2x100ah Battleborn
2017 Ford F350, CC, LB, 6.7, 4x4
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01-02-2024, 03:01 PM
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#7
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New Member
Join Date: Aug 2021
Location: Troy
Posts: 4
M.O.C. #29493
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Thank You. That will be an easy fix.
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01-03-2024, 02:49 PM
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#8
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New Member
Join Date: Jul 2023
Location: Kimberley
Posts: 8
M.O.C. #33077
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If you have a gas/electric fridge, make sure to put in just gas as the fridge is on an inverted outlet and will drain batteries quickly especially if it’s hot out. We ran into this in our 2023 this spring when we first got it.
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01-03-2024, 03:14 PM
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#9
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New Member
Join Date: Aug 2021
Location: Troy
Posts: 4
M.O.C. #29493
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JJ76, Good to know. I have ran residential frig on solar for a couple of days last summer after putting in the 2 Battle Born lithium batteries. I used nothing else except lights and the solar was enough, of course both days had sun. When I ran out of solar juice last fall we had been running a couple of big crock pots for hours and that what sucked me down. That is when I plugged in my generator, and nothing happened. But now thanks to post from C&P RV i ordered the grounding plug and that should fix my problem using my honda generator. What he said on the grouding plug makes total sense. i thank everytono for the help. IF I can get something fixed without going to my RV Repair Place is awesome.
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01-03-2024, 06:00 PM
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#10
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Seasoned Camper
Join Date: Oct 2020
Location: Miami Lakes
Posts: 58
M.O.C. #27367
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Quote:
Originally Posted by C&P RV
You need a Neutral Ground Bonding Plug for your generator. When you hook up to your house the house wiring has the neutral and ground bonded together, but your generator has a "floating" ground. The transfer switch built into your RV checks for that bond and won't connect the power if the check fails. Check out this video for a "how to" make the plug - or you can order one from Amazon.
https://youtu.be/ebRLyobAPgQ
Good Luck!!
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And this right here is why I love this forum. You guys are a wealth of knowledge and most are willing and happy to help.
__________________
Manny & Myrna
2021 - 3791RD
2021 F450 Super Duty
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