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[GMCnet] How to burn [message #174677] Tue, 26 June 2012 19:08 Go to next message
jhbridges is currently offline  jhbridges   United States
Messages: 8412
Registered: May 2011
Location: Braselton ga
Karma: -74
Senior Member
Fortunately I didn't burn it down.  I am sensitive to flickers when there should be no flickers right along with noise where there should be no noise, etc.  I had traded out the oil in the Generac along with the filter, and was going to leak test  and load test it.   Off with the main breaker, fire up the genset, swap the transfer switch, turn on the main breaker.  Oops, the trouble light flickered a bit, but the bulb isn't loose.  Off with the main breaker, go reset the transfer to shore, turn the breaker back on.  There is no light fixture in the cabinet where the transfer switch lives.... but there's light in there.  OFF with all the power, and pull out the switch.  Fortunately the load side contact burnt up, not either of the feed sides.  And, it was in fact sized properly - 125-177V 30A.  And I'm sure the Norris owners manual for the coach had in large black letters "DO NOT SWITCH SOURCES WITH POWER ON", which advice left along with the
book.  25 years or so of POs switching it under load finally did for it. 
The point is, when you add the fire supression to the engine room and the rear bays, you haven't covered it all.  You need a couple of fire extinguishers in the living area as well.  Here, dry chemical extinguishers work fine.  You're blowing them on wood and carpet which vacuum up easily.  CO2 will work also.  Spend your foam money where it's needed.  They're house trailers inside, and if you get them lit, they'll burn like one.   In a former life one of my tasks was to interview fire chiefs in small towns and map occurrances of house fires.  Since I lived in one, I always asked about house trailers.  I >never< found a fire chief who would admit to having put one out.   Let your GMC burn for three or four minutes, you ain't gonna put it out either.
 
The second point is, things electric aren't supposed to flicker - or run with hiccups - or humm with crackles in the hum.  Find out why, as opposed to waiting till the light goes on where there ain't no light.  This is why I'd asked about a diagram for my coach - I KNOW the lights aren't supposed to flicker.  I think I figured out why.  
 
--johnny
'76 23' transmode norris
'76 palm beach
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Foolish Carriage, 76 26' Eleganza(?) with beaucoup mods and add - ons. Braselton, Ga. I forgive them all, save those who hurt the dogs. They must answer to me in hell
Re: [GMCnet] How to burn [message #174679 is a reply to message #174677] Tue, 26 June 2012 19:18 Go to previous messageGo to next message
C Boyd is currently offline  C Boyd   United States
Messages: 2629
Registered: April 2006
Karma: 18
Senior Member
Johnny: mine was a bad transfer switch. Glad you found it in time...
http://www.gmcmhphotos.com/photos/crestmont/p35377-new-transfer-switch.html






Johnny Bridges wrote on Tue, 26 June 2012 20:08

Fortunately I didn't burn it down.  I am sensitive to flickers when there should be no flickers right along with noise where there should be no noise, etc.  I had traded out the oil in the Generac along with the filter, and was going to leak test  and load test it.   Off with the main breaker, fire up the genset, swap the transfer switch, turn on the main breaker.  Oops, the trouble light flickered a bit, but the bulb isn't loose.  Off with the main breaker, go reset the transfer to shore, turn the breaker back on.  There is no light fixture in the cabinet where the transfer switch lives.... but there's light in there.  OFF with all the power, and pull out the switch.  Fortunately the load side contact burnt up, not either of the feed sides.  And, it was in fact sized properly - 125-177V 30A.  And I'm sure the Norris owners manual for the coach had in large black letters "DO NOT SWITCH SOURCES WITH POWER ON", which advice left along with the
book.  25 years or so of POs switching it under load finally did for it. 
The point is, when you add the fire supression to the engine room and the rear bays, you haven't covered it all.  You need a couple of fire extinguishers in the living area as well.  Here, dry chemical extinguishers work fine.  You're blowing them on wood and carpet which vacuum up easily.  CO2 will work also.  Spend your foam money where it's needed.  They're house trailers inside, and if you get them lit, they'll burn like one.   In a former life one of my tasks was to interview fire chiefs in small towns and map occurrances of house fires.  Since I lived in one, I always asked about house trailers.  I >never< found a fire chief who would admit to having put one out.   Let your GMC burn for three or four minutes, you ain't gonna put it out either.
 
The second point is, things electric aren't supposed to flicker - or run with hiccups - or humm with crackles in the hum.  Find out why, as opposed to waiting till the light goes on where there ain't no light.  This is why I'd asked about a diagram for my coach - I KNOW the lights aren't supposed to flicker.  I think I figured out why.  
 
--johnny
'76 23' transmode norris
'76 palm beach
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C. Boyd
76 Crestmont
East Tennessee
Re: [GMCnet] How to burn [message #174698 is a reply to message #174679] Tue, 26 June 2012 20:37 Go to previous messageGo to next message
k2gkk is currently offline  k2gkk   United States
Messages: 4452
Registered: November 2009
Karma: -8
Senior Member

If anybody is intersted, I have an ONAN switch for
30A plus that would tend to prohibit that sort of
booboo. It is German-made and really a precision
and heavy-duty device.

It has FOUR positions. GENSET-OFF-OFF-SHORE.

You MUST stop on OFF to switch. I took it out of a
boat with ONE 30A input when I installed second 30A
input.

Two circuits are switched and I believe it would be
okay for the single output of the 4 kW Onan for sure
and probably for the 6 kW power drawer as well.

If anybody is interested, these things sell new for
something like $400. I'd take $150 for this one.

I can take pictures of it if anybody is interested.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
~~ ~ D C "Mac" Macdonald ~ ~~
~ ~ Amateur Radio - K2GKK ~ ~
~ ~ USAF and FAA, Retired ~ ~
~ ~ ~ Oklahoma City, OK ~ ~ ~
~~ ~ ~ "The Money Pit" ~ ~ ~~
~ ~ ~ '76 ex-Palm Beach ~ ~ ~
~ www.gmcmhphotos.com/okclb ~
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
______________
*[ ]~~~[][ ][|\
*--OO--[]---O-*





> To: gmclist@temp.gmcnet.org
> From: covered-wagon@comcast.net
> Date: Tue, 26 Jun 2012 19:18:46 -0500
> Subject: Re: [GMCnet] How to burn
>
>
>
> Johnny: mine was a bad transfer switch. Glad you found it in time...
> http://www.gmcmhphotos.com/photos/crestmont/p35377-new-transfer-switch.html
>
>
> --
> C. Boyd
> 76 Crestmont by Midas
> East Tennessee

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Re: [GMCnet] How to burn [message #174707 is a reply to message #174679] Tue, 26 June 2012 21:54 Go to previous message
jhbridges is currently offline  jhbridges   United States
Messages: 8412
Registered: May 2011
Location: Braselton ga
Karma: -74
Senior Member
Same switch in the same place.  I'd recommend anyone with a Norris or Midas upfit and this system replace that switch on GPs if it hasn't already been.
 
--johnny
'76 23' trandmode norris
'76 palm beach

From: Charles Boyd <covered-wagon@comcast.net>
To: gmclist@temp.gmcnet.org
Sent: Tuesday, June 26, 2012 8:18 PM
Subject: Re: [GMCnet] How to burn



Johnny: mine was a bad transfer switch. Glad you found it in time...
http://www.gmcmhphotos.com/photos/crestmont/p35377-new-transfer-switch.html






Johnny Bridges wrote on Tue, 26 June 2012 20:08
> Fortunately I didn't burn it down.  I am sensitive to flickers when there should be no flickers right along with noise where there should be no noise, etc.  I had traded out the oil in the Generac along with the filter, and was going to leak test  and load test it.   Off with the main breaker, fire up the genset, swap the transfer switch, turn on the main breaker.  Oops, the trouble light flickered a bit, but the bulb isn't loose.  Off with the main breaker, go reset the transfer to shore, turn the breaker back on.  There is no light fixture in the cabinet where the transfer switch lives.... but there's light in there.  OFF with all the power, and pull out the switch.  Fortunately the load side contact burnt up, not either of the feed sides.  And, it was in fact sized properly - 125-177V 30A.  And I'm sure the Norris owners manual for the coach had in large black letters "DO NOT SWITCH SOURCES WITH POWER ON", which advice left along with the
>  book.  25 years or so of POs switching it under load finally did for it. 
> The point is, when you add the fire supression to the engine room and the rear bays, you haven't covered it all.  You need a couple of fire extinguishers in the living area as well.  Here, dry chemical extinguishers work fine.  You're blowing them on wood and carpet which vacuum up easily.  CO2 will work also.  Spend your foam money where it's needed.  They're house trailers inside, and if you get them lit, they'll burn like one.   In a former life one of my tasks was to interview fire chiefs in small towns and map occurrances of house fires.  Since I lived in one, I always asked about house trailers.  I >never< found a fire chief who would admit to having put one out.   Let your GMC burn for three or four minutes, you ain't gonna put it out either.
>  
> The second point is, things electric aren't supposed to flicker - or run with hiccups - or humm with crackles in the hum.  Find out why, as opposed to waiting till the light goes on where there ain't no light.  This is why I'd asked about a diagram for my coach - I KNOW the lights aren't supposed to flicker.  I think I figured out why.  
>  
> --johnny
> '76 23' transmode norris
> '76 palm beach
> _______________________________________________
> GMCnet mailing list
> Unsubscribe or Change List Options:
> http://temp.gmcnet.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/gmclist


--
C. Boyd
76 Crestmont by Midas
East Tennessee
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Foolish Carriage, 76 26' Eleganza(?) with beaucoup mods and add - ons. Braselton, Ga. I forgive them all, save those who hurt the dogs. They must answer to me in hell
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