Home » Public Forums » GMCnet » newbe with generator questions
| newbe with generator questions [message #329848] |
Fri, 09 March 2018 12:16  |
kemaggard@cox.net
Messages: 12
Registered: November 2017
Location: Paradise Valley
Karma: 0
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Junior Member |
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I am now the proud owner of a 1978 Kingsley and I will readily admit I am a bit overwhelmed. Overall I feel like the coach is in pretty good shape but I am trying to address one issue at a time. Engine and tranny have been rebuilt and the drive train components seem to be OK.
In trying to start the generator it sounds like the batteries need to be charged. It will turn over a couple of times and then stop. The crusty compartment has 2 golf cart batteries that I assume are 6 volt and are for the generator (parallel connections). The water levels appear to be ok but I will top them off a bit.
In all my reading of the manuals and diagrams I do not see where the converter will charge these batteries. My question is should I go ahead and try to charge the batteries with my charger on it's 6 volt setting? And once I have them charged will running the generator keep them charged?
Thanks
BTW: on GMCMI the link to 'X7821A | 1978 Owner's Operating Manual' opens the transmode manual version. Did they not make a 1978 owner's manual?
Kenneth Maggard
Paradise Valley, Arizona
GMCer wannabee since 1973
Please contact me if you know a good original for sale.
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| Re: newbe with generator questions [message #329849 is a reply to message #329848] |
Fri, 09 March 2018 12:37  |
77Royale
Messages: 461
Registered: June 2014
Location: Mid Michigan
Karma: 6
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Senior Member |
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Congrats on the new purchase. There are a few variables that folks with a better understanding will probably want to know. What converter do you have? Stock "buzz box" or something else. How exactly is it wired in if you know.
For the time being, I would suggest this. Pull the two batteries out of the coach. Clean them up if you can and take them to an auto parts store. Have them tested / charged there. If you do top them off, use distilled water. If you know the age of them that may help. If they are several years old it may be time to replace them anyway. But the store can check and usually charge them for free.
In the meantime, clean up all the connections on the cables in the coach and to the Onan ground and starter. That way you know you have good clean connections. Unplug the shore power cord, and turn the breakers off so you dont try to start the Onan under a load.
If needed you can use a known good/charged, 12V car battery to start the Onan. That way you at least know it will start/turn over/ possibly run. Check the oil level before you crank it over. Just to be safe. Once its running for a bit, you can then flip the breaker and determine if its making power. When its time to shut it down, shut off the items that the onan is powering one at a time, then flip the breaker off, then after a moment shut the onan down. This will help the bridge rectifier to not burn out. Ive read here, shutting the Onan down while the A/C is running off of it is not good. Never tried it, dont want to.
77 Royale, Rear Dry Bath. 403, 3.55 Final Drive, Lenzi goodies, Patterson carb and dizzy.
Mid Michigan
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| Re: newbe with generator questions [message #329850 is a reply to message #329848] |
Fri, 09 March 2018 12:54 |
lqqkatjon
Messages: 2324
Registered: October 2010
Location: St. Cloud, MN
Karma: 5
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Senior Member |
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Things change in 40 years.
Stock kingsley normally has a battery up front running engine. Then big cable to a solenoid up front, that has a big cable that runs to driver side and down drivers side of vehicle in the walls. It breaks out in closet(electrical panel). Where there is a charger. (Buzzbox). Then continues to the rear batteries by the generator.
Please get a vom electrical meter. Check battery voltages with that and it will allow some isolation of where your 12v issues may be.
Clean all connections and make sure things are tight as well.
2 6v batteries should and can be treated as one big 12v battery. You can charge with 12 volt charger if they are connected up.
They should be charging when coach is plugged into 110v/shore power.
Jon Roche
75 palm beach
EBL EFI, manny headers, Micro Level, rebuilt most of coach now.
St. Cloud, MN
http://lqqkatjon.blogspot.com/
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| Re: [GMCnet] newbe with generator questions [message #329859 is a reply to message #329856] |
Fri, 09 March 2018 15:56 |
kingd
Messages: 592
Registered: June 2004
Karma: 2
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Senior Member |
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Having followed the Forum for a LONG time it still suprises me when a new to the Forum or to a
coach person shows up on the Forum.
Should we not be asking questions like "Do you have a digital multimeter ?
Do you know how to use it ?
In the case of this specific thread, should we not be asking if the 2 6 Volt batteries are correctly
hooked up in series?
If he has a multimeter, shouldn't we be asking him if he has the capability to plug the coach into
110 V ?
If he can plug the coach in, should we be asking him to turn on the
interior lights with the coach not running and not plugged in and note the brightness of
the interior lighting, then plug the coach in and see if the interior lights are brighter.
If the interior lights are brighter, can we "assume" the coach has a functioning converter ?
Similar test at the 6 V batteres, note the voltage without the coach plugged in and then
plug the coach in and note the voltage again at the 6 V batteries.
Won't this confirm if the "converter" is charging/attempting to charge the coach batteries?
Not trying to be a wise guy.
DAVE KING
lurker, wannabe
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
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| Re: newbe with generator questions [message #329861 is a reply to message #329848] |
Fri, 09 March 2018 18:34 |
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Matt Colie
Messages: 8547
Registered: March 2007
Location: S.E. Michigan
Karma: 7
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Senior Member |
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Kenneth,
Welcome to the group, family, cult, asylum....
While I am by no means the official welcomer, I do enjoy doing this.
You have already gotten all the answers I would have given if I had not spent the entire day searching for and ordering engine parts.
Now, You are off to a really great start, But Hang On Tight.....
First, never be afraid to come here with a question. You got a great first answer from one of our senior members here. This is what Emery, Ken and Ken do on a very regular basis. These are old and complicated machines, but they are good tempered and very stable. You will be hard pressed to have an original problem. With 45 years and millions (collectively - No Joke) of experience here, there are some that know just about everything that matters. The worst that might happen is that you need to give a clearer description. It that case, one of these people will walk you through a diagnostic and find your root cause. The only way to annoy these folks is to ignore the answers that they provide.
Be aware that everybody here has a serious agenda. That agenda is that you get to enjoy your coach, the community that it connects you to, and what it can do for you as much as we all do and know it can.
Now, to clarify the question you had, download http://www.bdub.net/wirediagrams/77-78-livingarea-12vdc.pdf and look carefully at the right side of the screen. Low on the page is a box labeled "Converter". That is the house battery charger. If it still a gray box that makes a lot of noise, plan to replace it. (You can come back here for suggestions.) Do not leave it powered up and connected to the house bank or it will over charge said house bank and destroy it. That box is connected to the left edge of the fuse panel. That panel, if you follow the lines, is connected through a breaker to the Aux Battery shown just above the generator connection. If you need to know more, just ask.
Another thing you should do today, is look up the GMCMI Spring Convention that will be in Tucson. You are close enough that there is no excuse for you to not get there. Even if you can't get the coach there, GO!! If you try to absorb everything that will be thrown at you in the time you are there, your brain may well go out on overload. But Hey, what you can hang onto will be a very good start.
If you do not have a grease gun, go get a nice one and load it with good (expensive)(Many of us like Valvoline SynPro) grease and try to over grease the front end (~14 places) and the bogies. Even expensive grease is cheaper than parts. Never skip the maintenance. These old girls will treat you well, but you have to take care of them first.
I usually have to ask new people here to fill in a sigfile (like you already have), but it is rewarding that all I am going to do is to ask you to update what is there. This is a great start.
Now, you signed on in November of last year, so I hope you noticed that this is a community of helping and supportive people that is like few others. The fact is that the only other that I know of like this is that of the watermen that are my world. For this very reason, I have taken to paraphrasing the welcome to a new owner of vessel there. So,
May the Good Lord bless this coach and all those that set forth within her.
Welcome Kenneth
Matt
Matt & Mary Colie - Chaumière -'73 Glacier 23 - Members GMCMI, GMCGL, GMCES
Electronically Controlled Quiet Engine Cooling Fan with OE Rear Drum Brakes with Applied Control Arms
SE Michigan - Near DTW - Twixt A2 and Detroit
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| Re: newbe with generator questions [message #329864 is a reply to message #329861] |
Fri, 09 March 2018 21:07 |
Carl S.
Messages: 4186
Registered: January 2009
Location: Tucson, AZ.
Karma: 13
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Senior Member |
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While you're at it, look into becoming a part of the GMC Saguaro Jetset: gmcsj.com
We are fast becoming the SOB (Some Other Brand) Saguaro Jetset and need all the GMCs we can get. 
Carl Stouffer
'75 ex Palm Beach
Tucson, AZ.
Chuck Aulgur Reaction Arm Disc Brakes, Quadrabags, 3.70 LSD final drive, Lenzi knuckles/hubs, Dodge Truck 16" X 8" front wheels, Rear American Eagles, Solar battery charging. GMCSJ and GMCMI member
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| Re: newbe with generator questions [message #330354 is a reply to message #329864] |
Sun, 25 March 2018 22:16 |
kemaggard@cox.net
Messages: 12
Registered: November 2017
Location: Paradise Valley
Karma: 0
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Junior Member |
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Thanks for all your help. Batteries are in a series and not parallel, I always get those confused. I must admit I have been distracted with other non GMC things the last couple of weeks. I have not check the Buzz box yet.
Last glitch was getting the Generator unstuck to slide it out. Have done all the reading and understand how and where things are, just have not gotten to it yet. Gotta get moving, it will be 110 degrees soon.
Kenneth Maggard
Paradise Valley, Arizona
GMCer wannabee since 1973
Please contact me if you know a good original for sale.
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| Re: [GMCnet] newbe with generator questions [message #330357 is a reply to message #330354] |
Sun, 25 March 2018 23:08 |
jimk
Messages: 6734
Registered: July 2006
Location: Belmont, CA
Karma: 9
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Senior Member |
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Always run the engine first as the engine alternator will boost the rear
battery.
Once you get things in line, you can rely on the rear battery.
Never keep the batteries with low charge as it will sulfate and you'll need
new ones.
On Sun, Mar 25, 2018 at 8:16 PM, Kenneth Maggard wrote:
> Thanks for all your help. Batteries are in a series and not parallel, I
> always get those confused. I must admit I have been distracted with other
> non GMC things the last couple of weeks. I have not check the Buzz box
> yet.
>
> Last glitch was getting the Generator unstuck to slide it out. Have done
> all the reading and understand how and where things are, just have not
> gotten to it yet. Gotta get moving, it will be 110 degrees soon.
> --
> Kenneth Maggard
> Paradise Valley, Arizona
> GMCer wannabee since 1973
> Please contact me if you know a good original for sale.
>
> _______________________________________________
> GMCnet mailing list
> Unsubscribe or Change List Options:
> http://list.gmcnet.org/mailman/listinfo/gmclist_list.gmcnet.org
>
--
Jim Kanomata
Applied/GMC, Newark,CA
jimk@appliedairfilters.com
http://www.appliedgmc.com
1-800-752-7502
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Jim Kanomata
Applied/GMC
jimk@appliedairfilters.com
www.appliedgmc.com
1-800-752-7502
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