Generator not Distributing

[mark99]

Panda genny. When started it lights up the green Ac light on the control panel and the power available led lights up. However the ac volts needle does not move to 240, it just sticks on zero and the ring main Is not energised. Any ideas?

[frangar]

Have you checked for any rouge breakers between the ac light and the ring main.

 

If you have a meter carefully measure the voltage at the terminals along the cable.

 

Do remember that 240v ac isn't very pleasant if it finds flesh!

 

Also is there a selector switch for a landline or inverter that might have got knocked?

 

Cheers

 

Gareth

 

Edited to add bits.

Edited October 19, 2014 by frangar

[mark99]

It was working fine feeding into my batteries via an invertor and powering a microwave . The microwave ended on its timer as the meal Is ready and since then I've lost the Power from the genny. It's like the sudden stop of the microwave has shocked it although we have done this 100 times before without issue.

Edited October 19, 2014 by mark99

[Robbo]

You've properly tripped a breaker, either on the genny or on the boat. After that the check the cable from genny to boat.

[mark99]

No breakers tripped.

[frangar]

Can you trace the cable from the genny just to double check there aren't any hidden breakers? Is there a change over switch for the shore line?

 

Do you have a multimeter to check voltages?

 

Worth checking all the connections in the cable as well....it's just possible a voltage spike has fried a mcb or rcd.

 

If you don't have a meter or don't fancy poking about with one you can get "voltage sticks" which will glow a neon without making a contact. Very useful for tracing faults.

 

Cheers

 

Gareth

[mark99]

Yes there is a changeover switch to shoreline. I just checkled the 1amp and 1.6amp fuses in the control boxes with multimeter and they are ok. I'm guessing the changeover switch may be faulty.

[Alan de Enfield]

It was working fine feeding into my batteries via an invertor and powering a microwave .

 

You were feeding 'mains' voltage' into an inverter ?

Or, do you mean a battery charger

[mark99]

Sorry

VICTRON multi plus.

[bottle]

Check all circuit breakers again by switching OFF and then ON (up is ON )

 

Work from the generator forwards.

 

 

No guarantees though, sorry.

[by'eck]

Typically a built-in generator such as your Panda would feed a double pole AC selector switch with the choice of Shore or Generator and maybe a third Off position. If you have one confirm its in the Generator position. Your Victron Multiplus will take care of whether the AC supply to sockets comes from pass through, or its own inverter if no AC input assuming its turned on of course.

 

If you have exhausted this possibility and the others suggested, can you confirm that the AC voltmeter is a direct part of the generator monitoring or further down the chain? If the latter you should be looking for a problem between the two.

[mark99]

It's 4 pole selector switch

 

off, Genny, shore 1 and shore 2.

 

Now back at mooring and tried both shore powers front and rear and neither works like they did on Friday. So in summary no shore power and no genny.

Edited October 19, 2014 by mark99

[mark99]

Also forgot to add. The invertor works fine putting 240 in the ring main.

[bottle]

So first check whether there is a voltage at the inputs (3) of the selector, when the relevant supply is connected.

 

Then check if there is a voltage on the output side of the selector

 

That will check if the selector switch is working.

 

 

Please be careful as 240v ac at best will tickle at worst kill you

[frangar]

It's beginging to sound like it may be the AC changeover "switch" on the combi....that's an internal switch in the combi I'm afraid. Have you checked the connections on the combi?...unscrew the front panel and check the terminals there...please be careful tho!

 

Cheers

 

Gareth

[mark99]

I think I've found It.

 

Inside the box containing Inputs from Genny, shore powers , feed to consumer unit and selector switch I was tracing wires ready to use the multimeter to find if the switch was dduff

 

And lo and behold there was a loose live wire but still curled in position so It looked connected. No one has ever been In that box but I'm guessing the vibration from the engine and buzzy generator loosened the screw clamping down wire.

 

Thanks.

[by'eck]

I think I've found It.

 

Inside the box containing Inputs from Genny, shore powers , feed to consumer unit and selector switch I was tracing wires ready to use the multimeter to find if the switch was dduff

 

And lo and behold there was a loose live wire but still curled in position so It looked connected. No one has ever been In that box but I'm guessing the vibration from the engine and buzzy generator loosened the screw clamping down wire.

 

Thanks.

 

That sounds like it Mark. Unlikely you will have more than one issue. Note that two pole switching simply means it switches live and neutral which is important where AC supplies are from entirely separate sources. Yours with four positions would correctly be referred to as a four way, two pole switch.