1984 Wanderlodge Love/Hate Relationship

[GARY MINKER]

good reply, you will have more luck setting the rpm with a frequency meter to 60.7 cycles to account for loading lag --- On Sat, 5/7/11, Ralph L. Fullenwider wrote: From: Ralph L. Fullenwider Subject: Re: [WanderlodgeForum] Re: 1984 Wanderlodge Love/Hate Relationship To: WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com Date: Saturday, May 7, 2011, 4:07 PM Hello Loretta and Doug: First things, genset: Open the gen set compartment and on the back wall or to the left, you will find a breaker box. That box contains 2 50 amp breakers, one for each leg. Switch those breakers off and with out any AC Voltage connected to the Coach, losen the one screw that holds the front plate of the SQ D box and set that plate aside. In side that box you will fine 4 wires. Leg one to a breaker, leg 2 to the other breaker, a white wire going to a buss called neutral and a green or bare wire that is ground. With a multimeter, the voltage needs to be read as it come from the gen set before going to the Coach. Start the gen set and give it a couple minutes to warm up and settle down. Now place the black meter lead on the white buss and the red meter lead to leg one or leg 2 wires and you should read 120vac from neutral and either one of the legs. If you measure the voltage across from lag one and 2 the reading should be 240vac. New if the voltage reading there is correct, then with your manual transfer switch in the off position (located in the step well on the left. Now switch the 50 am breakers to the on position, they are tied together with a bar so both are sure to go on at the same time. Now with the multimeter, read from neutral (black meter lead) to the out put side of each circuit breaker, if your voltage is cut in 1/2, meaning 60 VAC then replace the breakers. Now then, if the voltage still reads 60 vac at the breakers, then the out put of the Kohler is not up to par. And that can be caused by a couple of major items. 1. Bad dc voltage input on wires 55 and 65 on the voltage regulator, by bad I mean low or no voltage there. This is located behind the cover on the back side of the gen set held on by 4 screws. Be sure the gen set is off while you get the cover off. Now then, The pins or wires 55 and 65 are the quadratic windings and take over form the batter after the initial 12 vdc "flash" of the field to excite the field and start the EMF process. That voltage should be around 15 to 18 vdc. On one of the spokes of the end bell you will find a fuse and a diode for that quad circuit. Yes I know, the regulator check ok but the checks made to it are not always conclusive. 2, the other major item maybe that the Perkins engine is not turning at 1800 RPMs and can be checked with an rmp test tool. If the engine is not turning at 1800 rpm then the fuel injector pump needs to be static tested at a shop and set to 1800 rpm on the static test bench. No the fuel gauge. What exactly is it doing? do you have twin or a queen bed in the back of the Coach as I am assuming the bath is in the center of the Coach. The problem may just be a dirty ground at the sending unit and I can tell you where it is located so you can get to it and clean the grounds. And finally, yes the gen set is a Perkins /Kohler 12.5KW and will run the world. grin Safe travels, Ralph and Charolette Fullenwider "84FC35 "Ruff Diamond" Duncan, Oklahoma At 09:56 AM 5/7/2011 -0700, you wrote: >Greetings Mike, > >Thanks for responding to my e-mail. >The individual we purchased it from said it was 34 feet. Doug found the >title and it doesn't show that information. So we just now got out the >tape measure and it actually measures 35 feet bumper to bumper. The engine >is in the front. > >I see you live in Texas-we are in NC and the first real trip we took with >the BB was to Fort Worth to attend our nephews wedding. We hope to make >another trip to Texas if we ever get the ole girl in shape----right now I >don't feel confident about taking her that far. I love the interior which >is mostly original. The carpet is not original and I would like to >replace it--if I am ever comfortable it is 'road worthy'. > >Doug checked the connections on the back of the fuel gauge. Connections >good. Don't think he is willing to go thru the floor to check any further. > >He said main power switch is on, both gauges read 60 volts, GFI circuit >breaker in bathroom has been replaced with new one. He had the voltage >reg. 'bench checked' (whatever that means) and all readings were per the >factory service manual. Also brushes and commutator rings have been >cleaned. He said voltage at all outlets reads 60 volts. The man I bought >the Bird from assured me it was in perfect condition--He said "it could >provide power for a small town". > >By the way, we sent the radiator to be checked for leaks. It is the >original. The shop flushed it out and I think made some repairs and new >hoses. They said it was better than anything we could get to replace it. > >Thanks again for your help. > >Loretta Catlin > >On the gen set output, my first gut reaction response is voltage regulator >on the generator. My 83 did that. Ralph says bad brushes on the commutator >ring could also be a culprit. Of course a little trouble shooting might be >appropriate to make sure, before someone just goes ripping into the >genset. We will assume the main power input selector switch is on gen set, >right? Are both voltage gauges reading 60 volts or just one? Have you >measured the actual voltage at an outlet? Have you checked all circuit >breakers and reset the GFCI circuit in the bathroom? That's a start anyway. > >Personally, the fuel gauge would be one of my minor things given the size >of the fuel tanks on these things -- I re-fill after every trip, and I >can't drive far enough to run out of fuel without a bio break and re-fuel >anyway! On the other hand, if it was working and then stopped, my first >guess is check the connections on the back of the gauge. Getting to the >sender is more of a non-trivial task since you have to go through the >floor of the coach to get to it. Is yours a PT or FC model? By the way, >how did you decide it was 34 feet? There was not a 34' model. > >Happy troubleshooting. > >Mike Bulriss >1991 WB40 "Texas Minivan" >San Antonio, TX > >--- In >WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com, >Loretta Catlin wrote: > > > > Hello Fellow Bird Enthusiast, > > > > Although I joined your group a year or two ago, this is the first time > I have > > participated in your many interesting discussions. I have a lot of > questions, > > but I'll try to keep this short and not be 'long winded' as my husband > might > > say. > > We had been looking for a good, used RV for a long time before finding > the BB. > > (I had never seen or heard of a BB) Seriously,we looked at a LOT ugly > of RV's. > > I absolutely hated the shabby cardboard walls and tacky interiors--even > in the > > very expensive homes. So we kept searching. Since I'm trying not to be > 'long > > winded' I won't get into how we found out about the BB. That's a whole > 'nother' > > story and I need to get to the point, but I will say, as soon as I stepped > > inside the BB I fell in love. Soooo..... > > > > H E L P! PLEASE! There seems to be several mysteries connected to our > BB, but > > right now I will ask about only two and hope someone will be able offer > some > > suggestions. > > > > (1) Kohler Generator, 12 1/2 KW, Should power up to 120 Volts, won't > get past 60 > > Volts > > (2) Fuel Gauge stopped working first time we took it out. (?) > > > > Thanks for letting us be a part of your group. > > > > Loretta Catlin > > 1984 Wanderlodge > > 34 feet > > Diesel > > > >