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Laryn Christley (Barn_owl)
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Username: Barn_owl

Post Number: 28
Registered: 10-2006
Posted From: 72.66.181.219

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Posted on Monday, May 21, 2007 - 11:05 pm:   

Since my bit of excitement I had with my generator not working for a brief moment, I was wondering if there where ways to limp home without one. I came up with two ideas and I wanted to know if they would work.

Plan A: My bus has a 40 amp AC to DC converter in it. At this time I do not know if it works or is hooked up (I doubt that I will get to it before my trip). But, if it did work and I lost my bus generator for whatever reason, could I run my genset to power the converter and run jumpers to the batteries?

Plan B: If the converter is not an option, could I run my genset to a battery charger and run the leads to the batteries? How big of a battery charger would it take to pull this off?

I think I could go a long ways on just the batteries if I didn’t use any lights, but if I was traveling at night with lights, I don’t know how far I would make it. Any other ideas?
Gus Causbie (Gusc)
Registered Member
Username: Gusc

Post Number: 359
Registered: 11-2005
Posted From: 71.112.176.74

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Posted on Monday, May 21, 2007 - 11:43 pm:   

Going down the road the bus uses very little DC power unless you have and inverter so 40amp should be plenty.
Pete/RTS Daytona (Pete_rtsdaytona)
Registered Member
Username: Pete_rtsdaytona

Post Number: 340
Registered: 1-2005
Posted From: 72.40.12.33

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Posted on Tuesday, May 22, 2007 - 9:56 am:   

Both plan a and b should work

My only concern is - with the "generator light on" some bus electrical circuits are not active - things like the "over the road Bus A/C" - which I assume you do not have anymore

when you had the failure - did the bus electrical items you needed still work (lights / ?? )

if yes - then plan a or b could be a backup

When the alternator on my Classic GMC motor home crapped out - I just put a toothpick in my booster switch (connect house battieries to vechicle batteries) and ran the m/h generator which powered the converter - which charger all the batteries and got me home just fine

Pete RTS/Daytona

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