I have a 2003 Onan 5.5-kilowatt Marquis Gold generator (model 5.5HGJAB-910C) in a 2003 Fleetwood Pace Arrow 37A gas-powered motorhome. When the coach was not moving, the generator ran fine, powering two air conditioners and the rest of the coach. When I left one air conditioner on while driving, the generator shut down after 10 minutes. The fuel tank was half-full the first time, so I topped it off and tried again, but I got the same result. Once home, I checked for trouble codes. I also changed the oil and filter, and I replaced the air cleaner, spark plugs, fuel filter, and the rubber fuel line from the chassis to the fuel filter. I tried the generator again, and it ran for 15 minutes. It does restart after dying. Any suggestions would be appreciated.
Paul Fredrick, F172200
East Providence, Rhode Island
You have a fuel blockage somewhere between the fuel line you replaced and the motorhome’s fuel tank. It is my belief that when the coach’s engine is running, only the fuel remaining in the generator’s fuel line is available to the gen set. The engine’s fuel pump pulls all the fuel and does not allow any to get to the generator. You’ll need a good service technician to correct this problem.
I read “Battery Corrosion” in “Tech Talk” (October 2017, page 20) and wanted to share some information. All of us have to deal with battery corrosion. But for a few dollars and a little labor and time, you can make this issue go away. The solution is available from any electrical supply or home-improvement store.
We found significant battery corrosion when we bought a used 36-foot Safari motorhome many years ago. The long-term solution was to clean everything with water, baking soda, and soap to remove all corrosion, and then to shine up all the connector ends with a brass wire brush to ensure good conduction. Next, a coating of No-Ox-Id A-Special electrical contact grease was rubbed over and around all the connections. Then everything was reassembled and tightened. When we traded up to a 40-footer approximately 10 years later, the original Safari cables were still fine and showed no corrosion.
No-Ox-Id A-Special grease is from Sanchem Inc. (www.sanchem.com). A similar product is Ox-Gard Anti-Oxidant Compound from Gardner Bender (www.gardnerbender.com). I keep one of these products handy and apply it to any battery or system we obtain. Give it a try; you will be impressed with the results. And remember that battery connections should be checked for tightness every six to 12 months.
Russell Anderson, F257970
Colleyville, Texas
In regard to “Battery Corrosion” in the October 2017 “Tech Talk”: Corrosion seems to be a fact of life when you are dealing with flooded-cell batteries. Years ago, I began using ThermOil Battery De-Mister. My coach has four wet-cell batteries and is 22 years old. Not only is there no corrosion, but my batteries last significantly longer. The increased life of the batteries more than compensates for the cost of the De-Mister. I strongly recommend this product. For information, call (800) 221-5351 or visit www.thermoil.com.
Kenneth Hurst, F129878
Odessa, Texas
Thank you both for sharing this information.
The Sanchem Inc. website says: “No-Ox-Id electrical grease prevents the formation of oxides, sulfides, and other corrosion deposits on copper, aluminum, and steel surfaces and conductors. The purpose of an electrical contact lubricant is to prevent corrosion and lubricate the connection for easier maintenance. . . . When this conductive paste is used on aluminum connectors in joints, No-Ox-Id A-Special prevents the reformation of oxide films, which cause high resistance and subsequent failures. It is a great choice for battery terminal grease.”
The Gardner Bender website says: “Ox-Gard Anti-Oxidant Compound contains prime grade zinc and is formulated with metallic zinc to create a compound that enhances electrical and thermal conductivity. . . .”
The ThermOil website says: “Battery De-Mister with ThermOil technology is a patented battery oil made of a combination of severely hydro-treated naphthenic base oils and hydrogenated polyalphaolefin synthetic oil coupled with an effective ash-less non-acidic rust inhibitor.”
I have a 2007 Alfa See Ya with a Flexsteel power seat. The seat no longer moves forward or backward, although the motor runs. I took the seat apart and found that there are two 3 1/2-inch speedometer-type cables coming out of both sides of the GSK motor. These attach to the rotary assemblies that turn the threaded shafts that move the seat back and forth. The speedometer cables are broken, and for the life of me, I can’t find replacements. Do you know where I can get such replacement cables? They are 0.12-inch-thick.
Lloyd Haneberg, F297630
Boring, Oregon
Visit www.flexsteel.com and click on the contact page. The customer service department should be able to help you.
I remember seeing ads for a tow-bar system that allows you to back up when you are towing a dinghy. I’ve searched the internet, but I cannot find it. It attached at two different points to the rear of the motorhome, and I think it was X-shaped instead of A-shaped. Do you have any information on this system?
Bill Finigan, F437688
Titusville, Florida
FMC magazine published an article about such a tow bar back in November 2000, and the authors of that article still have information about the M&G tow bar on their website — www.rvtechstop.com/resources/Articles/mgtowok.pdf. We checked with M&G Engineering, and a representative said that M&G sold the rights to this tow bar to Roadmaster 12 years ago. He also noted that Roadmaster is not manufacturing it now. So, it may be that the notion of a tow bar that allows backing up is a pipe dream for now. As you probably know, attempting to back up a motorhome with a towed vehicle tends to break and bend things, even with a tow dolly.