electric/generator help needed

[kobudo]

Hello,

I am having trouble with a generator. (Honda ES 6500) It is about 15 years old and runs great.
The regular household outlet works fine and I just used it for a variety of tools last week.
I am having problems with the L5-30 outlet. I use that outlet to charge 4 large 12v batteries for my off the grid cabin.

I also have a Yamaha 2800i generator and a cheap Champion generator. When using either of those to charge the system it works fine. The inverter message system indicates that a charge is being accepted (usually when the batteries are down and I start charging it is +35a) for both the Yamaha and Champion.

When I use the Honda I only get error messages from the inverter message system. I dropped the unit off at a Honda dealer and they can find nothing wrong.

It isn't the cable because I use the same for all 3 units.

Any electricians or generator specialists have an idea of what may be causing this?????

 

[Sprinter]

When I use the Honda I only get error messages from the inverter message system

What are the error messages? Honda my have an online troubleshooting site that could explain the inverter messages.

Odd that the shop couldn't fix it if it is throwing error codes.

Does it act any differently if you use the 30 amp outlet on something else besides the battery charger, with a fairly low load?

 

[blades]

Possibly inverted polarity (hot vs neutral) a lot of items it is of little consequence but every so often a persnickety item shows up.

 

[Sprinter]

Possibly inverted polarity (hot vs neutral) a lot of items it is of little consequence but every so often a persnickety item shows up.

Or a ground fault maybe? Just musing.

 

[kobudo]

I can't remember exactly what was displayed on the readout from the inverter but it wasn't normal.
On the actual inverter itself, the red light went on.
I have not plugged anything else into that l5-30 outlet. I'm not sure what I could even try to plug into it.
The Honda shop said it is putting out normal power from that outlet. It is so odd that it won't power the batteries but the other two units will.

 

[begreen]

Is there an adapter cord between the L5-30 outlet and the connection that the charger(s) plug into? Wondering if that is miswired or has developed a short?

 

[Jags]

Just a thought as some generators are very sensitive to proper grounding...some ain't...make sure the honda is grounded to the same place as the inverter.

 

[fbelec]

question: is that 35a in your post 35 amps? if so that is your problem. 35 amps at 240 volts is 8400 watts and there might be some protection from over current built into the electronics. a lot of chargers start off large and then start backing down. if it is only 8500 to start then backs down fairly quick then the other gen sets can handle it. starting off thru electronics large might be cutting it off thinking it's a short or just to much and it doesn't want to try and possibly harm the generator.

 

[velvetfoot]

I looked up that L5-30 plug-I think its 120v.

 

[Sprinter]

I looked up that L5-30 plug-I think its 120v.

Yeah, that output is rated at 120vac @ 30amp. But it's possible that the battery chargers are trying to exceed that. That's why I asked how it acted at a lower load. The shop said that it is putting out rated current, so there must be some kind of fault like a ground issue or something with the OP's paticular application that the genset doesn't like but the other gensets don't care about.

 

[velvetfoot]

A floating vs. bonded neutral thing? I don't know anything much though.

 

[kobudo]

Yeah, that output is rated at 120vac @ 30amp. But it's possible that the battery chargers are trying to exceed that. That's why I asked how it acted at a lower load. The shop said that it is putting out rated current, so there must be some kind of fault like a ground issue or something with the OP's paticular application that the genset doesn't like but the other gensets don't care about.

Yes, the shop said that it is putting out rated current. There is only one genset and it is accepting power from the other two generators but somehow the power coming from this Honda somehow is not being accepted by the genset and therefore not charging the batteries.

 

[Sprinter]

It isn't the cable because I use the same for all 3 units.

Not necessarily because if the cable has an open ground or something, the Honda may be more sensitive to such a problem than the others (for example). Honda inverter units are pretty smart and protective.

Try tying a separate ground wire from the Honda to the battery chargers. And also try using it with the batteries charged up or nearly so.