generator not charging..a battery of questions..lol

[Helmon]

Should you have another A/C charger, ensure that it is plugged into the main A/C or in to the Electrical generator directly and is also switched on.
Putting the exchange swap to help Electrical generator willpower your own interior a good deal from your generator instead of the inverter result. Although anywhere there needs to be a charger.
mod note
I had a feeling the links were coming.
Once more and you are gone

[inetdog]

There is a 3 prong outlet coming from the transfer switch that I plug into the generator... how fast should the generator charge up this type of system?? It seems that it takes much longer than when i am using sunshine... maybe I didnt let it run long enough..but in the [past I have let it run for over 2 hrs...with a change from 12.40 up to maybe 12.6 or so....not sure how long this is supposed to take.

I took pics of my whole setup..but am unsure how to upload them..the pics are too big, ill see if i can get them on here soon

As I said, look at the wires connected to the batteries and follow them back to see whether you can find a charger whose other side is connected to the house AC wiring on the output side of the transfer switch. If you cannot find anything, then you cannot be charging from the generator.
When you successfully "charged from the generator" before, was the sun shining on the panels?

[piper]

Placing the transfer switch to Generator will power your inside loads from the generator instead of the inverter output. But somewhere there has to be a charger.
If you have a separate AC charger, make sure that it is plugged into the main AC or into the Generator directly and is turned on. Maybe it is defective?

If you cannot find a separate AC charger connected to the batteries, then you may have a combined Inverter/Charger, but it will probably not be getting any power with the transfer switch in the generator position. In the past maybe running the generator just took all of the load off the inverter and let the panels slowly do the charging that you saw?

There is a 3 prong outlet coming from the transfer switch that I plug into the generator... how fast should the generator charge up this type of system?? It seems that it takes much longer than when i am using sunshine... maybe I didnt let it run long enough..but in the [past I have let it run for over 2 hrs...with a change from 12.40 up to maybe 12.6 or so....not sure how long this is supposed to take.

I took pics of my whole setup..but am unsure how to upload them..the pics are too big, ill see if i can get them on here soon

[inetdog]

There is a transfer switch with the option of "normal" or "generator". I of course place it on generator, fire up the generator...and let it go...I am always unsure if the inverter has to be on for the generator to charge??

I have had it charging in the past....just not very fast at all..and now its not charging at all this last time out.

Placing the transfer switch to Generator will power your inside loads from the generator instead of the inverter output. But somewhere there has to be a charger.
If you have a separate AC charger, make sure that it is plugged into the main AC or into the Generator directly and is turned on. Maybe it is defective?

If you cannot find a separate AC charger connected to the batteries, then you may have a combined Inverter/Charger, but it will probably not be getting any power with the transfer switch in the generator position. In the past maybe running the generator just took all of the load off the inverter and let the panels slowly do the charging that you saw?

[piper]

sorry meant to write kawasaki 2900A

[piper]

Here's whats going on. I have my cabin, which was purchased this past summer. It came with a solar system with one panel, (3X2ft) not sure of the voltage. It has a bank of six batteries as well as an inverter. It also came with a kawasaki 2A generator.

The panel has been charging the batteries up to between 13.6-13.98, depending on the cloud coverage. Problem lately is that because I live in northern ontario, the panel is often covered in snow or ice this time of year. I visit the cabin about once every couple of weeks, and on arrival the voltage is in its boots. A few days ago I was out there after a freezing rain, the panel was caked in ice. The voltage was reading 12.44, so I decided to fire up the generator to try and charge the batteries. Well I let it run for a good while with no change in voltage. I am starting to wonder if I am doing something wrong, the generator never seems to charge very well.

There is a transfer switch with the option of "normal" or "generator". I of course place it on generator, fire up the generator...and let it go...I am always unsure if the inverter has to be on for the generator to charge??

I have had it charging in the past....just not very fast at all..and now its not charging at all this last time out.

Ill try to include pics of my system... I'd appreaciate any advice at all! thanks!!



on a side note: I just tried to add pictures from my iphone...but its saying they are exceeding the forum limit of file size. Any ideas how to get them on here???