T&T: generator wiring roblem

[Butch Dalton]

After installing a 2800 watt inverter on Dog Days, a never before seen problem
with the genset wiring showed up. I got three different remedies from three
different Onan technicians today, so I'd like the listees advice on which to
follow. I have two 30-amp shorepower cords which are each wired to one
transfer switch. Each transfer switch is wired to one AC panel, so effectively
each shorepower cord feeds one AC panel. The upper panel has one (16,000 BTU)
air conditioner, the stove, the water heater, and one circuit to the
inverter/charger. The other panel has the other (16,000 BTU) air conditioner,
the other circuit to the inverter/charger, the fridge, and a Boatsafe heater
(which is never run off the generator). All the boat's electrical outlets are
connected to a third, inverter-only AC panel. Since the stove and water heater
are infrequently run, and the fridge runs off 12VDC when off shorepower, the
loads required by the two AC panels are essentially equal.

I have a 9,000 watt Onan generator. The output is through a 35-amp double pole
main breaker. Therein lies the problem. One half of the main breaker is empty.
There are two wires (presumed to be from the generator windings) connected to
one side of the main breaker, and a single 6 gauge wire from the same side of
the breaker going out to the lower transfer switch, and a jumper from there to
the other transfer switch. The generator hence is limited to 35 amps output. I
didn't discover this until I tried to run both air conditioners and the new
125 amp battery charger/inverter at once. The generator's main breaker trips
consistently.

The remedies suggested by the Onan service techs are as follows. 1. Run
another 6 gauge wire from the empty side of the main breaker to the upper
transfer switch, remove the jumper, and move one of the wires from the
windings to the empty side of the breaker (Obviously, I am not an electrician.
I'm sure I'm butchering the nomenclature). This seems to me to be the most
robust solution, although it allows for the possibility of unbalanced loads on
the two circuits. 2. Replace the 35 amp double pole main breaker with a single
pole 70 or 75 amp breaker (9,000 watts divided by 120 volts = 75 amps). This
is simple enough except that Onan only sells a 75 amp double-pole breaker. 3.
Run a short 6 gauge jumper form the input side of the existing 35 amp
double-pole breaker to the other, empty side; and run a short 6 gauge jumper
from the output side to the other, empty output side. This is obviously the
easiest and cheapest solution, but will this actually provide 70 amps output?
I am a 30-year career firefighter and have fought a gazillion electrical
fires. Is this scenario safe?

What say the group? Thanks in advance.

Butch Dalton
43 Albin Dog Days III